CSX closes Framingham southside rail yard

The CP Yard would be a better power site than Westboro because of distance and potential environmental/wetlands issues. Framingham is also a hub because of the former OC lines still in use. The negatives for CP Yard are the grade crossings and traffic between it and the Boston Line. Also, access to and from North Yard would be complicated. In some respects, North Yard might be better. It already has a small layover facility by the RMV, and grade crossings are not an issue until just south of Framingham State College. A new facility would require some stringent environental protection because of the adjacent reservoir, but should be do-able.
A few words about downtown Framingham: Despite the Richardson station and a few other substantial structures, that area of the town has never been well-off. South Framingham, as the NH called it, Southside as some townies still call it, was where the manufacturing (Dennison, long before GM), the women's state prison, and at least one chemical-waste reprocessing plant found themselves. MCI-Framingham is still there, and inside its walls are probably a few formerly outside-the-walls Southsiders. The "crackhead community" characterizations come those with a particular viewpoint. One of the possible triggers for that may be that's where the poorer and non-Anglo people tend -- out of lack of alternative -- to live. I used to work a fair amount in that area, and I'm glad I don't have to live there, but the overwhelming majority of people I came in contact with were folks I could and would trust. I will now climb off the soapbox.

Part of the CP yard sits on wet lands also...but it would be a good location

it's interesting, since this article came out, it actually seems like there is MORE traffic on the line between135 (@ the commuter rail station) and the CP yard (noticed at the 126 crossing). I am confused why this is. Can anybody shed any light? I thought that when the CP yard closed there would no longer be any train traffice on that line. is there additional track south of the CP yard with rail freight, which before the CP yard closed, when trains would travel north, would they only go as far as the CP yard then turn around and head back south, that now have to continue to the North yard before turning around?

Its not getting autoracks anymore there ..... but there is a bunch of yard tracks located 100yds south of the auto unload pad where freight cars are kept (overload from the north yard) and switched out and built for trains going west to Selkirk

at 1 time the CP yard alone had (3) tricks just to switch the GM plant around the clock....

So the CP yard will now be used more often for staging non-auto freight? Or just once in a blue moon when the north yard is full?
I guess I jumped to the conclusion that once the auto facility was done, the yard and spur would be torn up and scrapped. Must be a reflex I have from watching Guilford over the years.

the yard has been used for years to build trains going west
as well as Nevins yard.

sadly, i am still confused... maybe i have misread the article, but it seems to say that the entire yard is closed, not just the auto operations there. if the entire yard is closed, why is it still being used as an overload site from the north yard and for trains going west to Selkirk? i guess my question, like consist, is what kind of rail traffic should really be expected on that line now? only sporadic activity when space is needed when the north yard is full? or is there additional rail traffic south of the yard that is unaffected by the closing of the cp yard because it must pass through there anyhow to get to the north yard or points west?

Ford was an unusual situation for CSX. They did not want to move into Brookfield and be one of many car brands unloaded at Brookfield so they Arm Twisted CSX to re-open the old auto yard south of Framingham Yard. Also it was NOT the old GM yard that ford moved into. Ford moved into the newer auto yard used for Japanese cars built long after the GM facility closed.

I did not hear why Ford left Framingham but I bet it has a lot to do with the fact that nobody is buying cars and cost is a lot cheaper per car to use the Brookfield facility where the stevedores cost is split between many companies. As info CSX had been trying to annex the train service from the Hudson River East for years. The big negative factor against a new company coming in was CSX would hold an unbreakable easement for the underground goldmine of fiber optic now paying to reside along the tracks. One of the last to be approached was RailTex. Had they not turned CSX down there might not be any CSX operation on the Boston and Albany line at all by CSX !

There is a lot of truth that State of Mass does not want freight moved into Boston past Worcester. But until the final outcome of the States master plan, CSX will be in Framingham. Eventually everything will switch out of Worcester. And like West Springfield and Hartford Yards, other train companies [that buy the Framingham and Fitchburg secondaries] will use the yards to make up their trains to go North and South of Framingham. All secondary freight tracks are up for sale to short lines at this time in the eastern end of the state. Except for the pieces of trackage the State wants to rebuild for passenger service.

As on most community newspapers, reporters at the MetroWest Daily News get assigned stories and may or may not have more than a layman's knowledge about the assignment. After the story is written, one or more editors go over it or give it a going over, your choice. Characterizing CP Yard as a "hub" is a good indication that one or more people in the story chain is or are not totally aware the railroad lines in the area. The GM plant was built on the B&A Milford Branch and, as such did have a connection to the south until tracks got progressively OOSd and abandonded northward, starting in 1972, if Ronald Dale Karr is accurate. In partial defense of the reporter and editor(s), there may not have been time or space available to examine the use of CP Yard for overflow.
Give weight to CSX Engineer 98, who would seem to have good first- and second-hand knowledge about the Yard and other things CSXT.
CP Yard, with a few grade crossings, does have good access to Boston Line westbound and Nevins Yard, but access to and from North Yard from CP Yard and the Fitchburg Secondary involves a number of Selkirk-assisted moves and a lull in rail traffic. Because the southbound east wye was lifted before the commuter station renovation, CP Yard access to and from Boston Line eastbound and the former OC line to the south is even more complex. If the explication is too wordy, there's always my favorite -- Google Earth.

I was at CP yard today and was glad to see CSX is using the lower yard for storing 40 or 50 "coiled steel" cars. Word has it that CSX is now storing about 20% of its locomotives and rolling stock. Framingham's town government is focused on a grade separation project at Concord and Bishop Streets. Any reducton in freight rail activity is welcomed by the town. Several of us local and regional transportation planners have tried to instil the importance of the Framingham rail yards to general freight distribution in Eastern and Southeastern MA. Like most MA towns the interest is in local issues and regionalism is a low priority. We will still keep plugging to the local pols the importance of freight rail to the economy, congeston mitigation, and the environemt... the alternative is more trucks.

If CSX were to "Short Line" their freight rights over the South Coast branches to the P&W some general freight might be diverted at Worcester to Valley Falls and then over the NEC using the East Providence connector to East Junction then on to Attleboro on the NEC (3 tracks between those two point and south east to all points including Middleboro, Newbedford, Fall River, the Cape and Quincy. This might make CP yard viable for classifying what woulld be left for the Framingham Sub to Manchester and into Boston and the Grand Junction. Too bad current track layouts make this inefficient to say the least. I like the idea of locating an engine facility there but the die seems cast for Worcester. You can't believe the row the locals make over engine idling!

Frank D........

To answer wickchz's other question: There is no action south of the CP yard and there has not been for many years. The line went to Holliston and beyond, but a look from the bridge that goes over the tracks south of the yard shows them to be quite rusty and the ROW overgrown.

Billman730 wrote: As info CSX had been trying to annex the train service from the Hudson River East for years. The big negative factor against a new company coming in was CSX would hold an unbreakable easement for the underground goldmine of fiber optic now paying to reside along the tracks. One of the last to be approached was RailTex. Had they not turned CSX down there might not be any CSX operation on the Boston and Albany line at all by CSX !

That's a rumor that's been cycling around for years (though "annex" is not the right word). I find that extremely hard to believe because New England is a very valuable and profitable market for CSX, is a big part of their high-speed premium intermodal franchise, is identified as being part of CSX's strategic plans, and, because quite frankly, while their fiberoptic easement provides income, it is in no way a "goldmine". Now, their spinning-off of the Eastern Massachusetts branchline network, as apparently Conrail was prepared to do, is believable, though again, given the value of traffic on that network, I have to believe they're going to do it making sure whomover operates those branchlines funnels everything to them without opening that traffic up to other competing rail carriers. Lastly, just look at what happened to RailTex --- do you really think CSX, at its highest and most strategic levels, would put such an important part of their business at risk?

Billman730 wrote:There is a lot of truth that State of Mass does not want freight moved into Boston past Worcester. But until the final outcome of the States master plan, CSX will be in Framingham. Eventually everything will switch out of Worcester. And like West Springfield and Hartford Yards, other train companies [that buy the Framingham and Fitchburg secondaries] will use the yards to make up their trains to go North and South of Framingham. All secondary freight tracks are up for sale to short lines at this time in the eastern end of the state. Except for the pieces of trackage the State wants to rebuild for passenger service.

Yeah, the State doesn't want freight traffic interference for their exapnded Worcester commuter rail desires. But, there's 300-400 carloads/week of traffic moving via Framingham onto the E. Mass. branchline network (and Beacon Park and Chelsea), and no matter what the State wants or plans, it will be the CSX's for-profit decisions that will determine any outcome and you're not going to just make that traffic disappear or go someplace else. Your statement that "everything will switch out of Worcester" is at odds with what you then go on to say about Framingham, and, quite frankly, defies the realities of Worcester's capacities unless the intermodal site is moved and E Worcester is then re-built as a rail yard. I think there are multiple issues here, all going on simulataneously: 1) moving CSX out of Beacon Park so Harvard can use the land; 2) negotiations between CSX and the Commonwealth about selling the Framingham-Worcester segment of the Boston Line and infrastructure improvements to raise clearances to 20'6". So far, CSX is getting 20'6" clearance improvements to Westborough (which is east of Worcester) for some additional commuter trains added last Fall. They're still talking about building a new intermodal facility (to replace Beacon Park, possibly Worcester, too, and finally have a high-capacity, modern intermodal faciltiy), moving Beacon Park's carload activities, moving Beacon Park's engine and car maintenance facilities and the Commonwealth's purchase of the Framingham-Worcester rail line.

I agree with QB 52.32 I don't see how everything could be based out of Worcester. The palce is very small, and there really is no room to expand it. It can barely handle the vans that go there now, let alone if the place were to become CSX's main New England hub. It is by no means a modern high-capacity,intermodal faciltiy and never can be. Add the regular freight and engine service facilties and there is no way Worcester can replace Beacon Park or Framingham.

Personally, my guess is that the new van site and engine service will be in Westboro and Framingham will remain for the local freight traffic. Minus the CP yard of course.

Perhaps CSX is waiting to see if the upgrade of PAS trackage and expansion of intermodal facilities in Ayer will have a significant impact on CSX intermodal business before they decide how to restructure facilities east of Worcester?

Another possibility: Worcester intermodal, except possibly for UPS. goes to Westboro. The existing auto yard configuration is easily adaptable to intermodal, and Westboro provides better access to the Pike and 495 than Worcester does. UPS may be willing to relocate its Shrewsbury facility, but if it won't, then UPS tables continue to go to Worcester. At least some Worcester space would be freed up for alternate purposes, and the chess moves can continue. Remember that back in the days of Big Blue, the then primarily cement-powder Flexi-Flo transloading facility on Rte. 135 (Waverly St.) in Framingham got moved to Worcester, near where the CSX TT street-access is now. The "new" Framingham commuter platform is just north of where Flexi-Flo was, in case you never saw it.