North Brookfield RR

Cosmo wrote:

daylight4449 wrote:Well, it seems time for me to put my two sense in. I think the NBRR Is going back in, no doubt about that. The only question in my mind is what sort of profit can be expected within the first few years. As for the NIMBYs in East Brookfield, they should have realized by now that the NBRR does pass through East Brookfield, so there is the possibility of some buisinesses planting roots in East Brookfield. North Brookfield only has so much room. Besides, buisinesses equals employment and tax revenue to the town, so East Brookfield residents stand to gain from a revived NBRR as well.

You know, that's a really good point. Hopefully the residents of E. Brookfield are smarter than the ones in W. Upton.

Well, they're all well educated in EB, but the only difference with the West Upton residents is the fact that local NIMBYs had enough warning to bend the facts IMHO. Dan Bigda certianly knows what is happening in West Upton considering he works in the rr industry. He waited to unveil his plan until after everything was set in stone. Not much can be done to stop Dan Bigda and his NBRR now unless you have a LOT of money in some deep pockets

daylight4449 wrote:

Cosmo wrote:

daylight4449 wrote:Well, it seems time for me to put my two sense in. I think the NBRR Is going back in, no doubt about that. The only question in my mind is what sort of profit can be expected within the first few years. As for the NIMBYs in East Brookfield, they should have realized by now that the NBRR does pass through East Brookfield, so there is the possibility of some buisinesses planting roots in East Brookfield. North Brookfield only has so much room. Besides, buisinesses equals employment and tax revenue to the town, so East Brookfield residents stand to gain from a revived NBRR as well.

You know, that's a really good point. Hopefully the residents of E. Brookfield are smarter than the ones in W. Upton.

Well, they're all well educated in EB, but the only difference with the West Upton residents is the fact that local NIMBYs had enough warning to bend the facts IMHO. Dan Bigda certianly knows what is happening in West Upton considering he works in the rr industry. He waited to unveil his plan until after everything was set in stone. Not much can be done to stop Dan Bigda and his NBRR now unless you have a LOT of money in some deep pockets

Again, good points. You have the advantage that you live "close to the source" up there.
In the G&U's case, the RR was never abandoned, therefor, anything Mr Priscoli doess up there is simply improving on an existing physical plant. In other words, the RR is already there, he's just doing upkeep.
Dan is rebuilding from the ground up on a rail bed that hasn't (AFAIK) had rail on it for quite some time.

Well, it seems time for me to put my two sense in. I think the NBRR Is going back in, no doubt about that. The only question in my mind is what sort of profit can be expected within the first few years. As for the NIMBYs in East Brookfield, they should have realized by now that the NBRR does pass through East Brookfield, so there is the possibility of some buisinesses planting roots in East Brookfield. North Brookfield only has so much room. Besides, buisinesses equals employment and tax revenue to the town, so East Brookfield residents stand to gain from a revived NBRR as well.[/quote]
You know, that's a really good point. Hopefully the residents of E. Brookfield are smarter than the ones in W. Upton. [/quote]
Well, they're all well educated in EB, but the only difference with the West Upton residents is the fact that local NIMBYs had enough warning to bend the facts IMHO. Dan Bigda certianly knows what is happening in West Upton considering he works in the rr industry. He waited to unveil his plan until after everything was set in stone. Not much can be done to stop Dan Bigda and his NBRR now unless you have a LOT of money in some deep pockets
Again, good points. You have the advantage that you live "close to the source" up there.
In the G&U's case, the RR was never abandoned, therefor, anything Mr Priscoli doess up there is simply improving on an existing physical plant. In other words, the RR is already there, he's just doing upkeep.
Dan is rebuilding from the ground up on a rail bed that hasn't (AFAIK) had rail on it for quite some time.[/quote]
True. That's another advantage that the gu has. The only major trackwor proble I see is getting across west main street in EB. I've driven through and there definitely is serious development. There is a small opening, but it would create one really tricky, signaling wise, grade crossing. And then there's that "bridge of death". Stable enough for people to cross (while leaving one tempted into crawling across) I just don't know how it would hold under service conditions...

From what I've seen I'll agree that the West Main St.crossing will be a major project. I'll bet that "encroachment row" starts just north of this area.
The other challenge that I could see was right at the end of the former line in N B. A long time friend who has a house in N B showed me where the siding to the Quabaug Corp. plant once was - it went alongside School St from the station to the loading dock, which he said was on the south side of the factory building. I probably saw it when I was there back in 1970-71 but don't remember.

Something more to think about, but it was mentioned in one of the earlier articles that the NBRR is to use GP9s for operations. I don't believe Dan or his Boxcar Services own any GP9s, just SW1500s and GP15-1s. Why go for locomotives when you have who knows how many SW1500s and something in the neighborhood of 40 GP15-1s? Just curious.

I wonder if any environmental laws will hinder the line from coming back? Back in 1995 -96 Coca Cola in Northampton MA wanted to build a spur into their plant off the Guilford Conn River line. The spur was going to be relaid on the bed of the old Central Mass branch that was pulled up many years before. Everything looked promising, the STB approved it, and even Guilford was cooperating (who woulda thought?) but the spur was never built. Years later a railroad official told me the environmental review killed the project, something about having to cross a stream. Not too sure about the details on that, but I do know the line never went in and now a bike path is.

Latest news on the NBRR. The NIMBY's are becoming more vocal. IMHO I can't see how this RR will be in "operation" by June 2012 ?

http://www.telegram.com/article/20120210/NEWS/102109650

frrc wrote:Latest news on the NBRR. The NIMBY's are becoming more vocal. IMHO I can't see how this RR will be in "operation" by June 2012 ?

http://www.telegram.com/article/20120210/NEWS/102109650

Two thoughts:
1) I noticed that one of those interviewed for this article, Mr. Pollard, only opposes this project because his neighbors are against it. Seems like something akin to peer pressure.

2) Maybe the NBRR won't be ready for June of 2012, but if that be the case, I wouldn't be surprised if the NBRR is into the construction phase.

One of my coworkers is friend's with Mr Bigda, though I haven't heard any news on progress. The railroad will be using GP9s, and a paint scheme has already been chosen. There is much more equipment under Bigda's radar than what is shown on the website.

Latest news on the North Brookfield RR's plans. IMHO, they have a long, long way to go before they are fully operational. Not counting the NIMBY faction in East Brookfield....

http://www.telegram.com/article/2012042 ... 1101/local

frrc wrote:Latest news on the North Brookfield RR's plans. IMHO, they have a long, long way to go before they are fully operational. Not counting the NIMBY faction in East Brookfield....

http://www.telegram.com/article/2012042 ... 1101/local

I don't see the NIMBYs being a problem. There's enough people I can count on one hand, and those are people whose lifestyles may be effected. I'm just glad they may get the go-ahead from the STB soon so construction can start.

daylight4449 wrote:

frrc wrote:Latest news on the North Brookfield RR's plans. IMHO, they have a long, long way to go before they are fully operational. Not counting the NIMBY faction in East Brookfield....

http://www.telegram.com/article/2012042 ... 1101/local

I don't see the NIMBYs being a problem. There's enough people I can count on one hand, and those are people whose lifestyles may be effected. I'm just glad they may get the go-ahead from the STB soon so construction can start.

This is far from a done deal - there have not been any filings with the STB - I just checked. The local newspaper (Worcester Telegram) has some interesting rebuttal in the North Brookfield section - especially about Bigda's tax lien:

http://www.telegram.com/section/telegramtowns/

(need to choose North Brookfield)

This spur was legally abandoned through ICC in 1972 - it retains no authority to run - and would need STB approval - which has not been filed for. Mass DEP also would need to approve due to wetlands. Construction on this is a pipe dream.

Heard from Dennis Lebeau that it appears the first pieces of equipment and supplies are arriving at the North Brookfield depot. Can anyone confirm?

ILUVEB wrote:

daylight4449 wrote:

frrc wrote:Latest news on the North Brookfield RR's plans. IMHO, they have a long, long way to go before they are fully operational. Not counting the NIMBY faction in East Brookfield....

http://www.telegram.com/article/2012042 ... 1101/local

I don't see the NIMBYs being a problem. There's enough people I can count on one hand, and those are people whose lifestyles may be effected. I'm just glad they may get the go-ahead from the STB soon so construction can start.

This is far from a done deal - there have not been any filings with the STB - I just checked. The local newspaper (Worcester Telegram) has some interesting rebuttal in the North Brookfield section - especially about Bigda's tax lien:

http://www.telegram.com/section/telegramtowns/

(need to choose North Brookfield)

This spur was legally abandoned through ICC in 1972 - it retains no authority to run - and would need STB approval - which has not been filed for. Mass DEP also would need to approve due to wetlands. Construction on this is a pipe dream.

That appears to disagree with >>this<< from the Telegram and Gazette dated Wednesday, April 25, 2012..

Bradford L. Miner wrote:He said some people are convinced that Pennsylvania Central Railroad, which had leased the line from the North Brookfield Railroad Corp., had abandoned service on the line, and that was tantamount to abandoning the right-of-way.

“That is not the case. We have paid taxes annually and have filed the appropriate documents and everything is still very positive,” the selectman said.

The previous poster is correct - there is indeed disagreement, because the NBRR folks are playing loose with the truth. This is verifiable through public website information. The section cited is a quote in the Worcester Telegram from Selectman Chabot, who claims that they have filed with the STB. Search their public site - there are no such filings. As for taxes, they have never paid taxes in EB. The Massachusetts Secretary of State cannot identify the NBRR as a Massachusetts Corporation. And as far as tax irregularities, check out:

http://www.masslandrecords.com/Worceste ... werEx.aspx

(not sure how to make link work - sorry)

Bigda has unpaid tax lien of $570,535.96 !

If they start construction Mass DEP will be all over them also.