Backshophoss wrote:Is there a possibilty of G&W after the merger of a "push" to remove the "paper barriers" that confine CSOR to CSX interchangeI doubt CSX is going to give it up, or that it's going to be worth it. But...P&W can have direct access to Hartford Yard now as a staging area and crew base, something Cedar Hill doesn't offer much leeway for as CSX doesn't like CSOR, P&W, and PAS kicking their feet up on the furniture during stopovers. Right now P&W runs nearly everything remote out of Worcester, including crews. They'd save money on lodging and other expenses by finally being able to hire some native Connecticut crews. There wouldn't be any paper barriers to pooling staff and local logistics with CSOR. Could possibly even cross-qualify CSOR and P&W crews in each other's Central CT territory, depending on what the FRA thinks about that practice between 'sister' reporting marks. The CSX paper barriers only extend to the line-specific carloads and who gets them at interchange...not the logo on the engine or whether the engineer is moonlighting on other jobs.
and allow P&W to bring general freight on CHFP to the NY&A?
Or is that a lost cause,CSX will not give up?
It's possible--if the Conrail barriers don't specifically prohibit--that P&W can also have open access to Hartford Yard to do its own busines...so long as its carloads are walled-off from CSOR's and they're totally above-board on reporting that. P&W could badly use a yard of its own free use in Central CT because they have such a limited list of activities they're allowed to do at Cedar Hill.
The advantages CSOR gets out of this in spite of the paper barriers are:
-- P&W can do all their locomotive and railcar maintenance, and all their 92-day inspections. It no longer takes NECR way the hell out in St. Albans to serve them, with PAS having to be the intermediary for the handoff to Hartford. P&W can deliver right to Hartford Yard. CSOR basically no longer even needs a fleet of its own; they can just get drop-offs in Hartford from the P&W Valley/Air Line local, use 'em for X many weeks, then cycle back. A lot like CSX now rotates all its New England power in and out of Selkirk instead of keeping a 'native' fleet. CSOR can basically downsize their engine house to inspection pit and spot repairs, and reassign staff resources to generating revenue.
-- CSOR gains access to the whole system's railcar fleet, meaning they can offer customers wider range of car configurations than ever before at much better price point.
-- P&W, being at the junction of CSX, PAR, MBTA, and Amtrak service in Worcester, has broad lend-lease access to specialized track equipment. They do outsource work for the T and have an as-needed agreement with CSX for spot repairs/inspections of breakdowns and emergency fueling when their power needs immediate help getting back on the Selkirk shuttle. They're owed enough favors by enough people that they can always get snow plows, tie machines, etc. when they need it. They (and NECR) have better interchange and pricing options for getting ties, ballast, rail, sand, etc. and will be able to deliver those direct to CSOR now. All of this will significantly lower CSOR's operating costs and labor costs for maintaining their physical plant, and lets them maintain better-quality physical plant within their budget.
-- Availability of track equipment also lets them offer customers a better price for installing new sidings. Amtrak still gouges them for final switch installations on the Springfield Line, but they'd be able to tap the full resources of the system for getting the customer's property set up with freshly-laid or repaired track and offering full-service logistics for the property installation.
-- One of CSOR's biggest business challenges is the outrageous carload fees that Amtrak charges them on the Springfield Line. CDOT has pleaded to no avail for some sort of relief, but that's unlikely to ever happen now that the Springfield Line has shot up in stature on the Amtrak network. While P&W can't interchange directly with CSOR, they can perform haulage for them on the Valley/Air Lines to bring loads from Hartford to Cedar Hill in New Haven. CSOR can load its southbound trains strictly with carloads for on-line Springfield Line customers and duck any Amtrak fees for the Cedar Hill-bound carloads if P&W handles those drop-offs on the return trip from its Valley/Air Line locals.
-- These money-saving conveniences let them put more oomph into attracting more business of their own. They're doing pretty well with that on the Springfield Line and with some of the new scrap carloads they're receiving from Naugy via PAS haulage, but the only way to truly take the sting out of the carload fees is to out-pace them in new revenue. There's plenty of rail-accessible properties along the Springfield Line, and it's relatively attractive to light industrial businesses finding themselves priced out of the Shoreline. So what if they can't interchange it with P&W/NECR...it's more money in G&W's pocket.
