Connecticut River Line (Pan Am)

[whatelyrailfan]

Holyoke Gas & Electric bought the Holyoke station earlier this year. They are in the process of lobbying Amtrak & the State of Massachusetts to make it a stop.

[newpylong]

FYI the last I've heard on this, it's just a matter of the money being released to/from the state of MA. VT and ME have had their funding released.

The NS crews will be coming back to redo this one so it's not a matter of the production crew being in Maine.

[gokeefe]

FYI the last I've heard on this, it's just a matter of the money being released to/from the state of MA. VT and ME have had their funding released.

The NS crews will be coming back to redo this one so it's not a matter of the production crew being in Maine.

Is this in fact the single largest capital project both in scope and depth (rehabbing from almost 0 (Excepted?) to Class IV) that PAR has ever undertaken?

Any indications that the company is sort of 'staring the beast' in the face as it were or do they more or less feel that its simply a matter of getting the right crews there and putting them to work?

[newpylong]

I would say so... the Downeaster could have been more mileage - but I think the Conn River right of way is in worse shape than the Western was. Just my opinion of course, the Downeaster was quite the job too.

Not sure on that one. It could be a combination again of NS doing the rail and Pan Am doing the ties. Although, last go round the NS crews were constantly waiting for Pan Am to keep up. Let's face it, those NS crews probably do more maintenance or "production" on one Subdivision than Pan Am does over it's entire main line.

I think we're starting to see a shift in where priorities and efforts are happening though - NS being the PAS and PAR just being PAR. PAR is again trying to shift even more traffic through Worcester. You can argue this is the better / cheaper option for shippers but it doesn't sit well with NS after a "join venture" to share revenue was formed. I have heard mumblings of a lawsuit between the two brewing, but I have yet to confirm yet, so that is just rumor. I do know PAR will be rebuilding the Worcester line to at least 25 soon... so take that for what it's worth. I think the relationship at this point has lost it's friendliness (if it had that) and is strictly out of necessity.

[Cadet57]

FYI the last I've heard on this, it's just a matter of the money being released to/from the state of MA. VT and ME have had their funding released.

The NS crews will be coming back to redo this one so it's not a matter of the production crew being in Maine.

So, do you think we'll see work this summer?

[cpf354]

I would say so... the Downeaster could have been more mileage - but I think the Conn River right of way is in worse shape than the Western was. Just my opinion of course, the Downeaster was quite the job too.

Not sure on that one. It could be a combination again of NS doing the rail and Pan Am doing the ties. Although, last go round the NS crews were constantly waiting for Pan Am to keep up. Let's face it, those NS crews probably do more maintenance or "production" on one Subdivision than Pan Am does over it's entire main line.

I think we're starting to see a shift in where priorities and efforts are happening though - NS being the PAS and PAR just being PAR. PAR is again trying to shift even more traffic through Worcester. You can argue this is the better / cheaper option for shippers but it doesn't sit well with NS after a "join venture" to share revenue was formed. I have heard mumblings of a lawsuit between the two brewing, but I have yet to confirm yet, so that is just rumor. I do know PAR will be rebuilding the Worcester line to at least 25 soon... so take that for what it's worth. I think the relationship at this point has lost it's friendliness (if it had that) and is strictly out of necessity.

Wow, I am not surprised to hear these rumours are afloat, but sorry to hear they are. I have to wonder too if maybe NS is facing some economic realities about railroading east of the Hudson River. Clearly PAS has excess capacity, but where is the traffic? Going highway and CSX it seems.

[Dick H]

We better hope that the Conn River job has all the approvals and funding
tied up very tight. The tea drinkers in DC are looking to take back any
funding that is just sitting around. He who hesitates is lost....

[WOLF]

We better hope that the Conn River job has all the approvals and funding
tied up very tight. The tea drinkers in DC are looking to take back any
funding that is just sitting around. He who hesitates is lost....

Thank god.

[atholrail]

TC 1617 was inspecting CPR 33 North to East Northfield today. About the only "update", I could find, aside from a cherrypicker sitting on the broadway at South Deerfield unattended.

[Cadet57]

TC 1617 was inspecting CPR 33 North to East Northfield today. About the only "update", I could find, aside from a cherrypicker sitting on the broadway at South Deerfield unattended.

Looks like someone has been busy down in Chicopee. Lots of brush has been cut, as well as old ties stacked and piled behind Callaway Golf. In fact, its so cleaned up that I was surprised to see that there was a 2nd track down there...

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=42.171676 ... 05284&z=18

[gprimr1]

I tell you, if I was in NS I would be sending people to every business on or near the Conn River line trying to win back their business.

[rratsjr]

Does anyone know if they plan to reopen the second track that is badly overgrown in the Chicopee/Holyoke area? If I remember correctly some of the second track (what you could see from the Mass Pike) was removed 10 or so years ago? After misc travels through Holyoke the second track seems more or less intact, although badly overgrown.

Haven't seen any posts in a while about the PVRR interchange and I haven't been down in that area. Is it done yet? When is traffic expected?

...
Looks like someone has been busy down in Chicopee. Lots of brush has been cut, as well as old ties stacked and piled behind Callaway Golf. In fact, its so cleaned up that I was surprised to see that there was a 2nd track down there...

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=42.171676 ... 05284&z=18

[Cadet57]

The interchange is open. I haven't seen it used yet however. As for the 2nd track thru Chicopee my (uneducated) guess is that perhaps it'll be used as a passing siding.

[newpylong]

I heard a rumor PCA (TriCity in Northampton/North Holyoke) was lost to PVRR and they are trucking product in. Has anyone seen ED2 without boxcars?

Also heard they lost a lot of Sullivan business to PVRR.

I hope they are rumors.

[HarmonicRock]

Just saw the PL job yesterday northbound with about a dozen or so Sullivan loads.