PAR Business Train (ST 100, 101, 102 & 103; PAR 1 & 2)

[johnpbarlow]

Apparently the OCS is once again on a sight-seeing tour per postings on Pan Am Railfans Facebook page. It was reported bedded down at Rigby Yard at 5:13pm 10/5/20 after having traveled from Waterville. Not clear where OCS is headed from Rigby although one poster claims OCS is only touring D1.

Update at 1:30PM 10/6/20: OCS is heading west through Ballardvale MA. Don't know if it's a deadhead move or not and don't know its ultimate destination.

[newpylong]

Supposed to go out to NY for a trip east on Thursday.

[NHV 669]

Heard mention of them parking at HJ for the night, dunno if that holds weight.

[johnpbarlow]

Per two Pan Am FB pages, OCS wyed at Hoosick Jct 0n 10/7/20 to head east and picked up some riders at Sewer Plant Rd at around 1pm but didn't depart eastward until after 3pm. Apparently the OCS eastward trek was further delayed at Williamstown due to storm related fallen trees. Passed N Adams in early evening with track car ahead. Photo taken at Hoosick Falls (maybe) of ST100 shows a couple of MoW types (?) in orange vests and hard hats examining the track. Unknown if and where OCS ended its trip yesterday.

[BM6569]

The OCS is out yet again! Left Waterville today and was reported into MA tonight

[johnpbarlow]

With so many OCS runs of late, I wonder if that means Pan Am is a bit short on crews to expedite revenue freight?

[MEC407]

They're always short on crews. But I suppose it doesn't help the situation to have crews tied up with the window train or placing/removing political signs on overpasses...

[bostontrainguy]

I am wondering if it also means a lack of serious buyers and offers.

[newpylong]

My bad.

[A215]

This train almost always is run by crews and not management.

[Red Wing]

I was hiking in the Deerfield Valley today and surprised to see it going by in the valley below towards the Hoosac Tunnel. This was round 1:30pm or so.

[newpylong]

This train almost always is run by crews and not management.

You're right, my apologies. I looked into it more. It seems none of the current road foreman can run a 24RL brake without making flat spots so there are only two engineers (one who was the foreman when I was there) system wide who take it more times than not.

[MEC407]

Helluva way to run a railroad

[A215]

You're right, my apologies. I looked into it more. It seems none of the current road foreman can run a 24RL brake without making flat spots so there are only two engineers (one who was the foreman when I was there) system wide who take it more times than not.

It's pretty much just the one engineer that runs it. The long time conductor left this year so they've been using randoms.

[BandA]

Will Mellon keep the business train for himself after he sells the railroad?