CSX Track Upgrades & Infrastructure of Pan Am

Considering the yard was so bad it was nearly out of service, yeah you're going to see that everywhere.

They put 1-2 tracks in back around 2020-2022 to haul trash.

F74265A wrote: ↑Wed Nov 13, 2024 10:54 am The current google maps image of Lawrence yard (no idea when taken) ...

Based on the historical photo slider in Google Earth, the imagery date looks to be 5/11/2023. There's a single staged turnout showing in the 6/21/2023 aerial, and everything looks to be either installed or removed for use elsewhere in the 3/12/2024 photo

13 Piece Corman rail gang with two CSX escort trucks rolled into Rockingham just prior to the 1:00 PM Downeaster meet.
They pulled onto the Portsmouth Branch branch to clear up for the meet. They are headed to Dover according to one of the grew guys. There are 2 new switches and some CWR to install there.

That rail gang traveled up from Lowell , heard the EB dispatcher giving them track this A.M. They were working in the Lowell area last week.

I'm surely not the first to say it, but it is really exciting to see this much work being done all over the place.

Anyone have an idea where new wayside signal locations will be placed? I feel like I saw a chart somewhere but can’t locate.

artman wrote: ↑Fri Nov 15, 2024 4:51 pm I'm surely not the first to say it, but it is really exciting to see this much work being done all over the place.

Yeah, I think we all should be grateful that CSX made this purchase and celebrate the fact that New England has a real Class 1 railroad for the first time in my lifetime. I am enjoying this immensely.

neman2 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 14, 2024 9:20 pm That rail gang traveled up from Lowell , heard the EB dispatcher giving them track this A.M. They were working in the Lowell area last week.

What work was done in Lowell? I recall a picture of tie plates having been dropped by the Lowell MBTA station. Was rail replaced in that area?

I saw a tie gang heading towards NMJ earlier today with former Pan Am equipment. Not sure where they are doing ties, but I haven't seen any laid out between Old Town and Waterville.

codasd they have been running a few MOW and gravel/RJC up the Hillsborough branch.

The rail gang has gone as far as Cardville Road in Greenbush. They had one rail replaced as far as the west side of the crossing when I went through last night from what it looked like. They should have about 3-5 miles of rail left to do before jumping to points east. I am not 100% sure, but I think the tie crew is working on the main behind the rail crew replacing ties in the section between Cardville Rd and Costigan where they had the derailments over the summer. They have also been doing some light surfacing through Old Town and Milford.
A few photos of the recently installed CWR at Costigan.

Amazing how different it looks in just a few years!

I haven't figured out why but they also dropped two radio tower control boxes there as well. You can see one is installed further down and the second one is just off the shoulder of the road and doesn't look like its connected to anything.

Here are some excerpts from CSX's Fifth Biannual Report recently filed with the STB re: CSX acquisition of PAR. While all the traffic specific trends discussions/data (eg, truck to rail conversion estimates) are redacted (some commodities have increased and some have decreased), there is a decent summary of what CSX has accomplished wrt PAR infrastructure improvements and what is planned in the short term:

CSX expects that the conversion of truck traffic to rail will increase as improvements are made to the PAR System and shippers see that they can rely on an upgraded and more efficient PAR rail network for their transportation needs. The key to this beneficial trend toward increased use of rail will be improvements to PAR physical infrastructure. And physical improvements on the PAR System have accelerated in the last six months and will continue over the next year. CSX has devoted substantial resources in the past six months to upgrading the PAR infrastructure.

CSX has completed trackwork (including tie, rail, and ballast replacement and surfacing) and signal work on the line between Lincoln, ME (WAT 16.0) and Enfield, ME (WAT 28.0), allowing for increasing the maximum speed limit to 40 mph. CSX has replaced approximately 9,700 ties and 12 track miles of rail over this segment.

Additionally, the PAR System was awarded a CRISI grant for the Waterville Subdivision. CSX has completed trackwork on the main line between Waterville, ME (WAT 113.0) and Royal Jct., ME (WAT 184.7). CSX has replaced approximately 35 track miles of rail, replaced 26 switches, and installed 36 new track panels at road crossings over this segment. CSX is also completing signal work on this segment. These improvements will increase the maximum speed limit to 40 mph.

CSX will upgrade the Hinkley Branch between Waterville, ME (WVL 0.0) and Shawmut, ME (WVL 9.0), increasing the maximum speed limit to 25 mph. CSX has completed staging new rail on this segment. CSX anticipates that it will complete this project in 2025.

On the Portland Subdivision, CSX has completed trackwork and crossing rehabilitations on the main line between Andover, MA (Lowell Jct.) (PLD 106.0) and Ayer, MA (Willows) (PLD 126.7). CSX has replaced approximately 25,000 ties and four track miles of rail over this segment. CSX is also completing signal work on this segment. These improvements will increase the maximum speed limit to 40 mph.

Within the Portland terminal district, CSX has completed 95% of trackwork and signal work on the second track, with the aid of funds from NNEPRA. CSX has replaced approximately two track miles of rail over this segment. These improvements have allowed a maximum speed of 30 mph on 70% of this segment, with the speed on the remaining portion to be increased in 2025.

CSX will also upgrade the Portsmouth Branch between Rockingham Jct., NH (PMT 0.0) and Portsmouth, NH (PMT 13.0). CSX has begun new rail installation and expects to complete the installation by the end of this year. CSX expects to complete crossing and signal work on this segment in 2025. These improvements will increase the maximum speed limit to 25 mph.

At Wells, ME, with the aid of a CRISI grant, CSX has completed construction of a six mile
long second main track which should be placed into service next week. CSX has replaced
approximately six track miles of rail and installed two new crossovers, one new switch, and two
new control points over this segment.

On the Nashua Subdivision, CSX will upgrade the line between North Chelmsford, MA and Nashua Yard. CSX expects to complete a tie replacement and crossing rehabilitation project on this segment by the end of this year. CSX has replaced approximately 23,000 ties over this segment. CSX will also be completing signal work on this segment in the future. These improvements will increase the maximum speed limit to 25 mph.

Furthermore, the Pine Tree CRISI grant will result in upgrades to the line between
Mattawamkeag, ME (WAT 0.4) and Waterville, ME (WAT 113.0), which will increase the
maximum speed limit to 40 mph.

CSX has already completed significant work on this line, including laying new continuous welded rail, installing ties, and resurfacing the entire line, which increased the maximum speed limit to 25 mph, as discussed in the fourth biannual report...While awaiting final approval of a revised scope of work for this grant, CSX, on its own, has installed nearly 50 track miles of continuous welded rail and replaced approximately 47,000 ties, increasing the maximum speed limit on the entire line to 25 mph. Once the revised scope of work is approved, CSX expects to complete additional work on the line using grant funds, which will increase the maximum speed limit on the entire line to 40
mph.

Additionally, the PAR System was awarded a federal grant for ties on the Downeaster route between Brunswick, ME and the New Hampshire and Massachusetts state line. CSX expects to replace approximately 125,000 ties on this segment in 2025.

CSX has completed additional capital improvement projects in the most recent six-month period. For instance, in CSX’s Lawrence, MA yard, CSX has replaced approximately 1,000 ties and installed eight new switches, bringing the entire yard to FRA Class I standards. CSX has also completed its portion of the work on six of the seven bridges that will need to have improved clearances to allow for double stack clearance on the Worcester Main Line. CSX expects that work on the seventh bridge will be completed soon. This project will be complete once work on these bridges, and three additional bridges, is completed. CSX is also installing 1,800 bridge ties on 10 bridges in Maine.

CSX anticipates that the increased reliability resulting from these projects will continue
to encourage new customers to ship via rail rather than truck.

The Worcester line statement above re: clearance improvements confuses me - I'm guessing the 7th bridge clearance project is the in-progress raising of the Ag Branch overpass at Clinton but what are the "three additional bridges" that require work? There's no mention of any pending clearance work required for P&W's Lincoln Square tunnel and no mention of any installation of a 2nd track / interchange yard in Worcester between CP-45 and Millbrook St.

Here's a link to the filing at the STB site: https://dcms-external.s3.amazonaws.com/ ... 308944.pdf