Rockland Branch Discussion

Then why are they importing it from Spain?

I don't know -- all I know is that company continues to produce cement in the USA. If I had to guess, the original reason given for winding up the plant were high fuel costs and since Maine has some of the highest energy costs in the USA, it remains less expensive to ship cement from Spain and the SC plant doesn't have the spare capacity to feed the Thomaston site. I did learn that the ownership of the plant is Dragon Cement < Giant Cement < Cementos Portland Valderrivas, SA < Fomento de Construcciones y Contratos (FCC) where the last two entities are Spanish firms, so it may turnout that the Thompson plant will distribute cement from whichever location FCC deems most advantageous.

Speaking of Dragon...

https://www.midcoastvillager.com/dragon ... cc48e.html

Cowford wrote: ↑Wed Nov 27, 2024 4:49 pm

...I know the BML was interested and AmeriStarRail reached out to some former CMQ and Maine Eastern guys to see what there was for potential customers.

To reiterate the point 407 and others made, there simply isn't traffic potential. LPG transloading sounds great, but the MidCoast is surrounded by LPG transload terminals - in the Portland, Lewiston, Bangor and (now) Waterville areas.

Keep in mind Dead River has been expanding the number of Transloads they have. They have one in Westbrook, Auburn, NMJ, Hampden, Millinocket, Houlton, Presque Isle, Fort Kent, and Madawaska. Companies like Faibian, AE Robinson, and VL Tamaro to name a few are finding it hard to compete with Dead River, when Dead River owns most of the terminals.
That's partially why Faibian built the transload at Waterville to help control their prices. HO Bouchard put one in at NMJ in the last few years for a similar reason and to sell to smaller customers previously served by Dead River.
Dead River has been pushing a lot of the smaller family owned companies out by doing this, so for a fairly good sized company like Maritime it would make sense to put a transload in somewhere.

Anyone who built an LPG terminal on the Rockland branch would be captive to CSX plus additional carrier costs (each interchange adds $500 per carload) so they might as well just locate on CSX who has of available land for joint facilities.

The diversification strategy only works if class I mix is different, so that's why you see growth on CP, SLR (can go CSX, CP or CN) and Irving (likewise can go CSX, CP or CN)

Heidelberg is an interesting and hopefully development. They have modernized old plants in some cases. We'll watch and wait.

Press release from the Maine Department of Transportation:

MaineDOT wrote: MaineDOT Selects Operator for Rockland Branch Railroad
01/09/2025 03:53 PM EST

AUGUSTA - The Maine Department of Transportation has selected Maine Switching Services (MSS) of Unity to take over operations and maintenance of the Rockland Branch Railroad.

MSS is a privately owned, railroad services company that provides rail car repair in Unity and industrial rail car switching for paper mills in Rumford and Skowhegan. The company already operates on the state-owned Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad in cooperation with the Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railway.

MSS intends to resume freight service to existing rail customers on the Rockland Branch this spring and offer scenic train rides and rail excursions by this fall. This will preserve active rail service while MaineDOT continues to evaluate significant bridge infrastructure needs on the line. MSS's proposal does not involve providing host railroad services for an Amtrak Downeaster extension on the Rockland Branch Railroad.

"We believe Maine Switching Services has the experience necessary to provide high-quality freight service for customers on the Rockland Branch Railroad," said MaineDOT Commissioner Bruce Van Note. "We look forward to growing our partnership with MSS as we work together to overcome the challenges created by the closure of the major freight shipper on the line - Dragon Cement in 2024."

MaineDOT and MSS will now enter into negotiations on a lease and operating agreement over the next 60 days while MSS obtains operating rights from the Federal Surface Transportation Board and other required certifications.

The Rockland Branch Railroad is a 56-mile-long, state-owned rail line that runs from Brunswick to Rockland. Service on the line had previously been operated by Midcoast Railservice, Inc. until August 2024.

In September, MaineDOT posted a request for proposals (RFP) for service on the Rockland Branch. MSS was one of five respondents to the RFP.

Source: https://www.maine.gov/tools/whatsnew/in ... rticle2015

MaineDOT wrote:MSS intends to resume freight service to existing rail customers on the Rockland Branch this spring and offer scenic train rides and rail excursions by this fall. This will preserve active rail service while MaineDOT continues to evaluate significant bridge infrastructure needs on the line. MSS's proposal does not involve providing host railroad services for an Amtrak Downeaster extension on the Rockland Branch Railroad.

Sounds like Amtrak's seasonal Downeaster extension to Rockland still isn't going to happen any time soon.

MEC407 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 09, 2025 5:04 pm Press release from the Maine Department of Transportation:

MaineDOT wrote: MaineDOT Selects Operator for Rockland Branch Railroad
01/09/2025 03:53 PM EST

AUGUSTA - The Maine Department of Transportation has selected Maine Switching Services (MSS) of Unity to take over operations and maintenance of the Rockland Branch Railroad.

...

In September, MaineDOT posted a request for proposals (RFP) for service on the Rockland Branch. MSS was one of five respondents to the RFP.

Source: https://www.maine.gov/tools/whatsnew/in ... rticle2015

Exciting news, if only as a placeholder. I look forward to taking a fall excursion, if it comes to fruition, in case this one also shuts down.

I'm interested as to where the excursion equipment will magically appear from.

Probably will just use the junk BML has languishing up in Thorndike.

I will be interested to see how long things last, the Carlton Bridge needs major work or a complete replacement in the coming years. Without a major customer on the line it will be a hard sell to get the DOT to invest money into it.

I saw a photo of Maine Switching Service’s MP15 which had a little pine tree herald, in addition to the LTEX marking. What other engines do they have, and are they also marked with this herald? Is the Finger Lakes engine still around? Could MSS lease that unit?

The Finger Lakes units (there were two) went back to NY last summer (June for 2310, July for 2308) when they ceased operations, as noted in this thread.

There's no reason for them to leave serviceable power behind on a property they no longer operate three states away from their home area...

Not sure what BML/MSS has that actually runs still, but between the two they have 3 dead 70 tonners, 2 dead 44 tonners, an inoperable SW1, the exRail America GP9, 3 LTEX GP9u's in different states of disrepair, the Mp15 which I think is dead, a LTEX GP39-3, a LTEX GP40-2, and I think a LTEX GP38-3 as well.

I’m amazed that anyone even placed a bid for the operating contract.