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  • New freight customer on Amtrak Springfield line?

  • Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New England
Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New England

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 #1639366  by hrsn
 
FullStack Modular manufactures and constructs mid-sized and modular high-rise buildings and it's moved to Hamden, Connecticut. Its facility is next to Amtrak's Hartford-Springfield line, and one reason for the move is proximity to rail and the port of New Haven.

https://www.ttnews.com/articles/fullsta ... onnecticut

https://www.ctinsider.com/business/arti ... 922359.php

From the latter source: the CEO states "We have a rail spur outside our door that goes directly to Gateway Terminal," he said. Once the units arrive at Gateway Terminal, officials there will determine the most effective way to get the components to where they need to go, either by large ships, trucks or via rail."

While there's a siding next to the property on Edmunds St., it splits from track 1 of the New Haven-Springfield Line near the coaling tower at Cedar Hill. I can't see any way to get from there to the Belle Dock Running Track to the port. Not enough crossovers at present. Maybe wishful thinking on someone's part? And what freight railroad would service this customer?
 #1639409  by jamoldover
 
A couple of possibilities, depending on how many railroads you want to involve :
1) CSX (who has freight rights on the Springfield Line up to Cedar) picks up the load, brings it to Cedar Hill Yard, and turns it over to the P&W. P&W leaves Cedar Hill via Shore Line Jct, crosses over from 1>2, then reverses on track 2 back to the Belle Dock branch. Total of 3 railroads involved (CSX, P&W, Amtrak)
2) P&W picks up the load, goes up to Cedar interlocking, transits through Cedar Hill Yard, then makes the same move listed above (Shore Line Jct, then reverse back to Mill River and the Belle Dock. Total of 2 railroads involved (P&W, Amtrak)
3) P&W picks up the load, then heads south through Mill River and crosses over from MRS2>MRS1>NHB2. Train reverses back through Mill River and crosses over NHB2>NHB1, then reverses a second time to enter the Belle Dock branch.
I can't see the move being made via Mill River > CP-274 > Mill River, unless P&W picked up the load initially. Even then, you would still be adding MNCR into the mix which would make things more complicated.
 #1639690  by hrsn
 
All options seem very complex and expensive for the shipper. If the state were that excited and interested in this business, why not put in $$ for a crossover to eliminate reverse moves? I suspect that no one thought the thing through.
 #1639697  by jamoldover
 
Probably because of the $$$$$$$$ (a lot more than you think) to add a crossover to the high-speed interlocking at Mill River. Reverse moves just eat up some time - adding new crossovers (and all of the signal wiring changes associated with them) into an already complex interlocking eats up lots and lots of dollars.

Besides which, the P&W already needs to make those reverse moves to serve the Belle Dock branch anyway.
 #1639703  by hrsn
 
Understood the transformation of $$ to $$$$$$$!
I suspect that this customer will not build out their promises here. CT spends money to lure business for shell-company address is the most likely outcome.
 #1641848  by newpylong
 
Keep it mind these moves may involve Amtrak but they don't get a cut of the waybill. So they would either be dealing with a one originating and one terminating railroad or a single if the P&W does the whole thing.