Rockland Branch Discussion

[Watchman318]

Free PR, couldn't hurt...

Well, that might depend on who was being mistaken for whom. But then there's always the old "I don't care what the newspapers say about me as long as they spell my name right."

Since they like to have unique names for each of their operations, maybe they would've called this one Mideastern Maine or Maine Mideastern or Midcoastal Southern or......

Now we need a head-spinning smiley for that. I gotta go get some aspirin.

[NHV 669]

But then there's always the old "I don't care what the newspapers say about me as long as they spell my name right."

brings to mind Jack Sparrow,
"But you've heard of us..."

[newpylong]

http://www.stb.dot.gov/decisions/readin ... enDocument" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[CN9634]

Two B23-7s will operate on the branch. 4 guys staying to run with CMQ.

[fogg1703]

It will be interesting to see if CMQ will be able to gain some of the Dragon Windsor Qc traffic over the Moosehead instead of SLR. A sharp pencil for those rates will be needed....as well as cooperation from PAR.

[charlesriverbranch]

http://www.stb.dot.gov/decisions/readin ... enDocument

I see this does not include the portion of the Lower Road between Brunswick and Augusta which Maine Eastern was leasing. Does Maine Eastern retain the lease on that line?

[MEC407]

No. Apparently MDOT is not seeking another operator for that line at this time.

[Cowford]

It will be interesting to see if CMQ will be able to gain some of the Dragon Windsor Qc traffic over the Moosehead instead of SLR. A sharp pencil for those rates will be needed....as well as cooperation from PAR.

Consider that SLR serves the destination and that a CMQ route would be almost double the mileage.

[Fritz]

Hello,
Since I have not seen any cement moving westbound on the SLR/SLQ to Windsor in at least a year if not longer, I am not sure that the cement traffic moves on this routing any more. Granted this is only a limited number of trains (maybe nine trains in the last six months). It's probably been a few years since I saw any cement cars on the SLR 393/394.
Best,
Fritz

[fogg1703]

Since I have not seen any cement moving westbound on the SLR/SLQ to Windsor in at least a year if not longer, I am not sure that the cement traffic moves on this routing any more. Granted this is only a limited number of trains (maybe nine trains in the last six months). It's probably been a few years since I saw any cement cars on the SLR 393/394.

Thanks for the boots on the ground report Fritz. I was under the impression it had been more like 2-3 years since rail was used Rockland to Windsor due to a shortage of leased cars (most dedicated to the barge transload), age of Dragon's leased cars and PAR Bad Ordering them due to age constantly which all led to rail's inability to keep a constant supply line with PAR only interchanging once a week with MERR and then loads sitting in Rigby for a trip north to Danville Jct and SLR. My question was if CMQ could rattle the cage a little and entice PAR with a longer haul to NMJ to increase service a little to grow a little. If successful more cars could be leased such as the NAHX for Tresca service. A guy can dream can't he.

Consider that SLR serves the destination and that a CMQ route would be almost double the mileage.

Consider the Dragon Rockland to Millis Ma moves for Tresca....MERR-PAR-CSX (Barbers-Selkirk-Framingham-Millis)-BCLR. Due to capacity issues with the barges rail won out. Stranger things have happened.

[MEC407]

Photo by Dan Comick:

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=227471" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Photos by Brendan Barry:

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=227512" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=227513" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[690]

I'll throw in my shot of the B23s in Brunswick too

[BandA]

So, has anyone determined why the CMQ bid was better than the MERR? Also, does MEDOT have to file any paperwork on the branch that will no longer be serviced?

[Dick H]

#690: Interesting photo with that "threatening" sky. Were the locos running?
If they are dead and drained, they will have to get a pool company's tank truck
to fill them up and it's supposed to be only 20 degrees today and 3 degrees tonight.

[MEC407]

Wow, 690... absolutely fantastic shot with the star trails! Nicely done!

If I'm not mistaken, MMA fitted some (or maybe all?) of the B23s with auxiliary power units. They did that with some or all of their B39s too. Of course, one wonders whether MMA actually maintained the APUs toward the end, given the company's shall-we-say "unconventional" maintenance practices during their final couple of years...