"Up North" Gawking (District 1 sightings)

[CN9634]

Take a breath.... Loring, Houlton, PI, whatever... they are going up the MNR.

[KSmitty]

Why would DOD flatcars be hauling laminated lumber? It's not like you're going to balance the federal budget leasing out beat up old flat cars.

Been a lot of activity in the Loring/PI area. New siding going in in PI, newly secured area at Loring per friend in the area.

[fromway]

My apology. I missed the DODX reference.

[Cosakita18]

Been a lot of activity in the Loring/PI area. New siding going in in PI, newly secured area at Loring per friend in the area.

Where in PI? and for what purpose? was just there last week and didn't see any sort of new construction at the industrial park or the disused downtown yard.

[fromway]

The DOD car mystery has been solved. They will be moving military equipment that had been at Loring for refurbishing and were moved to the Presque Isle, Maine airport to be loaded and sent to California. The repair center at Loring went under and the equipment has been sitting there for over a period of time. It will be interesting to try to get some pictures as they are moved from PI to Squa Pan to Oakfield toMillinocket to NMJ.

[KSmitty]

Where in PI? and for what purpose? was just there last week and didn't see any sort of new construction at the industrial park or the disused downtown yard.

Dead River, getting a new track. I believe anyway.

[fromway]

Half of the 79 mobile howitzers are already loaded and moved out of the PI Airport loading location. It is expected that they will all be loaded by the end of today. Takes longer to tie down than to load. If anyone is interested go to Facebook, Maine Northern Railway/Eastern Maine Railfan page and there are pictures and video of this operation. Will be going through Oakfield on to Millinocket and to the Junction. Lots of video and pictures being posted on FB.

[NHV 669]

Interesting that they decided to crane the Paladins, instead of driving them on the cars. Perhaps they lack a ramp up there. If I recall, they hang off about 8" on each side of a DODX flat, so they better be tied tight.

I wonder if they're headed for Fort Irwin.

[fromway]

From what has been posted on FB, the engines have all been decommissioned.

[fromway]

The word is that they are going to the Sierra Army Depot. No word on the routing to get there.

[backroadrails]

I think these are the same ones which have been there since the 90's. There was something like 300 of those there at one time. I can't remember if I saw them going through Caribou or Limestone right after the base closed in the 90's (memory is fuzzy after almost 30 years) and if so, they might have been the last move by rail to the base.

[fromway]

All packed up and ready to go. All the mobile howitzers are loaded and ready to roll. We should be seeing some action Friday at the earliest. Hope there will be lots of posting and pictures of this adventure through Squa Pan, Oakfield, Millinocket and the Junction. Will be fun to follow it through to California.

[fromway]

The DODX cars are on their way. They left Oakfield today and are headed to Brownville Junction. They will be then handed off to CP for transport to NMJ(Bangor). From there PAR will taken them to Portland. Where they go from there is unknown. Should be plenty of opportunities for videos and pictures.

[Mikejf]

According to a Facebook post, train departed Waterville at 2pm

[NHV 669]

West through Winthrop at 15:20, haven't seen an update since.