While not the CNZR's Armory Branch, what is the actual ownership status of the Armory Branch in Massachusetts? The MA state rail map says PAR, but the map also dates back to before the formation of PAS (2008). I'm assuming the pipeline is done through a rental or lease agreement, and not outright ownership of the RoW. Additionally, the (godawfully designed)
GIS parcel map Springfield has looks to be showing that the parcels where the RoW has since been built on are indeed owned by the people who built on them. Of course, the parcels that comprise derelict railroad right-of-ways are some of the most challenging cases when trying to determine ownership; and as with all GIS services, Springfield's only promises the information is "believed to be accurate" for liability reasons... so the actual legal ownership is still debatable, but I have no other reason to disbelieve it at face value.
If those parcels have actually changed hands, that's a pretty big blow for the Armory ever being a through route again. The only chance (I can see) at getting beyond the political and monetary barriers-of-entry for that would be if NS really were to become determined to try and get intermodal ops into Hartford.
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