Bay Colony Millis Line

Is the Globe article correct that Mass Coastal operates to Framingham? I'm under the impression that Mass Coastal handles the dispatching of the Commonwealth-owned Framingham Secondary but CSX has the rights to operate freight service over the line; not Mass Coastal.

CSX has the freight rights on the Framingham Branch and the Attleboro to Middleboro line . The track is owned by the Commonwealth who contracted the dispatching and maintenance to Mass Coastal . The only Mass Coastal trains you will see would be work trains and light engine moves on the Middleboro line .

One interesting thing about that map - I didn't think the Bay Colony (or anyone, for that matter) still had freight rights on the line between Braintree and Kingston/Plymouth to sell to Mass Coastal - as far as I was aware, that line had been passenger-only since the Old Colony commuter rail lines were rebuilt in the first place.

That Mass Coastal has freight rights on an MBTA line that hasn't seen freight activity in 20 years is provocative. A Google Earth exam of the line doesn't even show any potential shippers. The Bay Colony RR NEARS presentation of April 2017 at the link below indicates that BCRR had freight rights on many state-owned Old Colony lines such as the Plymouth Branch from 1980 (start of Staggers Act dereg) until BCRR lost the lease in 2007. So Mass Coastal apparently did not acquire Plymouth Branch freight rights from its recent acquisition of the remains of BCRR.

https://nears.org/presentations/NEARS_S ... Colony.pdf

I don't understand why Mass Coastal advertises the Plymouth line as an "Operating Line" with Braintree interchange on its corporate website given there are no shippers on the line unless something is brewing (eg, a new C&D or municipal waste transload facility). Having said that, given that MBTA trains no longer operate between Kingston and N Plymouth, a couple miles of excellent quality track might be re-purposable if residents are willing.

Strategically, I wonder why CSX doesn't cede its SE Mass freight rights to Mass Coastal and establish interchange at Framingham?

I believe the biggest stumbling block north of Attleboro is the corridor. Many are called but few are chosen.

johnpbarlow wrote: ↑Wed Feb 07, 2024 9:48 am That Mass Coastal has freight rights on an MBTA line that hasn't seen freight activity in 20 years is provocative. A Google Earth exam of the line doesn't even show any potential shippers. The Bay Colony RR NEARS presentation of April 2017 at the link below indicates that BCRR had freight rights on many state-owned Old Colony lines such as the Plymouth Branch from 1980 (start of Staggers Act dereg) until BCRR lost the lease in 2007. So Mass Coastal apparently did not acquire Plymouth Branch freight rights from its recent acquisition of the remains of BCRR.

Ive always thought either Alvin Hollis or the buoy place in S. Weymouth would be a good fit for the occasional freight. Im not sure further down the line tho

Infact i think there used to be a siding that went into Weymouth NAS. I'm sure there's no remnants of that anymore.

The paper work as to whether Bay Colony has operating rights over the Millis Industrial Track and the stub of the Dover Secondary at Medfield Jct has been cleaned up and the STB has decided that effective immediately Mass Coastal can take over operations on these fairly moribund lines. Excerpt:

It is ordered:
1. In Docket No. FD 36746, under 49 U.S.C. 10502, the Board exempts Bay Colony’s acquisition of the Easement and operation of the Millis Industrial Track from the prior approval requirements of 49 U.S.C. 10902, as explained above.

2. In Docket No. FD 36746, the Board confirms that the Remaining Dover Secondary Track, between milepost 7.2 and milepost 7.3, remains subject to the 1982 Modified Certificate, as explained above.

3. In Docket No. FD 36747, under 49 U.S.C. 10502, the Board exempts Mass Coastal’s acquisition and operation of the Line from the prior approval requirements of 49 U.S.C. 10902, as explained above.

4. Bay Colony shall provide notice pursuant to 49 CFR 1150.24 of its termination of modified certificate operations on the Line to the appropriate parties, and to the Board in Docket No. FD 29963.

5. The 60-day advance notice requirement under 49 CFR 1150.24 is waived, as explained above. Instead, Bay Colony must provide the notice required by 49 CFR 1150.24 at least seven days in advance of the planned termination.

6. Notice of the exemptions will be published in the Federal Register.

7. The exemptions will be effective on June 21, 2024. Petitions for reconsideration must be filed by July 11, 2024.

https://dcms-external.s3.amazonaws.com/ ... /52096.pdf

Would be nice to know when the 1701 is finally move from her nest. I assume she will be move to where the other BCRR engines are and scrapped.

I enjoyed many years of watching her work.

I tend to think the costs of shipping this unit to Hyannis (at least the CSX portion Medfield to Taunton) is not cost effective.
Could be wrong though, but she'll meet her end right where she is.

I believe (although I might be wrong) that part of the agreement between CSX and Mass Coastal was that locomotives would be moved from one line to another at either haulage rates (which would be fairly low) or at some other discounted rate.

Per filing with STB, July 11, 2024 is officially the last day of Bay Colony's operation of the 3.4 mile Millis Industrial and 0.1 mile Dover Secondary stub and Mass Coastal will take over at that time. Given the line is lifeless I'm not sure how anyone will know the difference though.

https://dcms-external.s3.amazonaws.com/ ... 308439.pdf

Does any one know if the 1701 is still parked on the Millis siding?

Still there in the high weeds...errr, nest....
D

Thank You GP40MC1118. I stopped by on Saturday, (7/27) to pay a visit. I find it amazing how quickly Mother Nature reclaims what she once owns.