From my vantage point, there remains possibility at this time that CSX will use their 50% ownership and control of PAS to facilitate movement of at least some B&A traffic east of Springfield onto PAS to make way for the E-W passenger rail project, or at least to provide a hedge until the full plan is possibly hammered out over time. For ~$1b. PAS could be brought up to snuff, including full overhead clearance, to provide nearly the same utility for CSX. It could very well be part of their strategy in purchasing PAR/50% of PAS for the re-structuring of their freight franchise east of Springfield to accommodate metropolitan Boston and passenger rail growth with transit-oriented development at the nexus. I would think that's an important part of the sausage likely being made at this time in "the rooms where it happens".
When it comes to the possibility of a Portland, ME intermodal terminal through the lens of CSX's proposed purchase, on the one hand they will need at some likely point to replace Worcester to make way for transit-oriented development, but on the other hand Portland would be at the northern-most end of the range from which to serve the marketplace; on the one hand it could be a promise made or political quid pro quo, but on the other hand there is history of promises, including backed by capital investment, that don't come to fruition over time; and, on the one hand the ability to serve large inbound headhaul customers in southern NH and eastern MA as well as the backhaul Maine paper market, but on the other hand the contemporary case of the unused easy opportunity for NS, Hunt and Hub City Ayer-Waterville service, especially once the water began, if the economics were superior to a well-managed trucking operation off a Central MA ramp.
When it comes to the possibility of a Portland, ME intermodal terminal through the lens of CSX's proposed purchase, on the one hand they will need at some likely point to replace Worcester to make way for transit-oriented development, but on the other hand Portland would be at the northern-most end of the range from which to serve the marketplace; on the one hand it could be a promise made or political quid pro quo, but on the other hand there is history of promises, including backed by capital investment, that don't come to fruition over time; and, on the one hand the ability to serve large inbound headhaul customers in southern NH and eastern MA as well as the backhaul Maine paper market, but on the other hand the contemporary case of the unused easy opportunity for NS, Hunt and Hub City Ayer-Waterville service, especially once the water began, if the economics were superior to a well-managed trucking operation off a Central MA ramp.