St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad (SLR/SLQ)

3035 has been the Lewston Junction yard switcher for the last week or so; found her at Danville Junction yesterday afternoon lifting interchange cars off CSX. maybe it's 3008's turn for some tlc in the shop.

Hello,
This morning's SLQ westbound 393 departed Island Pond at 0918 with the following:

QG GP40-2L 3014
SD70MAC 4024
6 centerbeam flats
3 covered hoppers
5 hi-cube boxcars
19 tank cars

That's 33 cars total, including 5 loads and 28 empties.
Have a great day!
Fritz

Hello,
In pouring rain, yesterday's SLQ westbound 393 departed Island Pond at 0851 with the following:

QG GP40-2L 3014
SD70MAC 4024
7 centerbeam flats
9 boxcars
6 covered hoppers
1 hi-sided gondola
59 tank cars

That's 82 cars total, including 5 loads and 77 empties!

And it appears that the road trains ran three nights this past week (Monday, Tuesday and Friday) plus possibly they also may have run a turn from Richmond to Island Pond and back.
Best,
Fritz

Hello,
This morning's SLQ westbound 393 departed Island Pond at 0800 with the following:

QG GP40-2L 3014
GP40-2 3047
SD70MAC 4022
5 centerbeam flats
1 bulkhead flat
4 hi-sided gondolas
19 hi-cube boxcars
10 covered hoppers
24 tank cars

That's 62 cars total, including 9 loads and 53 empties.

That's the third 393/394 of the week. I wonder if they will run again tonight.
Have a great weekend,
Fritz

Hello everyone,
On May 7, 2024, departure of SLR 520 from CN Southwark yard, direction Richmond. Since fews months, the train number has changed in Quebec, going from 393/394 to 520 in both directions (EB + WB) I don't know if it's the same on the Vermont/Maine side...
The composition was:
SLR GP40 3004
QGRY GP40-2LW 3014
SLR SD70MAC 4024
Good week-end (we're already Thursday!)
Victor

I caught SL&A 3004 heading to mechanic falls on 4/19/24 at 3:22 pm with ten cars.
The cars order was 3 cn box cars at the very end, one ttx box car, another cn, 3 unknown box cars, and two cars probably from Hancock lumber full of wooden sheets

Hancock Lumber doesn't ship by rail... those cars likely go to Maine Wood Treaters right there in Mechanic Falls.

Hi guys,
Here is the SLR 520 (CN Southwark Yard to Richmond) of June 12, 2024 at the EXO's
Saint-Bruno commuter station, on the Montreal's South Shore. The consist was :
SLR SD70MAC 4024
SLR GP40-2 3007
And about 53 cars
Have a great week-end
Victor

Hello,
Last night's SLQ eastbound 394 arrived at the U.S. Canada border in Norton at 2018 with the following:

GP40 3004
SD70MAC 4023
9 centerbeam flats
1 hi-sided gondola
12 hi-cube boxcars
7 covered hoppers
24 tank cars

That's 53 cars total, including 47 loads and 6 empties.

The current schedule is to run 393/394 on Tuesday and Thursday nights. Extras run as needed and don't seem to be on any specific night.
Keep cool!
Fritz

Hello,
This morning's SLQ westbound 393 departed Island Pond at 0742 with the following:

SD70MAC 4023
GP40 3004
9 centerbeam flats
7 hi-cube boxcars
5 covered hoppers
8 tank cars

That's 29 cars total, including 3 loads and 23 empties. Short train for being only the second train this week!
Best,
Fritz

My feeble attempt at night photography showing 4023-3004 passing thru South Paris last night with 22 cars
at about 2115.

Hello,
This morning's SLQ westbound 393 departed Island Pond at 0751 with the following:

GP40-3 3805
RM-1 805
GP40--2 3035
9 centerbeam flats
20 boxcars
3 hi-sided gondolas
12 covered hoppers
16 tank cars

That's 60 cars total, including 9 loads and 51 empties.
Have a great 4th of July!
Fritz

Their eastbound counterpart was 4024/3007 and 50 cars, and they apparently weren't into the US until well after 20:00.

Drove by the intermodal yard in Auburn a couple days ago and noticed a 7-8 car string of short, graffiti covered
pressure differential covered hoppers similar to the ones used by Ciment de Quebec parked there and wondered
why they were there. This afternoon while passing by I noticed an 18 wheel semi bulk carrier transferring
product from one of the cars. Couldn't read any identifying marks to determine the entities involved or what
the product might be. If it is cement, I wonder if it has anything to do with the changes at Dragon Cement in
Thomaston?

NHV 669 reported over in the CSX forum that new rail was dropped west of Groveton recently. I noticed today
that rail has also been dropped west of the Oxford St crossing at the Oxford-Paris town line to replace the 100 lb
jointed rail between that crossing and the west switch by the recreation field, about a mile. Likely under a
slow order, westbound trains always slow down significantly before passing over that section.