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.