CSX Acquisition of Pan Am Railways

These "new" CSX M426/M427 trains don't seem to be very long east of Worcester where P&W and/or Framingham traffic to/from Selkirk are picked-up and set-out. Eyeball observations show that train lengths east of Worcester generally run 30 to 70 cars, not including any Eimskip containers that are hauled on the weekends. Once B&E is up and running, I would guess it quite likely that EDPO/POED won't run east of Ayer with all or part of the consists being handled by M426/M427 east of Ayer. Just my opinion. But maybe in the future, CSX intends to fill out M426/M427 with domestic container traffic to/from Rigby?

So at this time, it would appear that this train 426/427 is the "one a day" handling whatever traffic originates in Maine.

Somehow, I don't think Chessie "got into this" if that was all the traffic that could potentially be handled. As she "purrs" away down at 500 Water, she has visions of Containers far beyond what this Icelandic maritime concern now gives her at Portland.

But back to the video, the apparently well-informed Narrator noted that the train was heavier than usual.

The price of scrap is down which is effecting M427/426's size to a degree as just a few weeks ago you'd see 10+ scrap gons per train heading to or from Everett. Keep in mind a lot of what flows south from Rigby doesn't go to CSX, with traffic going to Lawrence, Ayer (Sappi paper) & Deerfield (NS, Omya, CT). I don't believe CSX will really start going after new business until it makes all the discussed track upgrades. I think there's too much work for one train South of Rigby and picture CSX running an expedited Selkirk train and then a lower priority train that can work Dover, Lawrence, Ayer, etc.

He's wrong about the invasive plants at this crossing being Asian though. The Phragmites Australis or common reed seen in the video is an invasive European grass introduced to the US in the 1800's.

There is some Ailanthus altissima there as well and that is from Asia but you are mainly seeing common reed in the video.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Sun Jun 26, 2022 3:58 pm Mr. Trainguy, how about for the benefit of those not familiar with the area, where, if known, did the train originate, on what CSX/PAR line is it on, where is its destination, and where was this video taken.

Mr. Norman, this is the new CSX "Worcester Main Line" which runs between Worcester and Ayer.

The trains are not new, it's the same q426/q427 as before 6/1. Nothing has really changed yet. They have the 400's on now because Keolis uses the same PTC as Amtrak. They were converted to go to Oak Point when they retired the old Conrail SD60M's. M436 has to use them to go to Framingham too, they just put them on in Worcester. They are not DP capable and they want to keep the M436 DP'ed.

Also the symbols have changed for all the trains. It's M424, M264, M205 ect. Intermodal trains are I symboled. It has nothing to do with the Pan Am purchase.

I think one of the more interesting ROW subjects is the "YARD" situation just south of here where this line meets the P&W. There is a long "Yard Limit" from that junction all the way to Worcester even though there really isn't much of any yard. There actually once was a lot of business in the area many years ago (check out Google Maps historic data) but it's all dead now.

There appears to be plenty of room for CSX to build a second track next to the P&W and completely avoid issues with the other railroad. It will be interesting to see how they handle this area.

Taracer, you’re 100% correct in your recounting of the history of the 426/427 trains. I was just using quotation fingers around the word new to point out that since the CSX acquisition, for reasons unknown to me, their consists seem measurably shorter than their predecessors.

I can tell you that the 426 along with every other train will vary alot due to issues brought on by PSR.

It's main track yard limits which is an operating method. It has nothing to do with a yard being there or not. I do agree that they will extend the second track from Garden St. to the split at Barber Station at some point. I went in to detail about this in some of my posts.

I did not see any conveying of trackage or haulage rights to PAS from PAR as part of the transaction, so B&E will likely not continue running the train as is today. As of late NS/CP Deerfield to Rigby tonnage has rebounded to a certain extent so that traffic will need to move. There are a couple of scenarios, B&E running an EDAY (or multiple as they are going to have their own PAS traffic to move as well to Gardner, Fitch, Ayer) and CSX block swapping in Ayer is the most likely scenario. How CSX handles it (on 426/427 or a separate lower priority job that has work enroute) east of Ayer is the big unknown. Considering they are going to have to work Ayer, maybe Lowell, Lawrence, maybe Dover, maybe Rockingham, it may make sense to run two jobs. As I've mentioned before DP does not make sense on this railroad for a variety of reasons.

taracer wrote: ↑Mon Jun 27, 2022 9:05 am It's main track yard limits which is an operating method. It has nothing to do with a yard being there or not. I do agree that they will extend the second track from Garden St. to the split at Barber Station at some point. I went in to detail about this in some of my posts.

I can't see it staying as is either, that is far too much Restricted Speed through all of that YL coming to/from the Worcester Main.

Sharp curves at both the switch off the B&A (at Union station) and to a lesser degree the one just west of Burncoat St will likely prevent much higher speeds along that corridor.

Also they are tonnage limited on M426 now without DP, and the old GE's are rated for less over the mountain then the newer ones. They are still handling the P&W traffic on this train and it's been maxed out over the mountain all month.

They will defiantly have to add a train, but PSR.

BobbyT wrote: ↑Mon Jun 27, 2022 9:24 am Sharp curves at both the switch off the B&A (at Union station) and to a lesser degree the one just west of Burncoat St will likely prevent much higher speeds along that corridor.

I'm not talking about speed, I'm talking logistics. It's a small but significant single-track bottleneck. Being able to keep moving at even 10 mph is better than having to stop and deal with the P&W.