Valley Line from Middletown to Hartford

I was wondering if anyone knows if P&W was going upgrade the Valley Line from Middletown to Hartford again, seems ashame that they rebuilt the line and then had to stop using it. To bad the state of CT won't help bring in business for them along this line. This would help take freight off the highways as well as Amtrak line.

The last time the track was upgraded on the line, by the State of CT, the P&W promised to develop customers.
Now, the State is broke, and not much happened, as far a new customers.

P&W was just using it to move trash gons from Portland to Hartford, there by making a little more money then bringing them to NH.

I went over the tracks in Wethersfield at Jordan Lane and I see something had to have come along at some point recently. The tracks have been cleared of weeds in the middle of the tracks looking both ways as far as I could see and I saw where the flanges made their marks at Jordan Lane crossing. Does anyone know what might have come through?

Larry wrote:I went over the tracks in Wethersfield at Jordan Lane and I see something had to have come along at some point recently. The tracks have been cleared of weeds in the middle of the tracks looking both ways as far as I could see and I saw where the flanges made their marks at Jordan Lane crossing. Does anyone know what might have come through?

They've been doing brush clearing and spraying for the last couple years on the line, so probably was a hi-rail truck. Just keeping the vegetation from destroying the infrastructure. The state would still like to get some service back on this line, but freight projects like the substantial Willimantic Branch upgrades and continuing the piecemeal upgrades to the Armory Branch are a lot higher on the pecking order for scarce funding because the business is there and growing today, not tomorrow ("?").

Saw a report on another forum that some light engines came down from Hartford.

How often do trains run through Middletown in a week, is there a general time of day?

I believe the Middletown to Hartford piece of the Valley line is out of service at this point.
Seem to remember the P&W asking the State of CT for money (replace ties, etc.).
Closer to Middletown it is in service for a couple of miles ... and
P&W regularly comes to Middletown from NH on the "Air Line" (trap rock job, plus a car or two in Middletown).
Also have have some work across the CT River in Portland, incl. a new customer.
South of Middletown they no longer have any customers ... the big one years ago was a power plant.

The P&W serves 7D Warehouse in Dividend a few times per week, from Middletown.

Most all weekdays one can see a train in Middletown. generally comes in around 10:00 or so. Last I heard every Thursday they continued up to dividend to to service 7d lumber.
I just saw they have cleared from Middletown down to Prat and Whitny and the Valley Line. and there is a new crossing at the new Kleen energy plant. Decoven drive crossing is still out though.

Does anyone know why the P&W cleared the brush on the ROW from the severed crossing in down-town Middletown all the way to the Pratt and Whitney Plant at Maromas? Maybe Pratt and Whitney is going to have rail service again?

I just saw photos posted on NERail of the grade crossing replacement in Middletown. What customer is over there?

There is no customer that I know of at this time. The crossing was replaced at the cost of the new power plant in Middletown. (the one that blew up) They damaged it when drilling a pipeline underneath of the crossing. Apparently they were pipe-jacking an oil pipe line under the crossing and went right through a storm drain pipe from RT 9. The water from the storm drain saturated the ground under the crossing. The crossing kept sinking and this was there 2ed or 3ed attempt to fix the pipe line and crossing.
any news on the new customer in portland? A new siding was built this year but Don't know any more.

i ran into mr can't stamp sand,soup,or bridge decks 2 weekends ago. had a nice chat and the work is top notch as always.

I got to check out CT-1 going to rocky hill Wednesday, apparently the lumber yard up there is getting cars delivered up to 3 times a week. Wednesday they took two box cars up and brought back one. They have opened the run-around track at dividend for use too. Nice to see regular freight traffic going up the valley line. I also heard that primary's business is up and they are moving twice the car loads they used to. hopefully the new business in Portland that built the new run-around track there will start shipping in the spring. Brendan

Anything new on the line? Is 7d still around?