Rockland Branch Discussion

BandA wrote: ↑Sat Jan 29, 2022 4:53 pm I've read about some refurbished RDC's having a door wide enough for a wheelchair. So I assume a stock RDC, with a stock bathroom, are not HP accessible.

Not 100% sure but I think the wheelchair-accessible ones are refurbished RDC-2s. The baggage door would clearly be wide enough for a wheelchair.

Trinnau wrote: ↑Sun Feb 06, 2022 10:18 pm That determination was made as part of the transition into PTC and is no longer available, consider it a 1-time "grandfather" situation. The regs clearly state that any new commuter or intercity service that intends to start after Dec 31, 2020 requires PTC.

49 CFR 236.1005(b)(6) wrote: 236.1005 Requirements for Positive Train Control systems.
(b) PTC system installation -
(6) New rail passenger service. No new intercity or commuter rail passenger service shall commence after December 31, 2020, until a PTC system certified under this subpart has been installed and made operative.

Cool; thanks! Good to know.

But, thanks to your pointing me to the CFR title, I also found this section (236.1019) of exclusions that can be applied for:

49 CFR 236.1019(c) : Limited operations exception. FRA will consider an exception in the case of a track segment used for limited operations (operating in accordance with § 236.0 of this part) under one of the following sets of conditions: ...
49 CFR 236.1019(c)(2) : Passenger service is operated on a segment of track of a freight railroad that is not a Class I railroad on which less than 15 million gross tons of freight traffic is transported annually and on which one of the following conditions applies: (limit of 4 trains/day for unsignaled track, 12 trains/day for signaled track).

Finger Lakes RR is taking over the Rockland branch effective in July with "Midcoast Rail Service"
They're still working with MaineDoT and NNEPRA on the Budd RDC passenger rail pilot.

https://knox.villagesoup.com/2022/06/28 ... l-service/

In regards to freight, How much volume is Dragon sending west nowadays? I'd been under the assumption that there would be a fairly substantial increase in westbound loads with the end of the Rockland shuttle / barge.
Doing a bit of quick math, it seemed like Dragon could be generating 10-15 westbound loads per day, but as of now CP is just working the branch 1-2 days a week.

2308 seen trailing on CSXT M426-16 tonight through Chester, MA:

M426 with the 2308 is still in Ayer as of 1130.

Edit: Passed Chelmsford at 14:45.

The Rockland Branch recently had an usual move, they got a load of bait in a reefer from Seattle for a local fishing outfit up there. Anyone know where they unloaded it? Somewhere just south of the old Dragon barge rack maybe by the docks?

The bait company has the short rail siding with a loading dock just north of the roundhouse.

https://knox.villagesoup.com/2022/09/24 ... -rockland/

Dropped pin
https://maps.app.goo.gl/H1JgtcpvHnbicS6FA

They dropped it on the stub track here. O'Hara's is the outfit, they have frozen storage in the building right there.

O'Hara deals in lobster bait, with menhaden being a bait fish. The menhaden season just hit its quota in Maine and it now is "imported."

Thank you all for the info. That's awesome, sounds like they are being aggressive about getting some tonnage back. Hope that's not the last carload for them.

The article references Dragon stopping rail - don't they ship outbound cement loads by rail still despite the shuttle service to the barge dock stopping?

They've run WB twice within the last week, 10 or so cement cars on both trains.

JBlaisdell wrote: ↑Tue Sep 21, 2021 7:07 pm They have started laying track into the new building next to US 1 in West Bath.

Apparently they're tying in the siding or preparing to, as there's a work crew fouling the branch at that spot this morning.

The customer is American Steel & Aluminum. Apparently a second reefer came in last week for the bait place, along with 27 other inbound cars.


Edit: the siding has apparently been tied in as of 4pm.

Eastbound through Wiscasset within the last half hour with 12 hoppers of pet coke. Dragon has apparently switched up their fuel source, and Midcoast Railservice has seized that opportunity for carloads. 9 more waiting to come east.

2310 apparently heading east to join 2308 as well.

23 more cars east out of Brunswick today, FGLK working some magic on this line....

CSX M426 had a fish load today or yesterday, unknown if for Highline in Portsmouth or another bait load for Rockland.