CSX In Boston Area

Does anybody know what CSX s going to do now that they are taking apart their Beacon Park Yard? I know most of it is going through Worcester now but does anybody know anything else?

They don't use the yard anymore and haven't for some time. They have a small chemical customer near where the engine facility used to be but their siding is being removed soon. Other than that they run through the yard to reach the Grand Jct line several times per week to serve their few remaining Everett customers. Towards the end, Beacon Park was pretty much Intermodal only, with a little traffic going to their Transflo terminal there as well. Those have both been relocated to the West so really no need for Beacon Park anymore.

Thanks! I had heard the Houghton Chemical siding was staying. It's been difficult to see that yard go. Now I need to go to Worcester to see good freight

Most of the remains of CSX freight for Metro Boston is based at Framingham,then on the Framingham Secondary to Walpole,
then onward to Mansfield(Amtrak/NEC)is another CSX freight yard.
CSX as sold off some freight service to local shortlines,long term goal for CSX seems to be retreating to Worcester,
may sell off or give the Food Warehouses off of Grand Jct branch to PAR.
This is a basic "cliff notes" version.

There're 2 other threads that have a more complete view of CSX freight in the Metro Boston area,
they been bumped up for reference reading.

CSXguy.10.03 wrote:Thanks! I had heard the Houghton Chemical siding was staying. It's been difficult to see that yard go. Now I need to go to Worcester to see good freight

Houghton is still going to get cars until mid-2018. The termination agreement they signed with Harvard and City of Boston this summer gave them a 2-year cushion to reshuffle ops to other rail-accessible locations of theirs (couple in the Midwest & Mid-Atlantic served direct by Norfolk Southern) before deliveries at Beacon Park are allowed to stop. The plant is going to stay there as that's their HQ, they own the land the building itself sits on, and their founder/CEO is a hometown guy who refuses to uproot. But they'll be producing a lot less at the plant when they're limited to truck-only. Long-term the future probably is going to be a slow transition to Boston just being a corporate, non-production office.

Katsiroubas Produce recently moved to Readville and I'm told they are "considering" using the rail network there for incoming product. We'll see if that happens but it would be a good addition.

I think the remaining CSX freight in immediate Boston centers in Readville, don't know just how much is left there either, sad story of what used to be.
Noel Weaver

That's right, the environmental crusaders of Boston [and note, Harvard], have banished freight rail and are now 100% dedicated to congesting and polluting trucks. There's commitment!

Same mistake NY made in the 80s. The pendulum will swing back...

Readville has 2 day jobs that you can get.

B710- On duty 7am in Readville, basically they just work the customers in Readville yard and home depot in Westwood. They also go to Stoughton every now and then to service some lumber customer.

B731- On duty 8am in Readville, goes to Framingham and back. Usually out around 9 and back around 4 or 5

ccutler wrote:That's right, the environmental crusaders of Boston [and note, Harvard], have banished freight rail and are now 100% dedicated to congesting and polluting trucks. There's commitment!

Seeing your username reminded me of yet another customer who used to get rail service but no longer does. Clark Cutler in Franklin on the MBTA Franklin Line was serviced at night by B736 (aka WP-21) on it's way west to Milford.

So supposedly if the new transfer station in holbrook gets the green light it will be receiving and sending out cars by rail. Im all for it(more railfaning as I live next to the tracks) but the nimbys are out in full force. Quite entertaining when theyre describing the train as this smoke belching, ground pounding, neighborhood ruining satans toy, when the existing CSX service has never come up as an isuue before.

Anyone have tabs on B735 and Americold at Widett Circle? They're scheduled to make the run on Monday and Wednesday nights, but does it actually happen regularly anymore?

Paid a visit to Walpole on Tuesday 3/27/18 and observed 20+ box cars crammed into the yard tracks plus there was a cut of cars north of the rte 27 overpass. Seems like a lot of box cars there and initially I thought they were in storage (are the yard tracks owned by CSX or MASSDoT?) but the wheel treads were rust-free. Is business booming around Walpole or are these box cars headed to/from other points (eg, Franklin, Readville, or Attleboro?)

That's more how it used to be. I'm foggy on what goes where but almost all of those cars are on their way to/from further points, including Foxboro Terminal.