The CSX, MBTA, Downtown Framingham Debacle

railfan482 wrote:Does anyone know what will happen with the CSX service to the produce warehouses and scrap yard in Everette, MA. once the Beacon Park yard is de-comissioned?

Staying. The run will originate nonstop from Framingham to the Grand Junction. And would switch out Houghton Chemical and that other warehouse customer at Beacon Park for however long they remain onsite after the yard closes (Houghton definitely staying, the other I'm not sure about).

CSX doesn't even switch the warehouse customer (Romar Transportation) at Beacon Park. They drop off cars at the beginning of the spur, and Romar comes out with a backhoe with hi-rail gear, ties on with a chain, and drags it to their warehouse.

When not being used, CSX uses that spur to store empty well cars.

Romar receives containers from Beacon Park (they're unloaded then Romar brings trucks over to pick them up), box cars (unloaded at the warehouse; usually 50' high-cubes), and centerbeam flats (unloaded in their parking lot outside the warehouse)

Thanks guys for the responses. I live here in Boston, and I work in Cambridge. I walk home from work sometimes and I cross the Grand Junction grade crossing at Mass. Ave near MIT. Every two weeks or so the CSX local brings 57' Mechanical Reefers as well as scrap gons. over to Everette. I have also seen the MBTA's new Genset switcher come through there as well; Very nice looking unit.

diburning wrote:CSX doesn't even switch the warehouse customer (Romar Transportation) at Beacon Park. They drop off cars at the beginning of the spur, and Romar comes out with a backhoe with hi-rail gear, ties on with a chain, and drags it to their warehouse.

When not being used, CSX uses that spur to store empty well cars.

Romar receives containers from Beacon Park (they're unloaded then Romar brings trucks over to pick them up), box cars (unloaded at the warehouse; usually 50' high-cubes), and centerbeam flats (unloaded in their parking lot outside the warehouse)

CSX DOES in fact switch Romar - generally in the afternoons/early evenings. They place the cars at the end of the track at Romar's buildings.

Can I point out one minor over look here. What about the Boston marathon, I know it's once a year thing but it's a big deal here. How would this be affected if Framingham goes through with this. The marathon goes right past this location using 135.

Mbta fan wrote:Can I point out one minor over look here. What about the Boston marathon, I know it's once a year thing but it's a big deal here. How would this be affected if Framingham goes through with this. The marathon goes right past this location using 135.

I find that quite an interesting question, having lived in Framingham and having worked in Natick on West Central St. (Ma. Rte 135). I took "Marathon Monday" off as I knew that once in the office, there was no way in hell I was going anyplace else that day as the only way out was the Marathon route. I'm sure that some of the police/fire/ems love it for the overtime but then again it is a major scale butt-ache for anyone with business on or close to 135, or anyone needing to cross same between Hopkinton and Wellesley. I used to go and watch, of course bringing my portable scanner. The day was a safety nightmare for Conrail and MBTA crews with inebriates from Ebeneezer's (restaurant that occupied the Framingham station) which in a feat of brilliance would serve alcoholic beverages outside on that day. Although Ebaneezer's is gone and CSX has replaced Conrail, I'm sure there are still (more or less) some issues. We stopped going about four or five years ago so hopefully someone with more recent experience can provide a more current viewpoint. Bottom line is I don't know if Framingham is concerned at all about the impact on the marathon or not.

I don't think framingham has actually considered it based on the study posted on te first page.

I've got to add that our auto mechanic's shop is on Waverly St. "Marathon Monday" is a day for them to catch up on stuff and clean up the shop. It's a negative revenue day.

[quote="At 1:33 am on June 21, 2012 In an article entitled "Downtown Trains, Traffic Reason For Lt. Governor's Visit to Framingham", Framingham Patch Staff"]The MetroWest legislative delegation met with Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Tim Murray and Transportation Secretary Richard Davey yesterday (Aug. 20) regarding efforts to mitigate congestion caused by the rail crossing in downtown Framingham.

Murray and Davey rode the 7:45 a.m. train from Worcester into Framingham to meet with Reps. Tom Sannicandro (D-Ashland) and Chris Walsh (D-Framingham) and Sen. Karen Spilka (D-Ashland).

Within minutes, the group walked to the intersection at 126 and 135, and a train came by that stopped traffic to demonstrate the effect it has.

“The at-grade train crossing in Framingham is the single greatest barrier to the revitalization of downtown. It was encouraging to hear the administration’s commitment to acting quickly to ease traffic and improve the walkways,” said Spilka.[/quote]Read more at Framingham Patch's web site.

On Sat Mar 24, 2012, diburning wrote:CSX doesn't even switch the warehouse customer (Romar Transportation) at Beacon Park. They drop off cars at the beginning of the spur, and Romar comes out with a backhoe with hi-rail gear, ties on with a chain, and drags it to their warehouse.

When not being used, CSX uses that spur to store empty well cars.

Romar receives containers from Beacon Park (they're unloaded then Romar brings trucks over to pick them up), box cars (unloaded at the warehouse; usually 50' high-cubes), and centerbeam flats (unloaded in their parking lot outside the warehouse)

For the latest (21 Aug 2012) status on this customer, see the post: Official G&U Thread - Railroad draws new business to Hopedale.

Hasnt this always been a debacle when conrail was running the B&A? Sorry I wasn't around to see conrail before csx took over.

Mbta fan wrote:Hasnt this always been a debacle when conrail was running the B&A? Sorry I wasn't around to see conrail before csx took over.

The "anti railroad" mentality in Framingham goes back to the Penn Central and before that era.

JoeF

That's a long debacle for Framingham to have. Thanks for the info frrc.

Suburban legend (hey, it's Framingham, not Boston or Worcester) has it that a bit after WWII when vehicular traffic began to increase at the 126-135 nexus that there was a move that mebbe even got to the plan stage to relocate the B&A south of town, diverting east of Concord Street with new construction and then rejoining at the west wye of the Milford Branch. Before the gates got automated in the late '80s, the awareness of the crossing tender had affects -- positive or negative, depending on the tender -- on railway and roadway traffic. After automation, broken gates were a problem for a number of years.

jaymac wrote:Suburban legend (hey, it's Framingham, not Boston or Worcester) has it that a bit after WWII when vehicular traffic began to increase at the 126-135 nexus that there was a move that mebbe even got to the plan stage to relocate the B&A south of town, diverting east of Concord Street with new construction and then rejoining at the west wye of the Milford Branch. Before the gates got automated in the late '80s, the awareness of the crossing tender had affects -- positive or negative, depending on the tender -- on railway and roadway traffic. After automation, broken gates were a problem for a number of years.

I can't believe the Framingham Secondary still isn't gated across 135. Jeez, that would save at least a couple minutes of stopped traffic if CSX didn't have to straddle both crossings with a stop-and-protect in the middle of rush hour as they head out to Middleboro. And if there were any candidates for quad gates or something with smart re-timing in this whole state it would definitely be 126, if not 126 + Bishop. This is never going to be a good set of crossings, but it can definitely be a whole lot better than it is now without breaking the bank.