NS Peavine talk

[midland sub]

Thanks for sharing. Jan 3 I'm told 380/381 will be abolished and everything ran as an extra.

[cbehr91]

Thank you very much for sharing. Certainly seem like those trains are down to once each way a week with a bonus coal train.

[bbe125]

380 and 381 have recently been on a 3 run a week schedule. 380 operating Monday-Wednesday-Friday and 381 operating Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday. The Saturday 381 has been running to Dickinson-Hobson on Saturday evening and then departing Hobson on Sunday morning. Apparently this allows a crew to take 381 in to Watkins and then come back south Monday on 380.

Today there is a 380 coming south out of Watkins and a 698 coal train at Hobson. They attempted to run 698 north this morning using 3321&3326 has helpers. The pair had been at Hobson for a week and apparently did not want to start. The plan now is to run 698 north after 380 arrives at Hobson later in the day.

Most of the coal runs use the symbol 698 which originally was a Dickinson-Sandusky symbol. A few weeks back a 510 symbol was used on one coal move.

[midland sub]

What mine is the coal loaded at? Thanks for the info and what's going to be the tail end of operations of the line for awhile it seems.

[bbe125]

Train loads south of Dickinson, not sure of specific mine.

Coal traffic has been all over the place. No coal for weeks, then for several weeks 3 trains per week, then more recently one or two per week. The most unusual part of the operation is that NS has not operated empty coal trains south via this line for a number of years. I understand that NS would use empty cars coming in off the former Virginian line at Deepwater but it seems strange that they run no empty coal cars back this way.

380/381 are primarily made up of southbound loaded hoppers of stone for the metals plant at Alloy WV, loaded covered hoppers of cement for Nitro WV, and tanks of chemicals that go to&from chemical plants between Nitro and Dickinson. There are some loads of pipe and steel that go south and scrap metal north from Eleanor WV. This year NS has also handled a number of loads of grain from Thurston OH.

[northstar16]

Yes sir Northstar here reading the posts on the last few pages. I have been out of the country just retuned yesterday and noticed that Midland Sub has stated that the NS may in fact sell part or all of the Peavine to either the State or whomever would want to buy it. Not sure if the State would want it other than having a commuter rail on part of the Vine. Really as far as going to maybe Milford of Batavia there is no use for a commuter line past that point. The cost of doing something like that would be off the rock millions and millions as the State will need to buy and maintain power plus the cars and most likely will need more than one power in case one breaks down. Then to maintain the tracks well that is another issue. So for the State to get involved it far fetched.

I thought the CCET was doing rather well with the tract they are working with getting a few contracts, storing cars. My nephew lives out east and he told me the CCET is storing mass amounts of empty cars on every siding they can find out east. He said the tracks are shinny and that the CCET is very active during the week moving cars and even going as far as the Ag. I would think this is also feeding some money to NS as well. My nephew told me all the signal pole lights are out on the Peavine shut down a many months ago and still some of the crossing gates are not working properly some don't go up after the train passes for sometimes several minutes.

Sure hope they don't sell off all of the Peavine as it will be a big waste. I mean sure they can scrap the line but what about the customers they have? Leaves a bad taste in customers mouth when a railroad closes down. Maybe they will keep the CCET going until their lease runs out?

Thanks for the info hope everyone here has a nice New Years and stay safe!

[midland sub]

The grade crossing malfunctions seem to stem from Frontier isn't much into spending money on repairs I'm being told. Whether that is due to Frontier's ownership being almost 3,000 miles away in Washington State, or they plan on sticking to their low cost branch line mindset of their other properties and operations I cannot say. The storage business is all well and good for short term. Long term they have to do something to generate more of a customer base than just Huhmataki and Winchester Ag. Huhmataki might be looking into getting inbound wax, but at best that would generate a handful of inbound loads. Winchester was supposed to hold off until April, but CSX's new rates seems to have opened up some new opportunities. Eventually 13 years of non existent track work on a line featuring heavy mainline rail in flood prone area is going to need some tie and surface work.

[redside20]

I am enjoying reading about the activity on the WVa secondary. Whoever you are that keeps posting the activity keep doing it please.

[northstar16]

Thanks for the info! What about the gravel pit up around Plum Road. That place has expanded over the years. I know NS did haul gravel for them years back but when they left the rail I assume now they truck everything out of there. It would be great if the short rail gets that contract but not sure if they could carry the load on the tracks up there since they haven't been traveled on in a few years. Granted the rails past Plum Road all the way to Portsmouth are not in the best of shape. Several have been washed out some ties have been removed from one spot I was told. If that part were to be reopened it could cost millions to get it back in shape then there is the bridge which I have been told needs major support underneath. Hell I surprised the Clare Yard bridge is in good shape as nothing much has been done to it over the years. That river down there floods several times a year. It must have some great supports under it!

Yes there isn't much business on the Peavine to give the short line much in the way of contracts. Most of the business along that track has moved on, closed up, or just doesn't use rail any longer. There I blame NS for not servicing these places when they were in business or as they still are in business. The large Staple business up on Broadwell did some major business with NS but not sure if that company is doing much anymore if anything. I remember the guy who owned it back in the 80s and early 90s. It was pretty darn busy then.

[heypal6878]

Today I was looking at You tube and noticed there was a video posted there recently about the Peavine. As you can expect many trees and branches over the years have fallen on the tracks yet the guy who took the video said that someone has been cutting branches and cleaning up the rails. He even noticed someone was riding on the rails maybe a highrail truck. The CCET has been out that way with a truck on the rails a few weeks ago. Knowing that NS has no interest in cutting trees either the CCET or locals will be cutting trees on the rail but then again why would locals be cutting trees along the rails or even cleaning branches up. Midland what do you think. What is going on up there?

[midland sub]

I just searched and didn't see that video. If you can find it again post the link here. Where did he say he saw someone doing this or on the tracks? If it's Seaman to Plum Run it's more than likely CCET for some reason. It wouldn't surprise me if some railfan with a track speeder or old hi-rail was out east of Plum Run. Not really the smartest thing to do....

As for whole Plum Run potential. If it actually happens it's not going to be your typical stone move. There's way too much competition, along with a new underground quarry to just haul stone all the way there to sell it on the open market. The cost to move it by rail the 40 or so miles is going to make it more expensive than all the local quarries that mine it and pile it up for sale. If Evans decides to bring stone in from Plum Run it's going to need to be packaged into something else they offer or do. So maybe they really do plan on hauling construction debris to Plum Run and back haul some stone. Supposedly it will be landscaping stone for what that's worth. If they get it going great, if not I can understand why. For example Melvin Stone uses rail into the Cincy market via the I&O. Move is over 60 miles from the quarry at Melvin on the Midland to their stone operation at Undercliff over by Lunken airport. They ship all sorts of different grades of stone. Same thing with their Logan location- which gets 60 cars at a time and sells a lot of stone to small cement companies. They are expanding Undercliff to handle 60 car trains this season. How does Melvin compete in the Cincy market with a lot of competition and a 60 mile rail move? They are owned by the largest road construction company in the area. A good deal of the Cincy stone is used for that, but they still sell a lot on the open market.

[cbehr91]

Should have another northbound coal train Monday on the Secondary from Hobson.

[heypal6878]

Here is the Peavine you tube video that I saw a few days ago.

Jan 1 at 10:10 PM










https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPHrHi4BzCA

[heypal6878]

Midland Sub another new video has surfaced yesterday on You Tube that shows a good eight minutes from Radon to the Vera Bridge. The rails out there look fairly good, some ties need replacement, some vandals out that way, some slippage, but one thing did stand out big time. There has been recent cutting of branches and vines. Someone cut trees under the Vera bridge plenty of them that were at one point on the Vera bridge and vines that were on the Vera bridge have been cut. Along the road by the tracks you can see large branches that have been freshly cut. At one point in the video you can see where maybe a highrailer has been on the tracks or some kind of equipment as the rails have a distinctive shine on them.

Now I know NS doesn't want any part of the rail out there but maybe the CCET has something going that maybe they may make a play to get the rest of the rail open in the spring. From what I gather the bridge at Vera may not be in as bad shape as NS says it is. Sure it may need some work but surely no more than other bridges in the State.

That rail hasn't been used out there in what 13 years maybe more. Yet looking at it the rails look pretty darn good. There is some siding out that way as well and on one picture there is an old NS caboose sitting on a siding. Thought that was odd that they just left it sitting there for years.

So it just seams strange that trees are cut surely not by locals who have no reason to cut tress under the bridge or even large limbs along the tracks. Maybe Edwards knows something although he isn't working on the Peavine anymore he may know what is going on with the CCET. My buddy said NS is not interested in the Peavine anymore just like you said and wants to sell it or dump it. Is NS going to get money from the steel scrap? Not enough there after the labor it will take to get it all out. Maybe the CCET wants the rest of the line. Hell if NS just pulls up the rails they still own the property are they just going to give it to the State? Don't think so and will the State buy it? Doubt it so why not either work out a deal with the CCET to either sell it or write it off. This might be a question for Chris Edwards!

[midland sub]

Post the link to the newest video when you get a chance. I don't need to wait to answer this for you but I will wait to see the video.

The bridge needs re decked i.e. all the bridge ties need replaced. There's structural wear issues with the bearings on the bridge that need replaced.

[northstar16]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwv7SmS4w-0

Think this is the link. Try it if it doesn't work will try again.

[northstar16]

I found the link today on your tube and just posted it. I looked at it and yes it does look like somebody has been cutting some of limbs under the bridge and a few places on the rails. I didn't see where anyone has been riding the tracks as they look pretty dang rusty. Looks like the gates are gone in a few locations maybe NS took them out before they closed down the line. I'm kind of interested to see what is going to happen along the line if anything.

[midland sub]

Plum Run to Vera already was filed with the STB with the Discontinuance of Service. Someone wanting to reopen that section will have to file with the STB first. Until then no one should get their hopes up. There's nothing for the CCET to run to Vera that would justify the expense of restoring service. If there was it would be big news that would have leaked out by now.

As for the trees being cut, no idea other than its not anyone from NS doing it. It wouldn't surprise if a few of the locals fans did it just the same as you would maintain a relatives grave at a cemetery. You would see tire tracks in the rust if a hi-rail truck was recently on the line. The beginning of the video you see his foot print in the rust where he stepped. 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.

[northstar16]

Makes sense about the trimming for the trees but under the bridge as well? Not sure why anyone would get under the bridge and trim trees of vines for that matter and waste time and energy. I know I wouldn't go outside with my saw and start cutting down tress under a bridge for any reason unless I owned the property. Yes the rails are pretty rusty I did noticed that but on one part of that video on the side on the rails it looks like something was on it. Could have been locals with some kind of a make shift rail machine again that is trespassing and nobody should put anything on the rails even if the rails are discontinued. I would think that the local police can haul one off to jail for that?

Oh well we shall see what goes on up there. Just kind of strange to me that someone just cut the trees. NS would not cut anything or waste their time and money there so either the CCET or some woodchuck.

[midland sub]

Could be someone took their speeder down the line recently.