Sunday, December 27, 2015

Maine Central Coach #2001 Donated to Colebrookdale Railroad

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE:

BOYERTOWN, PA. The Titanic had been at the bottom of the sea just two years when the Colebrookdale Railroad’s newest addition was built. Constructed by the Pullman Company as a smoking coach for the Maine Central Railroad, car 2001 spent its life in the majestic White Mountains of New Hampshire.
“The car is a now- very rare example of a once ubiquitous design for the first generation of steel train cars, making its preservation a worthy goal and its value as restored immeasurable,” said Nathaniel Guest, executive director of the Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust
The car was donated to the Trust, , the non-profit restoring the Colebrookdale Railroad. It will be stabilized and stored as funds are raised for its restoration. “It needs work, but it’s remarkably complete for a 101-year-old,” said Guest. “I wish we had it in service right now, as we need the capacity, but good things take time—and this will be a very good thing when completed,”
The car travelled on a truck through New Hampshire and Vermont, then to Albany, Oneonta, and Binghamton, New York, crossing into Pennsylvania with a stop in Scranton.
Support the Trust by making a donation at www.colebrookdalerailroad.com.

Mismatched equipment snags railroad project in Boyertown

NOTICE the incorrect truck is from MEC #949!

Third Street in Boyertown was closed for much of the day Friday between Chestnut and Pear Streets as crews from the Colebrookdale Railroad worked on a new antique rail car from the early 1900's.

Nathaniel Guest, executive director of the Colebrookdale Railroad Trust, said a tractor-trailer delivered the car from New Hampshire. The trucks, also known as the wheels, the rail car would ride on were shipped separately from Maine. The two were joined together for the first time Friday, but the rail car and the trucks did not match up as officials expected.

"The original trucks for the car were gone," Guest said. "We needed to find new ones, and obviously finding 101-year-old trucks to mount with a car (is difficult).

"They're close, but there's some work that's going to need to be done to join them together."
Guest said the work to make the rail car and the trucks compatible will take place over the coming weeks.In the interim, crews worked Friday to remove the car from the middle of Third Street so the street could be reopened and to move it into position for work to be done on it. The car was expected to be moved into the parking lot of the railroad and put up on cribbing so that work can be completed.
Guest added that another car will be arriving in a few weeks and both cars then will be craned back onto the railroad tracks.
He said the arrival of the car Friday was very exciting for the railroad."There's very few cars this vintage and not many at all in this kind of condition," Guest said. "This was a very common type of car back in 1914 - it was the first generation of steel cars. Before then, the cars were wooden."Most of them have been scrapped or severely modified, so we're very lucky to be able to save it."

CT Rail Fares to Rise in 2016


HARTFORD, Conn. (AP)  Connecticut rail commuters will be paying a little more for their trip in 2016.

The Department of Transportation says train fares on the New Haven Line and Shore Line East will increase one percent on Jan. 1. Monthly tickets on sale for January will reflect the new fares.


The increase stems from legislation that required passengers to help contribute toward the cost of the new M-8 rail cars being put into active service.

Additional one percent increases across all rail fare types, including weekly and monthly combined bus/rail tickets, are scheduled to also take place on Jan. 1, 2017 and 2018 under the legislation.

The increase applies to all tickets for travel to and from Connecticut. New Haven Line tickets for travel within New York State will not be affected.

Thursday, December 24, 2015

The Maine Eastern Railroad will cease all operations on December 31, 2015

According to the Maine Eastern RR website: 

The Maine Eastern Railroad will cease all operations on December 31, 2015. The Central Maine & Quebec Railway will assume operations of the Rockland Branch on January 1, 2016.
 
The Maine Eastern Railroad (reporting mark MERR) is a short line freight railroad that operates in coastal Maine between Brunswick and Rockland on the state-owned Rockland Branch rail line. The Maine Eastern is a business name of the Morristown & Erie Railway of New Jersey, which acquired operating rights for the Rockland Branch in November of 2003.

The Maine Eastern provides year-round freight service, serving customers such as Dragon Cement and Bath Iron Works and interchanging with Pan Am Railways in Brunswick.

The Maine Eastern also offers seasonal excursion service, sharing a platform with the Amtrak Downeaster in Brunswick.

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Investigation Into Tampering Underway After Red Line MBTA Train Departs Without Operator

(SOURCE:  NECN.COM)



Authorities are investigating whether someone tampered with safety equipment on a Red Line train in Massachusetts, causing the Boston-bound train to depart Thursday morning without an operator and with passengers on board.

Gov. Charlie Baker said in a press conference Thursday some of the train's safety controls appear to have been manipulated.

"It's pretty clear the main control that drives the train was tampered with," Baker said. "I think the big issue on this is whether it was a negligence issue or something else."

The MBTA released a statement saying the incident happened shortly after 6 a.m., when the train departed Braintree Station. The train made no stops and continued past North Quincy Station, when workers were able to cut power to the third rail, bringing the train to a stop.

Baker said in the press conference the third rail was cut off a couple minutes after the train left, but the momentum of the train caused it to coast through several stations before it ground to a halt.

The stations highlighted in yellow were affected during the Red Line incident Thursday morning.

Passengers were asked to get off the train, which was then taken out of service and examined. Massachusetts Department of Transportation officials said the train operator suffered non-life threatening injuries. It's unclear how the person was hurt, but Baker said the operator got out of the train to check on the signal.

"Passenger safety is the highest priority for the MBTA and this highly troubling incident is under investigation by Transit Police detectives," MBTA General Manager Frank DePaola said in a statement Thursday.

Meanwhile, FBI officials in Boston said they're aware of the incident and are letting MBTA Transit Police investigate "at this moment." Baker said MassDOT and public saftety officials are also investigating.

In a statement, Baker said he's "grateful no passengers were injured in this troubling incident and will be monitoring the investigation closely."
He said the incident appears to be isolated.

According to the MBTA, the Red Line accommodates more than 250,000 riders every day during the week.

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

RI First Responders Train for Rail Derailments

(SOURCE: TurnTo10 -

Rhode Island emergency responders had a refresher on managing a train derailment Wednesday, but without heading to the scene.

They used a tabletop exercise to help them prepare for every possible contingency.
Two rail disasters this year were in their minds.

An Amtrak Northeast Regional train derailed in May, killing eight people and severely injuring 200 on board.

A freight train derailed and caught fire in Tennessee in July. It was carrying highly flammable and toxic gas. More than 5,000 residents were evacuated. Shelters were put in place. Officers were hospitalized for breathing in fumes.

"We always want to take the lessons learned from real world events as well as exercises and incorporate that into our planning," said Matt McCann of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Ethanol and heating fuel oil is unloaded at the Port of Providence, and the Providence and Worcester Railroad runs through Rhode Island, transporting all types of hazardous materials.

The railroad line passes the Wyatt Detention Center in Central Falls, where federal officials and emergency responders met Wednesday to make sure their plan works.

"On the rails across the country, we haul freight, we haul people, we haul hazardous materials, chemicals. So this scenario is a rail car that has a leak," said Peter Gaynor, director of the Rhode Island EMA.

"It requires collaboration from the whole community to respond and recover from these events," McCann said.

"These incidents have no boundaries. It may happen in Cumberland, but it's going to affect Central Falls, Pawtucket, maybe even into Massachusetts," Gaynor said.

Planners say it's not if but when something will happen, and emergency responders are making sure when they get that 911 call they are ready.

One of Norfolk Southern's New SD9043MACs Appears on Pan Am

NS ex-UP SD9043MAC #7317 on loaded Bow NH coal train, Westford MA (11/20/15)

Berkshire Scenic Railways Clears Key Hurdle, Christmas Rides Uncertain

(SOURCE: Berkshire Eagle - Adam Shanks)


NORTH ADAMS — A federal green light has raised hopes that the Berkshire Scenic Railway's Hoosac Valley Service could be up and running before Christmas. 

A decision issued by the Surface Transportation Board last week should allow the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to acquire the 4.6 miles of railroad between Adams and downtown North Adams from privately owned rail company PanAm Southern.

Scenic Railway operators and state and local officials are working feverishly to close the deal before the holidays, a prime time for theme rides that could attract customers.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, the Hoosac Valley Service stated that, despite the federal ruling, PanAm and MassDOT still must close on the sale.

"We remain hopeful this can be accomplished before the weekend of Dec. 19, but at this time we are not able to offer Christmas trains," the post stated. "If that should change, we will immediately announce a schedule."

The state is purchasing the stretch of railroad, which had exclusively been used for freight, to allow the Stockbridge-based Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum to run its Hoosac Valley Service scenic train rides between Adams and North Adams.

Unveiled in 2013, the Hoosac Valley Service is expected to draw thousands of train enthusiasts, tourists, and locals to take a slow ride between neighboring towns in the Berkshire Scenic Railway's restored rail cars.

The proposed agreement between PanAm and MassDOT provides the private company with an easement for continued use of the rails, and the planned weekend Scenic Railway rides would not conflict with ongoing freight transportation.

MassDOT first applied for approval of the transaction with PanAm on Aug. 14, according to the decision by the Surface Transportation Board, which oversees railroad sales in the United States. However, MassDOT later filed a motion to dismiss that application, claiming that the board's approval was not actually necessary because MassDOT "would acquire neither the right nor the ability to provide railroad common carrier service over the railroad assets, and it would be contractually precluded from interfering with [PanAm's] operations."

In its decision, the Surface Transportation Board agreed with MassDOT, stating that the transaction did not require its approval.

Initially, the train will operate between American Legion Drive in North Adams and Renfrew Street in Adams. The state also has plans to extend the rail further, less than one mile, from Renfrew Street to a newly constructed Adams Station on Hoosac Street in Adams.

The state-backed project got off to a well-received, but temporary, start over Columbus Day weekend thanks to a one-time agreement for use of the railway. Since then, the railway has been waiting for a permanent agreement to begin rides again.

Recent New England Model Railroad Announcements

Been a while, here's a little update for those who follow them! 


N SCALE

HO SCALE

O SCALE

Monday, December 7, 2015

Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington #9 Hits the Rails!

The following information and photo is from the WW&F Facebook page:

"Engine 9 runs around coach 3 at Alna Center. This is the first time the locomotive has pulled coach 3. This trip is a result of years of work. A steam test was done Friday and adjustments were made a good part of Saturday. #9 moved under her own steam power at 2:45 on Saturday afternoon and ran well so a short test train was run."

December 4, 2015

Monday, November 9, 2015

Stoughton MA Officials Make Case to Buy Train Station


STOUGHTON – Joseph Mokrisky, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, stated his case to residents Saturday as to why the town should purchase the old train station on Wyman Street.

“This is our last opportunity to save a piece of history in Stoughton,” Mokrisky said. “Looking at everything that’s here, to lose it is crazy.”

Mokrisky is one of the local officials leading a campaign to convince voters to authorize selectmen to spend $350,000 in Community Preservation Act funds to purchase the 127-year-old station from the MBTA. Residents will vote on this issue at this month’s special town meeting.

An additional $350,000 in Community Preservation Act money is being sought by town officials to rehabilitate parts of the station’s exterior.
On Saturday, Mokrisky and other supporters of the project held an open house at the old station to allow residents to take a look inside the building, which opened in 1888 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

Arched wooden ceilings, an ornate fireplace and a vintage aesthetic are among the most striking features inside the building. However, disuse and disrepair have taken hold in some areas, as evidenced by a layer of dust and grime that covers the floors and the weathered look of many of the items remaining in the building.

“The building has been vacant for close to 10 years,” said Forrest Lindwall, a member of the Stoughton Redevelopment Authority. “In the past, it was an active railroad station. They basically closed down the whole waiting room years ago and just sold tickets.”

Eventually, the ticket stand was no longer needed as residents could purchase tickets on the commuter rail trains that run past the station and the building was closed.

However, Mokrisky said he believes the building could be reopened with a little work.

“Ninety-nine percent of the woodwork in here is clean,” Mokrisky said. “When you look at the building, it’s steel and solid stone. It’s not going anywhere.”

Mokrisky said money for repairs would be used to seal the building, as some of the wood on the building’s exterior near the windows has begun to rot, and the mortar between the stones has been worn away in places.

Mokrisky said he fears the building will be sold and the new owner will open a business that doesn’t fit the structure’s historic character. However, some residents want to be assured the town can find a tenant before they approve to buy the property.

There have been discussions about opening a combined bookstore/coffee shop in the old train station or moving the local post office’s retail operations into the building, Mokrisky said, adding that before the town can make those decisions it must buy the building.

“It’s a historic building, and we want to bring it back to a positive use,” he said.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

MBTA to Install $451 million Technology to Prevent Train Crashes

(SOURCE: Nicole Dungca, The Boston Globe)

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority plans to spend an estimated $451.3 million to install technology meant to prevent accidents such as the Amtrak derailment that killed eight people in Philadelphia in May.

The fiscal control board that oversees the agency on Monday voted 4-0 to approve the contract to install what’s known as “positive train control” on all commuter rail lines that don’t already have it. The technology is designed to automatically slow trains on certain stretches of track.

The project could mean weekend shutdowns for commuter rail lines starting in March 2017 and continuing into 2018. Officials said the shutdowns would accelerate installation and save money.
MBTA officials said they expect the project to be complete in 2020, making the agency among the last major railroads across the country to install the federally mandated technology.

The increased costs come as transit advocates are already worried about fare hikes and are urging that they be kept to a minimum.

MBTA officials made it clear Monday that the costs will become a burden for the agency. Gerald Polcari, chief procurement officer for the MBTA, called the federal law requiring it an “unfunded mandate.”

“Do we have the funds for this?” he said. “No.”

To fund the work, the MBTA plans to borrow federal money through programs meant to finance transportation projects. 
 
The law requiring the technology was passed in 2008, and it was thrust into the spotlight this year when an Amtrak train derailed while traveling too quickly over a curve, killing eight people and injuring about 200 others. The National Transportation Safety Board said that positive train control could have prevented the accident.

Under the 2008 law, transit agencies had to finish implementing the technology by 2015 — yet so many cash-strapped agencies were behind that Congress recently passed an extension.

Positive train control, which must be installed on trains, tracks, and signals, is not new to the MBTA. Amtrak installed the technology on the Northeast Corridor tracks that run from New Haven to Boston, which includes the MBTA’s Providence/Stoughton line, according to David Diaz, a vice president with LTK Engineering Services, a firm helping the MBTA with the project.

But the system has 12 other commuter lines operating without the new technology.

The installation contract represents $338.5 million of the overall $451.3 million cost. The T will also need an additional $112.9 million for consultant services; financial support to help Keolis, the commuter rail operator, with the project; MBTA staff support; and contingency costs.

The additional expenditure comes as the governor-appointed control board figures out ways to cut costs and increase revenue. The agency spends nearly $2 billion annually and recently estimated it would take about $7.3 billion to fully upgrade its trains, tracks, and other infrastructure.

To fund the positive train control work, the MBTA plans to borrow federal money through programs created to finance projects. One of those programs, the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act, would cover about a third of the costs. MBTA officials said they could look into a combination of loans, as well as using other internal funds.

The costs will continue to grow once the technology is installed. According to officials, Keolis would need to spend about $12 million a year to maintain the technology.

Asked whether the extra costs will affect Keolis’s contract, company spokeswoman Leslie Aun directed questions to the MBTA. Agency officials did not immediately comment.

State Representative William Straus of Mattapoisett, who is cochairman of the Legislature’s transportation committee, said the large cost of the project shows how much the MBTA is in need of substantial investment.

“I think it’s going to be a challenge for the administration to come up with a financing plan if they limit themselves to simply changing operations and looking for efficiencies,” he said. “They’re good things, but I don’t think it will find you the kind of money that the system needs.”

In December, the MBTA’s control board will lay out a plan for closing its deficit, which will include cost controls and possibly fare increases.

Such hikes have worried transit advocates, several of whom on Monday urged the fiscal control board to raise fares by no more than 5 percent. Rafael Mares, senior attorney for the Conservation Law Foundation, said he believes a state law allows the MBTA to increase fares by 5 percent every two years, at most.

But state transportation department lawyers and Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack note that the language of the law says the MBTA can increase fares only every two years or only at a rate of 5 percent annually. They believe that means the MBTA could hike fares by 10 percent every two years.
That interpretation is also supported by key legislators, including Straus.

“I don’t think there’s any indication whatsoever that that’s what they’re thinking of, but that’s the size of the ballpark,” Straus said.

Also on Monday, MBTA officials said they are hiring a company to find out why the agency spends about 1.7 times more on bus maintenance than the average spent by other large urban public transit systems.

Officials revealed the agency spent about $40.81 per hour on maintaining its 1,060 buses in 2013. That compares with an average of $24.32 for 71 other public transit agencies in urban areas, according to the National Transit Database’s 2013 figures.

The 2013 figures were the most current available.

The MBTA’s chief administrator, Brian Shortsleeve, called the differences between the agencies “stark” but said the MBTA is not yet ready to propose ways to drive down the costs.

Monday, October 19, 2015

Tricks, Not Treats from T - Howie Carr

Tricks, Not Treats from T - by Howie Carr

At least they’re not bringing back “Dr.” Beverly Scott – but give the hacks at the MBTA time. It isn’t even Halloween yet.
 
So after the complete breakdown of mass-transit service in Boston last winter, the hacks have decided how to solve their problem, in the traditional way: by throwing more money at the featherbedding unions, by raising the fares and parking fees of all the same commuters they robbed blind less than nine months ago.
 
Thank you sir, may I have another?................................................. READ WHOLE ARTICLE

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Pan Am Eyes Downtown Portsmouth NH for Unloading Propane Train

(SOURCE:  Union Leader)


PORTSMOUTH — City officials with safety concerns may try to derail a possible plan by Pan Am Railways to unload propane from rail cars along tracks in the heart of Portsmouth.

Details of the proposal are still being ironed out, but a top Pan Am Railways official confirmed Monday that Portsmouth is one of the sites the company is eyeing as it tries to meet the region’s growing demand for propane.


The area under consideration is located in a rail yard in the city’s downtown near the historic Old North Cemetery on Maplewood Avenue and Gary’s Beverages on Deer Street.

“Because of its location, it is a location that we’re looking at for potentially transloading propane,” said Cynthia Scarano, executive vice president of Pan Am Railways.


According to Scarano, the propane would arrive by rail, and would then be pumped into trucks from different propane companies that would transport it from the site.


Scarano said Pan Am, which owns the tracks, is still considering other sites as well for an offloading facility and hasn’t made a final decision.


City officials said they haven’t received any formal propane plan for downtown, but are aware of the possibility.


“If this were to occur, certainly there would be concerns and the city would take every action possible to protect residents. We plan on opposing this,” Deputy City Manager David Allen said Monday.


The possible propane plan comes as the city continues to appeal the Newington Planning Board’s decision to give Sea-3 the go-ahead to expand its propane storage terminal in Newington to accommodate rail deliveries. Trains to Newington travel through downton Portsmouth, and the city has fought Sea-3’s stalled expansion plan amid concerns about rail safety and increased risk of mishaps involving propane deliveries.


Jane Ferrini, a city staff attorney, said Pan Am would have to meet various local, state and federal regulations to move ahead with any off-loading plan in Portsmouth.


She said the offices of the state fire marshal and Gov. Maggie Hassan have also been made aware of the possibility.


While plans are still preliminary, Ferrini said the city “has explored various legal avenues” in the event Pan Am moves ahead.


The plan would not involve the installation of any holding tanks to store propane at the site, Scarano said.


“Safety is our No. 1 priority and we’ll make sure we follow all the regulations,” Scarano said.

The downtown site is a “primary” spot because “it’s a central location of where we need to get this propane delivered to,” she said.


When asked if the delays in Sea-3’s expansion prompted Pan Am’s plan, Scarano responded, “What’s behind it is the fact that propane use as far as rail shipment is up 35 percent and that’s just because it’s considered a clean fuel now.”


Scarano confirmed that Pan Am officials were asked to meet with the governor’s office and others about the plan, including energy directors around New England.


She said she’s not sure when the plan could move forward because it all depends on demand, but she insisted that it would be within the coming months.


If the area sees an early cold snap and demand spikes while supply is low, Scarano said the off-loading plan would be needed sooner rather than later.

PORTSMOUTH — City officials with safety concerns may try to derail a possible plan by Pan Am Railways to unload propane from rail cars along tracks in the heart of Portsmouth.

Details of the proposal are still being ironed out, but a top Pan Am Railways official confirmed Monday that Portsmouth is one of the sites the company is eyeing as it tries to meet the region’s growing demand for propane.

The area under consideration is located in a rail yard in the city’s downtown near the historic Old North Cemetery on Maplewood Avenue and Gary’s Beverages on Deer Street.

“Because of its location, it is a location that we’re looking at for potentially transloading propane,” said Cynthia Scarano, executive vice president of Pan Am Railways.

According to Scarano, the propane would arrive by rail, and would then be pumped into trucks from different propane companies that would transport it from the site.

Scarano said Pan Am, which owns the tracks, is still considering other sites as well for an offloading facility and hasn’t made a final decision.

City officials said they haven’t received any formal propane plan for downtown, but are aware of the possibility.

“If this were to occur, certainly there would be concerns and the city would take every action possible to protect residents. We plan on opposing this,” Deputy City Manager David Allen said Monday.

The possible propane plan comes as the city continues to appeal the Newington Planning Board’s decision to give Sea-3 the go-ahead to expand its propane storage terminal in Newington to accommodate rail deliveries. Trains to Newington travel through downton Portsmouth, and the city has fought Sea-3’s stalled expansion plan amid concerns about rail safety and increased risk of mishaps involving propane deliveries.

Jane Ferrini, a city staff attorney, said Pan Am would have to meet various local, state and federal regulations to move ahead with any off-loading plan in Portsmouth.

She said the offices of the state fire marshal and Gov. Maggie Hassan have also been made aware of the possibility.

While plans are still preliminary, Ferrini said the city “has explored various legal avenues” in the event Pan Am moves ahead.

The plan would not involve the installation of any holding tanks to store propane at the site, Scarano said.

“Safety is our No. 1 priority and we’ll make sure we follow all the regulations,” Scarano said.

The downtown site is a “primary” spot because “it’s a central location of where we need to get this propane delivered to,” she said.

When asked if the delays in Sea-3’s expansion prompted Pan Am’s plan, Scarano responded, “What’s behind it is the fact that propane use as far as rail shipment is up 35 percent and that’s just because it’s considered a clean fuel now.”

Scarano confirmed that Pan Am officials were asked to meet with the governor’s office and others about the plan, including energy directors around New England.

She said she’s not sure when the plan could move forward because it all depends on demand, but she insisted that it would be within the coming months.

If the area sees an early cold snap and demand spikes while supply is low, Scarano said the off-loading plan would be needed sooner rather than later. - See more at: http://www.unionleader.com/Pan_Am_eyes_downtown_Portsmouth_for_possible_propane_plan#sthash.1VNIbG4a.dpuf
PORTSMOUTH — City officials with safety concerns may try to derail a possible plan by Pan Am Railways to unload propane from rail cars along tracks in the heart of Portsmouth.

Details of the proposal are still being ironed out, but a top Pan Am Railways official confirmed Monday that Portsmouth is one of the sites the company is eyeing as it tries to meet the region’s growing demand for propane.

The area under consideration is located in a rail yard in the city’s downtown near the historic Old North Cemetery on Maplewood Avenue and Gary’s Beverages on Deer Street.

“Because of its location, it is a location that we’re looking at for potentially transloading propane,” said Cynthia Scarano, executive vice president of Pan Am Railways.

According to Scarano, the propane would arrive by rail, and would then be pumped into trucks from different propane companies that would transport it from the site.

Scarano said Pan Am, which owns the tracks, is still considering other sites as well for an offloading facility and hasn’t made a final decision.

City officials said they haven’t received any formal propane plan for downtown, but are aware of the possibility.

“If this were to occur, certainly there would be concerns and the city would take every action possible to protect residents. We plan on opposing this,” Deputy City Manager David Allen said Monday.

The possible propane plan comes as the city continues to appeal the Newington Planning Board’s decision to give Sea-3 the go-ahead to expand its propane storage terminal in Newington to accommodate rail deliveries. Trains to Newington travel through downton Portsmouth, and the city has fought Sea-3’s stalled expansion plan amid concerns about rail safety and increased risk of mishaps involving propane deliveries.

Jane Ferrini, a city staff attorney, said Pan Am would have to meet various local, state and federal regulations to move ahead with any off-loading plan in Portsmouth.

She said the offices of the state fire marshal and Gov. Maggie Hassan have also been made aware of the possibility.

While plans are still preliminary, Ferrini said the city “has explored various legal avenues” in the event Pan Am moves ahead.

The plan would not involve the installation of any holding tanks to store propane at the site, Scarano said.

“Safety is our No. 1 priority and we’ll make sure we follow all the regulations,” Scarano said.

The downtown site is a “primary” spot because “it’s a central location of where we need to get this propane delivered to,” she said.

When asked if the delays in Sea-3’s expansion prompted Pan Am’s plan, Scarano responded, “What’s behind it is the fact that propane use as far as rail shipment is up 35 percent and that’s just because it’s considered a clean fuel now.”

Scarano confirmed that Pan Am officials were asked to meet with the governor’s office and others about the plan, including energy directors around New England.

She said she’s not sure when the plan could move forward because it all depends on demand, but she insisted that it would be within the coming months.

If the area sees an early cold snap and demand spikes while supply is low, Scarano said the off-loading plan would be needed sooner rather than later. - See more at: http://www.unionleader.com/Pan_Am_eyes_downtown_Portsmouth_for_possible_propane_plan#sthash.1VNIbG4a.dpuf

Monday, August 10, 2015

Great Scott! It’s a soft landing again for MBTA's Beverly Scott

Great Scott! It’s a soft landing again | Howie Carr | New England's Undisputed Talk Radio King

Genesee & Wyoming to Buy Claremont Concord Short Line

(SOURCE:  Valley News - By John Lippman)

The Claremont Concord Railroad, one of the smallest railroad lines in the country, is getting hitched to one of the world’s biggest rail carriers. 

The Upper Valley short line that shuttles freight over the Connecticut River between White River Junction and West Lebanon and over a stretch of track in Claremont is being acquired by Genesee & Wyoming, the Dar ien, Conn.-based railroad giant that owns or leases 120 freight railroads around the world. 

Genesee & Wyoming’s subsidiary New England Central Railroad on Thursday filed a notice with the federal Surface Transportation Board that it had reached an asset purchase agreement with Claremont Concord Railroad to acquire the railroad’s line in Claremont and lease to operate over a state-owned line in West Lebanon. 

Michael Williams, a spokesman for Genesee & Wyoming, confirmed via email earlier that the company is buying the Claremont Concord Railroad, but declined to elaborate. 

“When we’ve met with customers and when the transaction is finalized, we’ll be in a position to comment further,” he wrote. 

Genesee & Wyoming’s New England Central Railroad is a regional freight carrier that operates a 394-mile rail line between New London, Conn., and the Vermont/Quebec border. Claremont and White River Junction are interchange points along the line. 

Christopher Freed, the owner of the Claremont Concord Railroad, did not respond last week to emails or phone calls for comment. Word had been circulating for more than a year among area rail industry workers and watchers that Freed had his railroad up for sale, although no definitive word surfaced until last month when New England Central Railroad informed the Surface Transportation Board in a filing that a notice had been posted in the workplaces of the Claremont Concord Railroad of NECR’s intent to buy the Upper Valley railroad and that “as a result of the transaction” two engineer-conductor jobs paying between $18.34 and $24.45 an hour were expected to be available to workers. 

Freed, who owns a Pennsylvania-based locomotive services company, acquired the Claremont Concord Railroad in 2002 from LaValley Building Supply, which in turn had bought the railroad from Pinsly Corp. in 1989, said Steven LaValley, comptroller at the New Hampshire-based construction materials supply firm. He said LaValley Building Supply stepped in to buy the struggling railroad, which it depended on to help convey large building materials to its Claremont store, when Pinsly threatened to abandon the line. Prior to Pinsly, the railroad was owned by the Boston & Maine line.

The Claremont Concord Railroad’s origins date back to the mid-19th century as a line to connect its two namesake cities. Over the following 100 years, the company passed through numerous mergers and consolidations before being absorbed by Boston & Maine. But as the Northern New England rail industry declined along with the region’s manufacturing, sections of the line began to be abandoned around 1960 until it had shrunk to its current remnants by the late 1980s. 

Claremont Concord Railroad’s customers include Rymes Propane & Oil and Twin State Sand & Gravel in West Lebanon, fertilizer wholesaler Beaudry Enterprises and LaValley Building Supply in Claremont, and New York State-based rock salt miner and distributor American Rock Salt, according to the company’s website. A sister company, Eagle Leaf Transload, also provides bulk transfer services between railcar and trucks for commodities such as salt, cement, fertilizer, pipes, rebar, structural steel and brick at Westboro Rail Yard in West Lebanon and Claremont Junction in Claremont. 

For example, Rymes uses the short line to haul propane tank cars from White River Junction, where it arrives on rail from suppliers around the country, to West Lebanon, said John Rymes, vice president of the company. He welcomed the sale since he ships propane on New England Central’s rail cars and “it means I’ll now be dealing with one company instead of two.” 

Warren “Bud” Ames, president and co-owner of Twin State Sand & Gravel, said he utilizes the Claremont Concord Railroad between November and March to bring 250 to 300 carloads a year of rock salt, which he sources in New York State, to his West Lebanon plant. And Steven LaValley said his company still contracts with Claremont Concord Railroad’s trains to transfer lumber and other supplies from the Claremont Junction rail yard to the LaValley outlet on Pleasant Street. 

“Railroads don’t play nice with each other,” Ames said about the frequently testy relations among carriers when it comes to negotiating and prioritizing movement of cars over tracks and between interchanges. “If it’s under one roof, they’ll play nice,” he said.

New England Central’s rationale for the takeover of the Claremont Concord Railroad was partially spelled out in its filing on Thursday, explaining “the acquisition will give NECR direct access to transload locations and other customers served by CCRR. Eliminating a carrier from the route should increase the efficiency of operations and benefit CCRR’s shippers.”

New England Central Railroad, added the company, “believes it will be able to use its greater resources to grow the business on the lines.”

As a tiny short line with only a handful of steady customers, the Claremont Concord Railroad is no longer as busy as it was in White River Junction’s glory days as a Northern New England rail hub. The company today has four operating train engines, according to Christopher Parker, executive director of the Vermont Rail Action Network, including a General Motors-made 1,750-horsepower GP9 and three 1,000-horsepower American Locomotive Co. “switch engines.” 

Parker estimates the value of the 1950s-era GP9 to be about $100,000 and the value of each of the ALC switch engines at between $10,000 and $60,000 “depending upon condition.” In addition, the company owns two 380-horsepower General Electric-made engines known as “forty-four tonners” that are meant to haul only a couple of cars, although Parker’s not sure they are still in operation. The railroad also owns the one mile length of track that runs from Claremont Junction east to the LaValley Building Supply store between Mulberry Street and Pleasant Street.

Genesee & Wyoming’s plan for the Claremont Concord is unknown beyond what it said in its filing. But White River Junction resident Kevin Burkholder, who first reported the news of the railroad’s sale on his Eastern Railroad News website in March, said that Genesee & Wyoming’s New England Central Railroad, in addition to the advantages in serving customers, could also have its eye on Claremont Concord Railroad’s locomotive repair shop at its Claremont site. He noted that at present New England Central Railroad either has to run trains down to its Palmer, Mass., substation or a facility in St. Albans, Vt., for quartely inspections.

“Strategically it gives New England Central access to shop facilities that otherwise would take a day to run trains up and back,” Burkholder noted, thereby saving the company valuable time and expense.

Burkholder said the advantage for New England Central to own the Claremont spur was clear given Concord Claremont Railroad’s ownership and control of its track in the city. But he said access to the tracks in White River Junction is potentially complicated because it is controlled by Burlington-based Vermont Rail System, a major carrier in the state that owns several regional lines and operates more than 350 miles of track. New England Central needs permission for use of Vermont Rail’s track in White River Junction, which puts the privately owned midsize railroad in an advantageous position in dealing with New England Central. Indeed, area rail industry watchers have long speculated that Vermont Rail System was the logical buyer for the White River Junction-West Lebanon portion of the short line.

Nonetheless, Parker, of Vermont Rail Action Network, observed that Claremont Concord Railroad “integrates nicely” with New England Central Railroad. The acquisition would “streamline operations” and there is a “substantial opportunity for at the terminals to transfer freight from rail to truck. ... Its proximity to the interstate in West Lebanon makes it an excellent property for freight growth and freight development.” 

The northern spur of the Claremont Concord Railroad — which is now owned by the state of New Hampshire — runs along 4.6 miles of track extending from White River Junction, over the Connecticut River into West Lebanon and then southwestward to parallel the Mascoma River before terminating between the river and Glen Road just short of the Miracle Mile shopping corridor. Earlier this year, the Claremont Concord Railroad was granted approval to discontinue nearly one mile of track in Lebanon that is to be rehabilitated as part of the city’s rail trail.

“From our experience (the Claremont Concord Railroad) really wasn’t profitable,” LaValley said. “If it is, it’s marginally so.” He estimated that the company’s total assets, including the locomotives, would be valued today at about $500,000, although LaValley said it could be higher depending on the property’s use potential. He said at the time LaValley Building Supply owned the Claremont Concord Railroad it had about 10 employees.

Boston Company to Offer First Private Passenger Rail Line

(SOURCE:  WPRI.com)

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A Boston company wants to offer the first private passenger rail line in the nation in more than 30 years, reviving a once-popular business model that was stopped dead in its tracks decades ago.

Boston Surface Railroad Co. is planning a commuter rail line that would shuttle passengers between Worcester, Massachusetts, and Providence in about an hour. No private passenger rail line has existed since 1983, and it’s been even longer since there was a significant private investment in passenger rail.

While some experts doubt that private rail can be a viable business, others say the market demand is there. Companies in at least two other states — Florida and Texas — have passenger rail projects in the works.

“We’re going through changes in this country with how people travel. Everybody’s looking for more choices,” said Robert Puentes, director of the metropolitan infrastructure initiative at the Brookings Institution.

The 45-mile stretch between Worcester and Providence presents the perfect opportunity for commuter rail because there are existing well-maintained tracks, which are owned and used for freight by Providence and Worcester Railroad Co., said Vincent Bono, CEO of Boston Surface Railroad.

Bono likens the project to a proof-of-concept to see if a private company can use existing infrastructure for passenger rail service for relatively little money.

“Because we’re private, because it’s an existing railroad, because they’re willing to operate it for us, we don’t have to spend ridiculous money,” Bono said.

He hopes the rail will be up and running by 2017.

The nation’s existing passenger railroads rely heavily on government subsidies. In recent years, Amtrak, the nation’s government-funded inter-city railroad service, has come under attack for expensive subsidies of its money-losing long-distance routes and losses from its food and beverage services, although the busy Northeast corridor route has growing operating profits.

Still, some doubt that private passenger rail projects can make a profit.

“If commuter rail is to be competitive, it has to maintain artificially low fares, fares that are below the fully allocated cost of service,” said Albert Churella, a professor at Kennesaw State University who specializes in the history of the railroad industry.

But companies in at least two other states see a market for private passenger rail.

All Aboard Florida is working on a $2.25 billion project to build a passenger rail from Miami to Orlando. It plans to begin operating a limited route by 2017.

Texas Central Railway is developing a $10 billion high-speed rail line between Dallas and Houston beginning in 2021. The company has said the bullet train would make the 250-mile trip in 90 minutes.

The Worcester-to-Providence rail line would be much smaller scale than those.

Bono said capital costs are budgeted at $3 million to $5 million, because the company needs to build very little: a short passing track and a passenger platform at the Worcester train station. It plans to keep costs down by relying on equipment it will get refurbished — three used locomotives and 12 former Amtrak passenger coaches.

Boston Surface has entered into a memo of understanding with the freight railroad, which owns nearly the entire route.

A feasibility study was just completed, and the project is in the planning stages. Bono says it doesn’t need federal or state money.

Puentes said the private ventures can help economic growth and recovery.

“This is the right conversation to be having, particularly in a place like Rhode Island,” he said.