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  • CSX Track Upgrades & Infrastructure of Pan Am

  • Guilford Rail System changed its name to Pan Am Railways in 2006. Discussion relating to the current operations of the Boston & Maine, the Maine Central, and the Springfield Terminal railroads (as well as the Delaware & Hudson while it was under Guilford control until 1988). Official site can be found here: PANAMRAILWAYS.COM.
Guilford Rail System changed its name to Pan Am Railways in 2006. Discussion relating to the current operations of the Boston & Maine, the Maine Central, and the Springfield Terminal railroads (as well as the Delaware & Hudson while it was under Guilford control until 1988). Official site can be found here: PANAMRAILWAYS.COM.

Moderator: MEC407

 #1604484  by BobbyT
 
What makes the Keag line work somewhat of a priority is the fact that it's in such a state of disrepair that it isn't being used as a through route which is impacting their Maritime/Northern Maine traffic. There are obviously a bunch of areas that need work, but at least they're able to handle traffic in their current condition, albeit at a reduced speed.
 #1604488  by NotYou
 
Any guess what the traffic density on the southern (Worcester to Rigby) vs northern (Rigby to Keag) portion would be if they were in similar state of repair?
Last edited by MEC407 on Sat Aug 13, 2022 5:41 am, edited 1 time in total. Reason: unnecessary quoting
 #1604501  by johnpbarlow
 
One eyeball observation re: PAR traffic from Saint John: a year or two pre-pandemic I went on an overnight track car trip from N Maine Jct to Jackman and return on the then CMQ and I recall the CMQ local returning to NMJ in late afternoon with about 20-25 cars of which I would guess most were PAR-NBS interchange. I’m not sure why that level of traffic would grow with a CSX rebuild of the ‘Keag line.

Q: is the track rehab between Waterville and Rigby complete or still in progress?
 #1604505  by newpylong
 
Prior to sending the NBSR/CSX traffic over the MMA/CMQ they were moving 40-50 cars a day through Keag in jointline service. Pan Am didnt think twice about rerouting them, they were just the bridge except for some drywall traffic. I think one can infer what will happen with that gateway open again and 25 mph with CSX being the terminating railroad.
 #1604506  by BobbyT
 
The business to Keag will undoubtedly grow since CSX will now have an incentive to route its’ traffic single line to and from the NBSR via Keag vs routings with CP and CN. Quite a bit of CN and especially CP traffic out of NB and ME is moving to and from CSX points so that traffic will eventually flip once the line is rebuilt and new rates are established.
 #1604555  by F74265A
 
I don’t have a good feel for how quickly track repairs can be made. Waterville to Keag is in a state of disrepair with, as I understand it, a grossly deficient roadbed among other things. Realistically, how much improvement can csx reasonably make between September and ground freeze on that segment?
 #1604568  by CN9634
 
F74265A wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 10:46 pm Realistically, how much improvement can csx reasonably make between September and ground freeze on that segment?
Never said the line would be reopened just that work would begin. You have to start somewhere…. But given CSXs resources they might be able to get it up to 10MPH and reopen the gateway this year. I heard rail would be dropped and 70K ties to be put in. Last year they worked right up until early December when the ballast cars froze up
 #1604569  by BobbyT
 
Keep in mind that the track is operational, not sure if excepted or what, but nonetheless handling local traffic, so it isn't likely that it's going to take tons and tons of work to get it up to a minimal, safe Class One condition. Class two however is a completely different story.
 #1604585  by F74265A
 
Do you know which stretch the 70k ties is for? It is roughly 55 miles from Waterville to Bangor and the same from Bangor to mattawamkeag
If for the whole distance, that’s low 600s ties per mile I think, which is I think roughly every 4th tie. Maybe that’s sufficient to put in new rail and then replace more ties.
Line needs a ton of ballast. When they ran the oil trains I saw pictures of the tracks sinking in the muck
 #1604590  by neman2
 
Typical tie spacing is 19" or 1.58 feet. So if it is 55 miles ( 5280 feet equals one mile) that equals 290,400 feet . 290,400 divided by 1.58= 184,000 total existing ties over 55 miles. 184,000 divided by 70,000= approximately 3. So about every 3rd tie would be replaced.
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