Washington County Railroad

[Slowrider]

We pulled a switch out in Danville last summer, ( with permission from VTrans) To use the ties and rails, All of which were in great shape. I would imagine that the majority of the ties would be able to be reused. Although I thought that the Rails were only 85 LB, The conn river line is both 100 and 115 Ib rail. They could use it for sidings....

Speaking of Conn River Line, Anybody seen any trains on this line this week....

M Fortin,

[Tom Winans]

As of last year VTrans planned on keeing all material rails and ties and letting VRS use it on other State owned lines. Depending on how the contract with the company pulling up the stuff is written will depend if it is set aside for VRS or scrapped by the contractor. I would asume VTrans has that provision in the contract. I would hope so, anyone seen the price of new or scrap steel lately? It has gone out of sight. also some of the rail on the LVRC is 100 pound on some segments because when it was rebuilt in the late 1970's there was a shortage of 85 pound so the contractor was forced to use 100 pound.

Since I live along the track yes the train has run once a day, each way this week.

[RAILBOX_R]

Mark,
Yes trains have been running as usuall for WACR. Traffic is a little on the light side though. Besides Mondays train of 10 north and tuesdays 11 south there has really not been any train even coming close to reaching the double digets. Tomorrows southbound will cosist of the 3612, 5 boxes, 2 loaded lumbers, and 1 loaded TOFC. This is only the second TOFC to go south this week(one on monday) compared to four last week. Do not know what happend to MMA tuesday but they did not return to newport until today. WACR southbound today only consisted of 1 loaded Caledonia Kiln bulk as a result. I am noticing a lot more grain cars though. I am not sure but heard a rumor the are coming from Richford south?? I hope to see a good sized train on tomorrows northbound, and hopefully both ways on friday!

[Slowrider]

Thanks Sean, Keep us posted. Can't wait to get home, we'll go for another
Chase...............

Mark,

[Slowrider]

I have heard that the F-40s are all back in storage, Anybody been up to Newport lately? Are the GEs back?

M Fortin

[Tom Winans]

The southbound has been leaving the train in lyndonville and heading to the Kiln where they pick up a load and head back to the train and put it back together and then head to WRJ. they have been doing this the last few weeks, once or twice a week. on the tie replacement front Steve M. from VRS says they want to get the speed up to 25MPH from WRJ north and plan to insert approx. 25,000 ties. No date on the start of that project yet.

[MissisquoiValleyRR]

It's been kind of quiet here of late, so I thought I'd mention a book. "Rambling Man - The Best Of Charlie Moore" is a collection of pieces that first appeared in the Newport Daily Express. Written by a Newport oldtimer, the pieces chronicle life in and around Newport; quite a few mention trains.

[rivertripp]

Yes, it has been real quiet digitally speaking; some of us have gone to the VRS yahoo group. But they're slowly shipping the old BAR Pullman and passenger cars out of Newport. BAR #111 arrived in St. Johnsbury a few days ago, where it will eventually, (we hope), house a railroad history exhibit and be open to the public. With the Pullman, six log loads being transferred, and a half dozen empty centerbeam flats in the yard it seems a little less desolate.