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  • Post EHH Changes for CSX

  • Discussion of the operations of CSX Transportation, from 1980 to the present. Official site can be found here: CSXT.COM.
Discussion of the operations of CSX Transportation, from 1980 to the present. Official site can be found here: CSXT.COM.

Moderator: MBTA F40PH-2C 1050

 #1458021  by Engineer Spike
 
I was taking note of possible suitors for some of the line sales. The B&A might be great for G&W, as well as the New Haven-Oak Point. This would all fit well with the NECR/P&W/CSOR lines. CP seems like a good candidate for the Pere Marquette. They would finally have the gateway east of Chicago, which has limited them compared with CN. NS only allows a certain number of slots with the present trackage rights. Iowa Interstate might go for the rest of the Rock, outside of the Metra part.
 #1458032  by Wayside
 
Reminds me of Conrail in the mid 1990s when they were looking to offload clusters and lines with lackluster NPV, stripping down to the bare bones to compensate for inadequate revenue growth potential. And don't we know how that all ended up.
 #1458114  by SemperFidelis
 
Heh, would be interesting if, after all the PAS drama, NS bought the B&A across Massachusetts.
 #1458116  by Noel Weaver
 
SemperFidelis wrote:Heh, would be interesting if, after all the PAS drama, NS bought the B&A across Massachusetts.
Not sure how well this would work out for the NS. They would still have no access to their own former D & H unless CSX were to give them a trackage rights agreement. I suppose they could access their own territory through Springfield and East Deerfield but I don't think it would be worth it for the NS. I guess it might depend on how desperate CSX is to unload the B & A.
Noel Weaver
 #1458117  by Wayside
 
SemperFidelis wrote:Heh, would be interesting if, after all the PAS drama, NS bought the B&A across Massachusetts.
Wouldn't it though.
 #1458181  by MattW
 
One line not specifically mentioned is the Georgia road between Atlanta and Augusta. I think the best guess is a shortline operator like G&W, RJ Corman, or Watco will take it. But I was in a Facebook discussion with a bunch of other railfans, and to our we-don't-work-for-the-railroad-brains, it seemed logical that NS might want this line for its Atlanta-Savannah intermodals. As-is, they could run trains through Augusta with no track modifications. But if they wanted an even faster route, they could restore the connection at Warrenton, GA between an NS Branch and CSX's Camak branch, it would literally require nothing more than a grade crossing. Seriously, the NS tracks end across a two-lane road from CSX's tracks. This scheme seems to make sense to us because anything not terminating at Macon or heading further south has to basically loop around Macon to access the Savannah line.
 #1458191  by ccutler
 
Well this is very good news, getting more lines out of the hands of CSX management and hopefully into the hands of dedicated railroad businesses
 #1458285  by gokeefe
 
Noel Weaver wrote:
SemperFidelis wrote:Heh, would be interesting if, after all the PAS drama, NS bought the B&A across Massachusetts.
Not sure how well this would work out for the NS. They would still have no access to their own former D & H unless CSX were to give them a trackage rights agreement. I suppose they could access their own territory through Springfield and East Deerfield but I don't think it would be worth it for the NS. I guess it might depend on how desperate CSX is to unload the B & A.
Noel Weaver
Thanks for the answer on this Noel. I've been wondering about this exact issue

In re: NS I do not believe the STB would look favorably on a Class I consolidating control over both East-West lines to/from Boston.
 #1458308  by Noel Weaver
 
gokeefe wrote:
Noel Weaver wrote:
SemperFidelis wrote:Heh, would be interesting if, after all the PAS drama, NS bought the B&A across Massachusetts.
Not sure how well this would work out for the NS. They would still have no access to their own former D & H unless CSX were to give them a trackage rights agreement. I suppose they could access their own territory through Springfield and East Deerfield but I don't think it would be worth it for the NS. I guess it might depend on how desperate CSX is to unload the B & A.
Noel Weaver
Thanks for the answer on this Noel. I've been wondering about this exact issue

In re: NS I do not believe the STB would look favorably on a Class I consolidating control over both East-West lines to/from Boston.
I don't think there is enough left in Boston for both railroads to worry about. Most of CSX centers around Framingham and Readville.
Noel Weaver
 #1458353  by SemperFidelis
 
On a related note: all Texas School Book Depository employees will have all packages searched upon entry to the building.
 #1458613  by Ironman
 
I'm not saying NS would buy the B&A, I'm saying the B&A will be abandoned east of CP109, Westfield. Class 2 or 3 roads will take over from there east probably with some kind of deal these roads will make with MA for Springfield to Worcester. All traffic will ultimately go via PAS, through Gardener on the Worcester end and the Conn River on the Springfield end, west to M-vile. No need for trackage rights. Double stacks will be fileted just like DeWitt used to do for the B&A.

This is what we are looking at here, CSX does not care about the interchange of N.E. traffic at Selkirk.
 #1458634  by gokeefe
 
I'm having a hard time believing that an already cleared double stack route is going to lose out to a non-double stack route.
 #1458662  by Ironman
 
The double stack thing is not all that you are making it to be, the B&A ran that way for years. It certainly won't hold up any line sales. The fact the line is being sold should tell you it has already lost. There is no way a Class 2 or 3 railroad will be able to match the times of CSX over the B&A.

All that traffic will default to the old B&M as the next best thing.
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