Rumors, rumors, rumors...

Regarding cost...

My aunt works in accounting at the only freight customer on the Concord - Lincoln (NH) line. According to her, it would cost about 5-8x as much to have stuff shipped by truck.

If it really cost more to ship by rail, I have a feeling there would be NO local freight...why would any business use rail?

Rail is more cost effective when you need to send or receive large quantities of product over long distances (generally considered to be distances greater than 300-400 miles).

Other than that, trucks are usually more cost effective.

Or so I've been told.

Here's a thought. If we all want this to happen so bad, why don't we try and instigate this. Draft up a very non-railfan sounding letter, about how "i at my company would welcome a rail carrier that can service me as needed" blah blah whatever. Then call some local businesses, and get them to sign copies and send them over to NS HQ. Or maybe a more cyber approach where we just start a web site, an 'online petition' type deal, only much more professional than that. And again get as many local businesses as possible to sign on and say they want local service. Just a thought?

Hey I was able to log in today, yippee

hahaha, my god that might be crazy enough to work! Lets do it!

Hey do you guys remember the time we all thought that NS was going to buy BRS! hahahhahah

MEC407 wrote:

NellsChoo wrote:Nothing on the NS site, Guilford site, or Trains.com newswire... looking like another rumor so far...

There's a shock! LOL

No, not really...

Apparently, nothing but another rumor, what a surprise!

i almost don't know why i'm asking, but roberttosh? spacemonkey?
anything new to report?

Rumors you ask? Hmmm, how about Ford pulling out of Ayer in a few weeks You just never know..........

So I take it nobody else has heard anything about Ford? Figured some of you Guilford employees would have heard by now?

OK... what about Ford? It seems to be a good business for Guilford. They are always sending autoracks up and down the tracks. There was also an article recently regarding Guilford wanting to develop more land for the purpose.

So just what is it are you hinting about?

I heard Guilford has lost the Ford Auto account to CSXT and that it's going to happen in March. Heard this from people at Guilford directly. I was wrong before, so we'll have to see........

Would figure some of the Guilford posters would have heard by now?

CSX already runs the Ford Auto Facility at Ayer. They (and Conrail before them) own all the equipment there like ramps, bridge plates, the computer system that is tied in with the TDSI network of auto distribution, which is also owned by CSX. Guilford owns the land, and handles the switching. Ford had historically wanted it's own dedicated facility in New England, that's why that yard was built in the first place in 1974. However, with the recent downsizing at Ford, I could see them moving their operation to CSX at Brookfield MA, but only if there was a significant drop in the number of vehicles moving into New England.

Mick, are you an ST employee? If so, you may want to check with your moles over at Iron Horse Park because I'm hearing it's a done deal in that Ford is relocating to Framingham. While ST only moves the cars from the Hill yard over to the ramp, they still get @ $500 per car for doing this minimal work. They also get paid to offload the vehicles. By moving to Framingham, Ford will get a cheaper rate (and CSXT can still pocket some of the difference), better service and CSXT will save money on recrews and not have to park trains at Worcester all day waiting for the ST.

Plus the one CSX crew from Selkirk can take the train directly to Framingham unloading facility. No additional GRS crew(s) would be needed to spend ~3 hours crawling from Barbers in Worcester to Hill Yd at 10mph, and then shuttle cars over to the Willows.