CSX Acquisition of Pan Am Railways

Doublestacks no but the entire MEC mainline between Rigby and Keag is 25 to 40 MPH. Hardly decrepit even with plenty of stick to replace.

I would think if the Canadian ports need to make up for the loss of the US ports then there will be enough carloads to go around. They can't do racks but CSX can just single stack if they can offer a competitive routing to the south.

Winn to Keag is other than main it's going to be slow at Restricted speed.

Track aside, i doubt short term that any of csx, cpkc or nbsr have crews available for more trains even if more traffic wss theoretically available short term. And the port and cpkc got overwhelmed and backed up last time there was a container surge in saint john

F74265A wrote: ↑Sat Sep 21, 2024 8:30 am Track aside, i doubt short term that any of csx, cpkc or nbsr have crews available for more trains even if more traffic wss theoretically available short term. And the port and cpkc got overwhelmed and backed up last time there was a container surge in saint john

From recent history, I am inclined to think that Saint John is focusing on a "slow and steady wins the race" approach to all the contract issues/opportunities of late. Saint John has been operating on an expected 160 to 200K turnaround this year. If attempting to maybe double that rate(or more), even for a short term, destroys your ability to deliver your existing long term business, it is not good strategy.

There appears to be an equipment related maximum of 200K or so because of cranes, docking, laydown space, rail, etc.,. Those things are all being dealt with, but nothing is going to change in the next week. And nobody appears to be making strategic decisions based on unpredictable short term situations.

Whatever happens, it is likely not going to last long. It's results will be felt long after all the contracts are signed, so even putting a few extra containers through is not going to change much.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is how much the union will be involved here. Saint John has been ILA local 273 since 1911. Maybe nothing officially, but I wouldn't assume anything unofficially.

I’m sure many of you guys know that the line off of Rockingham Jct (Portsmouth branch), had a fire at the trestle that crosses the over southern part of Great Bay. Does anyone have any intel on status? Do they plan to just rebuild with wooden beams or add a steel structure?

The bridge fire is being discussed in the Portsmouth Branch thread, which you can find here:

https://railroad.net/portsmouth-branch-activity-t84166-1680.html#p1656837