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Massachusetts set to acquire CSX lines, increase commuter service
The more it changes the more it is the same. Much of this CSX track was originally built by the Old Colony Railroad for passenger service.
What a deal for CSX - they sell the track, and stil retain freight rights. They got away with it in Florida (Sunrail), and also have a zero-liability clause in the contract, so even if they have a derailment, they are not liable. Imagine a CSX haz-mat derailment in the Orlando area on the new Sunrail trackage. All costs associated with the derailment would be borne by the commuter (taxpayer) railroad. The same is now happening in both New York and Massachusetts. A big win for CSX - a big loss for the American taxpayer.
It is not true to say that CSX has no liability. They keep the same liability they have now - they only avoid increased liability from having passenger service running amid their freights.
The objection to this originates from trial lawyers who want to be able to sue somebody with deep pockets. It has nothing to do with protecting the taxpayer.
Why should CSX take on extra liability caused by the presence of passenger trains? They exist because they provide a public benefit – the public should provide for the risk.
The arrangement is something like “no-fault” insurance. CSX also pays damage to it’s property even if the fault was with the passenger carrier.
Why give up a yard in the heart of Boston? Does that mean more truck traffic on the roads around (and in) Boston?
Why give up a yard in the heart of Boston? Does that mean more truck traffic on the roads around (and in) Boston?
It was not former Old Colony track, that is south of Boston. The CSX track purchased is former Boston and Albany routes. Some old B&A stations are still in use on what is now the MBTA Riverside branch of the Green Line.
Nathan Anderson: both you and John Rydberg are partially right. You’re right about Boston-Worcester; that’s former B&A. John’s right about Fall-River-New Bedford-Taunton; that’s former Old Colony.
You give up a yard in Boston and relo it to a western suburb because the land in Boston has more value for commercial or condo real estate development than it presently has for a freight yard.
How many millions of dollars is that state in debt?Where are they getting the greenbacks from?Isnt the MBTA in great debt?
Massachusetts residents can thank Mitt the dimwitt for removing tolls on the Mass pike for cars, and increasing them for big trucks. Along with that was the foolish inception of allowing double 53-footers and triple 28-footers, immediately antiquating the road and bowing down to the big coorporate interests that wanted them. Leave it up to Mass to introduce “no fault” laws as well, forcing us to carry more insurance, first of all cars, now health, what’s next?
Mr. Anderson, the former B&A lines are west of Boston. The lines south of the city are indeed former Old Colony lines. Go to the Wikipedia article on the Old Colony RR and see the map there of its system at its peak in 1893.
Mass Pike tolls were not removed for cars. I know, I drive it all the time.
NEWSWIRE: Thank you for your daily updates. If I could make one suggestion, in an article like this that lists all these different routes, I would really love if you could include a map.
Mr. Crosmer from FLORIDA must really be feeling the financial pain of “forcing us to carry more insurance.” It is a bit early for a Massachusetts snow bird to migrate south.
The Beacon Yards (B&A/NYC) are just a fractions of what they used to be and do not have the value to railroads as freight is not being offloaded to horse & buggy so there is no real need to be that close to the city. CSX yards at the junction of the Mass Turnpike & RT. 495 & 290 where there is significant truck traffic makes much more sense - keeps the truck traffic on the Interstate system and off the city streets.
As CSX has been the owner and CSX dispatches which keeps priority to their freight even during the morning & evening rush hours which plays havoc with passenger schedules. MBTA ownership would give control for dispatch.
The MBTA can’t afford the trains they operate now, why are they adding more and on new routes? Quit it already. How are we going to afford all of this?
Ed from Texas, I’ve been around this nation of ours in all 48 states as a long distance trucker with 20+ years expericence. The toll roads in Texas haven’t done anything to unclog traffic. A cousin of mine whose husband works in Seguin just moved away from Georgetwon to New Braunfels and their monthly savings on gasoline and paying the toll hogs to avoid I-35 are more than enought to pay for the house payment on their new home. His blood pressure has dropped low enough his doctor was able to take him off the medication.
The tolls on the Mass pike were removed for cars between Springfield and the state line; trucks still have to pay tolls.