Breaking News: Maine considers hostile takeover of PAR lines

"surprise surprise, 86% of the complaints were about Pan Am."

When you look at the distrinution of rail freight shippers/receivers in the state of Maine... isn't that par for the course????

Are there ANY active shippers/receivers located on the east-west portion of MMA? On the Eastern Maine? How much of Maine's overall rail freight tonnage ever sees Maine Eastern rails?? That leaves SLR and the former B&A. I don't have exact figures but that breakdown seems to be not too far off as a reflaction of Guolford's share of both the total number of shippers/recievers, and the carloads shipped/receieved.

Or put another way... if Guilford/Pan Am were recieving only 50% of the complaints... based on shipper lcoations and total carloads, that woudl probably be indicative of Pan Am doing a stellar job of customer service in comparison with the State's other rail carries.

Keep this all in perspective.

And, to anyone who would advocate this corruption of legal authority, assuming the Supreme Court bought of on it which is pretty unlikely... what would the implications be for any other railroad? And what about the attitude it would foster for government bullying and hostile takeovers of any other business or private properties? Choose your sides carefully on this, unless you'd look forward to your state taking your business/property from you for no reason beyond "failure to be a good little business owner". Tread wisely, folks, it's a slippery slope from here....

Even the proponents in state government admit it's a drastic step, but they are very concerned about the economic future and well-being of their state, and fear that poor rail service will hurt the state's economy. Hopefully this will serve as a wake-up call to Pan Am that it can't just go by the book and tell customers to take it to the STB if they're unhappy. The STB is a toothless entity anyway, a creation of the Staggers Act, nothing like the ICC was.

The legalities or practicality of the State of Maine taking over GRS/PAR aside, Maine has no funds for just the lawyers, even if they could find someone else to pay for the railroad. The federal grant money for the Downeaster runs out early next year and so far, Maine has made no committment to come up with the subsidy necessary to keep the train running. If you have never ridden the Downeaster, do it this year. It might not be around next year.

Dick

Let's remember there is no "The Government." From what I hear (from press reports only) this move originates in the state legislature. The state DOT seems cool to the idea and the governor has not commented, so far as I know.

Also consider this: Guilford, I mean Pan-Am has indeed built up a legacy of ill-will and complaints (and yes, they ARE trying now), but what precedent are we setting for railroading in general. I just read about the state of Arizona trying to restrict Union Pacific from building a new yard in the desert and from double tracking the old SP Sunset route. If our democracy was truly a democracy, then who knows maybe, but we are a republic, which is to say that we have delegated control to the politicians. Frankly I'm more comfortable keeping control with the railroaders and keeping the politicians out of it.

A reliable published source(ANR&P Newsletter) states that on March 25, the Maine Legislature's Transportation committee refused to consider the proposed feeder line bill after the Public Advocate seemed to back off from it's formerly harsh criticism of Pan Am's service made earlier before the Utilities Committee. My cynical mind thinks that Pan Am management did some heavy duty lobbying in Augusta, but who knows?

I contacted my state rep and he said that it was pretty much a warning to PAR to get it together. Maine is in need of good jobs and part of that begins with good rail service. Maine has acres and acres along deep water ports but almost 0 in cargo from train to ship and vice versa. Shame.

Railcar wrote:I contacted my state rep and he said that it was pretty much a warning to PAR to get it together. Maine is in need of good jobs and part of that begins with good rail service. Maine has acres and acres along deep water ports but almost 0 in cargo from train to ship and vice versa. Shame.

Wasn't the St. Lawrence and Atlantic created to connect the port of Portland with Montreal after CN sold the property?

NEWanderer wrote:

Railcar wrote:I contacted my state rep and he said that it was pretty much a warning to PAR to get it together. Maine is in need of good jobs and part of that begins with good rail service. Maine has acres and acres along deep water ports but almost 0 in cargo from train to ship and vice versa. Shame.

Wasn't the St. Lawrence and Atlantic created to connect the port of Portland with Montreal after CN sold the property?

No, it was the buyer of the US portion CN's Grand Trunk line from Montreal to Portland. CN I think had already pulled back from actually going into Portland itself by the time the sale took place. I don't recall the St Lawrence and Atlantic ever serving Portland. The docks that CN served are gone, replaced by marinas and the area is slated for residential redevelopment.

cpf354 wrote:I don't recall the St Lawrence and Atlantic ever serving Portland.

SLR still provides service for B&M Baked Beans in Portland. That is where the track ends, just short of the old swing bridge.

MEC407 wrote:

cpf354 wrote:I don't recall the St Lawrence and Atlantic ever serving Portland.

SLR still provides service for B&M Baked Beans in Portland. That is where the track ends, just short of the old swing bridge.

Thought that was East Deering? Within the Portland city limits then?

Yes, East Deering is a neighborhood in Portland.

tj48 wrote:As a railfan all I can say is bring back the MAINE CENTRAL!
http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=82335&nseq=32
Never did like the Guilford G or Pan Am paint schemes.
Just my opinion.

Agreed, and bring back the B&M too for the rest of it, IMO pan am killed railroading in New england

thestimmer wrote:

tj48 wrote:As a railfan all I can say is bring back the MAINE CENTRAL!
http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=82335&nseq=32
Never did like the Guilford G or Pan Am paint schemes.
Just my opinion.

Agreed, and bring back the B&M too for the rest of it, IMO pan am killed railroading in New england

But they didn't "kill" consists.

Hate GRS as much as I do, I prefer shooting film or photos of the trains for their power. The constant widecab marching on NS and CSX drives me insane sometimes.

what the pan am system map should look like

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/7051/webmapfp4.gif

thestimmer wrote:what the pan am system map should look like

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/7051/webmapfp4.gif

Wow...Quite an assortment of lines that they would own (and are you talking owning the physical lines or just trackage rights?) In addtion to MBTA, CSX, NS, and CSAO I see lines owned by P&W, MNRR, Amtrak, NJT (that is the old Jersey Central Main you have down there right?...since there are no tracks on the DL&W cutoff into PA) And the connection between NY & NJ...is that the High Line you have them running through (including the North and East River tunnels or the NYCHRR between Bush and Greenville yards?)