Rockland Branch Discussion

[Watchman318]

No-one seems to remember that the ME was owned by a short line, albeit a moderate sized one that probably offered similar synergies re billing, etc. And I'm figuring the Rockland dispatching center roster hasn't changed.

Of the four MERR employees offered positions with CMQ, the dispatcher/asst. general manager was not one.
To the best of my knowledge, the former office in the Rockland station is vacant.

I'm not sure who owns the radio repeaters at Thomaston and Bath, but I believe those are MDOT's. I haven't heard radio traffic for awhile, so I'm not sure what's being done now for communication between dispatch and trains/track cars. Radio contact with the Carlton Bridge operator could be done on the simplex channel, if necessary. Cell phones might still be of some use for contact with dispatch ("railroad-supplied electronic devices") as long as they're used within the FRA rules that became permanent in March 2011. I suppose train crews could use hand signals, but I'd bet they have new radios for switching, etc.

There's not much activity on the line right now. As far as I know, the last time steel wheels were on the rails was 01/15, when the signal maintainer's truck patrolled from Rockland westward.

[CN9634]

CMQ uses Railterm so I'm sure that they do so on the Rockland branch as well.

[CN9634]

"ROCKLAND, Maine – Officials with the Central Maine & Quebec Railway are knocking on doors in costal Maine this week trying to drum up new business for the state-owned Rockland Branch, which it took over just three weeks ago. Late last year, the Central Maine won the contract to operate the former Maine Central branch line between Rockland and Brunswick, besting the line's previous operator, the Maine Eastern...."


http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/20 ... tral-maine" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[johnpbarlow]

"ROCKLAND, Maine – Officials with the Central Maine & Quebec Railway are knocking on doors in costal Maine this week trying to drum up new business for the state-owned Rockland Branch, which it took over just three weeks ago. Late last year, the Central Maine won the contract to operate the former Maine Central branch line between Rockland and Brunswick, besting the line's previous operator, the Maine Eastern...."


http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/20 ... tral-maine" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I've not been to Rockland in at least 5 years but what shippers' doors exist to be knocked on? It didn't seem like there was much non-tourist industry other than BIW along route 1 between Rockland and Brunswick.

[MEC407]

Perfectly valid question. There is, or was, a propane dealer in Waldoboro who has or had a siding, but I don't think they've used rail in many years. Other than that, you've got Dragon, Dicaperl (formerly Chemrock), the Maine Yankee dismantlement which ceased a long time ago, and BIW. That's it. Same customers that existed under MERR, Safe Handling, Maine Coast, and Guilford.

Like I said before, if CMQ can do something those four other railroads weren't able to do, it'll be impressive.

[Cowford]

“We see lots of opportunity up an down the Rockland Branch,” [Ratledge] says.

Statements like this set off the the bulls*ometer.

PS - BIW remains PAR's customer, no?

[gokeefe]

“We see lots of opportunity up an down the Rockland Branch,” [Ratledge] says.

Statements like this set off the the bulls*ometer.

PS - BIW remains PAR's customer, no?

I have to wonder myself ....

Harding's plant at Bath Iron Works is in fact on the MDOT Rockland Branch and is serviced by the contracted operator.

[johnpbarlow]

Maybe CMQ can construct an interchange with WW&F....

[Cowford]

That were a good'un!

GOKeefe, refer to page two of RFP... It states BIW - Hardings is an ST customer, and the easement provides for ST sole access into the facility. Additionally, Appendix 5 lists only Dragon and DiCaperal as shippers.

The way the easement is written, it actually sounds like ME DOT owns the right of way, ST has the assigned freight rights to Hardings and the operator runs on overhead trackage rights between Brunswick and Hardings.

[MEC407]

Interesting. That's new information for me.

[Dick H]

Here's a photo of ME #764 switching BIW in 2014. Thanks to Wayne Johnson for the photo.
http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... =csrrfan86" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Perhaps there were different provisions in the old agreement between MEDOT and ME, or some side agreement
between ST and ME on switching on BIW on days that PAR did not run to Brunswick. Two or three years ago,
PAR did receive a substantial number of flat cars loaded with steel, that were stored on PAR in Rigby or
somewhere between Rigby and Brunswick for many weeks, until BIW was ready to take them. I think the
current siding(s) at BIW can only hold a few cars at a time.

I am not aware of what businesses along In towns close to the Rockland Branch or east of Rockland that might
ship or receive bulk shipments that might be interested in a modest transload facility at Rockland. Perhaps,
the door to door canvass by CMQ marketing including visits to such businesses. At any rate, it is good to CMQ
making a "personal" effort to promote more freight traffic on the branch..

[MERailFanJay]

The only businesses I can think of in the Rockland area are a scrap metal dealer, and Fabian Oil, which just installed some sizable tanks a year or 2 ago, both located just down the tracks from DiCaperol. But I doubt either would be big enough to warrant any rail use. Especially since they would require new siding or even a spur to be constructed.

The propane dealer in Waldoboro looks as though they have buried their siding and it is fenced off. Might be able to reuse it, but again, the place may not be big enough to warrant rail use.

[690]

The siding in Waldoboro isn't buried, but it's hard to see since it's overgrown. I tripped over it this summer while taking pictures of the ME. That said, there isn't a switch for it anymore.

[doublestack]

Here's a photo of ME #764 switching BIW in 2014. Thanks to Wayne Johnson for the photo.
http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... =csrrfan86" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here's the video by Dan Comick https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQiXpDUnZaQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Watchman318]

PS - BIW remains PAR's customer, no?

As far as I know, ST has never switched BIW since the line was abandoned. I don't believe there has been an MEC/GRS/PAR/ST locomotive delivering anything past the interchange point (Rock Jct. or westward) since MDOT bought the Rockland Branch, until the recent use of MEC 316 or whatever it was last month when CMQ power wasn't available. I'm pretty sure nothing but locomotives owned or leased by the various designated operators of the branch (MC/SRP/MERR/CMQ--and Amtrak last year) has been east of MP 30 or even Rock Jct. since MDOT bought the line.
If there's anything on paper saying ST or somebody can do the switching inside the Hardings plant (and collect whatever revenue may come from that), I'm not aware of it. But due to BIW being a defense contractor, there might be some "escape clause" for whoever hauls the cars from Rigby to also spot them inside the Hardings fenceline.