CSX Acquisition of Pan Am Railways

bostontrainguy wrote:

newpylong wrote: ↑Thu Oct 15, 2020 4:06 pm Also, that company that owns FEC and Ferromex has been all over the property this week reportedly.

PAR east of Ayer maybe?

That would make sense to me given the other reported developments. I also think Fortress would be happy to bid on the entire property.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Hux wrote: ↑Thu Oct 15, 2020 8:46 pm Oh great, I guess all the locos will be staying yellow and blue and various colors found in the back of the paint locker.

I actually like the Pan Am blue. That blue with NERAIL instead of CONRAIL would look cool.

newpylong wrote:https://railsandports.com/2020/10/par-s ... way-there/

If this proves true, it's a nice piece of sleuthing. I know several people on that train, and they have no f-ing clue who any of the executives were other than those from Pan Am and no one talked around strangers about the sale.

Just remember that Kevin B. is one of the main contributors for Rails & Ports now. That being said, if this article is what it smells like, it might be wise to spread it on a vegetable garden.

bostontrainguy wrote: ↑Thu Oct 15, 2020 9:37 pm I actually like the Pan Am blue. That blue with NERAIL instead of CONRAIL would look cool.

Well, if this comes to fruition any PAR motive power is as good as gone. Not only are they beat to sh*t but they'll just use their own like CSA does.

Well there are nice pictures of all the Conrail exec's on their website so assuming a reasonably close encounter when the OCS was boarded or exited, then positive ID is possible by people who were prepared.

backroadrails wrote: ↑Thu Oct 15, 2020 9:54 pm Just remember that Kevin B. is one of the main contributors for Rails & Ports now. That being said, if this article is what it smells like, it might be wise to spread it on a vegetable garden.

You mean to tell me the 'World's Greatest Railfan' might be full of it??? Gasp.....

First, allow me to note I previously reported that Conrail Shared Assets served Baltimore. That was mistaken, and I have edited out any such reference.

Now continuing on a related point, Wiki reports that CRSA holds the IHB 51% interest "inherited" from the NYC, yet there is no mention of Chicago being a CRSA service area at their site. Possibly that ownership exists "on paper", but apparently it does not for marketing or operations. I have observed CSX motive power on Harbor lines (such as at Oak Lawn from the 294, deferring such to staying alive), if that be worth anything.

But back in New England, I guess what this maritime reporter envisions is both CSX (B&A) and NS (B&M/PAS) reaching "Boston area" on their own rails, thence "Shared Assets" (possibly even Conrail) of NH and ME. I think the maritime interests in both Portland and Searsport will welcome such a development. Those in Saint John will feel "shut out", as their access to the USA will remain at the mercy of some "rinky dink short line" whose owners have it simply to move timber @ 25mph to their mills located there.

Of course, if such comes to pass, four Class I's (CSX, GT, NS, SOO) could access trackage in the region. I could envision fights over who will fix up what track (they probably happen between two roads within the existing CRSA). For example, might Topper decide he's not getting enough traffic, or have the potential for same, at Searsport, where SOO/CP is a bit more "entrenched"?

Those here more "on the ground" could think many more instances than can I.

BTW, I've met Mr. McClellan "along the way"; a real gentleman, and apparently "a railfan of sorts", as I recall.

What does Searsport have to do with CSAO being involved in a potential Pan Am sale? Searsport is solely CP, no other railroad has access, and it's highly unlikely any other railroads will get access, short of CP selling off the trackage, which isn't likely given their plans for it. Furthermore, all inbound traffic that goes to Searsport (and Kidders) comes from CP, or is outbound traffic for Irving (diesel and kaolin). That's not to say it won't change in the future, but let's be honest, it's likely that pattern will remain the same in the future.

Secondly, I'd hardly call Irving a "rinky-dink shortline". Yes, it primarily exists to serve Irving's own needs, but they also have plenty of business that is unrelated or only loosely related to the Irving company. In Maine, they may only be 25 mph, but in NB they do operate at 40 mph, and they are working to upgrade the trackage in Maine back to 40 mph. Irving is in a position where they generate a large amount of traffic, substantial enough that every Class 1 in the region is interested in it, and their traffic will go whichever way is the cheapest (factoring in routings, of course).

Irving controls over 50,000 carloads per year.... probably more like 60,000 these days with CP and MNR. Put in perspective thats more than twice as large as CMQ was. Remember a good chunk of traffic goes out via CN gateways at SJ and St. Leonard... theres a large pie for CP and anyone else to tap into there.

CN9634 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 16, 2020 7:48 am

backroadrails wrote: ↑Thu Oct 15, 2020 9:54 pm Just remember that Kevin B. is one of the main contributors for Rails & Ports now. That being said, if this article is what it smells like, it might be wise to spread it on a vegetable garden.

You mean to tell me the 'World's Greatest Railfan' might be full of it??? Gasp.....

Come on now. The world's most knowledgeable railroader who's yet to couple a car knows all.

Thinking out loud, if I was CSX and/or NS I would worry a lot that if PAR got into certain hands most of their traffic would go north and out through Canada and they would lose a huge part of their business. That would not be a good thing for rail freight in Massachusetts. A CONRAIL joint venture for PAR almost sounds like a necessity.

>>CSX will get 50% ownership in the line from Mechanicsville, NY to Ayer, MA<<

BTW, there is no "S" in "Mechanicville".

nkloudon wrote: ↑Fri Oct 16, 2020 12:28 pm >>CSX will get 50% ownership in the line from Mechanicsville, NY to Ayer, MA<<

Yes and that means both CSX and NS get access to Ayer via the PAS. That's good news. Now does NS get access to the B&A too? Trains can then go either way on either line through Massachusetts. That changes the face of railroading in Massachusetts. Might just kill the Hoosac expansion but certainly offers some flexibility in routing.

They could also just give NS complete ownership of PAS to Ayer and CSX complete ownership to Ayer via Worcester. Then the big question is would both get ownership of PAR through a CONRAIL joint venture for everything east of Ayer? That is what makes most sense to me and would be an exciting thing to see.

Im fairly certain NS did some bean counting and feasibility analysis of the tunnel clearance 'project' and came to the realization of "F that". Considering the tunnel events of early this year, it probably makes more sense to Conrail it up for Pan Am and try to access full autos/intermodal via the B&A

Volks, as some here have suggested, the source of this CRSA proposal is questionable, and further, industry newssources as well as general circulation financial media has yet to give the story any "ink", should not we simply let it lay and await further developments?

It reminds me of when during '80, Japanese maritime interests were considering a purchase of MILW Lines West. It even made the pages of general circulation media, but within a week, it was "poof".

But it sure sounded "hot" to this MILW (Non-Agreement) lowerling. The thought of those same interests moving on the still intact, but dormant, ERIE to create a true "transcon", obviating any need for Neo-PANAMAX, "Land Bridge" could really have been a game changer for a piece of my road.

But somehow, I think the "source" was nothing more than "a couple of guys a bit higher up than me having a few" - and a reporter hunting a story in earshot.