Pan Am Southern / Patriot Corridor Discussion

CSX and forward thinking in the same sentence?


Seriously though, the track work season is pretty much over now, did district 4 get any improvements? I remembered them saying they wanted to get rid of the 10mph restrictions.

News on PAS

http://www.nashobapublishing.com/ci_11093695

http://www.trains.com/trn/default.aspx?c=a&id=4322

The Trains.com link requires you to be a subscription member to view but basically says the STB's preliminary ruling is that the Environmental Impact by building a new Auto yard will be Minimal. Should hear more December 15th

The Town of Ayer is seeking Federal help on the new auto yard issue...

http://www.nashobapublishing.com/ayerlocal/ci_11145931

i have a feeling that pretty soon maine is not going to have really any action...with this new patriot corridor thing im thinking lots of pan am traffic will be moving away from maine and into mass and new york.

guilford88panam wrote:with this new patriot corridor thing im thinking lots of pan am traffic will be moving away from maine and into mass and new york.

Well, Maine products (paper mostly) already go from Maine to other places, so that isn't going to change. And the empties still have to come back to Maine, so that won't change either.

The Patriot Corridor is nothing more than an operating agreement between Pan Am and NS for the west end of Pan Am, so I don't think it's going to take anything away from Maine. If anything, it may free up resources for Pan Am so that they won't neglect Maine as much.

I don't think you have anything to worry about.

To get back to the PAS deal, this Monday the 15th is the date the STB has mandated to end comments and I believe they will release a decision on that date or soon there after.

The application for comments is now closed. All things considered, the STB will make a final decision. Pre-decision reports posted on the Trains.com newswire indicates that the STB is leaning in favor of the PAS deal. Of course this is strictly speculation until a decision is made. A decision will hopefully be made by Christmas. Stay tuned.

Is any trackwork going on along the route west of Ayer related to the NS deal?

How about at Mechanicville? Anything being done there yet?

First, I can't find any news in the usual places as to STB releasing their decision regarding the NS-PAS application, guess they're still deliberating.

However, Doug Barron reports in the January 2009 Railpace that the Mechanicville Yard project will be delayed past what had been a March 2009 construction startup.

Before any work can take place, studies will be required as to the reopened yard's effect on ground water and local traffic.

I drove through the Mechanicville yard just around the first snow and there was a Guilford Tractor trailer w/ lowbed but I never found the equipment. The ramps were down but it was on the pavement near the tower so no tracks. I also found several PVC pipes that were very new which I think were test wells all over the yard. They were not there last summer and are located on Guilford land far away from the local superfund site. These were marked with ribbon tape and there was tracks in the snow around some. They did not follow the sewer pipeline that was installed last year. Some brush cutting but it seemed to be for the test well work. I should be out there sometime in the next few weeks and will check again.

Tommy Meehan wrote:Is any trackwork going on along the route west of Ayer related to the NS deal?

How about at Mechanicville? Anything being done there yet?

All the trackwork ceased in late fall. You cannot really do trackwork once freezing weather sets in. Guilford always lays off pretty much all the track labor every year for the winter. Most likley March would be the earliest you saw anything really happen.

A welded rail train came in today from NY, it is in East Deerfield now. (YES IT HAD AN NS ENGINE). I am told it is for the MBTA.
No work in Mechanicville yet, everything seems to be on hold.

NV290 wrote:

Tommy Meehan wrote:Is any trackwork going on along the route west of Ayer related to the NS deal?

How about at Mechanicville? Anything being done there yet?

All the trackwork ceased in late fall. You cannot really do trackwork once freezing weather sets in. Guilford always lays off pretty much all the track labor every year for the winter. Most likley March would be the earliest you saw anything really happen.

Not exactly. They still need to have people around to clear snow and do emergency work, changing broken rails and such. I'd say it's more like half the track labor goes home for the winter.

mick wrote:Not exactly. They still need to have people around to clear snow and do emergency work, changing broken rails and such. I'd say it's more like half the track labor goes home for the winter.

As i said, they lay off pretty much all the labor. I did'nt say ALL the people. IE, simple track laborers. The "Temps" are gone as they are refered to. Normally they cut back deep, this year was the deepest ever. WAY more then half.

In Ayer, they have 3 guys left. Loader Operatror, I&R Foreman and a Trackman. Fithcburg kept 4 guys. Lawrence has 4. Those levels are the lowest ever. Ayer locals were a disaster the last month with snow. Taking forever to clear the switches out once and then not being able to even keep up with the snow.

Please excuse this interruption from your moderator:

I've deleted a few recent posts that were off-topic and were getting into name-calling and personal attacks. Anyone who has a personal disagreement with another member of the forum should take it up with that person in private. In other words, "Take it outside, boys!"

Thanks, and have a great day.