Wednesday, September 28, 2011
San Luis Central
A leased San Luis Central reefer loaded with freshly harvested potatoes is shown in a way freight (the Carleton-York Peddler) leaving Avondale, Carleton County en route to the port of Saint John via interchange with the CPR. Throughout the fall season, the scheduled train more than doubles in length as leased reefers make their way from Carleton County to market. 
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Grafton Track Work Nears Completion
The track gang is busy getting the new Grafton spur ready for the inauguration of rail service to the community just across the St. John River from Woodstock. Several major new industries in the community will keep the crew of the nightly "Grafton Local" busy. In the photo below, railway employees are hard at work while some locals watch the action from the Hyram T. Myshrall overpass. The photo is framed by Karnes Bakery's modern building on the left, and the Mason and Risch piano factory on the right. That is the nearby community of Pembroke at the top of the grade in the distance (click on the photo to enlarge). 
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Changing Times
In its efforts to provide increased efficiency and convenience for its customers, the Carleton Railway continues to upgrade its facilities. The soon-to-be-opened "Mulheron Street" flagstop station will provide convenient passenger access to the commercial centre of South Newbridge, allowing shoppers and retail employees a much shorter commute to the fashionable stores and offices of the bustling downtown area. 
The photo also shows some additional changes that may be less obvious to those outside of the railway industry. The newly installed concrete telephone booth at Mulheron Street will enable eastbound crews on the Northampton Sub. to call the yardmaster in South Newbridge before entering the yard limits, and the new maintenance shed next to the station will provide equipment storage for the section gang on the branch. But the biggest changes of all--shown in the foreground--are the CTC signals that have recently been installed. In addition to the signals on the Northampton branchline, CTC signals have been installed between Hawkins Corner and Rosedale on the Avondale Subdivision. These really are changing times for the Carleton Railway.
The photo also shows some additional changes that may be less obvious to those outside of the railway industry. The newly installed concrete telephone booth at Mulheron Street will enable eastbound crews on the Northampton Sub. to call the yardmaster in South Newbridge before entering the yard limits, and the new maintenance shed next to the station will provide equipment storage for the section gang on the branch. But the biggest changes of all--shown in the foreground--are the CTC signals that have recently been installed. In addition to the signals on the Northampton branchline, CTC signals have been installed between Hawkins Corner and Rosedale on the Avondale Subdivision. These really are changing times for the Carleton Railway.Thursday, September 1, 2011
More Horsepower for The Carleton Railway
Exclusive to the South Newbridge News-Advertiser, August 1965
Monticello, ME: While vacationing this week in Monticello, Maine, the News-Advertiser’s ace reporter Freda Mulheron had just stepped out of the West End Diner when she spotted a gigantic new locomotive being pulled through the Main Street crossing on its way from Montreal to Carleton County. After capturing a few quick shots of the action with her new Instamatic camera, she hurriedly drove back across the Bloomfield, NB border crossing and then to Avondale to interview railway management about this obviously important development for the railway and for the local economy.
Management confirmed that the Carleton Railway has purchased a new Alco C-630 locomotive, indicating that two important factors led to the decision to add a 3000-hp loco to the railway’s fine fleet of powered units. First, the anticipated growth of the railway, the robust Carleton County economy, and the railway’s perennial goal to offer exceptional service to its customers led management to consider how best to improve freight service. Second, when MLW heard that the Carleton Railway was talking to GE about the possible purchase of some “U-Boat” locomotives, they contacted management with an attractive offer. It seems that MLW is very concerned that no Canadian railways purchased the earlier C-628 model, and they are determined to make sure that the same does not happen with the C-630. MLW expressed confidence that once other Canadian railways see the new 3000-hp loco in service on the Carleton Railway, they too will place orders. In fact, management has heard rumours that in light of the Carleton Railway’s recent purchase, CNR, CPR and PGE are all talking with MLW about adding C630s to their rosters (click on photos below to enlarge).
Freda had just exited the West End Diner in time to witness the arrival of the new high-hp loco.
This bird`s eye view of downtown Monticello shows how much larger the new locomotive is compared to the C-424, which is currently the most common locomotive on the Carleton Railway.
Monticello, ME: While vacationing this week in Monticello, Maine, the News-Advertiser’s ace reporter Freda Mulheron had just stepped out of the West End Diner when she spotted a gigantic new locomotive being pulled through the Main Street crossing on its way from Montreal to Carleton County. After capturing a few quick shots of the action with her new Instamatic camera, she hurriedly drove back across the Bloomfield, NB border crossing and then to Avondale to interview railway management about this obviously important development for the railway and for the local economy.
Management confirmed that the Carleton Railway has purchased a new Alco C-630 locomotive, indicating that two important factors led to the decision to add a 3000-hp loco to the railway’s fine fleet of powered units. First, the anticipated growth of the railway, the robust Carleton County economy, and the railway’s perennial goal to offer exceptional service to its customers led management to consider how best to improve freight service. Second, when MLW heard that the Carleton Railway was talking to GE about the possible purchase of some “U-Boat” locomotives, they contacted management with an attractive offer. It seems that MLW is very concerned that no Canadian railways purchased the earlier C-628 model, and they are determined to make sure that the same does not happen with the C-630. MLW expressed confidence that once other Canadian railways see the new 3000-hp loco in service on the Carleton Railway, they too will place orders. In fact, management has heard rumours that in light of the Carleton Railway’s recent purchase, CNR, CPR and PGE are all talking with MLW about adding C630s to their rosters (click on photos below to enlarge).
Freda had just exited the West End Diner in time to witness the arrival of the new high-hp loco.
This bird`s eye view of downtown Monticello shows how much larger the new locomotive is compared to the C-424, which is currently the most common locomotive on the Carleton Railway.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Salvage Yard Expansion Means More Railway Business
To the consternation of nearby residents, Vaughn's Salvage has recently completed a major expansion that has nearly doubled its capacity to receive and prepare various scrap items for shipment on the Carleton Railway. Well-known local politician Hyram Myshrall has hailed the expansion as a sign of the growing local economy, while also taking credit for the realignment of the highway that was necessary in order for the expansion to proceed: 
As can be seen in the above photo, the expanded lot is already filling up with junk cars and scrap auto parts. The H66-24 Trainmaster in the background is on the point of the Carleton-York peddler as it makes its way through Wakefield.
The above view shows the close proximity of nearby homes to the expanded scrapyard.
As can be seen in the above photo, the expanded lot is already filling up with junk cars and scrap auto parts. The H66-24 Trainmaster in the background is on the point of the Carleton-York peddler as it makes its way through Wakefield.
The above view shows the close proximity of nearby homes to the expanded scrapyard.Thursday, May 19, 2011
RR Action in Monticello
The Carleton Railway's photographer recently recorded some of the busy railway activity in Monticello, ME:
Locomotive #2492 pulls a wayfreight through town. In the background, it looks like a busy day at the West End Diner.
The caboose clears the crossing, allowing traffic to resume on Main Street.
The local switcher picks up a box car from one of the local industries.
The switcher moves the loaded box car across the grade crossing and into the yard.
A soon as the car clears the crossing, the crew will run into the diner for a quick snack.
Farmers are clearing out the last of the potato crop from the warehouses.
Just across the border in Aroostook Junction, NB, a string of BLR box cars have just arrived in the yard.
Locomotive #2492 pulls a wayfreight through town. In the background, it looks like a busy day at the West End Diner.
The caboose clears the crossing, allowing traffic to resume on Main Street.
The local switcher picks up a box car from one of the local industries.
The switcher moves the loaded box car across the grade crossing and into the yard.
A soon as the car clears the crossing, the crew will run into the diner for a quick snack.
Farmers are clearing out the last of the potato crop from the warehouses.
Just across the border in Aroostook Junction, NB, a string of BLR box cars have just arrived in the yard.Tuesday, May 17, 2011
More Grafton Progress
I have been working on the structures that will provide some of the rail traffic in the community of Grafton. Although these industries never actually were located in Grafton, they do represent Carleton County industries in the 1960s: 
Karnes Bakery (located in Woodstock in the real world) was an important rail customer for the CNR. Their new bakery building was built in the 1960s. It is now owned by Canada Bread. On my layout, as in the real world, it will receive lots of flour deliveries in covered hoppers.
Hatfield Industries (actually located in Hartland) will be a major rail customer in the HO-scale version of Grafton. I remember going on a tour of the plant when I was a "Wolf Cub"--right around 1965. They made potato chips, but there was also a starch plant. They gave each of us a brown paper bag of warm potato chips--the grease seeped right through the bag!
The Baird Company Ltd. was located along the CNR near my boyhood home in Woodstock, and dealt in patent medicines. The building is now the Knight's of Columbus Hall.
Karnes Bakery (located in Woodstock in the real world) was an important rail customer for the CNR. Their new bakery building was built in the 1960s. It is now owned by Canada Bread. On my layout, as in the real world, it will receive lots of flour deliveries in covered hoppers.
Hatfield Industries (actually located in Hartland) will be a major rail customer in the HO-scale version of Grafton. I remember going on a tour of the plant when I was a "Wolf Cub"--right around 1965. They made potato chips, but there was also a starch plant. They gave each of us a brown paper bag of warm potato chips--the grease seeped right through the bag!
The Baird Company Ltd. was located along the CNR near my boyhood home in Woodstock, and dealt in patent medicines. The building is now the Knight's of Columbus Hall. I am still building the other major rail industry in Grafton--the Mason and Risch Piano Factory. It was actually located in Woodstock and opened in the 1960s--I remember attending the grand opening as a child. It had a very large dry kiln and received wood by rail. The CNR timetable warned that the curvature on the siding was very sharp and required reduced speed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
