Pan Am Southern / Patriot Corridor Discussion

[NHV 669]

That was my thought. I hear they occasionally head out there to run around, but I can also see the probability of PAS canning there.

[CPF363]

Does anyone know what this new interchange will look like when all is said and done?

[PBMcGinnis]

I heard the first car from Pan Am Southern for the Pioneer Valley RR is sitting on the interchange track in Holyoke as of Friday. Rumor is it is a car of lumber for Lowe's in Westfield.

[johnpbarlow]

There will be no more offering of international container service between Ayer and Chicago on 22K/23K as of 2/11/19:

http://www.nscorp.com/content/nscorp/en ... anges.html

I have rarely seen international containers on these trains these days, although it was the only way double stacks could squeeze through Hoosac Tunnel as they did on rare occasions.

[Dick H]

From News10: Derailment, including LPG at Hoosick Jct. NY.
https://www.news10.com/news/local-news/ ... 1694653032" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[johnpbarlow]

As of late January '19, it appears that 28N and 287 are not operating regularly or at all east of Mechanicville. Ayer-bound racks appear to be forwarded from Mechanicville via 22K while P&W-bound racks go via 16R to ED-8 or EDPO from Mechanicville to Gardner, if I understand correctly.

Here are links to a couple of photos of 22K bearing auto racks posted to NERAIL.ORG:
Bob Sprague photo of 1/29/19: http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... rder=new99
Bruce MacDonald photo of 1/23/19: http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... rder=new99

Picutres of ED8 with racks have also been posted on Pan Am Railfans FaceBook page. Wonder if this is just a temporary phenomenon as post holiday auto/container traffic seems reduced?

[Hux]

Possibly weather related relative to the conditions in the Midwest?

[gokeefe]

I'm wondering if these changes are related to intermodal service shifts by UP in Chicago.

[johnpbarlow]

On Monday 2/4/19, wb ED9 picked up about 10 empty auto racks at Gardner along with other P&W general freight interchange. One of the logistical benefits of effectively combining 28N's loaded P&W racks with ED8/EDPO and 287's empty racks with ED9/POED (I think ED8 and ED9 operate every other day so I'm guessing EDPO/POED are used on alternate days for P&W interchange but I could be wrong) is that only 2 PAS trains instead of 4 now need to work the compact and often congested Gardner yard.

[QB 52.32]

As of late January '19, it appears that 28N and 287 are not operating regularly or at all east of Mechanicville. Ayer-bound racks appear to be forwarded from Mechanicville via 22K while P&W-bound racks go via 16R to ED-8 or EDPO from Mechanicville to Gardner, if I understand correctly.

No doubt this change, whether short or long-term, is part of NS' response to head-to-head competitor CSX's successful results coming from Precision Scheduled Railroading implementation.

[newpylong]

The move has been a long time coming and was made in consultation with PAS. Little to do with CSXT, PSR, etc. Neither feel the added expense of running a dedicated train for 15 racks makes sense as it stands right now. When traffic comes back, if it does, the dedicated train will come back.

[bostontrainguy]

Has there been any movement on the Hoosac Tunnel expansion? Haven't heard anything at all lately.

[NRGeep]

How will the NS transition to "precision railroading" effect PAS?

[newpylong]

They already "clean sheeted" (their version of PSR) the Division adjacent to PAS. No major changes that effect them (yet).

[johnpbarlow]

Per MassDOT, here's a list of 23 vertical clearance issues (21 bridges and 2 tunnels) that must be remedied to permit double stack traffic on PAS Patriot Corridor. I found this detail on the MassDOT web site but no dates are shown - Is this new information?

Town/City PAS Railroad Identification Recommendation
Pownal, VT Hoosick River Bridge Truss Modifications
Williamstown, MA Route 7 (Simonds Road) Track Undercut
North Adams, MA Appalachian Trail (Pedestrian Bridge) Bridge Modifications
North Adams, MA Little Tunnel Track Undercut
North Adams, MA Furnace Street (Pedestrian Bridge) Track Undercut
North Adams, MA State Street (Route 8) Track Undercut
North Adams, MA Hoosic River Truss Modify Bridge Deck/Floor Beams
Florida, MA Hoosac Tunnel Track Cut/Crown Raise
Greenfield, MA Conn River RR / PAR ML Track Undercut
Montague, MA Northfield Road Track Undercut
Montague, MA NECR (CV) Railroad Track Undercut
Montague, MA Bridge Street Truss (AKA Hill Street) Track Undercut
Orange, MA South Main Street Bridge Deck Replacement
Orange, MA Brookside Road (AKA Athol Street) Bridge Replacement
Athol, MA Main Street (Route 2A) Track Cut/Bridge Mod
Athol, MA Chestnut Hill Avenue Track Shifts/Bridge Reconstruction
Templeton, MA Main Street (AKA Depot Road) Track Undercut
Gardner, MA Jackson Street (AKA Pleasant Street) Track Undercut
Fitchburg, MA Rollstone Street Track Undercut
Fitchburg, MA Putnam Street Track Cut/Bridge Mod
Fitchburg, MA Water Street Track Cut/Bridge Mod
Leominster, MA Harvard Street Track Undercut
Ayer, MA Main Street (Route 2A) Track Undercut

Per MassDOT:

The next step is to complete the environmental review required by the FRA’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). MassDOT is working with the FRA to prepare the required documentation (a Categorical Exclusion) for NEPA.

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/about ... t-updates-