CSX Track Upgrades & Infrastructure of Pan Am

Well apparently NA-1 is on the ground AGAIN!

I was reading the new revised Maine state rail plan released last month the other day. Now I can't find it but it says they want full doublestack clearance from Ayer to Mattawamkeag within 4 years. I'll keep looking for the document

Maine DOT new three year plan - Freight Rail:

From MaineDOT - https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f0 ... 02f5c43290

This Work Plan provides nearly $131 million in funding for freight rail infrastructure improvements. The investments will include operational improvements on state-owned rail lines, improvements at railroad crossings, and improvements to critical rail bridges and other rail line capital projects. Included in that total is $77.5 million for investments in the Pan Am Railways freight mainline and $12.2 million for the Industrial Rail Access Program (IRAP), which leverages private funding.

Freight highlights:

The Maine Woods to Water Rail Connection Project involves various improvements on freight rail lines between Millinocket and Searsport, including rail yard expansion, rail line rehabilitation, and an improved connection to the port ($56.8 million – applicant for a 2022 CRISI grant).

A project on CSX’s Waterville-Mattawamkeag line will replace approximately 75 miles of rail, replace approximately 55,000 ties, upgrade 72 grade crossings, and reinforce five bridges in central Maine. These improvements will allow heavier freight cars and increased speeds ($42.5 million – recipient of a 2021 CRISI grant).

A project on CSX’s Waterville-North Yarmouth line will rehabilitate and modernize 75 miles of mainline track, eight bridges, and 89 rail crossings ($35.5 million – recipient of a 2018 CRISI grant).

The Maine Northern Rail Improvement Project will rehabilitate and improve more than 138 miles of track in northern Maine ($16.2 million – recipient of 2022 CRISI grant).

Regarding Erving Paper: they use recycled paper as their input. When last I checked it came from Mansfield Paper on the NEC, but not far from P&W (tantalizingly close to a single system move). The same supplier of recycled paper serviced Putney Paper and Claremont Paper.
Christopher

For anyone keeping score of how CSX is using its infrastructure upgrade investment and in light of these CRISI grants:

CSX’s Waterville-Mattawamkeag line CSX picks up ~60% for $25.8m

CSX’s Waterville-North Yarmouth line CSX picks up ~50% for $17.5m

Add the NNEPRA Wells Area Improvement Project totaling $15.8m in which CSX is picking up $1.5m

In total, $44.8m of their stated ~$100m. (initial) investment committed for these granted projects.

So do we know yet when the milepost changes and subdivision changes that have been mentioned will actually go into effect out on the road? Will there also be dispatcher/radio channel changes along with that, at least between Rigby and Royal Jct?

Also, if it's possible to give specifics, will they actually be using NORAC rules in MBTA territory (Lowell Jct-State Line/Bleachery-North Chelmsford) or using CSX rules with NORAC signaling? It would be somewhat odd to hear the dispatcher issue (for example) a Form D from Haverhill-Lowell Jct, an EC-1 from Lowell Jct to Bleachery, a Form D from Bleachery to North Chelmsford, etc. (although I suppose they already do that with operational mileposts, but that isn't as complicated as changing the rules back and forth over a short distance).

I don't really have the answers to any of those questions yet outside of they have to use NORAC in MBTA territory.

Why would they be issuing paper all the way from Haverhill to Lowell?

Track car? I've seen them do that on the Boston Line. Obviously a freight's going to run on signal indications, but not everything can.

CSX is going to rubber tire it in between their territory they would not be operating a track car over the Haverhill line.

bostontrainguy wrote: ↑Wed Jan 25, 2023 10:38 pm Well apparently NA-1 is on the ground AGAIN!

Birch Hill Subaru guy has a video today claiming that what I think is this train has been sitting, with engine running, near Milford since Jan 3 (28 days). That can’t be Correct that same train has sat running for a month, can it?

It's the ghost of David Fink, unwilling to let Guilford be forgotten.

F74265A wrote: ↑Tue Jan 31, 2023 9:01 pm Birch Hill Subaru guy has a video today claiming that what I think is this train has been sitting, with engine running, near Milford since Jan 3 (28 days). That can’t be Correct that same train has sat running for a month, can it?

Could be. He also keeps saying Pan Am after claiming they were gone last week. I'm not sure what to make of the commentary.

Here's the video

I will say I really enjoy his regular videos to get a sense of the current traffic flows and hope he keeps posting. No way for me to tell how accurate or not the audio commentary is overall