Author Topic: To Cross or Not to Cross (or to Cross Cross Road?) That is the question...  (Read 29665 times)

Matthew Gustafson

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Pardon me to ask this but I cant find the topic about this but does the museum long range plan on crossing Highway 218 and continue rebuilding the ROW until it reachs Head Tide? It seams like a possible objective in the long run with the right amount of money needed?
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Ed Lecuyer

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Hi Matt,

Reaching 218 is in the current Long Range plan - which is available for download on the main web site. Going further than that (in either direction) is possible, but would (as you correctly point out) take money and volunteers.
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Matthew Gustafson

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I see well I thought that if the museum was to go further past Highway 218 to Head Tide since looks like a good reasonable location to stop the rebuilding of the ROW once finish the rebuilding the ROW from the Top Of The Mountain to Highway 218. With the amount of equipment we have now, that would look like a good place to stop the progress north with like you said the right amount of money and volunteers.
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John McNamara

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Matthew,

You are correct. Head Tide would be a reasonable stopping place in the distant future. In addition to the manpower and money considerations that have been mentioned, one should also keep in mind the maintenance requirements, especially mowing. While there have been several posts about power mowers, much of our right-of-way contains stumps, rocks, and small gullies, not to mention extremely steep slopes. ROWMOW1 is a good start, but only a start. Another factor to consider is rider  patience. While rail fans love long rides, the average family does not. Lenthening the line is what we all want, as it builds vounteer and visitor enthusiasm, but it is a complicated process involving manpower, money, and the factors that I mentioned

-John

Matthew Gustafson

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To Cross or Not to Cross (or to Cross Cross Road?) That is the question...
« Reply #4 on: August 30, 2012, 02:47:47 PM »
I see but there could be the option that there can be two types of trains you can operate in the future (once #9 and possibly #11 are complete restored). You can have the short trip which could operate from Sheepscot Station to Alna Center and back. The you can also have a longer trip that could operate from Sheepscot Station to Head Tide and back. (look at the Virginia & Truckee Railroad operations as a example).
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Pete "Cosmo" Barrington

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To Cross or Not to Cross (or to Cross Cross Road?) That is the question...
« Reply #5 on: August 30, 2012, 09:00:02 PM »
You could do like the Valley RR and run a dinner train...  ;D


[DUCKS!]  :P

John McNamara

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To Cross or Not to Cross (or to Cross Cross Road?) That is the question...
« Reply #6 on: August 30, 2012, 10:07:03 PM »
I see but there could be the option that there can be two types of trains you can operate in the future (once #9 and possibly #11 are complete restored). You can have the short trip which could operate from Sheepscot Station to Alna Center and back. The you can also have a longer trip that could operate from Sheepscot Station to Head Tide and back. (look at the Virginia & Truckee Railroad operations as a example).
An excellent idea. ;)

-John

Ted Miles

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To Cross or Not to Cross (or to Cross Cross Road?) That is the question...
« Reply #7 on: December 12, 2016, 03:22:29 PM »
for those who want to research a crossing of route 218 with gates, flashers etc,

The Connecticut Trolley Museum has been running through a couple of fully equipped crossings for many years. Somebody there might provide exact costs of the whole deal. I suspect that liability insurance will cost much more than the small amount of electrical power used in the signals.

Remember that different State Departments of Transportation might have different regulations.

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Wayne Laepple

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To Cross or Not to Cross (or to Cross Cross Road?) That is the question...
« Reply #8 on: December 12, 2016, 04:56:50 PM »
Because of the acute angle where the track would cross Route 218, very long gates would be necessary. In addition, because Route 218 is a state highway that also receives federal funds, the flashing light system would have to meet current MUTCD standards and the road surface would also have to comply with current standards. Due to the curves approaching the crossing area, additional advance warning signals may be required. My guess, based on my experiences over 20 years of dealing with crossing rehabilitations while working for railroads, is the whole project would cost between $200,000 and $300,000. And then the railroad would have to either employ or contract with a certified signal inspector to make monthly inspections from now until the end of time. You are correct that the electric bill itself would be minuscule in comparison to everything else. Finally, at our current rate of northward expansion, Route 218 is probably at least 8-10 years in the future, and who knows what may happen by then.

Joe Fox

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To Cross or Not to Cross (or to Cross Cross Road?) That is the question...
« Reply #9 on: December 12, 2016, 05:58:12 PM »
At one point in time we were able to build 1200' of track in one weekend. Hopefully we can continue to build as much as we can each year. I would like to see us reach 218 by 2022.

John Kokas

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To Cross or Not to Cross (or to Cross Cross Road?) That is the question...
« Reply #10 on: December 12, 2016, 06:47:19 PM »
I hope that once we reach Head Tide, (short of 218), we focus on going towards Wiscasset.  Reaching there will, IMHO, increase ridership by a factor of at least 5X, maybe more.
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To Cross or Not to Cross (or to Cross Cross Road?) That is the question...
« Reply #11 on: December 12, 2016, 07:05:57 PM »
Sorry John - but going towards Wiscasset will not increase ridership. We own about two miles of right of way to the Wiscasset town line - but there is 1800 feet in the middle of this that we do not own. We own 500 feet of right of way in Wiscasset, but three miles of right of way reverted to the original landowners. And there are three houses built on the right of way with no room to build shoo-flys around them.

SO - getting 2 miles closer to Wiscasset does absolutely nothing to increase ridership.
Allan Fisher

John Kokas

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To Cross or Not to Cross (or to Cross Cross Road?) That is the question...
« Reply #12 on: December 12, 2016, 07:31:22 PM »
Just like the case at TOM, real estate does come up for sale once in a while.  Didn't say it would be easy or done quickly.
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Joe Fox

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To Cross or Not to Cross (or to Cross Cross Road?) That is the question...
« Reply #13 on: December 12, 2016, 08:22:16 PM »
The nice thing is we already have permission and or own up to 218, and we have the rail. Biggest slow downs now will be obstacles such as land slides, wash outs, and a bridge.

Joe Fox

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To Cross or Not to Cross (or to Cross Cross Road?) That is the question...
« Reply #14 on: December 12, 2016, 08:24:33 PM »
And going south by the big pond would be a nice a scenic view point, but that is about it.