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  • Vermont Rail System (VTR, GMRC, WACR, CLP, NYOG)

  • Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New England
Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New England

Moderators: MEC407, NHN503

 #1477883  by BAR
 
There will be a speeder excursion on the VRS on Saturday July 7 and Sunday July 8. Depart White River Junction around 8:00 AM on Saturday for Newport. Depart Newport around 8:00 AM Sunday morning for WRJ. Around fifty speeders and half a dozen hi-rails.
 #1478655  by Dick H
 
From the VRS Yahoo Group Speeders on the WACR Pompie Route this weekend.

There will be a speeder excursion on the VRS on July 7 and 8. Depart White River Junction around 8:00 AM Saturday for Newport and depart Newport the next morning around 8:00 AM for return trip. Fifty speeders and half a dozen hi-rails expected.
 #1478907  by MACTRAXX
 
DH: Good picture of the Newport, VT Speeder "Traffic Jam" :wink:

When you have a group of speeders following one another in this manner how close are
they supposed to be spaced out between each so that are no rear end collisions?

Do they move around 10 mph which seems to be a decent speed on a trip of this type?

Speeders make for a very interesting way to travel on rail routes with clearance from the owner.
I fully understand why some rail enthusiasts really like them...MACTRAXX
 #1478951  by Dick H
 
It was interesting that CMQ allowed the speeders to access their Newport yard.
Several years ago, the MBRRE ran a WRJ/Newport excursion using the GMRC #405
and GMRC coaches. The train was not allowed into the Newport yard and reversed
direction and tied up at Orleans. The speeders got some rare mileage.
 #1479452  by BAR
 
Re speeder trip:

I don't own a speeder but have been on twenty-five trips and was on this one with a friend/owner. They try to do 25 MPH or so on trips but sometimes are limited by a speeder that can't maintain that speed. Some excursions request that if your car can't maintain 25 MPH you not to sign up for the trip. Most of the speeders are "rolling antiques" and there are occasional breakdowns. If a speeder breaks down they are allowed five minutes to make repairs and if not successful the car will be attached to the one in front of it by a tow bar and towed.

Safety is a top priority and speeders travel with a safe distance between cars, around two hundred feet. This excursion had 50 speeders and six hi-rails so when on the move we were often stretched out two miles or more.

NEREX the sponsor of he trip has a good relationship with the CM&Q and they were willing to let us use the tracks into the center of Newport where we tied up for the night. Last year we used their rails from Northern Maine Junction to Jackman and return and there have been a good number of trips on their rails in prior years on both CM&Q and MM&A.

BAR
 #1481399  by Safetee
 
On a spot visit yesterday to North Bennington and environs noticed
1) a lot of cars in the yard
2) a plastics car, Nova chemicals ostensibly polystyrene, spotted for unloading.
3) signs of new track being installed in the yard
4) signs of a major tie job going to start from north bennington through n. shaftsbury
5) last but not least a sixty seven +- car south bound train mainly Omya tanks and hoppers with a few odd boxes and bulk flats.

Obviously the the old B&R is doing ok despite the demise of the old Bennington Yard tracks which apparently are going to disappear to make way for schwinn..
 #1483189  by NHV 669
 
Was busy between 1530 Wednesday, and about 1430 yesterday, got both WACR freights on Wed, and yesterday morning departures of FLSW? and likely an RDBD. Got the B&R job at Albrecht Road in Clarendon, although they stopped just south of the Route 4 crossing for some odd reason. Still moving at a slow clip through the area, although it looks like a solid amount of ballast has been dropped.

The 263 over the mountain was short (2215 and 432 with just 21 cars), but they didn't leave until just before 11am.

I took off for the other WACR, the granite operation up at Barre. There was a derailment Wednesday night, two cars went off at the crossing of Ayers Street in downtown Barre. When I showed up at Montpelier Jct. just before 1300, they had already spotted the loads (on the north leg of the wye for some reason, apparently that isn't the "right" way), and were retrieving 9 empty gons dropped off by Wednesday's NECR 323. 804 in the lead, with the Natchez GMTX leaser trailing. They finally took off at about 1315 or so after pulling halfway over the crossing, and then backing halfway down the wye (???). The train crawled into Barre, and stopped with the last car behind the station. While waiting for them to cross VT 14, I noted an XPO truck park his trailer right over the crossing, and returned to the train to find they were still waiting for the work at Ayers to be completed. As I was leaving, they decided to take off as well, and it was a "race" to the crossing, to tell the driver he was about to lose the back of his trailer. Of course, they pulled up right as he moved, good timing for all. They made it over the crossing, and parked before Ayers, I returned home before seeing the conclusion of the day's work on the line.
Attachments:
Psst... hey kid, looking to buy some empty gons?
Psst... hey kid, looking to buy some empty gons?
hey kid.jpg (1.22 MiB) Viewed 3675 times
 #1488160  by NHV 669
 
Monday was a splendid day for traffic on the WACR, as NPWJ brought a monster 54 car train south to White River, 12 mixed, with 42 salt empties. 202 was the sole power.

WJNP met them in the St. Johnsbury yard around 17:00, and waited for them to clear the north switch before proceeding north, as the train extended well beyond. 306 led that train, with 16 cars in tow, empty centerbeams, and a few empty low gons at the rear.
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