midland sub wrote: It also wouldn't surprise me if someone with their own private track speeder took a trip or plans on taking a trip over the line. They may have been who trimmed that tree alongside 73.
This is so true, once the word was out they were taking up the former NW/NKP between Delphos, Oh and Craigsville, In it was Hi-rail and speeder central. Same goes for the Former EL/ SPEG, guys were out the cutting down and hauling off the last remaining semaphores and anything else they could load up on a trailer. Ken
I myself am more optimistic! I don't think locals are cutting down trees under the Vera bridge. To me it just doesn't compute. Why would locals go under that bridge in the mud and rocks to cut down trees? Why would anyone go to the bother of cutting vines on the bridge? Why what is the point? Maybe along the rail by the road maybe even then on tree just doesn't make sense. I see other spots there are limbs over the rails. I think the CCET was there reason being a few weeks ago Jaw Tooth had a video on You Tube and the CCET had a maintenance truck on the rail going east. They surely could have gone way out east looked at the rails and maybe did some trimming. Or they could have gone out there to look at the gates and lights but they still don't work so I would say they were trimming trees.
Who knows but like Midland Sub said if something is going on out there surely by now it would be all over the press and in the forum pages. Somebody would be on top of it. Haven't heard a thing of late but will keep my eyes open.
I'll give you credit for being optimistic. Just don't be one of the handful of crazy fans that are going to chain themselves to the tracks if and when the rail removal train shows up. Here's what I dug up for your questions.
Are you talking about his video that shows the CCET hi-rail following the 2 locos and the storage 2 bay covered hoppers? That's the only one of his I found that had a CCET hi-rail truck. CCET supposedly has up to Tri County Rd just outside of Seaman. It's the east end of the siding between Winchester and Seaman they were storing cars at. If that's not the video you're talking about it's more than likely CCET was doing their monthly track inspection to Tri County Rd.
As for the bridge at Vera. The guy that farms the flood plain more than likely cut the trees down. He's done it in the past and there's a path under that span that he uses to get to the land on the north side of the bridge. Last year that land was wet most of the spring and early summer so he didn't get much done. That's coming from someone that's in the know.
Crossings with lights and gates from Plum Run to Vera are supposed to be removed and replaced with wooden crossbucks with exempt signs. That's if and when there's someone available to remove them.
Midland Sub that makes more sense didn't know about the property under the bridge being farmed. I did see tire tracks under the bridge in the video. As far as the hi-rail truck yes think I seen it in two of Jaw Tooths video's about a month or two ago. As far as lights and gates up that way looks like most have been taken down or vandalized. Not much up there anymore. The rails are revenue for NS or whoever gets the scrap there. Wonder why that just left that caboose on the siding up there. Been there for many years you would think NS would have used it for something unless it was falling apart.
It would be nice if NS gave the CCET more rail space for siding cars as it looks like that is all the CCET is going to get off that line from now on out. Unless Evans goes more to the east or the gavel pit decides to use rail transport that part of the line is done.
NO I'm not going to chain myself to the rails when they start pulling them up. I was wondering if someone can get fined or arrested if caught on the rails up there by the police since NS still owns the property?
heypal6878 wrote:NO I'm not going to chain myself to the rails when they start pulling them up. I was wondering if someone can get fined or arrested if caught on the rails up there by the police since NS still owns the property?
If you don't own it or work for the RR you could get arrested. Ken
I saw today now this is something since we are talking about the Peavine, this Jaw Tooth guy shot a video today and it has posted on You Tube 18 minutes on the east portion of the Peavine. Now some of what he shot is old stuff from like a few years back but he shot today a NS hi-railer on the line going east. He said that he heard they were going to run a hi-railer out on the Peavine today to inspect the line. Now if NS has no interest in the Peavine why would they send out four guys in a truck to look at the line out east? I'm baffled unless they want to get a better look at the property they want to sell off to the highest bidder. I was over in Newtown today didn't see the CCET running which is unusual as they have been running on Wednesday of late. No activity today.
I'm kind of interested of what NS was doing on that line today. Midland Sub sounds like he knows pretty much about the Peavine maybe he has some insight?
Thanks for the info. I been looking on you tube and just found it link above. The is a long tape some of it as you said is old footage but yes a high-railer is on the line and it is NS and it was caught today. Odd that they would be on the Peavine inspecting the rails. Maybe since NS wants to sell it to the State they want one more look at it before they depart with the rail. Not sure why as NS is so determine to sell it why would they waste man hours running four guys up there to look at the rail. I'm surprised that the truck even was able to run the entire rail to Portsmouth as there are a few areas where the rails have been washed out. Maybe they got off that track at some point. I hope Jaw Tooth was able to talk to them somewhere along the line. Very strange!
What is a B&B hi rail truck and why would they have a signal maintainer on a rail that hasn't been used for years? Crossing gates out there don't work most all gone, tower lights turned off. I was told NS doesn't do inspections on rails that are discontinued and no longer in operation.
It was a B&B truck. They were to hi-rail from the washout east to clear any tree limbs or any other track obstructions. Sometime next two weeks there will be another hi-rail inspection with contractors and a company that specializes in rail salvage. Once an up to date value is placed on the property Plum Run to Vera will be placed on the market. The higher ups and Norfolk are dead on serious about eliminating properties not in service.
Good friend of mine is recently retired and an old Peavine fan. Discussing with him the current situation he decided to check things out himself this afternoon. He started down at Mt Orab and headed east to Portsmouth. First observation to him was the condition of the line. It's starting to show some wear and tear finally after 13 years of neglect. Nothing really to see between Mt Orab and Sardinia. There's a good 15 to 20 older Triple Crown trailers parked where the old station stood between the wye of the former Hillsboro Branch. There's 2 bay covered hoppers stored on the siding, he said maybe 50-60 stored there. Winchester Ag wasn't loading any cars today. Just east of there at Mt Zion siding there's a cut of LP tank cars in storage- maybe half the siding is full. There's another 30 to 40 tank car store just east of there to the edge of Seaman. The official dividing line for CCET-NS is on the eastern edge of Seaman at the Silcot Rd crossing. They've removed a rail joiner to prevent anything east of there. From Seaman east to Otway every grade crossing is packed full up to the top of the rail head with mud and gravel. What surprised him was the difference in the condition of the line east of Peebles. Other than all of the signals being stripped and other wiring gone, he said the line looks really good. No weeds growing between the rails like there now is between Seaman and Peebles. Though he did say you can see where the welded rail has kinked in shifted in a several spots. I have about ten pics he emailed me I might get around to posting in a couple of days.
Heypal you made my patient and good source laugh pretty good tonight with what you said over at the Ohio Retard FB group today. The farmer is allowed to maintain the property under the bridge at Vera as it's part of the easement. It's been that way for the close to 40 years he's been with N&W/NS. The biggest problem with the company is the people in Atlanta and Norfolk that don't have a clue trying to tell the people in the field how to do their jobs.
Midland yes pal you are correct. The bone heads in Atlanta are more of less paper pushers and love to tell people what to do but they can't get out of the rain. Everybody likes to give orders but does anyone ever listen. The order givers don't really know what is going on five states up the line. I didn't know farmers had the right to cut tree under the bridge but they surely can get on the bridges to cut vines off can they? I can see if tress and brush are in the way of an easement a farmer has the right to cut down tress I guess but not on the bridge.
So a B&B hi railer was out there cutting branches off the main line and pulling brush off the tracks. Kind of explains that and yes I would think after this long part off the tracks out that way are in bad shape with some washouts. Wonder if the hi-railer could make it all the way to the Vera bridge without getting off the main. I take it no! Hopefully the State saves the line. NS wants out that I do know for a fact.
Well boys I was out past Plum Road today running the dogs and it appears that something has been riding on the tracks out that way. Yes they are pretty rusty but you can look at them and see something has been on the tracks recently. And yes some limbs have been freshly cut along the main rails and there isn't any brush on the rails not even weeds growing in between the rails which is a little odd. Sometimes when rails aren't used weeds are noticed growing in the middle of the rails.
Took the dogs and a good five mile walk on the main line and back today. Really the ties and the rails look not bad. Surely a train could go over these rails with no problem. Looks like the vandals worked on some cooper out there pulling wires but overall not bad. I would love to take a long walk all the way down the rails this summer. It would be a nice hike.
Plenty of speculation being talked about on the rail forum pages not sure who knows what or some of this might be a bunch of talk. Looks like Midland Sub has good info. Reading some stuff that Chris Edwards is saying on Facebook he appears to be in the know. Guess the only way to find out anything is to send NS a letter or email and get it from the source. That is if NS will even spill the beans.
I am playing the Power Ball for Wednesdays drawing. If I win the 1 Billion + jackpot, I'll buy the Peavine line between Sardina & West Portsmouth and Open up train excursion rides between Peables & West Portsmouth, rebuilding/using, the wye at Sardina for a turn around and build a wye down near West Portsmouth for another turn around. It would be a popular ride for train enthusiast. Using 2 diesel trains as a monthly ride behind and once or twice a year bring in a steam engine. ........................ Well maybe not. My other half wouldn't let me do that, plus my luck of winning any kind of money is impossible, but it's a nice dream.
heypal6878 wrote:Forget about the Peavine you could put a bid in for NS.
Heck no. I wouldn't buy any RR company. I would go broke in 5 years in this country. The way things are going, RR's will all be out-of-business in 20 years sorry to say.
No funding from the government like they do for highways/roadways, & railroad company's closing and pulling up track every year leave no room for expansion. Who wants to do business with that?!
heypal6878 wrote:Forget about the Peavine you could put a bid in for NS.
Heck no. I wouldn't buy any RR company. I would go broke in 5 years in this country. The way things are going, RR's will all be out-of-business in 20 years sorry to say.
No funding from the government like they do for highways/roadways, & railroad company's closing and pulling up track every year leave no room for expansion. Who wants to do business with that?!
They way things are going, I'm afraid to see what'll happen in my life time but, the railroads are still one of the more efficient long haul operations we have in our country, they'll always have a place.
They way things are going, I'm afraid to see what'll happen in my life time but, the railroads are still one of the more efficient long haul operations we have in our country, they'll always have a place.
And we all thought that about the PC merger then the creation of Conrail. Things may change but Railroads are here to stay. Ken
