Sullivan Square Superstation/Transport Hub

[F-Line to Dudley]

F pointed out they could technically reroute freight/CR out to the West without NSRL. I think the concept also involved buying some additional trains and maintenance capacity. Seemed a bit convoluted. But worth considering since Grand Junction is so sparsely used.

Could the state just take away those freight rights via eminent domain? Can't imagine it would be too costly to be much of an impediment.

No. Constitutionally-protected interstate commerce considerations. Freight railroads have to voluntarily give up their rights. CSX would be willing to do this voluntarily if they got indemnified with protection in the process (and got more free public money for upgrades to their main profit centers):

1) If Pan Am provided haulage to them in Worcester from Everett Terminal (haulage means the Everett customers remain CSX's, but Pan Am earns a few bucks delivering CSX's loads to CSX's doorstep and CSX saves a few bucks on crews running nonstop Framingham-Everett). This will probably happen anyway once Harvard and the BRA get Houghton Chemical relocated out of Beacon Park, since that's the only other customer en route to Everett they have to serve that Pan Am can't serve for them.

2) If CSX were given overhead rights on the Fitchburg Line east of Ayer (overhead means they can't serve local customers--which Pan Am has rights to--but can use the track to run nonstop) so in the event Pan Am is providing unsatisfactory haulage service from Everett they can take those customers back. Strictly a butt-covering move, as they'd have little interest in actually using it if Pan Am haulage is working out well for all parties. CSX already has overhead rights on the Worcester-Ayer route, so giving them Somerville access via the inner Fitchburg Line would preserve all their future options for their Everett customers. Of course, you'd need track upgrades Worcester-Ayer so it's not so dog-slow, but some MassDOT fun bux would buy their voluntary approval.


Rest is as previously described: more southside equipment independence from the northside so N-S trainset swaps only have to happen by Worcester-Ayer once or twice a week instead of once or twice per day on the Grand Junction, and you're good to go at taking the GJ for BRT/LRT. Eat-your-peas type stuff the southside already badly needs in the short-term, so that bucket list will be done long before it's time to move on taking the GJ.