Need help on Pan AM/Guilford Freight Symbols

Is there a set schedule with freight symbols for Guilford? I have been doing a good amount of trian chasing and photographing in Auburn and Lewiston ME and would like to know the freight symbols for photo captions. I forgot to ask the engineer when I talked to him. This is actually my first attempt at actually takign pictures of guilford trains. I also need some help, with with engine id. Does anyone have a roster list that shows the type of engines I am seeing. I would like to have good captions for my pictures.
Also, is there a limit to the size of the photo you can post on the Nerail photo site.

Anyway, I got some good photos of a guilford freight crossing the Androscoggin River into Lewiston and some of the same freight meeting another guilford freight in aubun and then going around it on the passing siding.
It was very windy out making it cold but it was a still very enjoyable experience.

I now will not travel into the L/A area without my camera as I have missed a ton of great photo ops.

Thanks for your help, Warren

generally Its the 2 points the train travels between. Dover-Boston is DOBO, East Deerfield to Mohauk Yard is EDMO. I believe you may be seeing EDRU although I may be wrong.

Oxford Junction press has a really nice railfan time table that covers the B&M and MEC trackage. It includes radio freg's, engine rosters, train symbols, has a mile by mile track description, and a section in the back list good photo locations. It even has some MBTA schedules. Look them up on the web.

From Hebron eh? I'm from the next town over, Norway! Heres what I've found when chasing Guilford Trains in L/A
Trains can usually be found at either Danville or Fair Grounds. They tend to run trains in Blocks as to say. For example most everytime I've seen an Eastbound through Danville, they usually meet a train or once in a great while, 2 trains at Fairgrounds. Anyways A good thing to listen for is trains that are in New Gloucster, because There is a huge siding there and sometimes trains sit there for meets. Theres always Activity in L/A, but sometimes you have to search around for it. I find going to Pats Pizza in Auburn on the river is great cause you can watch the Bridge! I've seen many a freight while enjoying my Pizza. Do you have a scanner? Thats the most surefire way of catching a train in L/A.
Anyways.
Before I forget allow me to introduce myself, I'm Charles Hastings, Senior at OHCHS. I run a website for Microsoft Train Simulator Addons. I work for New Balance Factory Store in Oxford next to the SLR. If you have an questions feel free to ask.

BM6569 wrote:Is there a set schedule with freight symbols for Guilford?

Not exactly a set schedule, but here is a list of the various symbols, what they mean, and when they "generally" go on duty:

http://home.comcast.net/~petlick/grs.htm

(scroll down until you get to "Freight Schedules")

I also need some help, with with engine id. Does anyone have a roster list that shows the type of engines I am seeing.

Take a look at this:

http://www.rrnne.net/GRSLoco.htm

It is a few years old, but is basically accurate. Covers everything you're likely to see.

Also, is there a limit to the size of the photo you can post on the Nerail photo site.

Probably, but I don't know what the actual size limit is. Send an e-mail to the archive owner, Jeff Morris, and ask him.

Not exactly a set schedule, but here is a list of the various symbols, what they mean, and when they "generally" go on duty.

Thanks. Thats a great site and will really help me. I was over in Auburn at a junkyard this morning off Washinton St and ST GP35 205 pulled 3 hoppers past as I was walking out back (going north). (You can see the track in the back of the place). A short time later, the same engine and two others came down the track together heading back towards Danville Jct. And finally a mixed freight passed by heading towards Danville Jct. This was all in a hour long span (too bad i left my camera in the car). After I left, I ended up heading over to Danville Jct to see if anything was still happening and there was an SLR engine (LLPX 2607) switching some cars from (or for) Guilford. ST GP35 205 was still there too. Some good photo ops.
I'm kind of surprised at the amount of rail activity in the L/A area. I know everyone tells me you have to find it but it usually ends up finding me:)

By the way Charles, I graduated from OHCHS in 2004.

Warren

Oh yeah? haha Nice nice. You got a brother, Steven? Or should I ask whats your last name? Are you just getting into railfanning? Are you in college? haha sorry for all the questions!

Yeah, steven is my bother (graduated with your sister). My last name is Leunig.

Actually, I have been a railfan all my life. I am from Long Island originally and when i came up here 7 years ago, I was like "Where are the trains?" There is good activity up here and I am able to see several times a week. I go to USM in lewiston so I cross the tracks 4-5 times a week.

Warren

Small world eh. Well Warren, for the SLR, 393 is expected in South Paris at 7-7:30 and to depart at 8:15-8:30ish. 394 usually comes in the morning anywhere from 6-10. Sometimes 393 is early but thats really rare. On weekends they don't do any switching at South Paris and highball the yard. The great thing with the SLR is they can maintain at 35-45 MPH speed limit while GRS has very small patches of CWR in District 1 (Portland - the Keag). That I know of CWR on GRS can be found in New Gloucster, Auburn, Lewiston, Waterville, Bangor, Orono and of course Portland. This makes theses places ideal for chasing trains. Everything else is original MEC 39' jointed rail making speed limits 10-15, 20 on a good day. District 1 can see a multitude of trains on any given day. Sometimes theres 6 or 7, sometimes theres 9-10 or more. It all depends on whether the trains have canned or how far they're getting on D1. But whatever railroad you railfan, this is GP40 country. If you head north on the MMA, you'll find the big 6 axle units. C30-7's and B39-7E's (correct model?) roam. CN used to run power on the SLR down to Lewiston Junction back when they first built the Intermodal Terminal and once in a great while SLR will lease a CN unit. The most recent unit to come down here was Illinois Central SD40-2R 6002 back in I believe 2005 or 2006. I got photo's of her coming through South Paris. Anyways, I've followed all the Rail lines of this great state, From Van Buren to Berwick. If you ever want to head out railfanning then just send me an email or if you have AIM that'd be cool as well!
Thanks!
Charles "Chuck" Hastings

BM6569 wrote:Is there a set schedule with freight symbols for Guilford? Thanks for your help, Warren

No, there are no set freight schedules, despite what many people will claim to tell you. The symbols can change at any time, sometimes even while the train is en-route. Expect a freight train anyplace, anytime, in any direction. That's what scanners are for.
To me, freight symbols are meaningless. The only train indetifiers that have any relevance at all are numbered passenger trains, which operate on published schedules available to the public. Everything else is an "extra" train.
Also, there is no such thing as "Guilford" anymore, despite the fact that virtually all of the locomotive fleet still carries the Guilford G. It is now Pan Am Railways. The only vestige of the Guilford name within the company is Guilford Motor Express in Ayer, that operates the intermodal terminal there.
E.O.L. !

Yeah, i have sort of realized that. With out asking the engineer, there is no way to know where the train is going to and coming from. I still have to program my scanner. That should help.

I'm so used to Guilford, I continue to call it that. It sounds better than Pan Am Railway or what ever it is. I'll use PAR in the future if I remember.

Warren

As far as railroads go, there never was a "Guilford", nor is there a "PanAm". These are only parent corporation names. They have no railroad reporting marks, etc. The only railroad reporting marks used by Guilford/PanAm are MEC, BM and ST. for Maine Central, Boston and Maine and Springfield Terminal. Recenly installed "No Trespassing" signs around their property refer to Boston and Maine, Maine Central and Springfield Terminal.

A similar situation exists with the Vermont Rail System, which is the parent company of the VTR, GMRC, CLP, and WACR. They also operate the New York and Ogdensburg (NYOG), but the reporting marks may be owned by the Port Authority, as the owner.

Dick H