CSX Acquisition of Pan Am Railways

This is the Pan Am clearance map from their website. I guess we can now assume that the tracks going towards Revere can be yellow allowing for Plate F. But for how far does anyone know? Can they access the Revere Branch?

Also for the Fitchburg branch, it shows it is cleared for only about 2/3 of the way unlike the other two main lines. Is that still the case? Is there any reason that only part of this trackage is cleared?

If this map is accurate I guess Plate F cars will have to go via Lowell only. But the map shows double-stacks allowed only to "Crescent" from the west and not Mechanicville for some reason so maybe an update is in order.

Wasn't CSX's whole goal to become profitable was not to deliver to end customers especially on low volume branch lines. They stop going east of Framingham and gave PAR the job o deliver in the Boston area a few years ago. Will they now stop all service to customers in Boston and North Shore? I do not see them wanting to continue servicing low volume customers in the region. Maybe they will give the rights to other class 3s to take over these jobs. Might be lucrative for a small RR.

That was when they were in PSR hell. They've come out and are in growth mode, see Framingham Secondary new customers. Time will tell but I would not expect much to be offloaded. There isn't even much marginal left.

Are you referring to the new trash/c&d loading facility in Leominster or has csx landed even more new business on the Fitchburg secondary?

Yes. I always confuse the two names of the secondaries.

F74265A wrote: ↑Thu Dec 10, 2020 1:21 pm Are you referring to the new trash/c&d loading facility in Leominster or has csx landed even more new business on the Fitchburg secondary?

Looks like another one is in the works:

Leominster Packaging & Warehousing ($348,798):
The project will support the installation of a new siding track and equipment to unload plastic pellets to meet demand of area plastic manufacturing businesses. The project will increase the volume of cargo being shipped by rail and eliminate over 300 truck trips on roads in the region. Leominster Packaging & Warehousing is providing 40% of the project cost.

newpylong wrote: ↑Thu Dec 10, 2020 11:31 am That was when they were in PSR hell. They've come out and are in growth mode, see Framingham Secondary new customers. Time will tell but I would not expect much to be offloaded. There isn't even much marginal left.

There's really not much left period. There's whats left of the mills I guess. I still can't for the life of me figure out what CSX sees in the property, Saint John notwithstanding.

newpylong wrote: ↑Thu Dec 10, 2020 1:59 pm Yes. I always confuse the two names of the secondaries.

They do both end in Framingham so the names are inherently confusing

Time for Number 5 on the list to take it over unless it can split up the railroad with Number 2. I have seen worst things with CSX out here in Indiana with out of service former mains sitting unused, furloughs, and lost customers. NS did just lose a contract with General Motors in Ft Wayne to the G&W's CF&E (Chicago, Fort Wayne, and Eastern).
https://moneywise.com/a/the-worst-compa ... hzYl4xiOfg

Railroads, like any other component of the transportation system, is a 24/7 operation. If you can't accept that, don't go near any industry within such - or at least not near Operations.

Go in to railroad Operations as a Conductor or Locomotive Engineer, you get a "Middle Manager's" earnings without needing the "Pedigree", but "the railroad owns you" in return.

disclaimer: author had "had enough" after eleven years of railroad employment.

F74265A wrote: ↑Thu Dec 10, 2020 2:26 pm

newpylong wrote: ↑Thu Dec 10, 2020 1:59 pm Yes. I always confuse the two names of the secondaries.

They do both end in Framingham so the names are inherently confusing

Speaking of that line. Part of it will be rail banked and used as a trail.

https://dcms-external.s3.amazonaws.com/ ... 301337.pdf

That's a third line, the old Framingham and Lowell - the one that crossed Route 2 at grade and ended at Lowell with the wye. It splits off of the Fitchburg secondary just north of the yard. Not sure why CSX is holding on to any of it, it's all housing developments along the row, no chance of business.

This is all ex-New Haven trackage, right?

Yes on NH

I believe most of it is a rail trail now through Acton, Chelmsford , and Lowell. I think it ran by the old Wang buildings by Rt. 3 and the Lowell Connector. As Newpy mentioned it ended in Lowell at the wye just north of Gorham Street.