Portsmouth Branch Activity

There's a cranky old guy (not me, a different one) with a scanner who quite frequently posts activity on both the Portsmouth branch and the main line in ALMOST real time on the google group NERail. Using his info, you can often intercept DO-1 or catch a tied down AYPO in Newfields.

Thanks oibu for the warm welcome. Yes you are right it’s probably a little too far out west but I’ll post when I hear them in NH. Thanks again for your nice words.

No problem Jonathan.

Arthur, thanks for that tip, sounds like a good info source for anyone hunting trains in that area- hadn't heard about him before, will check it out. I would guess Jonathan could probably get some good tip-offs from that for movements in his neck of the woods if he doesn't have a scanner or can't monitor it all the time.

Interesting information on the restoration of the station building at Rockingham Junction.

https://rockinghamjunction.net/

Caught the local into Portsmouth yesterday afternoon. They came on duty at about noon at Rockingham, rearranged the consist and headed off to Portsmouth. I followed to Portsmouth, where they stopped by the office at the garage. Unknown if they switched anything out, or if that will happen today, Wednesday. About seven cars: tanks, lumber and box cars.
The lighting at Greenland was awful with the angle of the sun making it a tough shot. The other shot was as they were about to enter the yard, near Islington Street, near my favorite restaurant, Street

Steve

Yes the lighting was pretty bad but you got some nice shots. I chased the same train yesterday I was pretty close to you when you were at street as I was over near the yard.

Here is a YouTube clip of the train I took.

https://youtu.be/T29tgl4g-B0

330 is back in Dover now so It didn’t spend too much time in Portsmouth yesterday.

By chance caught the local in the fog at Portsmouth today. Kind of a funky look as the fog obscured everything along the river as they headed toward the Rt 95 bridge. There was another engine shut down at the garage location in the yard, so I wonder if the unit I caught had come down from Dover

Steve

Great shot Steve! Love it.

506 has been there since 11/19. It had some engine problems which delayed it into Portsmouth on that day so I wonder if it’s shutdown with another technical issue.... I would suspect so if 345 is there doing the switching.

Here is a video I shot of it from 11/19 on its way in to Portsmouth - https://youtu.be/spuFPu1KVnM

When's the last time Highliner got a load? Haven't seen any in pictures in q while.

It’s been a long time since I last saw any activity at Highliner. Can’t remember the last time.

I think its been almost a year since Highliner got a car. I haven't seen a tank car at the Sprauge rack since mid summer either and propane traffic is really slow to Sea-3 also.

Yeah it’s been at least a year for Highliner. I mainly see Boise, Tyco and Tank cars. This may be a silly question but is there an easy way to distinguish the AVGas (Sprague) from Propane (sea-3) tank cars as I see those quite a bit but without following to the racks I never know which are which.

I don't remember the cars being any different other than saying Non-Odorized Liquified Petroleum Gas on the side and the obvious UN 1075 whereas the AvGas I believe was 1863. But I also used to see straight gas UN 1203 I don't remember where those went.

Like newpylong said the placards are the easiest way to pick out the propane. The av gas almost always travel in blocks of 2 or 3 black UTLX cars.

Interesting. Thanks. I’ll keep an eye out. Must say I almost always see 1075 so those would be for Sea-3. I’ll keep an eye out for Sprague tanks.