These right of way sales may be opportunities for museum operators who could continue to service customers and making additional income from running historic trains such as STREAM trains.

Here is an older article from the Albany Times Union on the West Albany sale.
Amtrak uses that line to get from Boston to Albany.
I wonder what the impact would be if they don't find a buyer.

The sale should extend to all lines not part of the Iron Triangle.

I thought the CR breakup was designed so that CSX would serve Boston via ex NYC lines.  Guess that is not working.

Traffic on the St. Lawrence Sub has dropped off some in the last few years -- mostly containers with a couple of locals.  NYS&W might be a buyer but only at the right price.  Same thing on the B-ville line -- reduced business over the last ten years or so -- I believe one local that may not run daily.  Again, NYS&W or perhaps, FGLK might be persuaded if the price is right.

Poppyl

 That's what I get for spending my last cash on toy trains! I can't invest in this opportunity. 

It's interesting to me to see what can grow out of something like this event. Hopefully there's some railroad personnel that can gather the resources and make something out of this.

It's interesting to me to see what can grow out of something like this event. Hopefully there's some railroad personnel that can gather the resources and make something out of this.

Would CSX be selling these lines if they were profitable?

C W Burfle posted:

Would CSX be selling these lines if they were profitable?

BINGO.

They are not profitable for CSX because of the arcane work rules and union agreements that tie their hands with regard to creative marketing and operating plans. However, they could be profitable in the hands of a smaller, more efficient operator that has the flexibility to change the operating plan without incurring the overhead costs that CSX would have.

Rich:

I agree with you to a point.  

CSX hasn’t had a real sales force in at least five years now and the number of sales people they had left in the field took a big hit in January/February of 2017 when Gooden and Ward forced the remaining old sales guys into retirement.

If a railroad has more or less given up trying to sell their service and decided to focus only on a shrinking basket of captive traffic; whose to say the lines being offered couldn’t be made profitable for CSX if they’d only make an effort?

Curt

Sell the new container yard in Ohio to UPS or FedEx.  Or maybe UP or BNSF?

Massena Line

This is a Class III terminal railroad operating in out of Messena, New York. It operates over 3 miles of track from the  CSX Terminal yard in Massena,  The Alco plant, is the railroad's only customer. It was built in the early 20th century, beginning operations in 1900.

This maybe part of the CSX Transportation biding process.

Gary: Rail-fan

The Marietta line should/ could be a real money maker. I grew up in Marietta. It serves several large chemical plants, a carbo black plant, two ferro alloy plants, and several other industries.  A short stretch of it includes the old Cincinnati mainline. Whoever gets this line is going to make some bucks. The whole line was upgraded to welded rail some years back for unit coal trains.

Boston & Albany Line

The Boston and Albany Railroad was a railroad connecting Boston, Massachusetts to Albany, New York, later becoming part of the New York Central Railroad system, Conrail, and CSX Transportation. The line is currently used by CSX for freight

The line, originally the Boston & Albany railroad, once ran into Boston, but now is publicly owned as far west as Worcester, with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority operating commuter service on the route.

From the Times Union: Posted by: by C.W. Burnie

CSX Transportation is considering the sale of as much as 8,000 miles of its 21,000-mile network, including its line from Albany to Worcester, Mass., outside Boston, according to industry publication Trains.com.

The line, originally the Boston & Albany railroad, once ran into Boston, but now is publicly owned as far west as Worcester, with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority operating commuter service on the route.

What I am looking for: I was unable to find any photos of the Boston & Albany Railroad flag painted on a diesel locomotive.  If you have amy photos please post on this thread? or what is their history as related to diesel?

Thanks: Gary

 one diesel was painted B&A in the mid 30’s. Can’t remember what it was. The  B&A  ceased being a independent road during WWII so no first generation diesels wore the B&A logo.

By 1951 all steam was either transferred west or scrapped and only NYC diesel was seen going forward.

Don't know where you got that date of operation but it's incorrect

Now when it comes to the B&A I would love CSX to sell it.  Mass funds re-double tracking it all the way to Pittsfield and increasing passenger service, but I can dream.

superwarp1 posted:

 one diesel was painted B&A in the mid 30’s.

Curious as to what "diesel" the B&A would have had in the "mid 30's"? 

Can’t remember what it was. The  B&A  ceased being a independent road during WWII so no first generation diesels wore the B&A logo.

By 1951 all steam was either transferred west or scrapped and only NYC diesel was seen going forward.

Don't know where you got that date of operation but it's incorrect

Hot Water posted:

superwarp1 posted:

 one diesel was painted B&A in the mid 30’s.

Curious as to what "diesel" the B&A would have had in the "mid 30's"? 

Can’t remember what it was. The  B&A  ceased being a independent road during WWII so no first generation diesels wore the B&A logo.

By 1951 all steam was either transferred west or scrapped and only NYC diesel was seen going forward.

Don't know where you got that date of operation but it's incorrect

 

Rusty

Thanks Rusty. I didn't think there were many diesel in the mid 1930s. May of 1939 makes more sense.

Well I knew it was 30’s something.  Thanks for posting

Well, as far as I know, north of Belpre is the carbon black plant. Then there is a steel service warehouse, but itpossibly does not use much rail. The old Union Carbide complex has 4 rail served industries: Everready, two big chemical plants, and the ferro alloy plant. On north the former Goodrich plant in Marietta, and then way north above Waterford is Globe Metalurgical. All of the mentioned locations are heavy users of rail, unless CSX has run them off in the last 2 years. This does not include the big Chemical complex in Belpre.  There are other potential rail users that a short line might develop.  CSX has really ignored this whole line since the coal power plant closed. I have been expecting a sale here. Let's hope a progressive operator gets ahold of this. I have worked at several of the online industries and I know what the potential could be.

The Specifications

If you are interested in operating a current or former CSX rail line for freight only purposes, please contact lines@csx.com, or use the form below. Please provide contact information, geographic interest, and other pertinent information in that communication. Your inquiry should be sufficient enough to provide CSX with confidence as to your understanding of the applicable rail line and your ability to successfully operate it.  Interested parties should not contact CSX customers or CSX employees.

In the event that CSX undertakes an effort to sell or lease a rail line, CSX will consider various factors when selecting and negotiating with potential new operators. In addition to financial considerations, CSX places considerable weight on a new operator’s ability to provide value to CSX and the shipping public over the long-term.  For those operators with an existing relationship with CSX, CSX will consider the history and experience between the railroads, including such factors such as (a) compliance with terms and conditions of any existing contracts, (b) the level of interline business with CSX, and (c) timeliness of payments, outstanding operational and/or contractual disputes, and other like items. 

CSX reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to reject any inquiry or proposal and to exclude any party throughout its process. No inquiry, proposal or offer to acquire any rail line will be binding on CSX unless and until CSX has executed and delivered a definitive written agreement providing for the sale of the rail line.

Click here to get the application.

Gary: Rail-Fan

I guess the 1st sentence pretty well sums up the rumors of the C&O # 2716 group running excursions out of Irvin-Ravenna, Ky.........Unless they would buy all of that line from Lexington thru both Corbin, Ky to Tennessee, and the east leg thru Hazard and tying back into the CSX "Big Sandy Division" to Russell, Ky and Tennessee to the south.......!

OK, if you are leasing the line, I can understand no passengers.  If you are BUYING, and you have clear title, why no passengers within a respectable distance of the interchange?

Dominic, I wouldn't have the Foggiest concerning what the railroad selling the property, may or may not want/let happen. I would think that the new property owners, could do with it as they want, but maybe what would sound like "Common Sense" to most of us, don't work that way in the Railroad Business World, especially with so many accidents happening, and such due to bad maintenance practices......

A purchase and being paid in full at the closing, would know doubt hold more water, in selling on some sort of Lease Purchase Agreement, or Land Contract to purchase..........Personally I wouldn't know, one way or the other......!  

Interesting about the freight only, though doesn't the Boston-Albany trackage handle Amtrak trains? I wonder if they did that to preclude something like Amtrak purchasing the Boston to Albany link and making it passenger prioritized or passenger only? (I am just speculating, folks, I have no knowledge of any such attempt, and given the hostility towards Amtrak in the government these days, unlikely they would have the money). Otherwise not sure what that is about, given that no railroads outside execursions or museums do passenger outside government run services. 

bigkid posted:

Interesting about the freight only, though doesn't the Boston-Albany trackage handle Amtrak trains? I wonder if they did that to preclude something like Amtrak purchasing the Boston to Albany link and making it passenger prioritized or passenger only? (I am just speculating, folks, I have no knowledge of any such attempt, and given the hostility towards Amtrak in the government these days, unlikely they would have the money). Otherwise not sure what that is about, given that no railroads outside execursions or museums do passenger outside government run services. 

B&A handles once a day Lake Shore Limited in each direction.  Amtrak doesn't buy lines anymore.  If anything, the State of Mass would buy the line as they did when they purchase everything east of Worcester from CSX or the CT river line from Springfield to Deerfield from Pan Am.  

There is a push for commuter trains out to Springfield which would require re-double tracking the line from Springfield east.  Frankly I'm surprised I haven't heard anything on the state side about CSX trying to sell.

Finally the restored union station in Springfield will see many more trains now that CTrail is up and running and Amtrak regional  are back to normal schedules.   What's lacking is more east/west trains and north

trainroomgary posted:

The Specifications

If you are interested in operating a current or former CSX rail line for freight only purposes, please contact lines@csx.com, or use the form below. Please provide contact information, geographic interest, and other pertinent information in that communication. Your inquiry should be sufficient enough to provide CSX with confidence as to your understanding of the applicable rail line and your ability to successfully operate it.  Interested parties should not contact CSX customers or CSX employees.

In the event that CSX undertakes an effort to sell or lease a rail line, CSX will consider various factors when selecting and negotiating with potential new operators. In addition to financial considerations, CSX places considerable weight on a new operator’s ability to provide value to CSX and the shipping public over the long-term.  For those operators with an existing relationship with CSX, CSX will consider the history and experience between the railroads, including such factors such as (a) compliance with terms and conditions of any existing contracts, (b) the level of interline business with CSX, and (c) timeliness of payments, outstanding operational and/or contractual disputes, and other like items. 

CSX reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to reject any inquiry or proposal and to exclude any party throughout its process. No inquiry, proposal or offer to acquire any rail line will be binding on CSX unless and until CSX has executed and delivered a definitive written agreement providing for the sale of the rail line.

Click here to get the application.

Gary: Rail-Fan

I remember years ago when the Everett railroad was formed.   There was a smallish news article on it in one of the newspapers.  One person placed a bid on a few miles of ex-PRR track and an old GE U boat  if I recall the content.

Short line magnate (or regional I don't know what you call the R&N these days) got their start this way.  Andy Muller had money from his teaching job and a very lucrative antique coin business and plowed it into buying the ex-Reading branch lines off of Conrail.   He did quite well if I do say so myself.

• the Massena Line extending north from Syracuse, New York, to Canada;

This line (The Hojack) passes our New York Ontario & Western / New York Central depot museum in Central Square.  We ran a rare mileage excursion train on this to Watertown and back many years ago using our Lackawanna E8 A-A Diesels.

http://www.cnynrhs.org/CentralSq.html

CSX Is Shedding Assets Even as Union Pacific Does the Opposite

The two rail giants employ different approaches to increasing operating efficiency.

Last week, CSX Corporation announced that it's soliciting bids for six non-contiguous rail segments located in North Carolina, West Virginia, Kentucky, and New York. Selling the non-core assets, which comprise approximately 650 miles of track, is part of a "broader initiative to drive asset utilization, enhance network efficiency and create long-term value for the company," according to CSX’s.

That broader initiative is, of course, the transformation of CSX into a scheduled railroad, i.e., one that optimizes assets while implementing a strict service plan and precision train scheduling. This project was set into motion by railroad legend and former CSX CEO Hunter Harrison, who passed away last year. It's now being carried forward aggressively by CEO Jim Foote and the company's management team.

Taking the opposite route............

Even as CSX whittles down non-core assets to drive operating ratio even lower, competitor Union Pacific  is pouring massive amounts of capital in a new facility, albeit with similar long-term efency goals.

As recently discussed, Union Pacific is investing $550 million in a new classification (sorting) yard in Brazos, Texas. It's the largest capital expenditure in a single facility in Union Pacific's history, and management hopes that the asset will help relieve some of the congestion the company is experiencing in its southern region. Network congestion issues tracing back to 2017 have caused Union Pacific's management to back off a goal of decreasing the company's own operating ratio -- currently at roughly 64.5% -- to 60% by next year.

Like CSX, Union Pacific believes in matching resources with demand and avoiding excess labor or keeping an unnecessary overage of cars in service. However, Union Pacific is presently throwing resources at its network by adding employees and cars to speed up its lines in a temporary sacrifice of operating ratio inputs. The investment in the Brazos yard is a longer-term solution to network fluidity and efficiency.

Thanks: Rusty for sharing the Boston & Albany Photo, do you have any more prewar diesel images.

Source: AP - Financial News: New York, New York / The city with two names.

Gary: Rail-fan

The new UP yard will take some pressure off the rail lines in the Houston TX area.

Hey all, I know this is an old thread, but if I may, I can give an update to the situation with the marietta sub division (pretty much local to me). It is now leased by the Belpre Industrial Parkersburg Railroad, so far I've seen four engines, 178, 278, 378, and 478, I believe all four are GP38-2's. All four are immaculately kept, here's a picture of one of them. from what I've seen, 178 appears to be used for switching, while 278 and 378 are road engines. 478 only just arrived, from what I can tell, I only saw it for the first time a month ago, but I would guess it's a road engine too.

No picture showing up.

Steve

@Trinity River Bottoms Boomer posted:

John: Please tell us more about Kent Locomotive Works!

That's what I've called my operation for the last eight years! About a year after I started collecting, my grandfather, who at the time was the VP and GM of a small gas company (it used to be one of the largest pipeline companies in the world), managed to get us the old hanger/race shop they had. With a large area, I began collecting and doing repairs for customers, including a repair for, of all places, McDonald's! We focus on pre and postwar but work on anything. After the death of the shops owner, we were forced to leave, so we don't have a workshop currently, but are working to change that. We are based out of Sandyville, WV

@Rescued Trains posted:

No picture showing up.

Steve

Sorry about that, it's not the same picture but here's another one