CSX Fitchburg Secondary Discussion

Hello all,
As a native railfan to this line I have decided to make this forum about any sightings, developments, or questions about this line.

Speaking of so, scanner chatter around Clinton on Monday was telling me that B724 with the 6212 had arrived around 1900hrs and the cab was called around 2000hrs. A Tuesday morning driveby at Clinton showed CSXT 6212 & CSXT 6233 and 1 gondola,2 hoppers, and a few tankers tied down on the siding around 0800hrs. Another drive by around 1300hrs showed a crew onboard. At 1415hrs yesterday B724 called over the radio "CSXT B724 6212 clear of CP CLINT on the single track east 6212 out" told me they were heading to Leominster. Around 1830hrs, faint horns in Lancaster told me that B724 was returning back from Leominster. A quick drive to Berlin showed 6233 leading 6212 around 1905hrs.

B724 just passed Berlin, MA should land in Clinton in a few minutes. 3:58pm

Has there been any more track work between the Flat Penny crossing and the Bolton Station crossing? I saw a CSX crew along with a contractor doing work there three or four weeks ago when driving over McNulty Road.

SpiderHill wrote:Has there been any more track work between the Flat Penny crossing and the Bolton Station crossing? I saw a CSX crew along with a contractor doing work there three or four weeks ago when driving over McNulty Road.

I haven't seen really any track work over there. I live probably a mile from Water St (Bolton Station) and haven't seen much. At the Flat Penny I saw 2 or 3 high railers & a pile of ballast but I'm not sure when they are going to start that up. On another note, B724 called clear of CP CLINT on the scanner NB at 4:52pm today according to another list. Leader was 6212

A 0630 drive by at Clinton showed nothing. Perhaps they tied down at Leominster???

I noticed yesterday a piece of MOW equipment on the siding of the former Agway in Sterling. That is a new arrival. It was getting dark so I don't know what it was specifically.

What active customers are left on this line?

roberttosh wrote:What active customers are left on this line?

Reisner scrap metal - Clinton
Flexi flow terminal - Leominster.

Ken's foods - Marlboro
Those come to mind off hand

Joe

frrc wrote:

roberttosh wrote:What active customers are left on this line?

Reisner scrap metal - Clinton
Flexi flow terminal - Leominster.

Ken's foods - Marlboro
Those come to mind off hand

Joe

Based on search of previous posts, these were also active customers as of mid-2013. . .

Safety Kleen, Marlboro Jct.
Mass Container, Marlborough
NewCorr, Northborough


Service as far as Northborough is daily. Clinton to Leominster it drops off to few days a week. Definitely not a growth line by any means, but it's profitable for CSX at the 2 cents-on-dollar maintenance they put into it, and stable for the long-term. Not one that's ever going to need more than 10 MPH Class 1 crap track, but Jacksonville's satisfied with the return they're getting on it.

Customers on the line

Safety Kleen
Mass Container
NewCorr
Ken's
Reisner's
Bestway Lumber
I'm not familiar north of that

Trains run daily M-F FRAM-CLINT. Leominster gets runs Tuesdays and Thursdays

Bestway Lumber is just north of Clinton where the crew normally ties down the train. It isn't uncommon for them to run that far close to every day. They then switch them out and push everything back to Clinton. Bestway receives 3 to 5 center beams a day typically. They pressure treat lumber and send most out by truck. Occasionally they have a CSX boxcar spotted there that I assume they send out finished product in. This is getting to be their peak time getting ready for spring so 5 center beams are almost a given every day.

SpiderHill wrote:Bestway Lumber is just north of Clinton where the crew normally ties down the train.

They actually tie the train down on the Clinton siding

From what I understand B724 runs from Framingham north and ties down in Clinton on Mondays and Wednesdays. The crew is cabbed to Clinton on Tuesday & Thursday where they take the tied down train and runs north to Leominster then back south to Framingham (may switch Ken's on the way south). Fridays is usually a lighter work day and they run Framingham and perhaps as far north as Marlboro or Clinton, then back to Framingham. Ken's Foods appears to be their best customer and requires a great deal of time to switch.

Knucklehead wrote:From what I understand B724 runs from Framingham north and ties down in Clinton on Mondays and Wednesdays. The crew is cabbed to Clinton on Tuesday & Thursday where they take the tied down train and runs north to Leominster then back south to Framingham (may switch Ken's on the way south). Fridays is usually a lighter work day and they run Framingham and perhaps as far north as Marlboro or Clinton, then back to Framingham. Ken's Foods appears to be their best customer and requires a great deal of time to switch.

Right on Fridays they run to Clinton and run around their train and switch out reisners then highball 10mph lol back to Framingham

Sprinter611 wrote:

SpiderHill wrote:Bestway Lumber is just north of Clinton where the crew normally ties down the train.

They actually tie the train down on the Clinton siding

I could have wrote that sentence better. Yes they tie down in Clinton. It is very common for them to switch out Bestway further north and then push the train back to Clinton to tie down. I see them do that a couple times a week.