Portsmouth Branch Activity

[Jonathan603]

lol yes I noticed that bag hanging out of the window each time. I wish they would hang a GoPro out so we could watch the route... it's a pretty ride into Portsmouth along the branch.

I recognize the crew's voices and they often seem to do that route.

[highrail]

Hey Jonathan,
Great drone photo of switch replacement at Rockingham...guessing that it is yours!http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... ex=4&key2=

Steve

[Jonathan603]

Thanks Steve! Yes that’s mine. I shot some video too which I hope to upload tonight. Not much action though other than 503 powered down on the branch line. Thanks for the feedback.

[gokeefe]

Nice to see this project has made some good progress.

[Jonathan603]

Uploaded some drone video from Rockingham Junction this morning. Uploaded it to my other YouTube channel.

https://youtu.be/NpNdyRC8j5U

[codasd]

I'm curious why they are replacing the whole switch, was it in such bad shape? Seems that just replacing a defective frog or control arms would be faster, easier, and a PAR SOP cheaper.

[MECFAN]

There is enough switch parts to build two new switches.I believe these are to replace the two switches that come off the passing siding onto the Portsmouth siding and is part of the passing siding rebuild that started last summer. Also down at Swamscott street are five stacks of ties that were recently dropped at the crossing. There is some rail that was dropped last year to rebuild the two crossing tracks, so I'm guessing that's coming up soon. Would be a good time with only one Downeaster each way for a while.

[690]

I'm curious why they are replacing the whole switch, was it in such bad shape? Seems that just replacing a defective frog or control arms would be faster, easier, and a PAR SOP cheaper.

Probably because they want to raise the speed on the controlled siding to 25.

[newpylong]

Is the whole CS still 10 on the speedo? It was when I was there, I am not sure if it was due to the switches to the passing track being junk or what.

[Jonathan603]

No idea. There has been a lot of work going on at Rockingham in the last few days. A ballast tamper and regulator and a bunch of worker trucks. Looks like they might be doing some work on Portsmouth branch too. 503 was sat on the branch line most of yesterday, I believe I heard it on the scanner leave late last night.

[Trinnau]

Yep, still 10.

[newpylong]

10+ years later, not bad lol.

[690]

I had been told the reason it was 10 was because of the turnouts, by the time a train clears one end you just need to slow down for the next turnout anyway, so no reason to bump the speed up.

[Jonathan603]

That makes a lot of sense. It is a relatively short stretch.

[Trinnau]

That argument doesn't hold any water. It's an 11,000ft siding - a full 2 miles with 30mph switches on either end. It's basically the same length as Wells. 242 to 241 is only 7,000ft by comparison yet it is maintained to speed. The speed is there for pull-in or pull-out, so you don't have to drag the whole train at 10mph. You clear/enter the main much quicker.

Slow to 10, then maintain 10 while you pull a long train in the clear to a stop. Or make sure you slow to 30 for the switch while targeting a stop at either Swamscott or the end of the siding.

Accelerate to 10, maintain 10 until your tail end clears the siding, then accelerate to track speed. Or accelerate right to 30, which by the time you get there you may already be clear of the siding and can continue to track speed.