Conrail's Amoskeag Northern Line | NEGS

Home

My Railcars/Speeders

Railcar Travelogues

NEGS - Caboose Train

Written by Ian MacMillan

Saturday, 16 June 2007

NEGS GP39-2 #2370

Saturday was an early morning as I met Peter, Gordan, Jesse and Paul at the tower in Concord to help out with the caboose train. We met at the tower at 0600 and started up the 2370. We uncoupled from yesterdays Manchester train, and decided to take a car of clay slury for IPT in Tilton north with us. We slowly moved through the now mostly defunct Concord yard, an area that is more than a shadow of its former self.

Heading north I was glad I brought my jacket. The early morning air was pretty cool and the wind made it colder as Jesse and I stood on the front porch of the 2370. The scenery had filled in pretty much since our last rides along the line and we ended up cutting a few trees that scraped the cab. Riding on the locomotive on the White Mountain Branch was pretty different than in the speeder. The high vantage point, and not having to worry about controlling something allowed me to enjoy the scenery, and pick up some ideas for scenery on the new layout. We ran into several deer along the line, confusing one who was not used to a locomotive, sending the deer running into the ROW fence.

Jesse stands guard

All the way North, Cam Sargent followed us, taking several photos at the grade crossings. Other than the few tree branches, we did not have any problems and made great time into the Northfield yard, home of the caboose village. We pulled up to the cars on the river track and hitched up, setting the train air. A few cabooses had some problems that we had to address. One one of the MEC cars the handbrake was stuck and it took some tugging, but I finally got it loose, while the Lionel caboose had some sticking brake problems. We pulled the cars for a rare mileage trip to IPT to drop the clay slury car. Train air charged, I then walked to the crossing in Tilton center and flagged the crossing for the train. As 2370 entered the crossing I hopped up (and learning from Gordan, that you put your foot opposite of the direction your are going in the foot well first!) and we headed north to Lochmere where we ran around the train.

Our caboose train

After running around the train we did another air test, and found that the Lionel caboose was still having brake issues so Peter decided to ride in it to IPT to see if he could figure out the problem. After dropping the clay slurry car at IPT, Peter did a manual release of the brakes and then the Lionel car began to run fine. Heading south once again, we arrived back at the caboose village and started making up the rest of our train.

Ready to depart Northfield.

All the cars connected and an air test complete, we departed Northfield and headed south around 1030hrs. The sun, now fully up, was warming the air pretty quickly and made for a much warmer trip south. On the southern run, Jon Miner had joined us and he and his two sons raced ahead of our train to flag the crossings, which made for a much smoother ride. Other than 2 ATVs that crossed 1/4 mile ahead of us, there were no incidents and it was another great day on the NEGS. Pulling into Concord we set the caboose train at MP C1, just behind the Marriott, so that they could enjoy their night in the state Capital. We uncoupled, and then headed back to the Concord tower to put the 2370 away for the night. What a ride!

< Prev		Next >

[ Back ]