What does Housatonic do?

[Otto Vondrak]

Can someone explain to me Housatonic's primary business? Are they a through route between Danbury and Pittsfield? Or do they handle local traffic destined for south of Pittsfield?

-otto-

[DutchRailnut]

Housatonic only interchange (official) is at Pittsfield there is no trough traffic beyond Danbury. their customers are all local industries from Pittsfield to Stevenson Ct and one customer west of Danbury station. the biggest shipper is waste managment in Danbury. and Kimberly Clark in Milford.
HRRC operates a lumber tranfer facility(shepaug) of Rt 25 in Newtown.
very seldom ballast cars are interchanged with P&W at Berkshire Jct in Brookfield.

[bobbarbn]

Here is a web page to check

http://www.housatonicrailroad.com

[Otto Vondrak]

I never realized how much they had developed the local business along that route. Thanks for the info!

Is HRRC allowed to interchange at Beacon, NY with CSXT or does all traffic have to go north? If so, what's the point of having rights on the line to Beacon?


-otto-

[bobbarbn]

I refer back to the web page I sent.

Home Page(item#5):

"We interchange with CSXT at Pittsfield, Massachusetts."

Under "SERVICES";Freight Rail Service:

Housatonic Railroad is a freight railroad that connects to the national rail system through CSX Transportation at Pittsfield, MA. Our inbound cars are last classified at CSXT’s Selkirk, NY classification yard and are transported by a road train to Pittsfield seven days a week. The outbound cars are picked up by the returning CSX road train from West Springfield, Massachusetts to Selkirk.

Housatonic's freight lines consist of the Berkshire Line and the Maybrook Line. The Berkshire Line (also referred to as the Berkshire Hills Route) runs from Pittsfield, Massachusetts south to Berkshire Junction in Danbury, Connecticut and west to Beacon, New York.

Hope this answers your question. :D

[Otto Vondrak]

Yeah... I read that part... but it still doesnt explain why they bother to maintain traffic rights to Beacon... there are no on-line customers, nor does any traffic originate... I remember two years ago a transformer was delivered to Hopewell Jct for off-loading by a contractor... but can that kind of annual carloading justify the trackage rights?

-otto-

[DutchRailnut]

it depends what it cost to maintain your trackage rights, in this case just the rights for mncr to go stateline to danbury.

[Maybrook fan]

I don't belive it cost Housatonic to have track rights. I "think" they were part of the deal when Metro North purchased the property.

[joemato]

Back 3 years ago the big rumor was that the Housey was to interchange with CP at Beacon, this was squashed by CSX at the STB hearings(summer2001). They also were to ship lumber to Hopewell Jct. this also didn't pan out

[Maybrook fan]

Thanks for the info, I didn'd know there was a board hearing.

The Rumor I got was that Housatonic wanted NY to upgrade the line. So they could interchange with CP and make CSX compete on there $$ rates. And NY declined since there were no freight customers west of the Ct. border.

As far as Lumber into Hopewell, they could do that now. Although I would think with the distance and track condition speeds, it would require some considerable time. They would need some volume to make it profitable.

I remember oh approx 10 years ago or more, when it was still Conrail. Housatonic ripped up some track with a derailment up north. The track was out of service for a little bit. So they got a batch of cars sent to Beacon. They pulled the whole train into Hopewell. But from there brought them over in smaller sections to Danbury. Because they were afraid of the track.

I'd love to see regulary scheduled trains on the line again. But alas I'm afraid that dream may never be fulfilled.

[zz4]

I recall reading on some newspaper some lumber place in Brewster complaining about loss of freight service OR they wanted it or something like that.


I guess this is the Harlem Line though.



This is getting out of the area but I recall a number of freight customers way up in Millerton when the line was subsidized. NY did a complete rebuild to Millerton. Then NY decides not to subsidize and they rip up brand new ties,etc.

Probably like Metro North---no freight left on lines?

IF THERE WAS A FREIGHT CUSTOMER who has that right via the Harlem Line?


I thought that was once a Housatonic option.

[joemato]

When the Housey owned this line, they took out the sidings in NY state. When Conrail owned it, they were thinking of rehabbing the north end of the Harlem line to cut off some miles, too bad they didn't do it. MN uses it for engine movements, thats about all.

[DutchRailnut]

CSX still has freight rights up to North white plains. from North White plains to Wasaic there is no freight and nobody has trackage rights. Housatonic abandoned their rights and all freight swiches other than MofW sidings are removed.

[Engineer Spike]

What would it take for Housatonic to gain an interchange point with B&M or P&W at Derby JCT.? I know that it would be a longer route, but it would present more options. Would this have to go to the STB?