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  • Vermont Activity and Sightings

  • Discussion of present-day CM&Q operations, as well as discussion of predecessors Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway (MMA) and Bangor & Aroostook Railroad (BAR).
Discussion of present-day CM&Q operations, as well as discussion of predecessors Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway (MMA) and Bangor & Aroostook Railroad (BAR).

Moderator: MEC407

 #1395151  by Fritz
 
Hello,
Track south to former MP 2 on Lyndonville Subdivision is also owned by CMQ, but VRS is also contracted by CMQ to switch for Feed Commodities at the south end of South Yard.
Best,
Fritz
 #1396231  by Fritz
 
Hello,
Yesterday was a busy day in Newport.

First, CMQ has hired Maine Track to replace ties in the yard and along the Beebe Spur. The ties were already there, but, unfortunately, they forgot to send a tie handler and tie inserter for the job. Thankfully, a neighboring railroad came to the rescue! Unlike last year, this year they are inserting regular, creosote-treated ties (last year they inserted pressure-treated ties).

Second, as elsewhere on the system, they have modified the operating schedule for the Newport Sub. Effective last week, the new schedule was to be Tuesdays (and Thursdays if there were at least 15-20 cars to move in Farnham). Effective this week, the new schedule apparently is "we don't know when we will run". Thus, they ran the CMQ 710 Farnham-Newport Turn yesterday (Monday, August 8th).

The CMQ eastbound 710 arrived in Newport at 1520 with 32 cars, all loads:
LTEX GP35U 2542 (ATSF)
CEFX GP38-3 420 (TC)
B23-7 2003 (BNSF)
16 CMQ/LRS boxcars
14 BR/COER/IANR/AOK/WRWK centerbeam flats
1 SMW hi-cube boxcar
1 DUPX covered hopper

When I left at 1640, the CMQ westbound 710 had not yet left town but had 29 cars, all but two were empties:
B23-7 2003 (BNSF)
CEFX GP38-3 420 (TC)
LTEX GP35U 2542 (ATSF)
2 GNWR boxcars (loaded)
2 covered hoppers (SOO and NOKL)
9 CMQ/LRS boxcars
14 BR/COER/IANR/AOK/WRWK centerbeam flats
2 hi-cube boxcars (SMW and IANR)

The WACR southbound NPWJ departed at 1640 with the first 19 cars; I assume that the remainder will go south on Wednesday.
Have a great day,
Fritz
P.S. This message is being cross-posted to the CMQRailway Yahoo Group.
 #1396649  by Fritz
 
Hello,
CMQ made a second trip to Newport this week. The CMQ eastbound 710 arrived in Newport at 1515 with the following:

CEFX GP38-3 3803
LTEX GP35U 2535
3 grain hoppers
5 loads of lumber
2 loaded boxcars
4 empty centerbeam flats

That's 10 loads and 4 empties. Not sure why the empty centerbeam flats were brought to Newport, possibly either misrouted or being re-assigned elsewhere.

Although I had to leave before they returned west, it looked like they would have 11 cars to go back west, including two tank cars, 5 centerbeam flats, 2 hi-cube boxcars, 1 boxcar, and 1 covered hopper (all empties).

Meanwhile, CMQ maintenance-of-way forces and Maine Track continued replacing ties in the yard at Newport.
Have a great day,
Fritz
 #1397929  by mkittredge
 
Seconding the thanks to Fritz for the great reports. And now a question for Fritz: As a far as you know is it still Tuesdays and Thursdays for 710? Thanks.

Mike
 #1398083  by Fritz
 
Mike,
It still seems to be most Mondays and most Thursdays with a mid-afternoon arrival (usually around 1500 but can be as late as 1800). They seem to have been more "reliable" in this regard lately.
Best,
Fritz
 #1398685  by mkittredge
 
Thanks for the update Fritz. Yesterday's northbound WC had 33 cars into Lyndonville. I think most of them were going to CMQ. Should be some good viewing in Newport Monday. Road trip for me!

Mike
 #1400624  by Fritz
 
Hello,
Yesterday's CMQ eastbound 710 arrived in Newport at 1524 with the following:

LTEX GP38-3 3815
LTEX GP35U 2573
7 loads of lumber
4 hi-cube boxcars
1 CMQ boxcar
4 loads of scrap metal
1 tank car
4 empty centerbeam flats

That's 21 cars total, including 17 loads and 4 empties. The 4 empty centerbeam flats (all lettered WRWK) will likely join 13 brethren already stored in the Newport yard.

Here's links to two photos of them arriving in Newport:

http://fritz.rrpicturearchives.net/show ... id=4545988

http://fritz.rrpicturearchives.net/show ... id=4545989

Unfortunately, I had to leave before they returned west, but they had a good 30 or so cars, including a large block of empty centerbeam flats.

In other news, CMQ continues to do some track work on the Newport Subdivision. They had brought in two MMA gondolas (6637 and 6700) for loading the old ties that were removed earlier in the summer, and they had brought in three MMA ballast hoppers (302, 308 and 314) for loading with ballast, which is being trucked into the yard and will be loaded by front end loader for dumping along the main west of Newport. They have left the ex-ATSF GP35U 2535 at Newport for this work train duty.

Have a great day,
Fritz
 #1400697  by CN9634
 
Thanks for the update Fritz!

I do believe that the 3815 is a loaner in place of the 3812, which has become a complicated subject as it should have been delivered by now. Keep up the great work and enjoy the weather while it lasts.

Best,
Chuck
 #1404692  by CN9634
 
Quite a bit of activity to Vermont this week already, at least two runs south, one was 39 cars. Not sure the car counts coming back but these are from accounts on other CMQ/Vermont groups (with nice pictures I should add)

Another interesting note, it would seem that ST/GWI are warming up to one another with the P&W deal, perhaps we will see something come forward with the Conn River line in terms of reasonable rates for traffic going overhead on NECR lines.... we'll see if anything pans out in the next few weeks as the saga continues.
 #1409131  by Fritz
 
Hello,
Monday's eastbound 710 pulled into Newport at 1530 with the following:

LTEX GP35u 2516
LTEX GP35u 2558
3 hi-cube boxcars
4 loads of lumber
1 covered hopper

Here's a link to a photo of them arriving in Newport:

http://fritz.rrpicturearchives.net/show ... id=4585469

They had 41 cars waiting to go north, including 1 tank car, 7 covered hoppers, 2 hi-cube boxcars, 7 boxcars, and 24 empty centerbeam flats.
Have a great day,
Fritz
 #1418713  by Fritz
 
Hello,
Just as I was exiting the grocery store in Newport this afternoon, I heard a train horn down along the waterfront. Being naturally curious, I drove down to South Yard and found the CMQ eastbound 710 just pulling into the Newport yard at 1430 with the following:

LTEX GP35U 2558
B23-7 2004
1 WRWK hi-cube boxcar
1 TBOX hi-cube boxcar
1 AOK hi-cube boxcar
1 NOKL hi-cube boxcars
2 COER centerbeam flats

That's 6 cars total, all loads.

Then, at 1540, they departed westbound with the following:

B23-7 2004
LTEX GP35U 2558
1 SMW hi-cube boxcar
1 IANR hi-cube boxcar
3 AOK hi-cube boxcars
1 TR hi-cube boxcar
1 LRS boxcar
10 centerbeam flats

That's 17 cars total, all empties. Although the WACR arrived into the yard at 1517 with three loaded CSX covered hoppers, they did not take those cars with them.
Have a great weekend,
Fritz
(Cross-posted to the CMQ Yahoo Group)
 #1418934  by Fritz
 
Mike,
Hello. And thanks. I am afraid I have no idea what the CMQ's current schedule is. I think that they still come to Newport fairly regularly on Mondays. Other than that, no idea what other days they regularly operate to Newport.

I also meant to mention that LTEX GP35U 2516 was parked next to the plow on the East Shop Track. I think this is used by the local Newport crew on occasion to switch local customers and do other work around Newport.
Best,
Fritz
 #1419071  by fogg1703
 
Thanks for starting the new year off with your continued sightings Fritz. Greatly appreciated.
Fritz wrote:I also meant to mention that LTEX GP35U 2516 was parked next to the plow on the East Shop Track. I think this is used by the local Newport crew on occasion to switch local customers and do other work around Newport.
Is this a new practice? I was under the impression there hasn't been a dedicated Newport crew in some time . Is WACR still contract switching the Newport customers?
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