CSX Receives Approval from Surface Transportation Board to Acquire Pan Am Railways

Trains SEPO & BFPO, Westford MA 2016

(SOURCE:  CSX)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – April 14, 2022 – CSX Corp. (NASDAQ: CSX) today announced that the Surface Transportation Board (STB) approved CSX’s application to acquire Pan Am Railways, Inc. (Pan Am). CSX will move forward with the acquisition with a planned closing date of June 1, 2022, at which time CSX will acquire control of Pan Am.

“CSX is pleased that the STB approved the proposed acquisition of Pan Am and has recognized the significant benefits this transaction will bring to shippers and other New England stakeholders,” said president and chief executive officer, James M. Foote. “We look forward to integrating Pan Am, their employees and the rail-served industries of the Northeast into CSX and to working in partnership with connecting railroads to provide exceptional supply chain solutions to New England and beyond.”

David A. Fink, president of Pan Am Railways said: “This much anticipated decision paves the way for an exciting new chapter for Pan Am customers and our employees as we begin our transition to the CSX team.”

Adding Pan Am to our network will extend the reach of our service to a wider customer base over an expanded territory, creating new efficiencies and market prospects for customers to capitalize on a robust pipeline of growth opportunities to move freight to, from and within New England.

With this transaction, New England will benefit from CSX’s track record as a leader in environmental performance. CSX will operate Pan Am with a more reliable and more fuel-efficient fleet, significantly reducing fuel consumption and improving rail’s environmental footprint in the region.

Passenger and commuter carriers in New England will benefit as the company is committed to maintaining or improving existing passenger service that operates on Pan Am. CSX has a long-standing history of working cooperatively with Amtrak and other passenger rail partners as evidenced by the significant improvement in contractual on-time performance with Amtrak since CSX has implemented its new operating model.

Headquartered in North Billerica, Massachusetts, Pan Am owns and operates a highly integrated, nearly 1,200-mile rail network and has a partial interest in the more than 600-mile Pan Am Southern system. Pan Am’s network across New England has access to multiple ports and large-scale commodity producers. The transaction will expand CSX’s reach in Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts while adding Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine to its existing 23-state network.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC acted as financial advisor and Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP acted as legal advisor to CSX in connection with the transaction.

CSX to Acquire Pan Am Railways in New England

SOURCE: 12:19 pm ET December 1, 2020 (Globe Newswire)

CSX Corp. (NASDAQ: CSX) today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire New England's Pan Am Railways, Inc. ("Pan Am"), whose rail carrier subsidiaries comprise North America's largest regional railroad.

Headquartered in North Billerica, Massachusetts, Pan Am owns and operates a highly integrated, nearly 1,200-mile rail network and has a partial interest in the more than 600-mile Pan Am Southern system. Pan Am's network across New England has access to multiple ports and large-scale commodity producers. The transaction will expand CSX's reach in Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts while adding Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine to its existing 23-state network.

The transaction will provide significant benefits to shippers and local communities as CSX integrates Pan Am into its best-in-class network. CSX made nearly $1.5 billion in infrastructure capital expenditures in its network in 2019, supporting economic growth and ensuring the safety and efficiency of the supply chain.

James M. Foote, president and chief executive officer of CSX, said: "In Pan Am, CSX gains a strong regional rail network in one of the most densely populated markets in the U.S., creating new efficiencies and market opportunities for customers as we continue to grow. We intend to bring CSX's customer-centric focus and industry-leading operating model to shippers and industries served by Pan Am. We look forward to integrating Pan Am into CSX, with substantial benefits to the rail-served industries of the Northeast, and to working in partnership with connecting railroads to provide exceptional supply chain solutions to New England and beyond."

David A. Fink, president of Pan Am Railways, said: "Pan Am is pleased to reach this agreement with CSX, a North American leader in rail-based freight transportation. This is great news for New England shippers and the national freight network overall."

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The transaction is subject to regulatory review and approval by the Surface Transportation Board.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC is acting as financial advisor and Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is acting as legal advisor to CSX in connection with the transaction.

CSX Rules Out Sale of Former Boston & Albany Line

SOURCE:  Times Union - Friday, January 26, 2018 

CSX Transportation, responding to a report earlier this week from trade publication trains.com, said Friday afternoon that a list of lines under review for possible sale was "inaccurate." The list included the former Boston & Albany line between Albany and Worcester, Mass., now operated by CSX.

"I can definitively say that this line is not for sale," a CSX spokesman told the Times Union. The trains.com report had led to speculation about potential purchasers and the continued operation of Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited over the line.

CSX has undertaken a review of its network "to be sure our assets are maximized for efficiency and add value to the company's long-term business needs," the spokesman said. But he added that the list published by trains.com "did not originate from anyone authorized to speak on behalf of the company and is not right."

CSX operates a major rail yard and auto distribution terminal in Selkirk. It had planned to close its hump yard there, used to sort individual rail cars into new trains, as it sought to reduce transit times, then Chief Operating Officer Cindy Sanborn told analysts at an investment conference last May.

Sanborn was replaced by James Foote as COO last autumn. Foote became CEO, succeeding E. Hunter Harrison, who was in the midst of rolling out his "precision scheduled railroading" concept at CSX, died in December.

Meanwhile, CSX  reversed course and the Selkirk hump operation remains.

Last autumn, CSX planned to consolidate train dispatching operations in Jacksonville, Fla., where the railroad is headquartered. But that move apparently has been delayed.

Foote plans to continue Harrison's efforts, which include precision railroading where trains operate on set schedules. Foote told regulators at the beginning of January that assets are better utilized, transit times and customer service have improved, and costs have been reduced.

Train Derails in Worcester MA, Blocking Burncoat Street and Diverting Traffic

JAN 24, 2018:  Part of Pan Am/CSX freight SEPO derailed Wednesday (1/24/18) morning, creating traffic problems in Worcester but causing no injuries...  Three locomotives and several box cars at the front of the train came off the tracks around 8 a.m... the train came to a stop just south of West Mountain Street just past where the tracks go under West Boylston Street. The box cars that went off the tracks were directly behind the three engines...  District Fire Chief Daniel O’Neil said the cars affected by the derailment were carrying paper. He said that for safety reasons, it is common practice to have cars without hazardous materials directly behind the engine. Other cars on the train contained liquefied petroleum gas. He said they were not affected by the derailment.

http://www.masslive.com/news/worcester/index.ssf/2018/01/train_derails_in_worcester_blo.html
https://worcestermag.com/2018/01/24/train-derails-off-burncoat-street/56966
http://www.telegram.com/news/20180124/derailed-train-moved-traffic-flowing-on-burncoat-street-in-worcester

CSX Freight Train Derails in Taunton MA, Spills 1,800 Gallons of Fuel

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/12/csx_train_derails_in_taunton_c.html

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/12/13/csx-freight-train-derails-taunton-leaking-gallons-fuel/vKMkCqDJFQx1lKbIloHhXI/story.html

http://whdh.com/news/cargo-train-derails-spills-fuel-in-taunton/

http://www.thesunchronicle.com/news/local_news/train-derailment-in-taunton-causes-fuel-spill/article_f37a7399-310a-5366-b2fc-d938149189ff.html

Chester MA: 25th Chester On Track Event Along CSX - May 21, 2016

May 21, 2016

CHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS

25th Anniversary Chester On Track

... located on the Boston & Albany (CSX)

Massive parade, Civil War, Blacksmith demos, CCC Camp, and early Irish railroad re-enactors. Train show & craft fair,1840 railroad station museum, in Historically Listed downtown. Garden tractor pulls; call to participate, 'one-lung' steam & gas engine demos, classic cars, duck race, petting zoo, bounce house, a number of 1920's-era freight cars, including wooden caboose, and 'Children's Boxcar' on display. Hike to the first American series of stone arch RR bridges on MA first Wild & Scenic River, tour a working granite quarry and archeological stone works, historic displays, food & more! FREE (donations accepted)

POSTCARD VIEW: Palmer Massachusetts, Circa 1906

Palmer MA, circa 1906.  Today the station is home to the Steaming Tender restaurant.  The tracks at left are now New England Central, at right, CSX's Boston line.

2014 Boston & Albany Railroad Calendars

Tucker's Hobbies in Warren MA is offering for sale 2014 Boston & Albany Railroad Calendars, featuring photography by Bob Buck.  Info can be found at their website. 

State Ownership of MBTA Expected to Improve Service

(Source: Grafton Patch - Posted by Michael Gelbwasser, August 06, 2013)

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced Tuesday that the MBTA and its Commuter Rail contractor (MBCR) have completed the final steps in their acquisition of the CSX rail lines on which Worcester/Framingham commuter trains travel, opening up the line to increased service opportunities for passengers.

“By taking over the dispatching duties this week, the state can now give absolute priority to passenger service along the line,” said MassDOT Secretary and CEO Richard A. Davey.

Dispatching is among the final elements of the agreement between CSX and the Commonwealth, which took ownership of the railroad right-of-way last year.  “Controlling operations and maintenance along the line is a critically important part of our concerted effort to not only improve reliability, but also increase service between the state’s two largest cities,” said MBTA General Manager Beverly Scott.

This week’s transition provides for multiple benefits:

MBCR has direct control (dispatching) of all train and maintenance activities on the 45-mile long line. Dispatchers at South Station can, and will, give priority to Commuter Rail trains over freight trains when necessary.

There is greater flexibility in managing train movements to address any operational situations, such as medical emergencies and downed trees, that may develop.  In addition, Commuter Rail operators can now dispatch extra trains or extra engines without going through a cumbersome – and time consuming -- paperwork process first.

Commuter Rail dispatchers can now communicate directly with train crews.  Prior to this week, MBCR dispatchers would have to relay questions or directions through the CSX dispatchers in Selkirk, New York.  This communication was not immediate and many times would delay response to unscheduled events along the line.  It’s now easier to turn an ‘express’ train into a ‘local’ or a ‘local’ train into an ‘express’ train.

Heat-related speed restrictions will be significantly reduced.  The CSX Corporation imposed speed restrictions on all of its railroads if temperatures exceeded ninety degrees anywhere on the East Coast.  This corporate rule, which sometimes resulted in unnecessary delays along the Worcester/Framingham Line, no longer applies.  In addition, stepped-up maintenance work will result in improved track conditions, making rails less susceptible to ‘heat kinks.’

The MBTA remains on schedule to increase to 20 the number of roundtrips between Worcester and Boston this year, fulfilling a commitment made earlier by the Patrick Administration.

With the completion of the new and fully accessible Yawkey Station this fall, more trains will be able to service the station now that the MBTA has complete control over dispatching.

Since taking office in 2007, improving the state’s transportation infrastructure has been a key priority of the Patrick Administration. As part of the Massachusetts State Rail Plan, the Administration has strategically invested close to $1 billion in the state’s rail system through competitive grants, public funds and private sector capital. These investments, some ongoing, represent the most significant improvements in the Commonwealth’s rail system as a whole in decades.

CSX Opens Massachusetts Double Stack Route

(via the Trains.com Newswire)

WORCESTER, Mass. – CSX Transportation has opened New England’s first main line route that can clear double stack intermodal containers. The railroad worked in conjunction with the commonwealth of Massachusetts to raise clearances on the former Boston & Albany route between the New York state line and the newly expanded intermodal terminal in Worcester.

The project involved increasing vertical clearances at 31 locations between Worcester and the state line to 21 feet. West of the New York state line, clearances have already been raised. Previously, double-stack trains destined for New England points had to stop in Syracuse, N.Y., to be converted from double-stack to single-stack configurations. The reverse occurred on westbound trains adding time and cost.

The project was part of a larger agreement with the commonwealth that enabled Massachusetts to acquire CSX lines in the Boston area to increase commuter service. In conjunction with that project, the intermodal terminal in Worcester was expanded.

“This is an excellent example of how the public and private sector can work together on projects that benefit the public, strengthen the economy, and enable highway to rail freight conversion to reduce strain on public infrastructure and serve supply chains seamlessly,” Clarence W. Gooden, CSX’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer, said.

Aging Charles River Rail Bridge Closes for Repairs

SOURCE:  Boston Globe - Carolyn Y. Johnson

The graffiti-covered railroad span that threads diagonally under the Boston University Bridge will be closed to most train traffic for two weeks, after an inspection found some of its crossbeams need to be replaced.

Many people are unaware that the 90-year-old railroad bridge across the Charles River is in use at all, but it is a critical piece of transportation infrastructure. It is part of the little known Grand Junction Railroad, which starts in Brighton and wends its way through Cambridge, Somerville, Everett, and Chelsea, connecting train lines that go to North Station with the ones that lead to South Station.

The freight line’s tracks are also used by Amtrak and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority to shift engines and coaches for maintenance.

The repair work has begun, according to MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo. In the meantime, the train systems that use the bridge have come up with alternative plans to ensure no interruptions in service.

Two weeks ago, a visual inspection of the bridge found signs of movement in its trusses, according to Scott Farmelant, spokesman for the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Co., a contractor that operates the MBTA’s commuter rail service. A bridge engineering inspection firm was brought in, and on Wednesday, Farmelant said, the bridge was closed to freight cars and locomotives. He emphasized there is no public safety threat, since passenger trains do not use the bridge, and said the closure will not affect commuter rail services.

Pesaturo said in an e-mail that seven of the bridge’s 44 crossbeams need to be replaced. Repairs are expected to take about two weeks, and the cost of the project had not been finalized.

In preparation for the bridge’s closing, Pesaturo said, a number of organizations and companies have worked together to devise solutions.

Amtrak, for example, will do routine maintenance on its Downeaster trains, which provide service to New Hampshire and Maine, at the MBTA’s facility in Somerville, and the commuter rail company will perform maintenance on some of its equipment at the Amtrak facility in South Boston.

Cliff Cole, a spokesman for Amtrak, said the bridge is used to transport locomotive engines to Amtrak’s maintenance yard, and the repair project will have no impact on Downeaster schedules.

“Amtrak has been working around the closure by maneuvering the equipment through different detour routes,” and pursuing an agreement to have equipment maintained at different sites, Cole said.

Pan Am Railways and CSX Corp. reached an agreement to “transfer freight rail trains in the Worcester area,” Pesaturo wrote.

The bridge is not completely closed; empty commuter rail coaches can still be transferred over the bridge.

But in an illustration of just how important the bridge is, Farmelant said, two commuter rail locomotives would be transferred this weekend to the ­MBTA’s Somerville repair facility by taking a roundabout route through the Worcester area.

The transfer, which would normally involve crossing the Charles on the BU span, will utilize tracks that go through Ayer and then back east on the Fitchburg commuter rail line to Somerville.

“The system ultimately is wholly dependent on aging infrastructure,” Farmelant said. “This shows how critically important these investments the governor and others keep talking about into our infrastructure are.”

UPDATE: the bridge was reportedly back in service as of 1/11/13