Rockland Branch Discussion

2310 was WB light through Thomaston at 08:27.

[Edited at 12:39]

L077 is bringing them one perlite load and 5 empty cement cars.

2310 and 8 cars wb through Thomaston at 08:36.

I am surprised they are still moving cement. I figured the junk left in the silos would be gone by now.

L077 arrived in Brunswick at 13:52 with CSXT 2548 and seven empty cement hoppers.

CPF66 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 23, 2024 9:56 am I am surprised they are still moving cement. I figured the junk left in the silos would be gone by now.

When they announced closure they said they were still going to operate in some capacity right into 2025 so they could keep making product for a bit possibly.

Sometimes companies (that are big employers) will take the nuclear option and threaten closure to get something done. Not saying that's the case here, but maybe it is with the gas line.

That was strictly for the local market. Large scale production ended last fall, the remaining product moving out is low quality mix that was left in the silos.
As for the nuclear option, thats what I am hoping. Hopefully once the economic impacts hit the community, the voters might change their views on the pipeline.

This is Maine. The voters won't support a pipeline.

Ameristar's passenger proposal rejected:

https://knox.villagesoup.com/news/passe ... b8IEygiLUk

Stephen Betts wrote:
ROCKLAND — A private railroad company that had proposed providing seasonal passenger excursion train service between Rockland and Brunswick said its plan was rejected by the company that leases the rail line.

“We are disappointed in the decision by Midcoast Railservice to go with the plans for Amtrak’s service," said Scott Spencer, chief operating officer of AmeriStarRail.

He said AmeriStarRail developed the operating plans, identified locomotives, passenger cars and liability insurance last December to begin MidCoast Maine Central train excursions by May 1 because AmeriStarRail believed Amtrak wouldn’t be ready to begin service by the 2024 tourist season.

George Betke of Midcoast Railservice, which leases the Rockland to Brunswick line from the Maine Department of Public Service said April 21 that time was running short to have any seasonal passenger service for 2024.

"Already a year behind previous expectations, we would have preferred to start up with Amtrak a month ago to enable any kinks to be worked out prior to onset of the summer travel season," Betke said.

He said the decision now rests with the commissioner of the Maine DOT.

Maine DOT Communications Director Paul Merrill said April 25 no time frame has been determined.

I am not sure why anyone should be acting shocked by that revelation...

Especially when the company has never operated a railroad, and made the original press release without even talking to FGLK.

CPF66 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 11, 2024 4:46 pm All earth sold the entire fleet to the Gaspesie Railway Society in Quebec. Not sure what the eventual plan is, but if I were to guess they will be replacing the European built DMU cars which have been used in commuter service on the land locked section of the line. The intent is to reopen the section those run on in the next year. Either that or they will be used to run passenger service to Gaspe when the rehab of the line is completed in 2027. VIA was supposed to do it, but have failed to make any actual commitments towards restarting passenger service.

@CPF66 I tried to PM you but botched it somehow - I don't suppose there's anything online which supports the above statement? There is a post (might be a bit much to dignify it with "article") on Trains about VIA Rail possibly ditching their RDCs on the White River service - having to operate them on restored Matapedia-Gaspe service might change the assumptions.

It was mentioned in a few comments in one of the Vermont Rail System Facebook groups a while back. I would have to dig to find the post. I am wondering if the transaction fell through, since there hasn't been any progress on it in months.

I was digging through Tim Chalifour's Linkedin page, because I recalled reading a bit about the RDC's being sold off. While doing so I found this interesting advertisement: I am not sure what they might be able to transload, maybe salt? Although that might be a tough sell when Sprauge deals a bunch of that at Searsport, then you have Maine Salt in Hermon, and I think they still do salt in Portland and Portsmouth.

CPF66 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2024 3:03 pm I am not sure what they might be able to transload, maybe salt? Although that might be a tough sell when Sprauge deals a bunch of that at Searsport, then you have Maine Salt in Hermon, and I think they still do salt in Portland and Portsmouth.

Sprague maintains a huge salt pile at their South Portland facility on the CSX mainline and a stone's throw from the Turners Island shortline.

I wasn't sure if they still did or not. I don't get down that way too often anymore, so I wasn't sure if they still did or not. I know Searsport moves an ungodly amount per year as well (I think thats where a lot of the DOT's salt for Augusta north is sourced).

I am wondering if a LPG company would be able to place a facility somewhere. I know its been discussed here in the past that it would be hard to compete with Dead River in Westbrook and the fuel companies on SLR. But they could always build it like the new HO Bouchard transload at NMJ. Google maps hasn't updated that section since it has been built, but all they did was install a couple of spurs and built a lane for semis to pull into. They use a pair of what I would call temporary unloading racks, although I can't find an official product for them. All they are is a unloading rack on wheels with connections for a tank car on one side and connections for a semi on the other. They are moved around with a small tractor once a car is empty. If someone were to put gravel pad in at an existing siding such as the one off of Depot St. in Waldoboro, they might be able to bring a small amount of business to the railroad. And who knows, Dead River does have a garage a few hundred feet from the siding in Newcastle, maybe they would bite.

These aren't LPG racks, however these are similar in design:

https://www.google.com/maps/@46.8620964 ... ?entry=ttu