B&M - CSXT Connections

Does the CSXT connection train (Q426) with B&M at Barber come from Selkirk or does it come up the River Line from New Jersey and turn to the east on tho the B&A avoiding Selkirk Yard all together? What differentiates what CSXT - B&M cars go through Rotterdam and what goes through Barber? Does anyone know if the Barber connection will be sustained once the Pan Am Southern is finished with the track work routing all cars through Rotterdam Jct? The Worcester Route Main Line is pretty slow now, any track work planned for this line if it is to be sustained for the long term?

Q426 is based out of Selkirk. All of its cars go over the hump.

Since we're on the topic, did B&M (or Guilford) Ever interchange with CSX at Fitchburg, or was that before CSX's time?

The Fitchburg interchange went away at least during Conrail, if not before.
BTW, the "B&M" does not carry traffic on Pan Am Railways, Springfield Terminal Railway does.

cpf354 wrote:The Fitchburg interchange went away at least during Conrail, if not before.
BTW, the "B&M" does not carry traffic on Pan Am Railways, Springfield Terminal Railway does.

Well up until 1986/87, the B&M was still the B&M, and they did interchange with Conrail at that time.

Althogh Conrail did come up to Fitchburg to service Grossman's Lumber until the late 80's, there was no official interchange at Fitchburg, no cars were exchanged. CSX still goes as far as Leominster Center on the Framingham Secondary to serve RVJ, who also has a facility at Fitchburg on PAR.

For a while during the 80's, the Middlesex -- now MetroWest -- News in Framingham got its newsprint on its own siding in the Framingham Industrial Park near the Southboro line. The billing read that B&M/Guilford interchanged the Maine- and Canadian-originated loads with CR at Fitchburg. This was when the two companies still had a physical connection there. Despite the billing and the physical connection and the not-too-many miles between Fitchburg and the Framingham Industrial Park, the cars actually were routed to East Deerfield, down to Springfield, over to West Springfield, east to Framingham, and finally up the Fitchburg Secondary.
Go figyah!

CPF363 wrote:Does the CSXT connection train (Q426) What differentiates what CSXT - B&M cars go through Rotterdam and what goes through Barber? ?

Usually, any cars destined for Fitchburg west to Mechanicville will be interchanged in Rotterdam. Any cars for Ayer and points east will go through to Worcester/Barber. Obviously CSXT wants to haul the cars as far as possible because they make more money. Cars returning usually return the same way. But PAR has been sending alot of cars destined to return to Rotterdam to Worcester instead. Since it means shorter and lighter trains having to go west. But the problem is PAR had been billing customers in some cases for handling all the way to Rotterdam even though they were being sent back via Worcester. CSX caught on and its caused some issues.

Word is, in the VERY near future, the interchange in Worcester will be no more. There are plans to do all the interchanges in Rotterdam. This will be great for CSX since it means alot less tonnage going over the B&A (and less crews) but it will be a nightmare for PAR. As it is, PAR can bareley handle the cars coming to and from Rotterdam. It's taking many crews an entire 12 hours just to double, test and switch trains in Rotterdam. And the yard is totally plugged. Nothing can come down the entire Rotterdam branch till the eastbound leaves. It's single track and 10 mph for almost an hour. Combine that with the power shortages and its a nightmare. I cant imagine what will happen once the amount of cars arriving in Rotterdam is almost doubled. And now PAR will have to find the power to move those trains as well as crews in NY, where they have the biggest crew shortages of all. Untill they do some serious upgrades for speed and get at LEAST another dozen new engines, it will be total chaos.

CPF363 wrote:Does anyone know if the Barber connection will be sustained once the Pan Am Southern is finished with the track work routing all cars through Rotterdam Jct? The Worcester Route Main Line is pretty slow now, any track work planned for this line if it is to be sustained for the long term?

The Worcester main line belongs to PAR, not Pan Am Southern. And with the highly likley plans to get rid of most, if not all the interchanging in Worcester, my guess would be you will see little to no track work. Just the usual bare minimum.

mick wrote:Althogh Conrail did come up to Fitchburg to service Grossman's Lumber until the late 80's, there was no official interchange at Fitchburg, no cars were exchanged. CSX still goes as far as Leominster Center on the Framingham Secondary to serve RVJ, who also has a facility at Fitchburg on PAR.

Thanks, didn't know that. Saw pictures of the interchange (well physical) and assumed at least something was interchanged there.

Back when I worked there, and I assume this is still the same - SEED came east with all loads for local consignees. Sometimes there wouldn't be one empty. EDRJ would go west with not only the empties from these customers but big slugs of paper loads for CSXT. The empty boxcars bound for Maine from CSXT usually came up via Worcester.

Totally about RJ. That yard was plugged even before they began switching out VTR's there. I can't imagine it now. They will need to put at least two tracks back in before they can interchange more cars there. The rbanch will need to be back up to track speed (25). There are plans to put the CTC back in - but who knows.

You'd think that with all the leasers running around and the influx of NS power, combined with the low business levels, power wouldn't be such an issue.

That's interesting news about the the re-routing of traffic over Rotterdam as I was always under the impression that CSXT & PAR wanted to use the direct Barbers connection.

Is there room to add more yard tracks at RJ?

Yes...it would take some major brush cutting and tree removal, but there is room. I have seen pictures of Rotterdam Junction with 5 tracks, although 2 of the tracks looked to be OOS.

Great photo of RJ! Don't think I've seen that angle. Thanks for sharing!

NV290 wrote: Word is, in the VERY near future, the interchange in Worcester will be no more. There are plans to do all the interchanges in Rotterdam.

Ironically, in the New York State Forum there's a thread about CSX recently wanting to end interchange at RJ. Apparently PAR complained this would add three days transit time to trains and CSX is reconsidering.

Here's a link to the thread mentioned above:

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 70#p674670

[edited once to add link]