New rumors about CSX purchasing the Fitchburg Line

Hearing a very interesting rumor now that CSXT is eyeing the Fitchburg Line from Ayer into Boston, anybody else hear anything yet?

Why would the T want to give up control or ownership of that? Generally they like to acquire commuter rail rights of way, not sell them off to freight operators.

I understand that Ron, but they (CSXT) have some big plans in the works.

Aside from the fact that the MBTA is unlikely to want to sell it, why would CSX want it? They have their own very nice line into Boston and given all the recent real estate selloffs by the Guilford organization there's a lot less available space for an intermodal terminal or anythiong else in the old B&M yard in East Cambridge/Somerville than what they've already got at Beacon Park.

They talking about the current freight route from Ayer to Boston, via Lowell, or the MBTA Fitchburg Line? Somehow I doubt that Lincoln, Concord, Weston, even my fair city of Belmont would not fight tooth and nail against freight activity on the Fitchburg Line -- I'm sure that alone could get the MBTA to scuttle that...

This is rumor. Line sales and acquisitions are not kept secrets.

-otto-

I see no justification for any town to oppose freight traffic. Historically the line has carried plenty of freight. However, MBTA commuter traffic has to take priority over any freight.

octr202 wrote:They talking about the current freight route from Ayer to Boston, via Lowell, or the MBTA Fitchburg Line?

MBTA Fitchburg Line.

octr202 wrote:Somehow I doubt that Lincoln, Concord, Weston, even my fair city of Belmont would not fight tooth and nail against freight activity on the Fitchburg Line.

First off, freight traffic already exists on the lone through these towns, albeit very rare. Secondly, the towns can try to oppose it all they want but they most likely wouldn't win.

As for the reason why they want this line. There is a possibility of landing a huge customer in the NEP in Chelsea/Everett which would be handling hazardous material cars. Since the Grand Jct. Running Track is FRA Excepted Track no more than 5 cars at a time are allowed on one train whereas if they acquired the Fitchburg they could run from the B&A @ Worcester to Ayer to Boston and over to the NEP.

As Otto & I said, this is just a newly started rumor.

Wonder if Guilford would have any input on this? After all, when the B&M sold the line to the MBTA, they retained freight rights in perpetuity. So CSX would have to get together with GRS and MBTA in order to run trains themselves.

The Fitchburg Route mainline is not the easiest line for freight anymore.
Virtually all ABS, few interlockings and that darn single track between
Willows and S.Acton. It needs a big upgrade to accommidate the increases in T service being demanded towards the western part of the
trips (Fitch/Ayer/Leominster). And the MBTA is not going to sell off this
line anyway.

Once the word gets out that its primarily Hazmat materials, I would expect Somerville to start howling again. Then you got the People's
Republic of Cambridge and the toney towns of Weston/Lincoln/Concord.

D

Hazmat?? Somerville will yell and scream. There was a very serious hazmat spill near Brickbottom in Somerville on April 3, 1980, requiring mass evacuations. Read more about it here.

Another article about the spill

CSX Conductor wrote:As for the reason why they want this line. There is a possibility of landing a huge customer in the NEP in Chelsea/Everett which would be handling hazardous material cars. Since the Grand Jct. Running Track is FRA Excepted Track no more than 5 cars at a time are allowed on one train whereas if they acquired the Fitchburg they could run from the B&A @ Worcester to Ayer to Boston and over to the NEP.

I think that kills your rumor right there. It would have to be a lot cheaper for Chessie Seaboard Ex to just upgrade the less than three miles of the Grand Junction between Beacon Park and the old Tower H than to buy 36 miles of the B&M. Right?

Yes, but common sense is not the CSXT way.

I think this rumor comes from a proposed Ethanol operation in Everett. As I understand it, they wanted to be rail-served. There would be 90-car unit train several times a week. Since a train that size or even split in half would be a nightmare to operate through Cambridge via the Grand Jct Branch and across the Northside commuter rail trackage in Somerville, I bet someone thought of running it via Worcester/Ayer/Willows/MBTA
Fitchburg Route to Swift Interlocking in Somerville. That still wouldn't solve
operating through CR trackage in the Terminal district.

D

BINGO !!!

The original place they though of was where the Boston Railway Terminal is in South Boston, which of course even a 40 car train would be a pain in the a@@ clearing Fly. And before getting there they'd either have to come down the Dorchester from Readville and go through the shute @ South Bay and come out onto the Old Colony @ the 31 switch @ Cabot because 20 cars to clear Broad you'd be in South Station. Of course there's always the Corridor, but a freight of that size would be impossible to take around the Wye Connector since it is up-hill and only 5 MPH.

CSX Conductor wrote:First off, freight traffic already exists on the lone through these towns, albeit very rare. Secondly, the towns can try to oppose it all they want but they most likely wouldn't win.
As Otto & I said, this is just a newly started rumor.

Not doubting the rumor part one bit, I know that the towns could (speaking hypothetically) wouldn't be able to stop CSXT or GRS from increasing activity on their own property, but as long as the T is involved, all bets are off, politically speaking. Given the general attitude in Mass. at the state level towards freight rail, I'd be shocked to see any form of heavy freight activity added to any state owned rail lines where it doesn't exist now (since we know the occasional GRS moves to the Watertown branch over the Fitchburg line are lower volume than most short lines).

Either way, unit trains to Everett are quite interesting. Going over the Grand Junction would be a nightmare for Cambridge traffic, but, man, would I love to see the look on people's faces when an even 40 or 50 car drag comes thru that neck of the woods.