Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Fri Sep 10, 2021 3:38 pm
Now does that automatically mean that Topper will "barrel out of the gate" and build a competitive route of Class 3 track and "fix Hoosac"?
I cannot foresee any Class II Short Line, such as a G&W property, stepping up to make the necessary investment.
No, NS will not "barrel out of the gate". They can barely get to the gate in New England right now.
There will be plenty of suitors should the STB say no bueno with GWI. Do you see the tonnage they are moving right now? There are enough carloads to run a dedicated Ayer manifest train, an ED495 type train (minus Ayer), and likely every other day Maine train plus their daily intermodal. If PSR was never a thing you can bet NS would be all in on PAS. They would still have the resources to operate it. Right now they simply do not. Neither does Pan Am anymore for that matter with mass crew exodus.