by roberttosh
So much for the Fitchburg becoming the freight Super highway into New England at the cost of the B&A.
Railroad Forums
Moderator: MEC407
bostontrainguy wrote: ↑Fri Feb 26, 2021 12:31 pmI thought there might be some additional trackage rights up the CSX River Line included, since NS has posted that they are looking for a better route into New England from the south, but don't see anythingI don’t think anyone but ANR&P said that...speaking of which looks like Josh needs to re-examine his sources (not that we didn’t already know that). No Conrail and the B&A is gaining traffic not the other way around. I guess the Castleton Bridge isn’t going to fall into the Hudson.
... and the West End will continue to be a 10/25 mph railroad.Let’s put it this way...if the Hoosac fails again it won’t be repaired. The Fitchburg Division’s curves limit 88 miles to 30 mph no matter how good the track is...it doesn’t make financial sense to maintain that to Class 3 anyway. Class 2 should be fine for the tonnage. There are good alternatives to move CP and CSX carloads but this is NS’s only route so it isn’t going away.
While the G&W was and is the most obvious choice for the PAS debacle, I can't imagine this bodes well for the line west of Deerfield
johnpbarlow wrote: ↑Fri Feb 26, 2021 4:55 pm Pittsburgh & Shawmut Railroad, LLC, doing business as Berkshire & Eastern Railroad.And their official reporting mark is PSR. Hopefully just a coincidence.
taracer wrote: ↑Fri Feb 26, 2021 5:09 pm They've already begun clearing the old overgrown B&M yard property next to I 290 in Worcester.Who is clearing the land and is it related to this transaction? I could easily be wrong, but I have a faint recollection that the old b&m Worcester yard land was sold
NYC27 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 26, 2021 5:51 pm Let’s put it this way...if the Hoosac fails again it won’t be repaired. The Fitchburg Division’s curves limit 88 miles to 30 mph no matter how good the track is...it doesn’t make financial sense to maintain that to Class 3 anyway. Class 2 should be fine for the tonnage. There are good alternatives to move CP and CSX carloads but this is NS’s only route so it isn’t going away.There was only spot 30 (HRB to Valley Falls, little and big Hoosac, a couple miles in Charlemont, South River, and then South Ash) before Pan Am neutered it all in the latest timetables. Prior to that most of the curves were 35 and even before the risk adverse Guilford engineering department took over most of the RR was 40.
ANDY117 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 26, 2021 6:41 pm We're not backtracking to Delanson, just to run around the train again. Either the 205/206 return, or NS tries to stick the Mechanicvilles on 16R.Absolutely. There are other routing options that wouldn't require rebuilding the Albany Main and VO connectors and booting SMS operating lease if they just wanted to waste time running around the train or a backup move.
newpylong wrote: ↑Fri Feb 26, 2021 6:57 pm There was only spot 30 (HRB to Valley Falls, little and big Hoosac, a couple miles in Charlemont, South River, and then South Ash) before Pan Am neutered it all in the latest timetables. Prior to that most of the curves were 35 and even before the risk adverse Guilford engineering department took over most of the RR was 40.It is a matter of perception I guess, but my early 90s GTI ETT, which has pretty much the same speeds as my 1980 B&M ETT shows the only 40s west of Fitchburg as East Gardner-Wrights; Tyter-Erving; 378-Deerfield West; Greenfield-390; N Adams-Johnsonville (less two single 1 mile 25s) with most of the rest 30 and some 35 just east of the tunnel. I look at that as spot 40. As rule of thumb the B&M single tracked the 40s and left the 30/35 double iron in the 1980 4R rebuild.
It would make sense to be Class 3 if the traffic was there as the topology physically supports it.
NYC27 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 26, 2021 5:42 pm
That story also makes me wonder if B&E will follow suit with the NS and look to shut off the signals since the line will be left with only a single train pair.