billski
Active member
This is pretty cool. I hope CSRR made some good coin.
400-ton transformer arrives in North Conway
First piece to be transported Tuesday night to PSNH substation
The transformer is a large rectangular piece of equipment that transmits power over long distances, said Martin Murray, PSNH senior corporate news representative. Conway's substation is a "junction" from which electric energy is moved around New Hampshire and Maine, he said.
Russ Seybold, general manager of the Conway Scenic Railroad, said the railroad has not transported commercial cargo since the early 1980s.
"It's very large, so it can't be transported long distances on roads," he said. "We were the closest railroad. This was well within the parameters of our ability to do this, but we're not a freight railroad."
Over the past couple of weeks, the transformer has traveled from Searsport, Maine, up the Maine Rail System to Shelburne, N.H., then north into Canada and back into Whitefield, N.H. There, it was transferred onto another rail car so it could travel along the Conway Scenic Railroad.
The transformer traveled through Crawford Notch and through the towns of Gorham, Randolph, Jefferson, Lancaster, Northumberland (Groveton), Stratford, Whitefield, Carroll (Twin Mountain), Bretton Woods, Harts Location, Bartlett, Glen and Intervale.
Allison McLean, PSNH municipal relations specialist, said the trip went very smoothly. "It was a very successful operation," she said. "There were no problems."
The transformer was transported in two pieces on an over-sized rail car called the Schnabel car, which McLean explained has the capability to shift the weight of the transformer and keep it balanced. McLean said the train only had to stop once during the trip for crews to adjust the weight on the Schnabel car while it was in Crawford Notch.
Seybold said the Schnabel car has 20 axles, unlike a typical gondola rail car, which only has eight. Since it is a very expensive, specialized rail car, many rail enthusiasts were excited to follow it as it traveled through the valley, he said, adding that the purpose of the Schnabel car is to carry and ship heavy loads.
Since arriving in North Conway Saturday, the transformer sat at the railroad on Depot Street and North-South Road. On Monday, the first piece of the transformer was transferred via crane onto a heavy hauler truck. On Tuesday at 10 p.m., it will be trucked to the Saco Valley substation, McLean said.
Six Conway police cruisers will accompany the heavy hauler truck and help control traffic as it travels on Route 16 and Route 302 to East Conway Road. McLean said it will take three to four hours for the transformer to arrive at its destination, because the truck can only travel 5 mph.
On Wednesday, during the day, it will be lifted by a crane onto a pad at the substation, McLean said.
The process will be repeated with the second piece of the transformer, which will be transferred onto the heavy hauler on Thursday during the day, moved to the Saco Valley substation next Monday, June 29, at 10 p.m. and set on a pad at the substation Tuesday, June 30, during the day, McLean said.
Both PSNH and Conway Scenic Railroad officials said they were pleased with the trip thus far.
McLean said, "We had the right personnel and the right equipment. Everyone's pleased."
Seybold agreed. "It went very well, according to plan," he said.
400-ton transformer arrives in North Conway
First piece to be transported Tuesday night to PSNH substation
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A 400-ton transformer made its way from China and arrived in North Conway this weekend via Conway Scenic Railroad and will soon be trucked off to its final destination at Public Service of New Hampshire's (PSNH) Saco Valley substation on East Conway Road.The transformer is a large rectangular piece of equipment that transmits power over long distances, said Martin Murray, PSNH senior corporate news representative. Conway's substation is a "junction" from which electric energy is moved around New Hampshire and Maine, he said.
Russ Seybold, general manager of the Conway Scenic Railroad, said the railroad has not transported commercial cargo since the early 1980s.
"It's very large, so it can't be transported long distances on roads," he said. "We were the closest railroad. This was well within the parameters of our ability to do this, but we're not a freight railroad."
Over the past couple of weeks, the transformer has traveled from Searsport, Maine, up the Maine Rail System to Shelburne, N.H., then north into Canada and back into Whitefield, N.H. There, it was transferred onto another rail car so it could travel along the Conway Scenic Railroad.
The transformer traveled through Crawford Notch and through the towns of Gorham, Randolph, Jefferson, Lancaster, Northumberland (Groveton), Stratford, Whitefield, Carroll (Twin Mountain), Bretton Woods, Harts Location, Bartlett, Glen and Intervale.
Allison McLean, PSNH municipal relations specialist, said the trip went very smoothly. "It was a very successful operation," she said. "There were no problems."
The transformer was transported in two pieces on an over-sized rail car called the Schnabel car, which McLean explained has the capability to shift the weight of the transformer and keep it balanced. McLean said the train only had to stop once during the trip for crews to adjust the weight on the Schnabel car while it was in Crawford Notch.
Seybold said the Schnabel car has 20 axles, unlike a typical gondola rail car, which only has eight. Since it is a very expensive, specialized rail car, many rail enthusiasts were excited to follow it as it traveled through the valley, he said, adding that the purpose of the Schnabel car is to carry and ship heavy loads.
Since arriving in North Conway Saturday, the transformer sat at the railroad on Depot Street and North-South Road. On Monday, the first piece of the transformer was transferred via crane onto a heavy hauler truck. On Tuesday at 10 p.m., it will be trucked to the Saco Valley substation, McLean said.
Six Conway police cruisers will accompany the heavy hauler truck and help control traffic as it travels on Route 16 and Route 302 to East Conway Road. McLean said it will take three to four hours for the transformer to arrive at its destination, because the truck can only travel 5 mph.
On Wednesday, during the day, it will be lifted by a crane onto a pad at the substation, McLean said.
The process will be repeated with the second piece of the transformer, which will be transferred onto the heavy hauler on Thursday during the day, moved to the Saco Valley substation next Monday, June 29, at 10 p.m. and set on a pad at the substation Tuesday, June 30, during the day, McLean said.
Both PSNH and Conway Scenic Railroad officials said they were pleased with the trip thus far.
McLean said, "We had the right personnel and the right equipment. Everyone's pleased."
Seybold agreed. "It went very well, according to plan," he said.
