Pan Am Worcester Main Line

CPF363 wrote:CSXT and B&M have the choice of interchanging their traffic primarily through two interchanges, Worcester or Rotterdam. Some are interchanged through Springfield. However, CSXT-B&M cars that are interchanged through Rotterdam or Springfield much pay 50% of the line haul between those points and Ayer to Pan Am Southern, thus sharing the line haul with Norfolk Southern. This is the reason why more and more CSXT bound freight from the B&M and points east of Ayer is running over the Worcester Route to avoid the charges to Pan Am Southern. It should also be noted that billing via PAS requires another waybill for PAS.

With respect to the track repairs to the Worcester line to bring it up to 25MPH, when will all this begin and what will it consist of? Many of the actual rails on the route are deformed and will need to be replaced with some different rail.

I haven't heard anything about when it will begin, but the mileage is short enough that they should be able to cobble together enough used rail. 25mph is not a high enough track class to warrant new rail and only a percentage of ties would need to be replaced.

jaymac wrote:Just guessing, but there's probably going to be a delay in anything major, waiting to see if the Commonwealth will float a bond or other financing for the Worcester Main rehab. PAR has been exceptionally polite in such circumstances, allowing others the courtesy of going first in major matters financial. Small stuff will probably get attention, but not the big stuff, absent OPP -- Other People's Purses.
Just wondering, but do any members of the Prancing Pony Powers That Be wonder if one more sign of an unseparate but unequal rate division relationship might be seen in the potential for conflict of interest in having D-3 control moves that affect both NS and CSX? Maybe NS is willing to look the other way until work on PAS and auto yard expansion is complete.

While it may turn out to be perfectly legal I would suspect NS will eventually get sick of antics like this. Getting into a relationship to have the traffic shifted away smells poorly.

I have heard a rumor of a suit regarding this shift in traffic, but I will wait until I read it to believe it.

My last understanding from discussion elsewhere was that the Worcester Freight Main was controlled using ABS searchlights which may or may not be operational still.

Is this still the case? Are the signals in use or is it 'dark' territory?

If so is there any indication that the signals on the line, if they're even there still, will be upgraded from ABS to CTC, or at a minimum placed back in service?

no signals

Only signal remnants I 've encountered so far are the remains of a block along the line just north of the former Harvard Depot site. Bulldozed off of the ROW, several deracinated cement signal bases lie upended in a creekbed.

Supposedly gons went down to CT to get loaded with ties for the Worcester line - but who knows.

I got some info today that it looks like June for the Worcester tie job.

Today, Sunday 5/15/11 3 Center Beam cars loased with NEW ties are sitting in the siding on Sherwsbury St in West Boylston. Barely clears the ROW and is into the parkinglot where the tracks are barely visable in the sand. this is the same spot they unloaded the transformer a few years ago.



CApt Bill

Re: Track Work

There are several MOW machines parked on a siding in Worcester where the P&W / PamAm trackage splits, when I passed through Wormtown this morning.

Will this work include any renewed crossings or CWR?

Went by Shrewsbury st crossing Sat. Night they have started removing the ties off teh cars and lining them up along side.... some are across the streeet.

Capt bill

Seen on a 1345 05-28-2011 drive-by, the center beam unloading is continuing, with some bundles still remaining on the easternmost car. Some bundles are on the ground east of Shrewsbury Street, more west. Also remaining are probably six months in the construction season, unless an early frost hits.

Earlier this week I went the switch to Gardner and sitting on the siding that runs up next to the building at ST Gorbains, was a bunch of track equipment, I was unable to see whose it is, but I suspect that it belongs to Pan am ( Motely looking bunch) Although It could belong to P&W, t is on there side of the switch. no sign of any work yet.

CApt Bill

Went by teh siding yeserday ( Friday) and all 3 cars are unloaded awaiting pick up, there was a RR employee with a high rail veh there when I went, not sure what e was doing.... all the ties have been moved. there is one stack that has been moved to the opposite side of the tracks from where it was and the rest of the ties are gone completly.

Capt Bill

On a 1315 06-06-2011 drive-by, a brush cutter was leveling spring growth just west of Shrewsbury Street and smaller stacks of ties had been staged out towards the Hartwell Street OH bridge. There may have been other stacks west of Hartwell, but curvature and foliage obscured the line of sight.