The ICR arrives in northern York County

The ICR invades the Carleton Railway??

Carleton Railway management is doing a double take after the recent journey of "Extra 74 West" -- an ICR passenger train -- from the interchange at Millville to the Carleton Railway's recently expanded and upgraded "Nortondale European Resort" in northern York County.

The Carleton Railway recently completed an agreement with the ICR that will facilitate the occasional passenger run from Saint John to Nortondale, bringing with it several well-healed Port City executives looking for a wilderness experience at the friendly railway's famous rural spa. However, Nortondale station agent Huylett Lawson could hardly believe his eyes when the rag-tag train, pulled by two of the ICR's vintage RS-3s, recently arrived at the station. With no baggage car available for the train, the ICR had loaded passenger baggage into two old express reefers quickly commandeered for the purpose. The five decrepit passenger cars in the train--two ancient Osgood-Bradley coaches, a heavyweight pullman, and two smooth-side sleeping cars--look like they are ready for the museum. In fact, upon arrival in Millville, Carleton Railway inspectors insisted on upgrades to the ICR cars to bring the trucks and couplers to Carleton Railway standards before they could continue to Nortondale.

With the new ICR/CR agreement in place, it appears that an ICR passenger train will now appear from time to time on Carleton Railway tracks. In comparison with the Carleton railway's impeccably maintained fleet of streamline passenger cars and FP7 locomotives, the ICR varnish looks like a step into yesteryear. But the Carleton Railway is happy to take in the extra revenue. As railway management commented, an old ICR train pays just as much as a new ICR train. And their wealthy Saint John passengers are providing lots of additional revenue at the Nortondale Resort.

(Translation of the above story: Doug recently culled some old passenger equipment from the ICR--the equipment has now appeared on the Carleton Railway tracks and will from time to time run as an extra to the Nortondale resort. Thanks, Doug!)