The Diversity of Power on Highland

tbob

Analog Kid
Howdy all,

In this post I'm going to cover the trains run by the DuBois Rail Lines (DRX) in the Highland Valley area. Now, those of you have been keeping up know that there are three lines in the area. The mainline which runs around the mountain and has connecting trackage in the tunnels so other roads can access the area. The interurban is also an essential line, which runs three pairs of former Chicago-interurbans, and runs shuttle services between Greenwood and Lumby, a major rail hub for DRX commuters and Amtrak services as well as a material hub, with a mainline access point in Greenwood. The Afton branch is the third part of the route, which runs off the mainline at Greenwood and up the mountain, calling at the two small villages, Robbins and Stormont, and terminates at the small town of Highland. DRX has a diesel maintenence shop in Robbins. Amtrak owns the mainline and has trackage rights for the branch. Because of this, they have high-level platforms across from the pre-existing DRX low-level platforms as well as owning the low-level platforms at Greenwood Union. Catenary can be found on the mainline for electric power that used to be run on the mainline. Recently, all Amtrak power has been withdrawn from the line in accordance with a lawsuit from the EPA regarding the unused catenary and questioning diesel emissions. Amtrak will not be returning to the line until the lawsuit is dealt with. In response to this, DRX has purchased power to keep rail operations running smoothly. Using both pre-existing equipment as well as some recently purchased equipment, DRX is becoming a rising railroad star amongst the ranks of the area's other roads. So please join me as we cover the equipment the DRX uses to move Highland's citizens...
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The Interurbans

DuBois Rail Lines uses three former Chicago interurbans on it's shuttle service between Greenwood and Lumby.

A pair of Greenliners and a pair of Silverliners were purchased from a company in Detroit who was getting ready to scrap them. DRX has affectionately dubbed them, "the cousins".
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Chicago, South Shore, and South Bend was preparing to lay this pair of EMUs to rest following a derailment. DRX purchased them before they could suffer the scrapper's torch.
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The Support Equipment

A railroad is only good as the crews that support it.

They may be small, but the two former New Haven Railroad 44-tonners that DRX uses on maintenence, rescue, and extra duties form the back-bone of DuBois Rail Lines.

#818 is the mainline's switcher which spends most of it's time at the roundhouse in Greenwood.
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#813 is the Afton Branch's resident switcher which spends most of it's time either at the Robbins shops or the Highland storage area and turntable.
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The State of Connecticut Department of Transportation (CDoT, ConnDot, or CTDoT) donated one of it's New Haven Heritage P32AC-DM to DuBois Rail Lines in support of DRX's mission to preserve as much New Haven equipment as possible. #228 serves as a mascot as well as a rescue vehicle. The 228 can usually be found hanging around Greenwood.
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The Deceased

While the DRX strives to restore and upkeep as much original equipment as possible, money deters from upkeeping it all. A pair of former New Haven RDCs as well as a diesel ex-third rail EMU (DexTREMU) that ran with an ex-New York Central GP7 and three ex-Long Island Rail Road MP54 arch-roof EMUs had failed not too long ago and nearly crippled DuBois Rail Lines. They have been placed in the DRX's dead equipment storage area, also known as "the morgue", which was an abandoned mineral and ore kiln.
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Continued in next post...
 
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Continued from last post...

DuBois Express Rail

After Amtrak withdrew from the area, many services and stations were left in the dust. DuBois Rail Lines wanted to fill the void and took action by originally leasing six Comet IV coaches, two F40PHs, an F7, and a GP40 from New Jersey Transit. After being delivered, the equipment superintendent got a phone call from NJT, telling him to keep the equipment as a donation. DRX quickly accepted the gift. Naming the new services, DuBois Express Rail, DRX operates DER trains as semi-fast services calling at all Amtrak high-level platforms using a pair of trainsets set up to work in push-pull fashion.

One of the trainsets is run with an F40 at one end, and an F7 at the other, with three Comets in between.
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The other trainset runs with three Comets in between an F40 at one end and GP40 at the other.
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Local Services

DuBois Rail Lines runs local services with three sets of equipment, two of which were purchased to replace the failed equipment. Two BL2s were purchased from a scrapper in Pennsylvania. They were delivered to the line by a former New York Central E8 and PA. The delivery units were to spend the night at Greenwood. The next morning, the equipment superintendent received a phone call from the owner of the company stating that they went out of business and were to keep the E8 and PA. Bilevels were purchased from a businessman in Chicago and they were split up as follows...

One of the BL2s purchased was a former Florida East Coast unit, and is run with an ex-Amtrak bilevel coach and cabcar. This trainset is used for services on the branch out of Greenwood. The unit is run long hood forward.
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Run long hood forward as well, this former Wingersheek and Wiskaset BL2 hauls an ex-Chicago North Western coach and cabcar and is used on connecting services to Lumby out of Greenwood.
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Used on express services calling only at Greenwood, Lumby, and Highland, the former New York Central ALCo PA and GM EMD E8 are run with three former Metra coaches and a cabcar.
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Excursions

Excursions are held a few times a year by the DuBois Rail Lines to make an extra buck. To their surprise, turnouts have been spectacular.

The Railroad Museum of New England donated their former and last operating New Haven RS3, #529, to DRX. DRX uses the unit with three ex-New York Central coaches and N7A caboose. Here we see 529 after just run-around her train, bringing the trainset over the dam at Greenwood.
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The Future

What the future holds for Highland Valley is uncertain. Hopefully Amtrak will return (especially if Corey's awesome Amfleets are released :D ). DRX is looking into a steam excursion and demonstration freight. The Bijou theatre in Lumby is in the process of helping DRX set up a movie train. And freight may be returning to the area... Stay tuned into my posts as the future unravels. I hope you enjoy!
 
I think he posted the thread to get comments about his work, not about the equipment guys, do some research, or if you do ask, please comment the route.:rolleyes:

Looks great Jesse
 
Very true Corey.

You guys have every right to ask about where I get stuff from but if you do, please comment.

The LIRR EMUs are ProTrainz Gold Member content, the South Shore EMUs a landrvr's that I received from a friend, and the Comets are reskins by I think MuttsMooch of the Horizons on the DLS and the Metra cars are on the DLS.
 
Excellent stuff! Great pics there, and I always like a story to go along with the screenies.

Do you intend to repaint these locos and MU's in DuBois Rail Lines' own livery or have you ran out of paint!?

(psst..I know where I can get you a job lot of yellow and green at a good price....;) )

Well done
Best wishes,
Padster
 
@buddhaben: Read the replies

@brian: I'm not familiar with the unit, is it on the DLS? I'll be doing different excursions on Highland with different trains. Actually, the Royal Canadian Pacific will be making appearance soon.

@padster: You know, I haven't considered repainting them. I might have to reinvent the livery. I was actually thinking a shade of GNER midnight blue might look good on the E8, PA, and NJT units, but of course I've been playing East Coast Express way too much, hehe.
 
Steam Excursion Teaser...

Greenwood Terminal Railroad 724 heads up a demonstration freight on the Afton Branch.
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those interurban cars, shown in the first picture, can i ask where you got them?? I am in dire need of cars just like those.
 
OMG! You don't know where to get the 6218? IT's that renumberable U2g! It's included in TRS2006.

Oh, ok then. You'll have to forgive me, I've been so busy throwing New Haven equipment on the line that I've kind of forgotten about other stuff. Right now an FL9 is at the top of the list for acquisitions as well as an E60. But, 6218 may be a visitor. Right now I have a Hiawatha set, Daylight set, and a few others rostered but I can deffinetly have 6218 as a guest at the first annual Greenwood Yard Open House.

@Truemac: Is that a pun? :D Thankyou for your kind words.

@LVman: Read through the thread and you'll find the answer
 
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umm, i can seem to find them, i looked on protrainz, but couldn't find em.
Sorry for any disruption.
Nice route BTW. I am in the modes of making a freight traction route to go along side yours!
Cheers,
Sean
 
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