CSX Fitchburg Secondary Discussion

F74265A wrote: ↑Sat Jul 08, 2023 5:55 pm I’m stunned
The only logical explanation to me is csx is replacing the old light rail to Leominster
There’s no where up there to store a train and the line desperately needs rail
I’m going to speculate that it is relay rail and they want to return the line to 25mph

10mph is not great for crew utilization

I had to go in the general direction of Leominster and made a detour on the way back to see where it ended up. It made it to the old yard transflo yard by Hannafords. The power was there and was shut down. With only the one run around track, in theory they could store the train there if they left an extra power set in Leominster. They could run the power around to the unload end. An arriving train could return to Framingham with this power set and leave the set they arrived with. Probably not ideal but doable. I guess we will know very quickly if they start unloading rail this week on the branch.

Knucklehead wrote: ↑Sat Jul 08, 2023 8:00 pm I also think there was some CWR put down in the Clinton area (outside rail only on a curve) around 2010-ish??

That sounds right about the limited CWR in the Clinton area. I remember that Progress Rail did that work and it was right around the time Progress/Caterpillar announced plans to by EMD.

I swung by Leominster this evening around 1700 - train was still there. The rail is the 136 pound stuff. That's a serious upgrade.

I think they are going to need a few more train loads of rail. I noticed this in Northborough on Sunday, the day after the CWR went north (photo taken from a public at-grade highway/rail crossing)

what you're seeing is running rail from the heat causing the track to pop out the sides. cwr will do the same thing with a pi r squared vengeance if not properly installed compounded by insufficient ballast and a lack of anchoring.

Knucklehead wrote: ↑Mon Jul 10, 2023 8:31 am I think they are going to need a few more train loads of rail. I noticed this in Northborough on Sunday, the day after the CWR went north (photo taken from a public at-grade highway/rail crossing)

I would suggest that you report that to the railroad by calling the 800 number listed on the blue sign at the crossing. The emergency contact number for CSX is 800-232-0144.

Already done. Reported it right after I observed it.

Rail train was at Bearfoot Rd in Northboro today. 136 pound rail had been dropped from Clinton through Berlin and into Northboro. The plan was to drop the rest (to about Ken's) today.

So Clinton- northboro gets rebuilt with mainline weight cwr. Just astonishing

Seeing as how there are zero or next to zero customers in that section, I assume the equally crappy track from Clinton to Leominster will also get new rail soon since there are 2-3 customers north of Clinton and none at all in Clinton

Seems exceedingly unlikely, but heavy rail from Clinton toward Framingham does open the possibility of moving freight in the future off of the mbta heavy B&A east of Worcester and through a connection in Clinton to Framingham and beyond. I know, I know- crazy. And yes, we discussed this extensively before. But 136 lb cwr on this branch is, well, super crazy to this railfan

CSX can't move all its freight east of Worcester off MBTA as there is significant interchange with G&U at N Grafton, a couple of customers at Westborough and the Westborough transload yard.

Yes, for that and other reasons it seems exceedingly unlikely

The big investment in Leominster secondary still seems very weird though
How profitable is the trash business?

Possibly 136 lb rail is the most plentiful and available size CSX has ? The Fitchburg needs new rail desperately and labor-wise the installation for heavy rail is not much different than lighter rail .

ST377 wrote: ↑Tue Jul 11, 2023 6:00 pm Rail train was at Bearfoot Rd in Northboro today. 136 pound rail had been dropped from Clinton through Berlin and into Northboro. The plan was to drop the rest (to about Ken's) today.

The section of the line from south of Newcorr (near the former ToysRUs switch) to Marlborough Junction is already CWR. If I remember correctly, it was installed in the late 70s or early 80s.

I suspect this section of the line is receiving the most attention because it is in the worst shape. Hauling the heavy lumber and loaded C &D cars is probably beating the hell out of the light rail and crappy ties that exists in Northborough, Berlin and Clinton.

Did the state partially pay for this, that would explain a big investment in a secondary line that sees 3 trains each way per week.

I’m not aware of any state aid for this line, but who knows