Portsmouth Branch Activity

[MECFAN]

Went by there today and the tree has been removed.

[gokeefe]

Good to hear. I've called in a grade crossing malfunction a couple of times and it was always taken care of by the next day.

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[Jonathan603]

Nice to see they took care of it so quickly considering the track has not been used in many years! I wonder how long before they will use the section past Paterson lane to run-around. Would love to see that.

[b&m 1566]

I haven't followed the progress on Sea-3's expansion, is that still in the works or is it up and running? I thought when that expansion was fully functioning, that's when trains would be using the run around north of Patterson Lane.

[MECFAN]

The expansion has been done about a year now but they did not re-hab the tracks past Paterson Lane. Traffic has increased but has been slower this summer. There's quite a few propane cars out at Rockingham right now so maybe traffic will pickup going into fall. They were supposed to be doing 16 cars a day when this project was first proposed we'll see if that ever happens.

[Jonathan603]

They cleared the brush past Sea-3 and Patterson lane around November 2018 I believe. In January 2019 I they replaced the railroad crossing signs there with new ones... although they did this all the way up the branch line to Rockingham as well so that doesn't indicate much. Those are the only indications they may do something... so far nothing though!

[MECFAN]

DO-1 316/330 canned inbound at the Highliner switch with 1 Boise and about a dozen propane cars. Crew on duty at 17:00 I believe.

[Jonathan603]

Nice. Do you ever see any reefers these days? I cant remember the last time I saw a highliner delivery.

[MECFAN]

I haven't seen any reefers lately but I don't get trackside as much as I'm working April - November. But the rails were shined up on the Highliner spur not that long ago so maybe they got a car.

[MECFAN]

D0-1 316 / 330 canned at the Highliner switch with 2 Boise, 1 tank and 3 Tyco's at 11:00 A.M.
They worked Boise and Sea-3 last night and must have gone back out to Rockinham with the empties and picked these cars up.

[Jonathan603]

Saw it yesterday by chance and live streamed this at the new crossing at the medical building off of Borthwick Ave. Second clip is it crossing Green street on its way to Boise and Sea-3.

https://youtu.be/kWPQghFs4TE
https://youtu.be/3ZP8rfOZUGY

Will have to head back later maybe and check it out at Highliner again

[MECFAN]

Nice video's Jonathan they should probably be on the train by 6 tonight. To bad they didn't put in crossing protection in at Green street so they didn't have to stop and protect the crossing.

[Hux]

New crossing is certainly photogenic, especially with a long (for the branch) train passing.

[Jonathan603]

Thanks MECFAN.

Yes a shame they have to flag green street since they only recently did work there (maybe a year or two ago?).

Yes the new crossing is photogenic. There is a little room to pull off there but if anyone is thinking of taking photos you can park easily in the far corner of the Jackson Grey Medical Building and its no more than a few steps across the grass to access the crossing and take photos

[NHV 669]

Two units on the run, including the infamous "Guilford Fail System" 330, and a guy sprinting down the RoW on his bike? Excellent capture.