Live Meet at Mattawamkeag! CSX L091 and EMRY 909 Swap Trains -4/22/24

On April 22, 2024, I got out of work just in time to see CSX L091 departing Northern Maine Junction eastbound. Operating only on Mondays, L091 operates out of Waterville in the morning hours typically with the same consist as the previous night's Portland turn job, travelling direct from Waterville to Mattawamkeag without a recrew. This puts their eastbound leg, including the switching at Mattawamkeag, in daylight, as opposed to the L072 turn jobs that operate nights during the rest of the week. Because of this earlier run, EMRY 909 typically meets the CSX crew at Mattawamkeag, which allows for live interchange of some incredibly long trains that would otherwise not be possible on the 45ish car capacity interchange sidings currently in place. On this day, the CSX eastbound had 101 cars, and upon arrival at Mattawamkeag, we would find EMRY 909 waiting in the yard to grab the train off of them. EMRY 909 would then shove the 101 cars west on the EMRY mainline to clear up the yard for delivery of the 71 westbound cars, which they had stowed east of the yard by milepost 59 earlier in the day. Zipping out the east end as light power, they would drag these into the upper yard, from which CSX would grab the train and take it west. I hope you enjoy this interesting afternoon in Mattawamkeag!

[@RAAndre]

This was an awesome video. It's rather impressive to see what is happening on this once dormant railroad.

[@jackseamon7064]

Great video! I always look forward to your work. The long shots across the bog, trains on bridges, close ups where possible, it's all great viewing. Thank you!

[@chuxproductions1090]

Wonderful video! incredible to see the beginning of the line and different locations I have never been this far North and loved seeing this part of the line!!! Thanks so much for sharing.! Huge Train! For a considered failed attempt for CSX, they sure are giving it a huge try!!!! I’m hoping for great success for these jobs! So neat to see CSX using their first painted acquisition of Pan Am locomotive being in the lead L091. I sure enjoy seeing the SD70’s taking this train! Super job filming this!!!!

[@MarcelosalivaTRENESArg]

Awesome capture my friends excellent fantatic locomotive and Greeting from Argentina

[@jaybo3303]

Great video!

[@Kendallian132]

I cannot get over how much traffic is moving through Keag nowadays, and how fast it's being expedited.

[@owenchase4017]

Looks like CSX will need to expand their yard at Mattawamkeag to accommodate growing traffic volumes.

[@BranchlineGeepProductions]

Actually it is in progress now, extending the sidings.

[@steventurner820]

Wow those SD70s look and sound real nice

[@johnbarlow1476]

Excellent video of a very interesting train swap process - how long did the process take? I'm guessing EOTs also needed to be swapped? Or at least have their buttons pushed so the newly changed power could establish telemetry? Thanks for documenting this operation.

[@BranchlineGeepProductions]

It took around 2 hours to complete. I do believe they swapped their EOT's.

[@Kendallian132]

Any idea where the old ties are being disposed of? I recall hearing that they used to burn them at a plant in Mattawamkeag.

[@BranchlineGeepProductions]

What I have seen, CSX just loads them into gons now and they go south somewhere. Probably a centralized disposal facility.

[@RailWatching]

What time does it normally depart Waterville? I understand the morning, but do you have a good sense of time?

[@BranchlineGeepProductions]

The schedule has been messed up for the past few weeks, they have been running nights between Waterville and Hermon and days between Hermon and Keag lately. I'd say around 10-11 pm departure from Waterville for the eastbound.

[@RailWatching]

@@BranchlineGeepProductions do they get back during the day?

[@RailWatching]

Is there any other daytime trains I could see when I go up there? I’m very far away so I’m very excited to go up.

[@BranchlineGeepProductions]

@@RailWatching A typical day in Waterville will yield a train coming in from Portland just after dawn, usually around 7-8 am which will come in the west end of the yard. There is a train that comes down from Sappi Somerset mill in Skowhegan, usually around 10-11 am into the east end. They usually head back to the mill around 3-4 pm. This could change at any moment however, this is what is happening currently.

[@knowannabee783]

Thanks for the info what time in the afternoon did they arrive in mattawamkeag

[@BranchlineGeepProductions]

They arrived around 5ish.