Yes there is but this time it seems more realistic. Because now theres rumours about the Mechanicville Yard being reopened by NS. So why would NS want to do that??? Its a CP yard. And CP dosnt like this line because it makes them less money.......This is a e-mail from a friend of mine about this topic...and I follow right along with him......
Of course you have read 'rumours' of a CPR takeover. And by the UP, perhaps. I think UP would deal off D&H to NS. The NS NEEDS it. (It may be a clause in the CP/NS contract for running over the D&H as it is, who knows?)
CPR did not make a lot of money off the D&H line because of maintenance and actually, very few trains. Line is under-utilized. (Not much money is made on NS trains over the line (930/931/168/169.) These all have trackage rights over D&H and have NS crews.....Doesn't leave much left.
BUT....if you really want to get into the subject; I'm assuming you don't; I'm just giving you something to think about....................CP pleads the line is a money-loser, closing yards, cutting jobs and generally crying the blues...maybe looking for NY State tax relief?? But the CPR helps MAKE the D&H look like a loser...............notice the high-maintenance (costly) old locomotives that are very fuel INefficient are assigned to this line; CP shuffles all the junk power down to the D&H........costly breakdowns charged to D&H as well as the problems that go with it; ie) recrewing, late delivery; trains held up all over the place...........all of this costs far more than it does per trip/miles/whatever than it does in Canada and this makes the D&H look a lot worse than it really is. So gives the CPR a good excuse when they try to deal it off. You may note on reason why on-line traffic has dried up is because shippers get overly annoyed at changes, delays and the like and end up going back to trucks.
I LOVE railfanning the D&H..............all the old power that is mostly gone from mainline Canada is found down here; at least it was, finally the RR is bringing in some of the new ACs etc., in former years I loved the lashups. In Canada, 2 or 3 locos, down on the D&H; 4,6,7 or even 8 old units make for a much more entertaining photo.
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