Ethanol Trains to Revere

I was able to answer my own question. The passed legislation prohibits the DEP from issuing permits to build required ethanol storage.

FatNoah wrote:I was able to answer my own question. The passed legislation prohibits the DEP from issuing permits to build required ethanol storage.

There is no need for any additional storage, the tank farm already stores ethanol brought in via Chelsea Creek. The only change would be in the mode of transport.

I went over the tracks on the 1A bridge today and it looked like very fresh ballast for the siding from 1A to 145. Is this progress?

No, not likely, NO progress whatsoever. What you saw was fresh balast on the Eastern Route main, along with some tie replacements.The topic is in limbo. A Bill was passed by the Governor not allowing anything to take place/ happen/begin until a six month study is completed with the Bill. First responders have been gearing up for a possible "event". People that are boardering the tracks from Ayer to Revere are mostly against the cars coming through their back yards and neighborhoods, they've contacted their Legislatives in protest. The Army Corp of Engineers have given their ok but right now it's a huge mess. There are more hurdles, mandatory permits are not in place. I wouldn't look for anything to happen for quite a long time if at all.
Global has gone ahead and invested a lot of money in their Albany NY facility expanding and upgrading their facility for ethanol and oil ( more property and tracks in place now). They are pleased with the way the State of NY has handled them, so isn't CP Rail that has dedicated trains into Kenwood /Albany weekly if not more.

DJLDRUMS wrote:No, not likely, NO progress whatsoever. What you saw was fresh balast on the Eastern Route main, along with some tie replacements.The topic is in limbo. A Bill was passed by the Governor not allowing anything to take place/ happen/begin until a six month study is completed with the Bill. First responders have been gearing up for a possible "event". People that are boardering the tracks from Ayer to Revere are mostly against the cars coming through their back yards and neighborhoods, they've contacted their Legislatives in protest. The Army Corp of Engineers have given their ok but right now it's a huge mess. There are more hurdles, mandatory permits are not in place. I wouldn't look for anything to happen for quite a long time if at all.
Global has gone ahead and invested a lot of money in their Albany NY facility expanding and upgrading their facility for ethanol and oil ( more property and tracks in place now). They are pleased with the way the State of NY has handled them, so isn't CP Rail that has dedicated trains into Kenwood /Albany weekly if not more.

Excellent way of killing business in this state. Excellent all-around.

Starting to remind me of a similar story that happened last year (better yet, lack thereof) with GE! How does the state have power to delay this or even stop it? Thought this would fall under federal regulations (FRA/STB/EPA)?

I'm wondering if this is connected to the resort casino. I mean, our leaders seem to be all for ramming an Eastie casino down our throats, and don't care how it is done because they don't care about East Boston. But then a perfectly safe ethanol train comes up and suddenly it's "CLUTCH THY PEARLS!" and "BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES!"... The people behind the casino are probably pulling strings saying "hey, we don't want these 'dangerous' trains coming nearby!".

Honestly, I don't believe that the Suffolk Downs Casino project had nothing to do with Ethanol to Revere. Global's plan to eliminate the barges and bring in the product by tank car was thought about before the Casino building surfaced at S.D. We must remember that it was over four years ago that the first signs of what was hoped to be taking place there began. A contractor from the South Shore was hired by the railroad to start cutting brush on the r o w. Then bailes of hay and black plastic boarders were put in place. Yesterday and today some trucks are back parked on the r o w, grass and almost a foot of water ove the railheads in spots are there in the heat of the summertime. When it rains heavy the r o w is flooded and with the sunk in condition nothing short of a lot of gravel and ballast will be needed. It would be a constant "car on the ground" if not. These few items are just a skim of what needs to be done to bring in tank cars. And in actuality the only business that will use the branch would be Global. Irving Petrolium is happy with how they bring in theri products and not a contender. Last year PAR was hoping to attract some others that have the tracks behind them to want to utilize rail shipments. Didn't happen. And still probably wont.

What "mandatory" permits are we talking here? The tanks are already there... perhaps new unloading racks?

The State's Executive branch MUST FIRST do a study of safety before DEP can issue the coastal permit...at least six months. Not any sooner.

Oh okay. That won't be a hold up in the long run though. It's coming in by barge now, no difference coming in via rail. The deciding factor will be if Global is willing to alienate all of their neighbors who don't want this. It's as simple as that...

F-line to Dudley via Park wrote:

DJLDRUMS wrote:No, not likely, NO progress whatsoever. What you saw was fresh balast on the Eastern Route main, along with some tie replacements.The topic is in limbo. A Bill was passed by the Governor not allowing anything to take place/ happen/begin until a six month study is completed with the Bill. First responders have been gearing up for a possible "event". People that are boardering the tracks from Ayer to Revere are mostly against the cars coming through their back yards and neighborhoods, they've contacted their Legislatives in protest. The Army Corp of Engineers have given their ok but right now it's a huge mess. There are more hurdles, mandatory permits are not in place. I wouldn't look for anything to happen for quite a long time if at all.
Global has gone ahead and invested a lot of money in their Albany NY facility expanding and upgrading their facility for ethanol and oil ( more property and tracks in place now). They are pleased with the way the State of NY has handled them, so isn't CP Rail that has dedicated trains into Kenwood /Albany weekly if not more.

Excellent way of killing business in this state. Excellent all-around.

+1 F-Line

So when was the "bill" passed DJ (just wondering when the 6 month time study is up)? What the hell are you going to put in a study about an ethanal train to revere? Is someone going to interview each fire department along the route and ask "umm so what are your concerns about an ethanol train traveling thru your town?" Sounds like a pile of bs. To the best of my knowledge the line is simply OOS and if pan am choose too they could rebuild it and park any type of train on it they wanted to.

I believe we have four and a half months left on the six month wait and see from the Governor. A lot of pressure was put on Legislators.
Global has done absolutely nothing to their property in anticipation. I sincerely doubt that PAS & PAR will invest any money to rebuild the r o w which needs to be done for about a mile in length.
Where PAR crews are working in Maine and the Western part of the State doing track work there's not a lot of personell left to undertake the magnatude of this.
We can all hope that it will eventually happen. I'm sure you followed the news accounts of what the people in Ohio said after the massive explosion through their city took place. It was heard back here by the protestors, and from that the Governor jumped in and had that Bill passed very quick.
I have see Globals plans to have a small yard built within their property, it's not going to be a small scale operation either.

Fire Departments of towns and cities along the train's route have already been made awaare of what ethanol can do. They've been trained and to my knowledge are prepared as much as they can be.
Let's not forget the mayor of Boston who also has spoken to NOT be in favor of any flammable trains going through his city. This is only one example of a hard battle that needs to be won.
I have done an article in the B&MRR Historical Society quarterly Bulletin a year ago. I'm in favor of this, it's others that are convinced it's a catastrophe waiting to happen.
Once the DEP signs the permit, if they do then we'll see what else the project is in store for by this winter.

i'm assuming this is DOA.....