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  • CSX Acquisition of Pan Am Railways

  • Guilford Rail System changed its name to Pan Am Railways in 2006. Discussion relating to the current operations of the Boston & Maine, the Maine Central, and the Springfield Terminal railroads (as well as the Delaware & Hudson while it was under Guilford control until 1988). Official site can be found here: PANAMRAILWAYS.COM.
Guilford Rail System changed its name to Pan Am Railways in 2006. Discussion relating to the current operations of the Boston & Maine, the Maine Central, and the Springfield Terminal railroads (as well as the Delaware & Hudson while it was under Guilford control until 1988). Official site can be found here: PANAMRAILWAYS.COM.

Moderator: MEC407

 #1573696  by CN9634
 
CP-DME was in 2009 and not a minor transaction.

But aside the point, this will get through for sure. I’m already hearing (real) talk of an intermodal terminal in Maine to relieve capacity constraints on Worcester.
 #1573729  by newpylong
 
If it's in the Portland area (which is the rumor I am hearing), there is little need. It's nearly all 40 as-is besides the Stoney and Lowell branches.
 #1573732  by Gilbert B Norman
 
Mr. Newpy, isn't the track Lowell Jct-Portland already FRA Class 4 paid for by NNEPRA?

If this Chessie plan comes to pass - and the passenger train agency does not impose too many restrictions on the line's use - this could sure be a "shot in the arm" for the Port to handle high value container traffic.

Of course, the "flip" is the proposed "Berkshire and Eastern", i.e. your road, will simply become a Class 2 branch line terminating at Ayer. I'm still at a loss to understand why Topper "bolted for the paddock" as quickly as he did. But I also like to think his handlers at 1200 Peachtree "ain't dumb".
 #1573735  by F74265A
 
It makes sense to me for Worcester- Ayer to be 35 as I recall newpylong said he would run over that line in CR days. But csx did not consult me
 #1573744  by roberttosh
 
Seems to me that the Worcester line would be a candidate for a total rebuild. I picture CSX eventually having a 40 MPH railroad from Waterville to Worcester, whereas they could probably live with 25 MPH from Waterville to Keag.
 #1573745  by roberttosh
 
newpylong wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 7:46 am If it's in the Portland area (which is the rumor I am hearing), there is little need. It's nearly all 40 as-is besides the Stoney and Lowell branches.
Interesting that they are looking at Portland instead of Waterville, which already has the existing IM terminal. By locating in Portland, it would seem that CSX is going after more non-paper related traffic, as there is certainly more population density there than in Waterville, which on the flip side is in closer proximity to most of the mills. Portland is also quite a bit closer to Worcester, which you would think makes Waterville more attractive. Will certainly be interesting to see how all this pans out.
 #1573747  by fromway
 
With the droughts and high temperatures in the West and MId-West, maybe Poland Springs will be shipping more water that way. I beilieve they have been using Waterville for their shipping.
 #1573750  by Gilbert B Norman
 
roberttosh wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 11:58 am I picture CSX eventually having a 40 MPH railroad from Waterville to Worcester, whereas they could probably live with 25 MPH from Waterville to Keag.
Mr. Tosh, if Chessie wants to get into Saint John business consigned to US destinations she serves (rather than letting SOO have it and giving her a "short haul" if even that) - and develop more amongst the maritime companies, then it would behove her to build FRA Class 3 to Keag and the Irving interchange.
 #1573757  by roberttosh
 
A lot of what CSX will be handling from Keag will be local traffic that it terminates on its' own line (i.e. non-competitive), so it will move that way regardless of the track condition. Nobody I have spoken to has lead me to believe that CSX has much interest in Intermodal business from the Port of Saint John, so I think 25 MPH from Keag to Waterville is more than sufficient for manifest traffic. In reality 25 vs 40 only adds a couple of hours in transit time, which CSX can definitely make up for West of Waterville.
 #1573765  by newpylong
 
Gilbert B Norman wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 8:06 am Mr. Newpy, isn't the track Lowell Jct-Portland already FRA Class 4 paid for by NNEPRA?

If this Chessie plan comes to pass - and the passenger train agency does not impose too many restrictions on the line's use - this could sure be a "shot in the arm" for the Port to handle high value container traffic.

Of course, the "flip" is the proposed "Berkshire and Eastern", i.e. your road, will simply become a Class 2 branch line terminating at Ayer. I'm still at a loss to understand why Topper "bolted for the paddock" as quickly as he did. But I also like to think his handlers at 1200 Peachtree "ain't dumb".
Yeah, but that is the Portland Division/ old Western Route that Amtrak operates on, not the Lowell or Stoney Brook branches which are solely freight Class I with a smattering of Class II. Amtrak/NNEPRA can't impose restrictions on the lines that CSX will own.

I am not sure how the B&E is my road, I worked for Guilford pre Pan Am. Regardless, PAS is only a Class II line as it is, and operations are not going to change substantially. In case folks forgot, 90% of the freight going to Maine these days goes by Barbers. Anything going past Ayer from PAS is mostly going to Nashua, Lowell and Lawrence. That is not going to change - those customers still need to send cars to/from NS and CP. Furthermore, written in the STB application is the decision to stop getting CSX locals in the PAS switching district (ie Ayer) from CSX in Ayer and instead bring them in via Rotterdam. They are going getting away with it today because PAR is the carrier for both railroads. But when B&E takes over, their cars will come from their interchange with CSX (Rotterdam). It won't make up for the loss of 22K, but it will help. Also, take a look at other GWI property's infrastructure. They make PAR look like the ramshackle that it is. They run far less tonnage at 40 MPH all over the country.
 #1573766  by newpylong
 
roberttosh wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 12:06 pm
newpylong wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 7:46 am If it's in the Portland area (which is the rumor I am hearing), there is little need. It's nearly all 40 as-is besides the Stoney and Lowell branches.
Interesting that they are looking at Portland instead of Waterville, which already has the existing IM terminal. By locating in Portland, it would seem that CSX is going after more non-paper related traffic, as there is certainly more population density there than in Waterville, which on the flip side is in closer proximity to most of the mills. Portland is also quite a bit closer to Worcester, which you would think makes Waterville more attractive. Will certainly be interesting to see how all this pans out.
It be all be BS for all I know, it sounds like they are holding future plans fairly closely, rightfully so. Others may have more information than I do - but Portland is closer to handle overflow from the Worcester terminal, and has far better infrastructure in place to the CSX system to the south than does Waterville. There is nothing to say they can't keep the packer going in Waterville and keep loading Poland Spring or whatever else up there too to tack on to whatever else is coming south though.
 #1573776  by Gilbert B Norman
 
newpylong wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 3:24 pm I am not sure how the B&E is my road, I worked for Guilford pre Pan Am.
Mr. Newpy, the phrase "your road" was used only in the context of that you have operated trains over the railroad that, upon completion of the transactions submitted to the regulatory agencies for their review, is to become the Berkshire and Eastern; a subsidiary of the railroad holding company, Genesee and Wyoming.

If any offense was taken, please accept my most sincere apology.
 #1573780  by CN9634
 
newpylong wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 3:28 pm It be all be BS for all I know, it sounds like they are holding future plans fairly closely, rightfully so. Others may have more information than I do - but Portland is closer to handle overflow from the Worcester terminal, and has far better infrastructure in place to the CSX system to the south than does Waterville. There is nothing to say they can't keep the packer going in Waterville and keep loading Poland Spring or whatever else up there too to tack on to whatever else is coming south though.
This is what I was told in some detail, it helps 'debottleneck' Worcester which has no room for expansion, and moves existing business with room to grow for new business from ME + NH to a new Portland terminal at Rigby. We'll find out come 2022 anyways.
 #1573786  by CN9634
 
roberttosh wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 12:06 pm
newpylong wrote: Tue Jun 15, 2021 7:46 am If it's in the Portland area (which is the rumor I am hearing), there is little need. It's nearly all 40 as-is besides the Stoney and Lowell branches.
Interesting that they are looking at Portland instead of Waterville, which already has the existing IM terminal. By locating in Portland, it would seem that CSX is going after more non-paper related traffic, as there is certainly more population density there than in Waterville, which on the flip side is in closer proximity to most of the mills. Portland is also quite a bit closer to Worcester, which you would think makes Waterville more attractive. Will certainly be interesting to see how all this pans out.
Sorry for the double post -- most paper guys have integrated supply chains with Portland as their southern point here in Maine (some Auburn and Mech Falls/Paris) linked up with Sprague, Merrill's or NEPW. There is an off-line finishing facility in Scarborough, NEPS, which has as I recall 4 maybe 5 winders and 14,000 ton capacity.

Also, there are major distribution facilities in Portland for Hannaford, Office Max, a number of hardware and light retail, as well as Walmart up in Auburn just a stones throw. Shaws is down in Wells too, not too far off. Schneider already has a drop lot in South Portland adjacent Rigby Yard and JB Hunt is hiring an operations team in Portland likewise to handle the business up this way. Nothing to shake a stick at that is for sure, the demand is there in the Southern Maine market now they need to build capacity to meet it. You can still land daycabs at all the mills except probably Twin Rivers in Madawaska and Woodland, but those can be done by Regional fleet or via the 'new' LMS in East Millinocket (200 miles from Portland)
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