steam1246 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:47 am
Well--now that VRS and Vermont AOT have "ruffled" CSX's feathers a bid with their objections to the STB PAR/PAS sale filings, has VRS "PO"-ed CSX enough to affect future dealings in New Hampshire
In short. No. Remember that GW was the NS choice, not CSX; CSX just made considerations to NS for other in hand deals. CSX had to expect VRS and maybe others to balk at that ( You may shortly see one of the unions making the same complaint about GW shortly. I've head the brief, but don't know if it has yet been filed).
Its business, not personal.
steam1246 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:47 amAt this point, it would seem that any VRS service south of Concord would not be possible as early as July l(a previously "rumored" here on railroad.net) or December (as speculated in the VRS employee "newsletter" last Christmas). With "Aprilish" right around the corner, is construction still on tap at the new Lowell Junction gravel facility--or is it "on Hold" until the PAR/CSX sale is resolved?
July 1 was the purchase date, and the only real advertised date. The movements of the gravel are not anticipated until Fall 2021. Now, they had been anticipated for last year, but COVID did put a wrench into that.
Construction schedules still are on schedule. We can't wait for decisions outside our control, such as PAR moving from minor to significant, to control what is done on our end, which ultimately has no bearing on our construction projects as the customers want their stuff when they want it. The customer still has to work on his end and we still have to build a very long siding and spur on our end, which will take time. Where the train is handed off, doesn't change what will need to be built in Tilton and Andover, and that hand off will happen if its a PAR crew or CSX crew. Remember this was all planned before CSX even came into the picture, at an already established interchange.
Our operations south of Concord have never been speculated publicly at this time as us running it. Things have been talked about internally, but we don't NEED it to do what our current customer projects require. Trackage rights south of Concord will make some things easier in the long run, but all we really need is the interchange at Concord, and with what is planned PAR et CSX will need a dedicated crew for it 3-4 days a week and its an already established interchange so should even CSX have a High School childish reaction, there really isn't much they can do.