New Railroad Construction Around Brownville

[KSmitty]

1 a day, each way with the occasional extra. Irving will still have a Brownville Junction presence, this cutoff will only be used for MNR-EMR and EMR-MNR traffic.

[CPF363]

Once the new wye in Brownville is completed, will it be possible to interchange oil trains with CN in Saint Leonard, NB to a MNR>EMR>NBSR routing?

[CN9634]

Certainly but there would be no purpose to do so unless there were some sort of derailment. Even still, there are other more preferred routes. You will never see oil routed that way.

[CPF363]

Certainly but there would be no purpose to do so unless there were some sort of derailment. Even still, there are other more preferred routes. You will never see oil routed that way.

Routing an all CN route through Moncton is a longer run then taking the MNR to Brownville Jct. which could make this a reasonable alternative route.

[KSmitty]

Why would CN route it over MNR?
The distance isn't that much greater, when you consider there is roughly 50 miles of MNR/MMA track where the train is eastbound but headed compass west.
The MNR routing, would be adding 3 railroads into the equation, MRN/EMR/NBSR. The MNR routing would add time as it would mean more crew changes. Plus it would reduce CN's share of the money.
The MNR also has a no 6 axle restriction on the Van Buren sub, which would mean lots of GP38's moving the train.
Though I'm not 100% sure on the details, MNR to EMR involves use of MM&A's Millinocket sub, which means trackage rights fees, again I don't know how hard these would hit pricing...

4 reasons why it won't happen.

[JB283]

Did they ever get the new track finished up and in working order?

[baldy]

I believe its not in service. Have observed the log and chip trains using the KI sub recently. Me thinks the weather got the best of them. But, spring is coming and winter will be half over on Saturday!

[carchecker]

Have they started working on the new track yet?

[CN9634]

It's all done and in service.

[carchecker]

So can you explain how it works? Where do they switch units, etc.

[KSmitty]

So can you explain how it works? Where do they switch units, etc.

No switching of units required. Maine Northern runs down from Oakfield to Millinocket, then down to Brownville on trackage rights. Now, instead of going down to the wye, then back up the MM&A KI Sub and then around the wye in Brownville Junction Yard they simply come down from Millinocket, take the cutoff and land on the NBSR main headed east. NBSR power used all the way, and its specifically for Irving traffic from MNR to Saint John. Stuff like unit wood trains running to either Woodland, ME or Saint John, NB will use the cutoff while mixed freight for interchange to MM&A will still traverse the lower wye and run up the KI into Brownville Junction.

[Fritz]

Hello,
Does anyone know the CMQ milepost and station name (if there is one) for the location where Irving built the connector to the EMRY just north of Brownville Junction?

Also curious what days of week Irving runs their trains from Oakfield to Saint John and Saint John.

By the way, CMQ made two trips from Farnham to Newport last and this week. I hope they continue to do the same in the future.

Thanks for any help!
Best,
Fritz

[KSmitty]

I believe it is MP 77.57 Millinocket Sub, I don't know about station name. A quick Google Maps trace (https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid= ... Lp44qfhbbY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) shows it 5.45 miles from the South Wye Switch, Brownville (MP 72.12 according to the old timetable I have) to the connector switch on the CM&Q. 72.12+5.45=77.57. Google is (or was with the old version of maps) incredibly accurate in their measurements, assuming you took the time to properly trace curves, etc...Long story short, I'd say theres about a 99.9% chance the connector is between 77.55 and 77.59, depending on where exactly the railroad measured from. If it was switch points, frogs, switch stands, etc...all makes a little difference in the exact distance, but 77.57 will be damn close.

According to the guys on RailsNB, Irving is running east today, west tomorrow, with an occasional second train on any given day. So there is a train every day, but the direction all depends on what they did the day before. I'd imagine as CM&Q gets some of the international traffic back Irving will bring back a daily train each way.

[Fritz]

KSmitty,
Thanks for the post and for taking the time to measure the distances as well as the plans for the MNR/EMRY this coming week. A couple of more questions (of course:):

Do you know want the train numbers are for the MNR/EMRY trains that traverse the CMQ? I read somewhere that the Oakfield-McAdam train is/was MNR 901, but that information was dated?

Any idea what times they traverse the CMQ eastbound and westbound assuming there is any consistency?

Thanks again for the help.
Best,
Fritz

[CN9634]

You should see a daily Oakfield train to or from Millinocket/Brownville Jct/Mattawamkeag or any combination (or lack thereof) depending on work to be done. Sometimes an Oakfield train will run and so will a train out of Brownville or Keag in the same direction. It depends on traffic, crews and if they need to position equipment.