Eastern Railroad Discussion > NS leases eight SD40-2's to Pan Am Southern

NS 3468, 3470, 3471, 3474, 3476, 3482, 3489, and 3491 have been leased to the Pan Am Southern (PAS). The PAS is jointly owned by Norfolk Southern, and Pan Am Railways (PAR). It operates trackage between Albany, NY and Boston, MA. These eight units are part of the group of 24 EMD SD40-2's that NS acquired from National Railway Equipment in September of last year. All eight are painted in fresh NS "horsehead" black and white.

http://www.nsdash9.com/rosters/3468.html


Chris Toth
NSDash9.com
Also visit my NSDash9 facebook page for the latest NS power updates.

I think 4 already made its way to Mechanicville just a few days ago.. PAR should have them by now..

CR

NSDash9 Wrote:
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> NS 3468, 3470, 3471, 3474, 3476, 3482, 3489, and
> 3491 have been leased to the Pan Am Southern
> (PAS). The PAS is jointly owned by Norfolk
> Southern, and Pan Am Railways (PAR). It operates
> trackage between Albany, NY and Boston, MA.

Chris, I was under the impression, that the Eastern terminus of PAS, was Ayer, MA. I believe that the MBTA owns the trackage from Ayer to Boston. Perhaps PAR has trackage rights from Ayer to Boston, but not PAS?

Bob Callahan
Monticello, IN

rcall31060 Wrote:
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> NSDash9 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > NS 3468, 3470, 3471, 3474, 3476, 3482, 3489,
> and
> > 3491 have been leased to the Pan Am Southern
> > (PAS). The PAS is jointly owned by Norfolk
> > Southern, and Pan Am Railways (PAR). It
> operates
> > trackage between Albany, NY and Boston, MA.
>
> Chris, I was under the impression, that the
> Eastern terminus of PAS, was Ayer, MA. I believe
> that the MBTA owns the trackage from Ayer to
> Boston. Perhaps PAR has trackage rights from Ayer
> to Boston, but not PAS?

It was my understanding, as well, that the PAS agreement goes no farther east than Ayer. It also includes the Conn River line everything else west of Ayer. B&M/PAR has trackage rights on the MBTA-owned line into Boston from Ayer, but freight activity on that line is, to my knowledge, minimal.

toledopatch Wrote:
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> rcall31060 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > NSDash9 Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > NS 3468, 3470, 3471, 3474, 3476, 3482, 3489,
> > and
> > > 3491 have been leased to the Pan Am Southern
> > > (PAS). The PAS is jointly owned by Norfolk
> > > Southern, and Pan Am Railways (PAR). It
> > operates
> > > trackage between Albany, NY and Boston, MA.
> >
> > Chris, I was under the impression, that the
> > Eastern terminus of PAS, was Ayer, MA. I
> believe
> > that the MBTA owns the trackage from Ayer to
> > Boston. Perhaps PAR has trackage rights from
> Ayer
> > to Boston, but not PAS?
>
> It was my understanding, as well, that the PAS
> agreement goes no farther east than Ayer. It also
> includes the Conn River line everything else west
> of Ayer. B&M/PAR has trackage rights on the
> MBTA-owned line into Boston from Ayer, but freight
> activity on that line is, to my knowledge,
> minimal.
There is a plan afoot to run ethanol trains on this
line.

sums007 Wrote:
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toledopatch Wrote:
> > B&M/PAR has trackage rights on the
> > MBTA-owned line into Boston from Ayer, but
> freight
> > activity on that line is, to my knowledge,
> > minimal.

> There is a plan afoot to run ethanol trains on
> this line.

On the MBTA Fitchburg Line east of Ayer? To what terminal?

toledopatch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> sums007 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> toledopatch Wrote:
> > > B&M/PAR has trackage rights on the
> > > MBTA-owned line into Boston from Ayer, but
> > freight
> > > activity on that line is, to my knowledge,
> > > minimal.
>
> > There is a plan afoot to run ethanol trains on
> > this line.
>
> On the MBTA Fitchburg Line east of Ayer? To what
> terminal?
Correct. Fitch to East Boston Branch and terminate
at a terminal in Revere. There's been a lot of talk,
but not much action. They ran a test train way back
in 2010, and the plan still seems to be alive.

sums007 Wrote:
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They ran a test train way
> back
> in 2010, and the plan still seems to be alive.


They never ran a test train back then.. Tracks were not even laid or rebuilt or even dug up.. its disconnected in various stages, as its in horrible condition.. The talking still continues but it wont be for a LONG while, hence the major issue is the $$$$$. The real reason for those NS units on PAR is since PAR is on a very severe motive power crunch, as there has been a huge boom of oil trains coming thru from CSX via Rotterdam Jct almost on a daily basis, including BNSF grain trains for Ayer as well. They just cannot keep up with it, plus its 50/50 PAS and NS ownership.

CR

CR6444 Wrote:
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> sums007 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> They ran a test train way
> > back
> > in 2010, and the plan still seems to be alive.
>
>
> They never ran a test train back then.. Tracks
> were not even laid or rebuilt or even dug up.. its
> disconnected in various stages, as its in horrible
> condition.. The talking still continues but it
> wont be for a LONG while, hence the major issue is
> the $$$$$. The real reason for those NS units on
> PAR is since PAR is on a very severe motive power
> crunch, as there has been a huge boom of oil
> trains coming thru from CSX via Rotterdam Jct
> almost on a daily basis, including BNSF grain
> trains for Ayer as well. They just cannot keep up
> with it, plus its 50/50 PAS and NS ownership.
>
> CR

Thanks for the additional information. I knew that train volume was way up, and that PAS hadn't bought new power so I figured they were running whatever NS gave them.

I don't know if PAS or GTI have ever bought new power. It seemed like everything was second or third hand. Difficult to meet NS's service standards that way.

CR6444 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> sums007 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> They ran a test train way
> > back
> > in 2010, and the plan still seems to be alive.
>
>
> They never ran a test train back then.. Tracks
> were not even laid or rebuilt or even dug up.. its
> disconnected in various stages, as its in horrible
> condition.. The talking still continues but it
> wont be for a LONG while, hence the major issue is
> the $$$$$. The real reason for those NS units on
> PAR is since PAR is on a very severe motive power
> crunch, as there has been a huge boom of oil
> trains coming thru from CSX via Rotterdam Jct
> almost on a daily basis, including BNSF grain
> trains for Ayer as well. They just cannot keep up
> with it, plus its 50/50 PAS and NS ownership.
>
> CR
I stand corrected on the word "train". They did,
however, run a pair of light engines out of Ayer and they
turned at BET; never went to the branch. I'm not a
rail; just reporting what I've read from others, some
of whom are PAR employed.

sums007 Wrote:

> I stand corrected on the word "train". They did,
> however, run a pair of light engines out of Ayer
> and they
> turned at BET; never went to the branch. I'm not
> a
> rail; just reporting what I've read from others,
> some
> of whom are PAR employed.

That's the normal job for PAS to run anything from Ayer to BET, just to serve BET to swap off broken, dead MBTA units heading for NS to Juniata for repairs.. The Revere Branch is long ripped out of service for years, hardly seen a Guilford unit touched the rails since the mid 90's. Also, with the Southampton Street bridge now OOS, they have been running equipment moves from South Station to Worcester then on to Ayer, then to BET to serve MBTA for North Station.

CR



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/19/13 12:59 by CR6444.

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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> I don't know if PAS or GTI have ever bought new
> power. It seemed like everything was second or
> third hand. Difficult to meet NS's service
> standards that way.

PAR recently leased a bunch of Helm stuff, at least some of which has since been seen running around on CSX paying off horsepower hours.

Guilford/PAR has never bought new power. When they let the B&M GP38-2s and, later, GP40-2s go after lease expiration, those units were replaced by older locomotives (GP35s, GP40s). These NS ex-BN SD40-2 units could well be the newest locomotives on the property when they arrive.

toledopatch Wrote:
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> It was my understanding, as well, that the PAS
> agreement goes no farther east than Ayer. It also
> includes the Conn River line everything else west
> of Ayer. B&M/PAR has trackage rights on the
> MBTA-owned line into Boston from Ayer, but freight
> activity on that line is, to my knowledge,
> minimal.

Patch, I think the PAS agreement also encompasses the Conn River line, north to White River Jct., no?

Bob Callahan
Monticello, IN

rcall31060 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> toledopatch Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > It was my understanding, as well, that the PAS
> > agreement goes no farther east than Ayer. It
> also
> > includes the Conn River line everything else
> west
> > of Ayer. B&M/PAR has trackage rights on the
> > MBTA-owned line into Boston from Ayer, but
> freight
> > activity on that line is, to my knowledge,
> > minimal.
>
> Patch, I think the PAS agreement also encompasses
> the Conn River line, north to White River Jct.,
> no?

Bob, here is this link... directly from NS years ago..

http://www.nscorp.com/nscportal/nscorp/pdf/patriot_corridor.pdf

CR

And for want of a missing "and" between "Conn River" (and) "everything else west of Ayer", I think I said so.

toledopatch Wrote:
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> And for want of a missing "and" between "Conn
> River" (and) "everything else west of Ayer", I
> think I said so.

Thanks, Patch! ;<)

Bob Callahan
Monticello, IN