CSX Framingham Line questions

Was this line ever considered for sale to a shortline operator back in the PC/CR days like a lot of eastern MA branch lines were? Wondering if the threat of a short line interchanging in Clinton with B&M that kept this line in CR possesion to keep with the captive traffic philosophy?

fogg1703 wrote:Was this line ever considered for sale to a shortline operator back in the PC/CR days like a lot of eastern MA branch lines were? Wondering if the threat of a short line interchanging in Clinton with B&M that kept this line in CR possesion to keep with the captive traffic philosophy?

Didn't stop Conrail from dishing off the Framingham & Lowell north of South Sudbury to Bay Colony. That line crossed the Fitchburg main in West Acton until BC's portion of it went kaput in '92.

I think the Fitchburg Sec. had steady enough business for them to hold on to.

To answer your question about the train on Mar 14, I heard the train talking to the dispatcher, apparently the train form the day before outlawed in Clinton the night before. the crew was asked if they where taking that train also as it occupied the run a round, they said yes they where. it seems that there is a new crew (either Engineer or Conductor) working this train. I hear them most afternoons as they are leaving Norboro for Clinton. I was hearing the person talking on the radio on the overnight job to Attleboro for a while, (again heard him on the radio going into work) as they where given permission to enter Nevins yard and where to put the train. I now here him on this job. they normally clear Norboro around 4pm to 5 pm and get permission to head north to Clinton. you can hear them give times for the switch's.

Thanks for the info on the history of the line. I did not realize traffic during the PC/CR days was as healthy as it was. Unfortunately that is not the case now.

Was in Leominster for the first time in a couple of years and was surprised to see only four cars in the yard. Is this due more to companies switching to truck shipping or has the plastics business in the area declined ?

Part of the business may have shifted to PAS in East Fitchburg. Mid-States Packaging has one of its logistics operations there, on the south side of the yard.

I took a photo down at the Clinton station some years ago when the connecting track was still in place, trees were growing through it so it had to have been years since it was last used.

[quote="F-line to Dudley via Park"][quote="Deuceman927"]Thanks for all the replies, guys.

Bad track certainly doesn't help the rattling. CSX puts almost no maintenance into that line, and with speeds so low the locomotives have to work pretty hard to keep it moving. Hence the rattling. If it were 25 MPH track or welded rail you wouldn't notice nearly as much.
I find it amazing that ANY line can be allowed to deteriorate that bad. Doesn't having the locos work that much harder all the time take it's toll on the engine?

bluedash2 wrote:

F-line to Dudley via Park wrote:

Deuceman927 wrote:Thanks for all the replies, guys.

Bad track certainly doesn't help the rattling. CSX puts almost no maintenance into that line, and with speeds so low the locomotives have to work pretty hard to keep it moving. Hence the rattling. If it were 25 MPH track or welded rail you wouldn't notice nearly as much.
I find it amazing that ANY line can be allowed to deteriorate that bad. Doesn't having the locos work that much harder all the time take it's toll on the engine?

It's a wonder CSX makes any money on that line.,,,at all...

F-line to Dudley via Park wrote:

fogg1703 wrote:Was this line ever considered for sale to a shortline operator back in the PC/CR days like a lot of eastern MA branch lines were? Wondering if the threat of a short line interchanging in Clinton with B&M that kept this line in CR possesion to keep with the captive traffic philosophy?

Didn't stop Conrail from dishing off the Framingham & Lowell north of South Sudbury to Bay Colony. That line crossed the Fitchburg main in West Acton until BC's portion of it went kaput in '92.

I think the Fitchburg Sec. had steady enough business for them to hold on to.

I recall the last customers in Sudbury during the Conrail era were a lumber yard and a coatings/plating company.

j

frrc wrote:

bluedash2 wrote:

F-line to Dudley via Park wrote:

Deuceman927 wrote:Thanks for all the replies, guys.

Bad track certainly doesn't help the rattling. CSX puts almost no maintenance into that line, and with speeds so low the locomotives have to work pretty hard to keep it moving. Hence the rattling. If it were 25 MPH track or welded rail you wouldn't notice nearly as much.
I find it amazing that ANY line can be allowed to deteriorate that bad. Doesn't having the locos work that much harder all the time take it's toll on the engine?

It's a wonder CSX makes any money on that line.,,,at all...

I would be surprised if they didn't with Ken's Foods and the lumber company receiving a lot of loads. They could be making a whole lot more...there are too many unused sidings. From what I understand CSX chased Suburban Propane and a few others away....

Far as I recall the only customers left on that line are:

Ken's Foods - Marlboro

Reisner Scrap - Clinton

Lumber yard - Lancaster

Northeast Grower Supply - Sterling (maybe gets 1-2 loads every Spring)

Flexli-Flo terminal - Leominster

Don't think the "Box shop" in Marlboro near Ken's gets any loads(?) or the Framingham Industrial track. During the CONRAIL era, there were a lot more customers.

J

Northeast Growers closed two years ago. The property has been for sale for over a year. When they were open (and prior to that Agway) they got a couple loads a year.

I don't know for certain but I suspect there is someone else as a customer. I assume Ken's gets tank cars and there are a few boxcars usually on the run. Occasionally the lumber yard will ship out finished PT lumber in a boxcar, but that is not too frequent. Where do the boxcars go?

I don't know how old the images on Google maps and Bing maps are but there is a siding at Marlboro Junction (approximate address 56 Brigham St.) that shows several tank cars,a couple gondolas and a single boxcar.

frrc wrote:Far as I recall the only customers left on that line are:

Ken's Foods - Marlboro

Reisner Scrap - Clinton

Lumber yard - Lancaster

Northeast Grower Supply - Sterling (maybe gets 1-2 loads every Spring)

Flexli-Flo terminal - Leominster

Don't think the "Box shop" in Marlboro near Ken's gets any loads(?) or the Framingham Industrial track. During the CONRAIL era, there were a lot more customers.

J

Safety Kleen @ Marlboro Junction still receives tank cars

Mass Container in Marlborough still receives box cars (5 there when I went by this past week)

NewCorr in Northborough still receives box cars

Sidings no longer receiving cars that i know of:

ANYTHING in the Framingham Industrial Park

Frozen Food Warehouse (now Harvey Industries) Southborough

Sububran Propane Marlborough

Former ToysRUs in Northborough

Former New England Grocers in Northborough

Not sure about further north customers