St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad (SLR/SLQ)

This photo was taken at Island Pond on 1 October 1972 showing the power for the 470 Railroad Club's
annual fall foliage excursion, GT 4903- CV 4925 - GT 4906, running around the train for the return to
Portland. To the left is GT 4559, the power for the "Moonlighter"- the Island Pond to Berlin and return
local. In the center is CN 4484 - 4485 - GTW4918 tied up for the weekend with the cars of the ballast
extra.

Greg your contractor crew made Paris yard today-- rail through Oxford looks great. Also some CWR appears to have been put in a few spots.

All the SD40-2s are on the SLR are going to B&E evidently for their startup operations. Still hearing of an SLR loco 'modernization' plan but no timeline or further details.

I was wondering if the SD40's might be headed west as the timing is coincident with the B&E startup
and might be more at home there as some other PAR six-axel power has been acquired for use on B&E.
I've spotted the track contractor working on SLR each of the past three weekends; Sunday forenoon
the tamper and ballast regulator were working just east of the Oxford Street crossing at the Paris-
Oxford town line.

Ballaster working the crossing in Oxford opposite the Irving. Sadly, I did not have my phone for a pic.

SLR is still supposed to get some ex BNSF units, from the same batch QGRY got theirs from at some point. One unit is already at St. Albans for paint and QGRY lettering.

Hello,
After three months of not driving (due to cataracts), I am finally back on the road, so, to celebrate, i headed to Island Pond ...

Last night's SLQ eastbound 394 arrived into the Pond at 1936 with the following:

GP40-3 3806
RM-1 806
GP40-2 3007
9 centerbeam flats
2 bulkhead flats
20 boxcars
20 tank cars

That's 51 cars total, including 46 loads and 5 empties.

This morning's SLQ westbound 393 departed the Pond at 0730 with the following:

QG GP40-2L 3014
GP40-3 3805
RM-1 805
9 centerbeam flats
9 boxcars
1 covered hopper
1 hi-sided gondola
28 tank cars

That's 48 cars total, including 6 loads and 42 empties.
Keep cool out there!
Fritz

It's nice to read your trackside report again. Glad you're back in action.

Welcome back, Fritz. Missed you.

Thanks, Guys!
I've missed being trackside myself, so I am trying to make up lost time this week!

Last night's SLQ eastbound 394 was delayed getting into Island Pond on account of encountering 3-4 large trees just north of Summit (MP 7 Sherbrooke Sub). The crew was fine but the front railings on the 804 were not! They pulled to stop for the crew change at 1932 with the following:

RM-1 804
GP40-3 3804
GP40-2 3035
15 centerbeam flats
3 bulkhead flats
2 hi-sided gondolas
4 boxcars
4 covered hoppers
18 tank cars

That's 46 cars total, all loads.

This morning's SLQ westbound 393 was also delayed leaving the Pond so that MOW could finish clearing the trees. They departed at 0824 with the followiRLHH Sd40-2 3403
RM-1 806
GP40-3 3806
6 centerbeam flats
3 bulkhead flats
5 hi-cube boxcars
2 covered hoppers
14 tank cars

That's only 30 cars total (presumably due to the holiday), all empties.

By the way, Greg, I loved your photo of Island Pond in 1972. What a difference 50 years make!
Have a great weekend!
Fritz

P.S. Both of the QGRY SD40-2s 6904 and 6908 have arrived at Rigby, Maine, presumably on their way to the Berkshire & Eastern. No word yet on what might replace them for the winter propane "rush".

More then and now shots: A photo of CV 4928 with engineer Roland Merideth on train 748, the eastbound
Gorham to Portland way freight, switching A.C.Lawrence Leather Co. in South Paris in the winter of 71/72.
Within a few months trains 748-749 would be abolished with a turn out of Portland using the same numbers
working to Mechanic Falls and Lewiston. I'm not sure when the Lewiston Branch job trains 796-797, which
worked Lewiston-Danville Jct.-Mechanic Falls, were abolished but the Lewiston station was closed 2 May 1971.
At the same time the 748-749 Portland turn was established, a new road switcher assignment train 798-799
was started at South Paris with working limits from Oxford to Bethel and later taking over the Mechanic Falls
work. This job continued into SLR's operation of the line until abolished after the NEPW South Paris fire in
the winter of 2009-2010. The second photo is from near the same vantage point a little over 51 years later
as SLR 3008 on train 513 switches NEPW in South Paris last Friday 8 Sept 2023.

Greg,
Another great set of photos. So is the old Leather Company now the NEPW warehouse? It looks like it from the buildings and curvature of the track? Very interesting.

Last night's SLQ eastbound 394 arrived in Island Pond at 1823 with the following:

GP40-2 3047
GP40-2 3007
GP40-2 3035
6 centerbeam flats
2 bulkhead flats
16 hi-cube boxcars
22 tank cars
1 covered hopper
4 hi-sided gondolas

That's 51 cars total, including 50 loads and 1 empty.

Not feeling so good, so I missed this morning's westbound 393. Meanwhile, the two QGRY SD40-2s have made it to Selkirk on their way to the B&E from Maine.
Have a great weekend (and take care if you are near Hurricane Lee's path),
Fritz

Thanks for the comments, Fritz - hope you're feeling better. NEPW inhabits the old A.C.Lawrence Leather
building which is a mostly concrete structure dating from the early fifties which replaced an earlier
wood building when Lawrence , a Swift & Co. subsidiary, bought the property. My Dad worked there for
better than 20 years, retiring several years before the plant closed. Plant produced leather primarily
destined for work boots with much of it headed for the military. The green structures in the modern photo
were additions added after the 2010 fire and there is also an additional track behind the 3008 which
lately doesn't see much use.

FRA awards FY2022 CRISI money to State of Vermont for ri-State Regional Rail Upgrade Project (Up to $9,654,789)
State of Vermont Agency of Transportation

The proposed project involves project development, final design, and construction activities for
various track-related improvements and upgrades to certain grade crossings. The project aligns
with the selection criteria by improving ability to meet existing and anticipated demand as it will
improve sections of St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad’s 162-mile corridor in Vermont, New
Hampshire, and Maine, resulting in increased safety and railcar load capacity from 263,000
pounds to the current industry standard of 286,000 pounds. A combination of funding from the
St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad, Maine Department of Transportation, and New Hampshire
Department of Transportation will contribute a 50.5 percent non-Federal match. This project
qualifies for the statutory set-aside for projects in Rural Areas.

So is the current normal at IP 393 tu/f am and 394 M/th evening, or 393 w/f am and 394 tu/th evening? Thought it was supposed to be the former but fritz's revent reports seem to suggest the latter?