Future of ex. B&A, Boston Line

roberttosh wrote:One other thing, I think you are incorrect when you say that the Leominster local averages 40-60 cars per day. I've seen that train several times over the past few months and while it occassionally has been pushing 30-40 cars, it usually seems to be closer to 20-30 cars. I believe the train goes as far as Leominster on TU & TH only, and that's when it get a bit longer, but again, I think 40-60 cars is a bit of a stretch.

I was in Leominster yesterday, and took a look at the end of track at Mechanic St. From the crud in the flangeways in and around the street, it's pretty obvious nothing has used those rails in a while. And it's also clear that there's not space between the points of the turnout on that end of the runaround and the obviously unused track to hold the 2 GP40-2's the B724 usually has. Looking at the satellite and aerial photos on maps.live.com I see there's a crossover about where the O'Leary office is so I presume they must be using the Lancaster street end of that for a runaround when they turn to head south. But judging from the aerial photos that have cars in them, that end of the runaround can't hold more than about a dozen cars. And it doesn't look like the entire length of it would hold much more than 30 cars.

So, my question. How does B724 turn in Leominster? Doesn't seem like there's enough space even for the 20-30 cars if the track in Mechanic street is unused. Do they shuffle the cars by on the Lancaster street end a dozen at a time? Do they leave cars from Safety Kleen, Ken's, New-Corr, and Reisner on the runaround in Clinton and pick them up again on the way back?

Thanks,
Ken.

I have heard that CSX is selling lines east of Framingham to MBTA. A major yard facility will be built in the worcester area to handle the freight that will now be shipped there. I believe the current yard in Worcester will remain. I haven't heard of P&W or Guilford coming into play on this deal. But this info is just from newspapers a while back. But Beacon Park will be closing in the coming future since BU owns the air rights on the property.

atsf sp wrote:I have heard that CSX is selling lines east of Framingham to MBTA. A major yard facility will be built in the worcester area to handle the freight that will now be shipped there. I believe the current yard in Worcester will remain. I haven't heard of P&W or Guilford coming into play on this deal. But this info is just from newspapers a while back. But Beacon Park will be closing in the coming future since BU owns the air rights on the property.

The Commonwealth already owns the Framingham-Boston portion of the line....the Commonwealth and CSX are in negotiations for state purchase of the Worcester-Framingham portion. The Commonwealth and CSX recently reached an agreement for increased commuter service on the Framingham-Worcester portion with the state paying to increase Boston Line clearances to 20'6" from the NY border to Westborough. Harvard, not BU, owns the land under Beacon Park with CSX possessing a long-term lease for usage, though Harvard, the Commonwealth and CSX are looking (as has been the case for 20 or so years beginning with Conrail) to move Beacon Park's operations further west (of Framingham). Rumors abound about CSX's pullout and it was reported that Conrail was going to sell the eastern MA branches to a shortline operator who has since gone belly-up...the deal was stopped as the Conrail breakup neared.
If you look at the date these negotiations were supposed to have started, 2005, nothing has changed, and, IMHO, given operational and commercial challenges/considerations, this may take a long tme, if at all, and only to those with a solid operational background and with ironclad assurance that this traffic will only be funnelled to CSX without competing interests insinuating themselves into the mix.