Author Topic: Brunswick-Rockland passenger trains?  (Read 4848 times)

Wayne Laepple

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Brunswick-Rockland passenger trains?
« on: January 27, 2022, 03:11:46 PM »
Today's Trains News Wire includes a story about possible passenger service from Brunswick to Rockland. It suggests two round trips on weekends during the high summer season. Perhaps something to be watched for possible connections?

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/company-offers-plan-for-rockland-brunswick-maine-passenger-service/

Benjamin Richards

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Re: Brunswick-Rockland passenger trains?
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2022, 04:27:43 PM »
This is all very confusing...Finger Lakes is the company that was supposed to take over the CP/CMQ freight contract, but backed out when Dragon Cement announced they would wind down their cement shuttle operation. Now they want to run RDC's?

The restoration of passenger service on this branch is approaching trope status. I wonder if anyone asked Morristown & Erie how many passengers they carried with that FL9 consist they ran.

Bob Holmes

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Re: Brunswick-Rockland passenger trains?
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2022, 05:58:26 PM »
There is a new, large, blue industrial building being constructed adjacent to the Rockland Branch at the New Meadows exit from Route 1 just west of Bath.  It appears to include a run-through service track.  The turnout connection(s) to the branch have not been built.

Another customer for the Rockland Branch is a good thing for potential future passenger service.

The Branch is currently serviced by Canadian Pacific GP-20 2279.

Graham Buxton

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Re: Brunswick-Rockland passenger trains?
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2022, 06:49:33 PM »
This article from August 2021 suggests that cement will continue to move from the Dragon plant by rail to end users, but the 5 mile rail shuttle from the plant to the [barge] port was being discontinued.
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Dragon will continue to sell cement from the plant in trucks and ship cement in rail directly to its customers but not to the terminal, she said.

Courier-Gazette article link:
https://knox.villagesoup.com/2021/08/19/cement-plant-to-discontinue-use-of-rockland-marine-port/
Graham

Mike Fox

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Re: Brunswick-Rockland passenger trains?
« Reply #4 on: January 27, 2022, 09:06:05 PM »
Bob, I hear that is a new steel distribution facility. Will be nice to see anlther customer..
Mike
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Benjamin Richards

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Re: Brunswick-Rockland passenger trains?
« Reply #5 on: January 27, 2022, 09:19:35 PM »
Mike, that is interesting. I've watched the building go up over the past months, but had no idea what it would be. I had wondered if it was something related to BIW.

The most exciting thing for me about the the proposed Finger Lakes freight operation was the vintage GE's that were supposed to show up:
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Operations are expected to begin in September and this week, the Finger Lakes was sending two B23-7 locomotives east.

Graham Buxton

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Re: Brunswick-Rockland passenger trains?
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2022, 11:12:33 PM »
While this article is from 2018, it appears to me that  it pertains to the new building:

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BRUNSWICK, Maine — Bath Iron Works plans to build a 20,000-square-foot steel preservation facility at its Hardings Facility on Bath Road to replace equipment that has begun to fail and cause delays at its main shipyard in Bath.

Plans submitted to Brunswick’s planning department propose a new building on the 28-acre site to replace the existing “blast and paint” building, which prepares steel shapes for subsequent use in ships, according to the application. The current building and equipment are more than 45 years old.

Full article here:
https://bangordailynews.com/2018/03/26/news/bath-iron-works-is-planning-for-an-expansion-at-its-brunswick-facility/
Graham

Mike Fox

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Re: Brunswick-Rockland passenger trains?
« Reply #7 on: January 28, 2022, 04:14:10 PM »
I don't think ot has anything to do with BIW.
Mike
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Alan Downey

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Re: Brunswick-Rockland passenger trains?
« Reply #8 on: January 28, 2022, 04:50:03 PM »
The building being constructed is owned by American Steel. Plate steel is routinely brought to Bath by rail and truck. I wouldn't expect this building to have a net change on the amount of steel being brought into the area by rail, but I'll be curious to see. Either way it's interesting to see a new connection to live rail being made.
« Last Edit: January 28, 2022, 04:58:42 PM by Alan Downey »
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Andrew Toppan

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Re: Brunswick-Rockland passenger trains?
« Reply #9 on: April 20, 2022, 08:35:16 PM »
The building being constructed is owned by American Steel. Plate steel is routinely brought to Bath by rail and truck. I wouldn't expect this building to have a net change on the amount of steel being brought into the area by rail, but I'll be curious to see. Either way it's interesting to see a new connection to live rail being made.

Stumbled across this thread months later....

Since the facility is not BIW's, it *should* result in a net increase in steel arriving in Brunswick, whether by rail or by truck. BIW buys its major shipments of plate steel direct from the mills, not via local resellers. While American Steel may end up selling some amount of steel to BIW (i.e. smaller/special/emergent orders), they are presumably planning to serve more than just BIW with this facility.



Pete Stevens

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Re: Brunswick-Rockland passenger trains?
« Reply #10 on: April 20, 2022, 08:59:03 PM »
Only indirectly related to this thread, but worth putting out there for local folk who didn't already know.
This Saturday (crummy timing) at Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick:

Brunswick Junction: A History of Brunswick's History as a Rail Hub

Railroad historian Ed Galvin will give a talk and slideshow on Brunswick’s history as a railroad hub in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Ed and his family have lived in Brunswick since 1970. He served in several management positions with the Maine Central Railroad. He held a senior Labor/Employment Law management position at Bath Iron Works before retiring in 2002.
Date:  Saturday, April 23, 2022
Time:  2:00pm - 3:30pm

https://curtislibrary.libcal.com/event/8967412?fbclid=IwAR3464pObHUqw20tO5PAmXNr4se6IIvQgFZgfWVBD1ZuHCAMZiNUGo64HK4.

Ed Lecuyer

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Re: Brunswick-Rockland passenger trains?
« Reply #11 on: April 20, 2022, 10:14:57 PM »
Ugh, I would have definitely liked to have seen this.
Ed Lecuyer
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Benjamin Richards

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Re: Brunswick-Rockland passenger trains?
« Reply #12 on: September 09, 2022, 11:36:14 AM »
In Case You Missed It (TM) :

Finger Lakes did end up taking over the Rockland Branch operations, and the RDC idea is still bobbing about in the minds of its executives.

https://railfan.com/finger-lakes-takes-maines-rockland-branch/

Maybe I'll get to see that old GE unit after all.


Bob Holmes

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Re: Brunswick-Rockland passenger trains?
« Reply #13 on: September 09, 2022, 05:06:19 PM »
Excellent news!  I am hopeful for a passenger (albeit mostly tourist) resurrection on the branch.

(Heard the weekly train going by today!)

Bob

Mike Arnold

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Re: Brunswick-Rockland passenger trains?
« Reply #14 on: September 10, 2022, 08:36:26 PM »
Amwreck Killed the Maine Eastern and they will kill this as well! They hate superior competition!
Mike
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