July 1,2026

[Raymo]

Good morning all. Well we have big problems here in the northeast corner of Massachusetts.  Friday night during a heavy rain ,a 48" forced sewer main broke  between a pumping station and the wastewater treatment facility. 8 to 10 million gallons of sewage a day have been  leaking into the Merrimack  and has closed the beaches for swimming at the coast out of safety. Luckily the city had a contractor working in the city that was able to come in and start working on a by pass main. Not the best situation on the 4th of July. My house in in the cluster of houses in the top left of the top photo across the river.  DR

[deemery]

We've been hearing a lot about that across the border.  Hopefully you can't smell that leak from your house.  

First day of the big heat wave.  They're predicting 93 today, 98 tomorrow, 94 on Friday, 90 on Saturday, and then 81 on Sunday.  I'll just stay down in the train room as much as I can, but that's getting warm, too.

dave

[GPdemayo]

Morning all.....

[KentuckySouthern]

Hazy bright, humid. We had a nice breeze off the lake yesterday that kept it pleasant in the mid 70s. N of us by Pictured Rocks it was 90+

While in town yesterday I watched the CN local block traffic well over 30 minutes picking up a cut of 11 RAILBox cars from the old old wye track to the paper plant. 



It's funny to see how slow they work in real time.  At ops sessions some guys try to get a job like that done as quick as possible.

Storms predicted in the area today.

[jbvb]

Good afternoon (barely), all.  My weather is Dave's, my beaches are Dan's, except for swimming in the Powow River a mile down the road.  I see the treatment plant is downstream of the former Haverhill Paperboard plant. With recycled paper as its feedstock, I believe it was the last big traffic originator on the old B&M in in Essex County, MA. Out of business sometime in the '90s.  Kurt, that switching move would have gone quicker in earlier times.  One reason my model RR is firmly in the era of Conductor and two Brakemen.

A few more errands this afternoon, including paying my property taxes.  After that, most of my to-do list is outdoors or in the outbuildings.  So I'll be toasty and soggy by dinner time.

[ReadingBob]

Afternoon all,

Let's see, had breakfast with a friend, replaced a flapper on a toilet, replaced the A/C filter, maintained my CPAP machine and mowed the lawn. That's it. I'm done for the day. Maybe some workbench time if I can muster the energy.

Have a great one!

[Jim Donovan]

Good Afternoon;

No pipes broken here thank goodness. We up in 90's now and clouds building. Had 4 inches yesterday of needed rain, perhaps some more this afternoon. I was able to get the 4th of July flags out this morning as well as trim some palm trees. Currently have the little laser cutter making a bunch of trusses for roof of current project. Hope to get the roof finished today but if not oh well tomorrow comes to fast as it is. Have a great day.

jim

[Raymo]

Good afternoon (barely), all.  My weather is Dave's, my beaches are Dan's, except for swimming in the Powow River a mile down the road.  I see the treatment plant is downstream of the former Haverhill Paperboard plant. With recycled paper as its feedstock, I believe it was the last big traffic originator on the old B&M in in Essex County, MA. Out of business sometime in the '90s.  Kurt, that switching move would have gone quicker in earlier times.  One reason my model RR is firmly in the era of Conductor and two Brakemen.

A few more errands this afternoon, including paying my property taxes.  After that, most of my to-do list is outdoors or in the outbuildings.  So I'll be toasty and soggy by dinner time.

James, the break is on the old Paperboard property.  It's on the RS of the lower photo. You can also see the old rightaway near the houseboat and the brushline heading to the left. Where the 2 lengths of the temporary main are laid out is on a spur ROW that went around to the riverside of the plant.