gokeefe wrote: ↑Thu Jun 06, 2019 12:44 pm
Right ... Simply that relations between the carrier and the terminal switcher might not go as smoothly as one would hope. My take is that the corporate links Watco->NS->PAS->PAR would bode well for this.
You're still missing the point...It's got nothing to do with how much switching goes on at Rumford or how well WATCO and ST can play together. ST is capable of adding switch crews, they could provide 24/7 on site switching in Rumford. They are also well practiced in dealing with 3rd party switchers, they do it every day in Skowhegan. It's not a logistic or operations issue.
It's all about how Billerica feels about losing the contract and how they respond. Pan Am's management and ND management already don't get along well. If Billerica feels sleighted by ND for losing the switching contract they may respond by cancelling or setting back crew starts, taxiing crews from the branch to other trains while letting PORU/RUPO sit, general feet dragging... There are plenty of games they can play to slow transit times and screw up supply lines for the mill. It would seem like it would be a foolish decision, but what's a massive mill going to do? Stop rail service all together? It's a largely captive customer, and they can show their displeasure in losing the contract to the customer in all sorts of creative and entertaining ways. Sometimes it's not an accident that service sucks, sometimes its a petty pissing match.