Huge Crane in Nashua Putting Derailed Locomotives Back on Track

(SOURCE:  David Brooks, The Telegraph - thanks to Dave Pierson for the link)

NASHUA – Pan Am Railways is bringing in a large crane in to lift a pair of derailed 100-ton locomotives and put them back on the tracks in downtown Nashua.

The two locomotives went off the rails at Main Street around 3 p.m. Tuesday. One was blocking the northbound lane of Main Street for about an hour until the two were pushed back by a bulldozer.

Pan Am Executive Vice-President Cynthia Scarano said a 44-foot long mobile crane, capable of lifting 130 tons, will be driven to the scene from the company’s Billerica, Mass., headquarters this morning. The Kershaw RC-130 crane can travel by road or by rail.

“They should be re-railed by 1 or 2 p.m.,” she said.

The locomotives were not pulling any cars at the time as they travelled at low speed along what is formally known as the Hillsborough Branch line. Nobody was injured in the accident and no obvious property damage occurred.

New Hampshire railroad safety inspector John Robinson said the train apparently was derailed by ice built up along the rails. 

“The ice builds up along the flangeway, which keeps the wheel tracking ... to the point where the wheels steer off the rail,” he said. “It’s not completely unknown.”

The flangeway is a groove that allows the lips, or flange, of the wheels to fit alongside the rail and keep the wheels in place. Ice in the flangeway can lift the wheel up above the rail to the point that it can slip sideways.

Robinson said no formal investigation had been launched. 

Pan Am Train Stuck on Main Street in Nashua NH

It was reported that on February 18th a Pan Am train derailed at the Main Street crossing in Nashua NH.  Deedless to say, auto traffic was effected.  This photo was posted on the WMUR website (no phorographer sited).

March '13 a Bad Month for Pan Am...

March has been a bad month for Pan Am Railways. 

First, 15 tank cars filled with crude oil derailed in Mattawamkeag, ME on March 7th.  Thankfully, only 3 gallons of oil contaminated the area, and this oil was reported to be only residue from the outside of the cars. 

Later that same day, eight loaded coal cars derailed in Nashua, NH, two of which were on a bridge.  The Bridge Street grade crossing was blocked for about 40 minutes.  This derailment interested local railfans due to the marooning of Norfolk Southern heritage unit #1070, painted in Wabash livery, in New Hampshire.  That unit finally headed back into Massachusetts on it's way home on March 14th.

Lastly, on March 12th, four boxcars derailed just south of Verso Paper Mill in Bucksport, ME.

Hopefully the rest of March will be free from any more derailments!

MORE READING:
http://bangordailynews.com/2013/03/07/news/penobscot/freight-train-pulling-oil-tankers-derails-in-mattawamkeag

http://nashua.patch.com/articles/coal-cars-derail-on-bridge-street
http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/996213-469/crews-expected-friday-to-move-derailed-coal.html

http://bangordailynews.com/2013/03/13/news/hancock/pan-am-train-goes-off-the-rails-in-bucksport/

Nashua Looks at Buying Two Pan Am Railways Parcels

SOURCE: http://www.unionleader.com/article/20120925/NEWS06/709259905 By KIMBERLY HOUGHTON

NASHUA — City officials have recently negotiated with Pan Am Railways to acquire two railroad parcels near the East Hollis Street fire station.

According to Alderman-at-Large Lori Wilshire, Nashua has $280,104 available in federal funds to buy the parcels for the city’s ongoing Rail Trail Parcel Acquisition. The two sites currently belong to Boston & Maine Corp, a subsidiary of the Pan Am Railways network. Pan Am owns rail line from Manchester south into Boston.

Wilshire explained that the enhancement fund requires a 20 percent local match, meaning the city would be obligated to contribute slightly more than $70,000 for the acquisition, which is supported by Mayor Donnalee Lozeau.

Lozeau is recommending that the city’s contribution be funded with prior year escrow money.

On Monday, the aldermanic Human Affairs Committee was introduced with proposed legislation that — if approved by the full Board of Aldermen — will enable the purchase of the two parcels north of East Hollis Street between Mason and Commercial Streets.

Nine aldermen are co-sponsoring the proposed legislation, which was supported by the Human Affairs Committee. The aldermanic Planning and Economic Development Committee will review the proposal Oct. 2, and the Planning Board will study the recommendation Oct. 4.

The city, in conjunction with the New Hampshire Transportation Advisory Committee, has used transportation enhancement funds for previous projects, Wilshire said.

They include the 1.3-mile Heritage Rail Trail, as well as the construction of the Nashua River Rail Trail, a former railroad right of way that travels more than 10 miles into Massachusetts and is used by bicyclists and pedestrians.

“I am all for this,” said Alderman Daniel Moriarty, Ward 9, while looking at a map of the two parcels. “I was surprised that we own all these easements as it is.”

“It has been an ongoing process to acquire these,” Wilshire said.

There was no discussion as to what would be done with the two railroad properties if they are acquired by the city.

The mayor has said that two train stations could be built in the Nashua area to accommodate a future rail system.

She believes that a multi-modal transit center could be constructed off a newly formed Exit 36 just south of Nashua at the Massachusetts border into Tyngsborough.

A study investigating that option is under way.

She has also said a second, smaller train station could be built somewhere in the downtown area, possibly on land near Crown Street or East Hollis Street.