While it would be great to see more freight other than the trash/C&D traffic, I think its just not going to happen. In the case of lumber, most of the
smaller lumber operations are gone, replaced by larger regional distribution centers the likes of Home Depot (Bloomfield, Ct, RT128), Lowes (western
Mass on the PVRR) and National Lumber (Mansfield). In our area, I can only think of Dartmouth Building Supply and Coheno (Canton) or whoever is in
the old Trask siding outside of Middleboro on the Cotely/Middleboro main. DBS is hardly consistent on receiving cars and lately its usually gypsum board.
Salt? If the Saltine Warrior proposal in Fall River gets steam, then its boat to truck.
Don't get me wrong, I support freight service, but S.E.Mass would be dead if not for C&D shipments and scrap. The region has no stomach for any
industry that would attract rail service - take the recent dust-up in New Bedford over Parallel Products expansion with rail in the industrial park. And
surprise, surprise, they are C&D shippers! Or the dust up over Excel in Freetown (scrap, again). Speaking of Freetown, a wonderful site with current
rail sidings next to Excel is largely going over to a marijuana growing facility! (This where the former Weyerheuser site was).
D