Final Installment: Rail gap is gone! RCC is doing ballasting and leveling this week. I hope everyone enjoyed this thread. Thanks for the comments! ..............John

John,

Thank you very much for documenting the restoration of this bridge! I recall seeing a notice about a "first train" across the bridge, departing from Lewisburg, which was supposed to have happened back in September. Obviously, the bridge wasn't finished at that time, but do you know if that event has been rescheduled, or if the NRHS chapter is planning on moving any of their equipment across the bridge? Thanks!

Dan

The first official movement across the bridge is/was supposed to be three cars (two Pullmans, one hopper) being sent to their buyers via road, being moved down the track to a different loading location.

The aforementioned "excursion" for Chapter members only occurred in September, using a GE 45-tonner and two cabooses. Once the line is officially tied in to the general network again, they have to abide by the standard FRA rules and regulations, complicating matters for them. (And I really mean "us," as I'm a member of that Chapter.)

Good pics of an excursion talked about above:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/archiv ... ?id=100944

The April 2014 excursion was set up for a national Board of Directors meeting of the NRHS held there, for NRHS officers and invited guests only. For the occasion the operators of the Union County Industrial Railroad, the North Shore RR "conglomerate" (which also runs the Nittany & Bald Eagle and a a couple other lines) used their newly-acquired coaches (I believe they came from the Ontario Midland), their "business car" refurbished caboose, and borrowed the privately-owned former EL business car 2, usually stored on a private property off the North Shore RR line.

Has this line seen any freight activity since the bridge was replaced and the track was refurbished to Allenwood? I believe that the reason for refurbishing the line was (at least in part) an attempt to spur interest in the Great Stream Commons Industrial park--have there been any nibbles by prospective tenants? IIRC, there are no customers north of New Columbia, and those may not be viable any longer; last I heard, New Columbia Joist had closed and I'm not sure that NGC receives cars anymore. It would be a shame for all of that new track to wither away again.

Obligatory preservation content: does the NRHS chapter in White Deer at least get to exercise their equipment over this trackage?

^I visited Allenwood in April. The industrial park has not been built yet.

The rebuilt bridge and track at Allenwood:

http://photos.greatrails.net/show/?orde ... 20Railroad

http://photos.greatrails.net/show/?orde ... 20Railroad

Pics of the NRHS at White Deer are here:

http://photos.greatrails.net/show/?orde ... %20Chapter

http://photos.greatrails.net/show/?orde ... %20Chapter

http://photos.greatrails.net/show/?orde ... %20Chapter

My understanding of the situation at present, as a Chapter member:

The Chapter reserves at least some token right to operate over a short part of the trackage, but is in no position to do so logistically. Their operable locomotive is a GE 45-tonner, and they "have" two cabooses (I believe at least one is privately owned on "extended loan") that they have used for occasional "rides" in the past. The Pullmans can roll and serve dinner (former camp car kitchen in one), but still require tons of restoration work.

Part of the problem is that while for some time they were "insular" (disconnected from the general system) and could "play trains" as they wanted, now any such movements must fall under both FRA and SEDA-COG/North Shore perusal. The two local entities are quite railfan/rail history friendly, but business is still business--get a qualified engineer, inspect the equipment, etc.

The Chapter was recently tasked with building a new siding to the north of the station to move more of their equipment further from "active" track. I arranged a deal with the Baltimore Streetcar Museum for them to sell them exactly the rail they needed at scrap prices, and it was picked up just about when the photos were taken.....

There is a couple miles worth of stored tank cars on this line north of Interstate 80. The lineup is cut for each grade crossing and under grade bridge. The few cars I've seen from US Route 15 are placarded 1267 for crude oil.

Brian