Rockland Branch Discussion

BandA wrote: ↑Tue Aug 20, 2024 5:35 pm Does this mean that MaineDOT will take over the maintenance costs, bridge inspections etc, or will they just stop doing any maintenance? Isn't rail necessary for BIW and national defense? Would the three remaining customers use a trackmobile or transload or switch to trucks? That's probably it for any future passenger service too

As line owner, they're already responsible for all of the above...

BIW hasn't been rail served in several years, and any steel for work ASA has been doing for them has been transloaded at Saco again, as already noted within this thread. What national defense? There are no active bases along the line... the nuclear plant was decommissioned almost 30 years ago.

Three customers? There's only the steel (already covered above), and the minimal perlite traffic all the way towards the eastern end of the line. A trackmobile isn't going to cut it on a 100 mile round trip for 1-2 cars a month lol...

BIW having a connection to the national rail network is probably something they would like to keep, even if they aren't actively being served. That said I don't see the line becoming a trail anytime soon, so they probably wouldn't have to worry much.

If it were that much of a priority, they wouldn't be transloading at a CSX-served site almost 50 miles away lol...

I'm told that MaineDOT will be putting out an RFP for a new Rockland Branch operator in the next week or two.

Keep in mind that Amtrak still actively intends to extend the Downeaster to Rockland, so even if freight dries up completely, the branch still has a future as an active railroad.

Maybe Amtrak can get their hands on some of those All-Earth RDC's.

Without freight 100% of the maintenance cost will have to be "allocated" to the Amtrak trains. Or maybe 0%

More than likely 0, given its status as a state-owned RoW.

I hope the amtrak plan goes thru, that would be a nice change from the freight that we had for 2 years.

The Rockland Branch had freight service far longer than two years lol... Amtrak wouldn't be the first or even second operator of passenger service on the line in the last 10 years.

I think he was referring to Midcoast Railservice, which operated the line for almost exactly two years.

MEC407, correct, was specifying midcoast.

I believe it was mentioned earlier in this thread there is an issue with the Amtrak engine weights and bridges on the line, so that would need to be resolved. Frankly, though, I just don't see Rockland as that big of a destination to justify the investment it would take to make the branch suitable for *any* regular passenger service.

The State would be better off focusing on extending service to Bangor.

The bridge issues are either in the process of being fixed or may have been fixed by now. When I contacted MDOT several months ago, I think they said they were either putting them out to bid or were reviewing bids they had received. In terms of cost, it's a drop in the bucket compared to what it would cost to extend the Downeaster to Bangor.

I do think Bangor will happen someday, but it will require a big push from the public, similar to what it took to get the original Boston-Portland service going.

JBlaisdell wrote: ↑Wed Sep 11, 2024 6:03 am I believe it was mentioned earlier in this thread there is an issue with the Amtrak engine weights and bridges on the line, so that would need to be resolved.

An uninformed assumption that was made without even bothering to crunch numbers. The difference between a P42 and a B23-7 is roughly 5 tons, and a single loaded freight car would more than make up that difference. So a moot point.

There was necessary bridge work, but as noted above, either already done, or at least under contract/under bid.