Pan Am Railways
Encyclopedia
Pan Am Railways, Inc. known as Guilford Rail System (GRS) before March 2006, is a holding company
that owns and operates Class II
regional railroad
s covering northern New England
from Mattawamkeag, Maine
to Rotterdam Junction, New York. The primary subsidiaries of Pan Am Railways are Boston and Maine Corporation , Maine Central Railroad Company , Portland Terminal Company
, and Springfield Terminal Railway Company ; BM and MEC are operated under lease by ST.
Pan Am Railways is headquartered in North Billerica, Massachusetts
(a village
within the town of Billerica
). It is a subsidiary of Portsmouth, New Hampshire
-based Pan Am Systems
, formerly known as Guilford Transportation Industries (GTI). Guilford bought the name, colors and logo of Pan American World Airways
in 1998.
Guilford Transportation Industries was formed in 1977. The company entered the railroad business in 1981 with its purchase of the Maine Central Railroad Company from U.S. Filter Corporation. This was followed by its 1983 purchase of the Boston and Maine Corporation, and in 1984 it purchased the Delaware and Hudson Railway
(DH). The combined MEC-BM-DH network sprawled from the border between Maine
and New Brunswick
to Boston
, west to Albany
, north to Montreal
, and south (via trackage rights
) to New York
, Philadelphia, and Washington
.
The passage of the Staggers Rail Act
allowed Guilford to execute a business plan unlike those of earlier railroads in New England
. It revolved around the idea of buying up as many local railroads as possible, to create full horizontal integration
over New England and the northern Mid-Atlantic states, gaining efficiencies of scale.
Following the purchases of MEC, BM, and DH, Guilford began several major changes to the operations of these railroads and their workforces. One of the first changes took place with new management, followed by consolidation of locomotive
repair work at the MEC shops in Waterville, Maine
, resulting in repainting of locomotives from the predecessor companies into Guilford corporate colors.
In the mid-1980s, Guilford began to eliminate marginal low-density routes, particularly in Maine. Fully one-third of MEC trackage was eliminated, including the Mountain Division from Windham, Maine
to St. Johnsbury, Vermont
; the Rockland Branch from Brunswick
to Rockland, Maine
; the Calais Branch from Bangor
to Calais, Maine
; and the “Lower Road” from Augusta
to Brunswick.
When the Calais Branch was cut, service was kept on a now-orphaned section of trackage running between Calais and a pulp mill
in nearby Woodland
; these tracks ran for several miles through New Brunswick
, Canada
, and their only remaining connection to the North American rail network was with Canadian Pacific Railway
(CPR) at St. Stephen, New Brunswick
. Following the Calais Branch abandonment, CPR agreed to haul MEC traffic from the interchange at Calais to an interchange with MEC at Mattawamkeag
. In spite of the fact that new labor agreements had removed the requirement to use a caboose at the end of each train, and crew size had been reduced from as many as five employees to just two, Guilford leased the operation of the remaining portions of the Calais branch to its tiny Springfield Terminal Railway Company subsidiary, which had much more advantageous labor agreements.
The Springfield Terminal Railway Company was a 6 miles (10 km) shortline
connection from Springfield, Vermont
, to Charlestown, New Hampshire
, that was owned by the Boston and Maine Corporation.
From 1897 to 1921, it was known as the Springfield Electric, and was converted from electric to diesel power in 1956. Passenger service lasted until 1947, and freight service was discontinued in 1984.
The ST had once been an interurban
, and following typical interurban and shortline practice, it had a union agreement that allowed fewer crew members per train and operation without cabooses. By the time Guilford took over, the operation had been cut back to a stub of a few hundred yards serving one customer and operating infrequently. The tracks have since been removed and the route is now a rails to trails bike/walking path.
to run trains to St. Louis
. Norfolk Southern was attempting to win approval of a plan to purchase Conrail
from the United States government and proposed allowing Guilford to lease Conrail lines to St. Louis in order to restore competition that would be lost in the merger. The plan would have allowed Guilford to use the Conrail mainline from Toledo
to Ridgeway, Ohio
and from Crestline, Ohio
to St. Louis. Guilford would also purchase other Conrail track for $35 million. Norfolk Southern did not prevail in its attempt to purchase Conrail in 1985, and the Guilford plan was dropped.
's administration. In 1988, Guilford declared the Delaware and Hudson Railway bankrupt. DH employees took it over, with the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway
managing it. The employees then sold out in 1991 to the Canadian Pacific Railway.
In the years that followed, Guilford forced many management and salary changes, resulting in other strikes over wages and work rules.
The paper industry provides the largest source of business, both inbound chemicals, clay and pulp (although Pan Am has lost a lot of that business to trucks), and outbound paper. Rail had a slightly more than 50% market share for outbound paper shipments from Maine, most of which used Pan Am (truck and boat carry the balance). By comparison, rail has a better than 80% market share from mills in Wisconsin (primarily served by Wisconsin Central Transportation
). A 2008 report issued by the American Society of Civil Engineers
rated Maine at 48th of the 50 states in volume of freight traffic that moves by rail. The Maine Motor Transport Association web page reports that trucks transport 94% of total manufactured tonnage in Maine.
In some years, Pan Am rail traffic had trended up somewhat, following national rail industry trends. However, as of recent times, Pan Am rail traffic has dropped considerably. A report issued by the Maine Department of Transportation
listed rail traffic on the Maine Central Railroad as being 162,658 loads in 1972. As of 2008, Pan Am rail traffic over the remaining portions of the MEC was estimated to be no more than 69,000 loads. Interestingly, in this same time period, the Association of American Railroads
estimates that rail traffic in the United States has more than doubled.
In 1998, Guilford bought the name, colors and logo of Pan American World Airways
.
In March 2006, Guilford Transportation Industries changed its name to Pan Am Systems, and Guilford Rail System was rebranded as Pan Am Railways.
In March 2009, Pan Am was ordered to pay the largest corporate criminal
fine in Massachusetts history — $500,000 — due to the company's violation of state and federal environmental laws and regulations.
As of 2011, Pan Am employs 750 people and has a $40 million payroll.
, and the Boston, Massachusetts area called the 'Patriot Corridor'."
On March 12, 2009, the Surface Transportation Board
approved the deal. Each of the two companies own 50% of a new company known as Pan Am Southern
(PAS). PAR's trackage between Ayer, Massachusetts
and Mechanicville, New York
was transferred to PAS and continues to be operated and maintained by PAR's Springfield Terminal Railway subsidiary. NS transferred to PAS cash and property valued at $140 million.
Planned improvements to the route include track and signal upgrades, and expansion of terminals, including construction of new automotive and intermodal terminals in Ayer, MA and Mechanicville, NY.
, to Mechanicville, New York
, via the lines of the following former companies:
locomotive (Springfield Terminal #77) into the historic maroon and gold "Minuteman
" paint scheme used on Boston & Maine locomotives in the 1950s. Company officials have stated that an historic Maine Central paint scheme will eventually be applied to another locomotive.
Holding company
A holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...
that owns and operates Class II
Class II railroad
A Class II railroad in the United States is a mid-sized freight-hauling railroad, in terms of its operating revenue. , a railroad with revenues greater than $20.5 million but less than $277.7 million for at least three consecutive years is considered a Class II railroad...
regional railroad
Regional railroad
In the United States, a regional railroad is a railroad company that is not Class I, but still has a substantial amount of traffic or trackage . The Association of American Railroads has defined the lower bound as of track or $40 million in annual operating revenue...
s covering northern New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
from Mattawamkeag, Maine
Mattawamkeag, Maine
Mattawamkeag is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States located where the Mattawamkeag River joins the Penobscot River. The population was 825 at the 2000 census.-Railroad history:Mattawamkeag's history is inextricably linked to the railroad....
to Rotterdam Junction, New York. The primary subsidiaries of Pan Am Railways are Boston and Maine Corporation , Maine Central Railroad Company , Portland Terminal Company
Portland Terminal Company
The Portland Terminal Company was a terminal railroad notable for its control of switching activity for the Maine Central and Boston & Maine railroads in the Maine cities of Portland, South Portland, and Westbrook.- History :...
, and Springfield Terminal Railway Company ; BM and MEC are operated under lease by ST.
Pan Am Railways is headquartered in North Billerica, Massachusetts
North Billerica, Massachusetts
North Billerica is a unincorporated village of the town of Billerica, Massachusetts, United States, one of the nine sections that make up the Town of Billerica. It is the home to Faulkner and Talbot mills and the North Billerica Train Depot...
(a village
Village (United States)
In the United States, the meaning of "village" varies by geographic area and legal jurisdiction. In many areas, "village" is a term, sometimes informal, for a type of administrative division at the local government level...
within the town of Billerica
Billerica, Massachusetts
Billerica is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,243 at the 2010 census. It is the only town named Billerica in the United States and borrows its name from the town of Billericay in Essex, England.- History :...
). It is a subsidiary of Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...
-based Pan Am Systems
Pan Am Systems
Pan Am Systems is a privately held company that controls the following divisions: rail transport; manufacturing and energy; transportation related brands; real estate; and a now-defunct airline division. The company is headquartered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.-History:Guilford Transportation...
, formerly known as Guilford Transportation Industries (GTI). Guilford bought the name, colors and logo of Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal and largest international air carrier in the United States from 1927 until its collapse on December 4, 1991...
in 1998.
Early years
Delaware and Hudson Railway
The Delaware and Hudson Railway is a railroad that operates in the northeastern United States. Since 1991 it has been a subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway, although CPR has assumed all operations and the D&H does not maintain any locomotives or rolling stock.It was formerly an important...
(DH). The combined MEC-BM-DH network sprawled from the border between Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
and New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, west to Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, north to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, and south (via trackage rights
Trackage rights
Trackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....
) to New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Philadelphia, and Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
.
The passage of the Staggers Rail Act
Staggers Rail Act
The Staggers Rail Act of 1980 is a United States federal law that deregulated the American railroad industry to a significant extent, and replaced the regulatory structure that existed since the 1887 Interstate Commerce Act.-Background:...
allowed Guilford to execute a business plan unlike those of earlier railroads in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. It revolved around the idea of buying up as many local railroads as possible, to create full horizontal integration
Horizontal integration
In microeconomics and strategic management, the term horizontal integration describes a type of ownership and control. It is a strategy used by a business or corporation that seeks to sell a type of product in numerous markets...
over New England and the northern Mid-Atlantic states, gaining efficiencies of scale.
Following the purchases of MEC, BM, and DH, Guilford began several major changes to the operations of these railroads and their workforces. One of the first changes took place with new management, followed by consolidation of locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
repair work at the MEC shops in Waterville, Maine
Waterville, Maine
Waterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. The population was 15,722 at the 2010 census. Home to Colby College and Thomas College, Waterville is the regional commercial, medical and cultural center....
, resulting in repainting of locomotives from the predecessor companies into Guilford corporate colors.
In the mid-1980s, Guilford began to eliminate marginal low-density routes, particularly in Maine. Fully one-third of MEC trackage was eliminated, including the Mountain Division from Windham, Maine
Windham, Maine
Windham is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 17,001 at the 2010 census. It includes the villages of South Windham and North Windham...
to St. Johnsbury, Vermont
St. Johnsbury, Vermont
St. Johnsbury is the shire town of Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. The population was 7,571 at the 2000 census. St. Johnsbury is located approximately northwest of the Connecticut River and south of the Canadian border.St...
; the Rockland Branch from Brunswick
Brunswick, Maine
Brunswick is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 20,278 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area. Brunswick is home to Bowdoin College, the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, , and the...
to Rockland, Maine
Rockland, Maine
Rockland is a city in Knox County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,297. It is the county seat of Knox County. The city is a popular tourist destination...
; the Calais Branch from Bangor
Bangor, Maine
Bangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
to Calais, Maine
Calais, Maine
Calais is a city in Washington County, Maine, United States. The city has three United States border crossings or also known as a Port of entry with the busiest being on the St. Croix River bordering St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada...
; and the “Lower Road” from Augusta
Augusta, Maine
Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...
to Brunswick.
When the Calais Branch was cut, service was kept on a now-orphaned section of trackage running between Calais and a pulp mill
Pulp mill
A pulp mill is a manufacturing facility that converts wood chips or other plant fibre source into a thick fibre board which can be shipped to a paper mill for further processing. Pulp can be manufactured using mechanical, semi-chemical or fully chemical methods...
in nearby Woodland
Woodland, Washington County, Maine
Woodland is a census-designated place in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,044 at the 2000 census.Woodland is a part of the town of Baileyville...
; these tracks ran for several miles through New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and their only remaining connection to the North American rail network was with Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
(CPR) at St. Stephen, New Brunswick
St. Stephen, New Brunswick
St. Stephen is a Canadian town in Charlotte County, New Brunswick, situated on the east bank of the St. Croix River at .-Climate:...
. Following the Calais Branch abandonment, CPR agreed to haul MEC traffic from the interchange at Calais to an interchange with MEC at Mattawamkeag
Mattawamkeag, Maine
Mattawamkeag is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States located where the Mattawamkeag River joins the Penobscot River. The population was 825 at the 2000 census.-Railroad history:Mattawamkeag's history is inextricably linked to the railroad....
. In spite of the fact that new labor agreements had removed the requirement to use a caboose at the end of each train, and crew size had been reduced from as many as five employees to just two, Guilford leased the operation of the remaining portions of the Calais branch to its tiny Springfield Terminal Railway Company subsidiary, which had much more advantageous labor agreements.
Springfield Terminal Railway
ShortLine
Short Line is a brand name for three different Coach USA companies, Hudson Transit Lines, Hudson Transit Corporation, and Chenango Valley Bus Lines that provide local, commuter and intercity bus service in lower New York State, primarily along the Route 17 and Southern Tier corridor.-Service...
connection from Springfield, Vermont
Springfield, Vermont
Springfield is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 9,373 at the 2010 census.-History:One of the New Hampshire grants, the township was chartered on August 20, 1761 by Governor Benning Wentworth and awarded to Gideon Lyman and 61 others...
, to Charlestown, New Hampshire
Charlestown, New Hampshire
Charlestown is a town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,114 at the 2010 census. The town is home to Hubbard State Forest and the headquarters of the Student Conservation Association....
, that was owned by the Boston and Maine Corporation.
From 1897 to 1921, it was known as the Springfield Electric, and was converted from electric to diesel power in 1956. Passenger service lasted until 1947, and freight service was discontinued in 1984.
The ST had once been an interurban
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
, and following typical interurban and shortline practice, it had a union agreement that allowed fewer crew members per train and operation without cabooses. By the time Guilford took over, the operation had been cut back to a stub of a few hundred yards serving one customer and operating infrequently. The tracks have since been removed and the route is now a rails to trails bike/walking path.
Expansion attempt
In 1985, Guilford entered into an agreement with Norfolk Southern RailwayNorfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
to run trains to St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. Norfolk Southern was attempting to win approval of a plan to purchase Conrail
Consolidated Rail Corporation
The Consolidated Rail Corporation, commonly known as Conrail , was the primary Class I railroad in the Northeast U.S. between 1976 and 1999. The federal government created it to take over the potentially profitable lines of bankrupt carriers, including the Penn Central Transportation Company and...
from the United States government and proposed allowing Guilford to lease Conrail lines to St. Louis in order to restore competition that would be lost in the merger. The plan would have allowed Guilford to use the Conrail mainline from Toledo
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
to Ridgeway, Ohio
Ridgeway, Ohio
Ridgeway is a village in Hardin and Logan counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 354 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ridgeway is located at ....
and from Crestline, Ohio
Crestline, Ohio
While the Census Bureau recognizes Crestline as a village, its 2000 population of 5,088 makes it a city under Ohio law.Crestline operates under a mayor-council system, with a council of eight members...
to St. Louis. Guilford would also purchase other Conrail track for $35 million. Norfolk Southern did not prevail in its attempt to purchase Conrail in 1985, and the Guilford plan was dropped.
Labor disputes and contraction
More branch lines were subsequently leased to Springfield Terminal, and eventually all of the BM and MEC were operated by ST. This saved Guilford money, but angered labor. In 1986, Guilford endured a lengthy and extremely bitter strike by its workforce, which required the intervention of President Ronald ReaganRonald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
's administration. In 1988, Guilford declared the Delaware and Hudson Railway bankrupt. DH employees took it over, with the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway
New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway
The New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway , also known as the Susie-Q, or simply the Susquehanna, is a Class II American freight railway operating over 500 miles of track in the northeastern states of New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It was formed in 1881 from the merger of several...
managing it. The employees then sold out in 1991 to the Canadian Pacific Railway.
In the years that followed, Guilford forced many management and salary changes, resulting in other strikes over wages and work rules.
Recent history
Wisconsin Central Transportation
Wisconsin Central Ltd. is a railroad subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway. At one time, its parent Wisconsin Central Transportation Corporation owned or operated railroads in the United States, Canada , the United Kingdom , New Zealand , and Australia .- Overview...
). A 2008 report issued by the American Society of Civil Engineers
American Society of Civil Engineers
The American Society of Civil Engineers is a professional body founded in 1852 to represent members of the civil engineering profession worldwide. It is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. ASCE's vision is to have engineers positioned as global leaders who strive toward...
rated Maine at 48th of the 50 states in volume of freight traffic that moves by rail. The Maine Motor Transport Association web page reports that trucks transport 94% of total manufactured tonnage in Maine.
In some years, Pan Am rail traffic had trended up somewhat, following national rail industry trends. However, as of recent times, Pan Am rail traffic has dropped considerably. A report issued by the Maine Department of Transportation
Maine Department of Transportation
The Maine Department of Transportation, also known as MaineDOT, is the bureaucratic office of the state government charged with the regulation and maintenance of roads and other public infrastructure in the state of Maine. MaineDOT reports on the adequacy of roads, highways, and bridges in Maine...
listed rail traffic on the Maine Central Railroad as being 162,658 loads in 1972. As of 2008, Pan Am rail traffic over the remaining portions of the MEC was estimated to be no more than 69,000 loads. Interestingly, in this same time period, the Association of American Railroads
Association of American Railroads
The Association of American Railroads is an industry trade group representing primarily the major freight railroads of North America . Amtrak and some regional commuter railroads are also members...
estimates that rail traffic in the United States has more than doubled.
New name: Pan Am Railways
Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal and largest international air carrier in the United States from 1927 until its collapse on December 4, 1991...
.
In March 2006, Guilford Transportation Industries changed its name to Pan Am Systems, and Guilford Rail System was rebranded as Pan Am Railways.
In March 2009, Pan Am was ordered to pay the largest corporate criminal
Corporate crime
In criminology, corporate crime refers to crimes committed either by a corporation , or by individuals acting on behalf of a corporation or other business entity...
fine in Massachusetts history — $500,000 — due to the company's violation of state and federal environmental laws and regulations.
As of 2011, Pan Am employs 750 people and has a $40 million payroll.
Partnership with Norfolk Southern
On May 15, 2008, Norfolk Southern Corp. announced that it had come to an agreement with Pan Am Railways to "create an improved rail route between Albany, New YorkAlbany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, and the Boston, Massachusetts area called the 'Patriot Corridor'."
On March 12, 2009, the Surface Transportation Board
Surface Transportation Board
The Surface Transportation Board of the United States is a bipartisan, decisionally-independent adjudicatory body organizationally housed within the U.S. Department of Transportation. The STB was established in 1996 to assume some of the regulatory functions that had been administered by the...
approved the deal. Each of the two companies own 50% of a new company known as Pan Am Southern
Pan Am Southern
Pan Am Southern, LLC is a freight railroad jointly owned by Norfolk Southern Railway and Pan Am Railways . PAS owns trackage known as the Patriot Corridor between Albany, New York and the greater Boston, Massachusetts area, utilizing rail lines formerly owned by the Boston and Maine Corporation...
(PAS). PAR's trackage between Ayer, Massachusetts
Ayer, Massachusetts
Ayer is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. Originally part of Groton, it was incorporated February 14, 1871 and became a major commercial railroad junction. The town was home to Camp Stevens, a training camp for Massachusetts volunteers during the American Civil War...
and Mechanicville, New York
Mechanicville, New York
Mechanicville is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population is 5,196 as of the 2010 census. It is the smallest city by area in the state. The name is derived from the occupations of early residents....
was transferred to PAS and continues to be operated and maintained by PAR's Springfield Terminal Railway subsidiary. NS transferred to PAS cash and property valued at $140 million.
Planned improvements to the route include track and signal upgrades, and expansion of terminals, including construction of new automotive and intermodal terminals in Ayer, MA and Mechanicville, NY.
Routes
The main line runs from Mattawamkeag, MaineMattawamkeag, Maine
Mattawamkeag is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States located where the Mattawamkeag River joins the Penobscot River. The population was 825 at the 2000 census.-Railroad history:Mattawamkeag's history is inextricably linked to the railroad....
, to Mechanicville, New York
Mechanicville, New York
Mechanicville is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population is 5,196 as of the 2010 census. It is the smallest city by area in the state. The name is derived from the occupations of early residents....
, via the lines of the following former companies:
- Maine Central RailroadMaine Central RailroadThe Maine Central Railroad Company was a railroad in central and southern Maine. It was chartered in 1856 and began operations in 1862. It operated a mainline between South Portland, Maine, east to the Canada-U.S...
: European and North American RailwayEuropean and North American RailwayThe European and North American Railway is the name for three historic Canadian and American railways which were built in New Brunswick and Maine....
, Maine Central Railroad main line - Boston and Maine RailroadBoston and Maine RailroadThe Boston and Maine Corporation , known as the Boston and Maine Railroad until 1964, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century...
: B&M main line, Lowell and Andover RailroadLowell and Andover RailroadThe Lowell and Andover Railroad was a branch line of the Boston and Maine Railroad and was organized in 1873, after the Boston and Lowell Railroad's monopoly on Boston to Lowell service ended in 1865... - Boston and Lowell RailroadBoston and Lowell RailroadThe Boston and Lowell Railroad is a historic railroad that operated in Massachusetts. It was one of the first railroads in North America and the first major one in the state...
(B&M subsidiary): Nashua and Lowell Railroad, Stony Brook RailroadStony Brook RailroadThe Stony Brook Railroad was a short line railroad that ran off the Nashua and Lowell Railroad's main line from the village of North Chelmsford to Ayer where it connected to the Fitchburg Railroad.-History:... - Fitchburg RailroadFitchburg RailroadThe Fitchburg Railroad is a former railroad company, which built a railroad line across northern Massachusetts, USA, leading to and through the Hoosac Tunnel. The Fitchburg was leased to the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1900...
(B&M subsidiary): Fitchburg Railroad main line, Vermont and Massachusetts Railroad, Troy and Greenfield RailroadTroy and Greenfield RailroadThe Troy and Greenfield Railroad, chartered in 1848, ran from Greenfield, Massachusetts, United States, to the Vermont state line. It was leased to the Troy and Boston Railroad in 1856, then consolidated into Fitchburg Railroad 1887 which in turn was acquired by Boston and Maine Railroad by lease...
, Southern Vermont Railroad, Troy and Boston RailroadTroy and Boston RailroadThe Troy and Boston Railroad was chartered April 4, 1848 and organized November 22, 1849. It completed a railroad from Troy, New York to the Vermont state line in 1852. This was also the main track of the Troy and Rutland Railroad, Rutland and Washington Railroad, and the Rutland Railway...
, Boston, Hoosac Tunnel and Western Railway
Locomotive fleet
| Numbers | Reporting marks | Type | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1, 2 | PAR | GMD FP9 EMD FP9 The EMD FP9 was a , B-B dual-service passenger and freight-hauling diesel locomotive produced between February 1954 and December 1959 by General Motors Electro-Motive Division, and General Motors Diesel. Final assembly was at GM-EMD's La Grange, Illinois plant, except for Canadian orders, which... |
2 |
| 45, 51, 52, 54, 62, 71, 72, 77 |
ST | EMD GP9 EMD GP9 An EMD GP9 is a four-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division in the United States, and General Motors Diesel in Canada between January, 1954, and August, 1963. US production ended in December, 1959, while an additional thirteen units were built in Canada, including... |
8 |
| 209, 210, 212, 214 | ST | EMD GP35 EMD GP35 An EMD GP35 is a 4-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between July 1963 and December 1965 and by General Motors Diesel between May 1964 and January 1966. Power was provided by an EMD 567D3A 16-cylinder engine which generated .Many railroads traded in Alco and... |
4 |
| 300-303, 305-310, 312-321 |
MEC | EMD GP40 EMD GP40 The EMD GP40 is a 4-axle diesel-electric road switcher locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between November 1965 and December 1971... |
20 |
| 326-328, 330, 332-335, 337, 340, 342 |
BM | EMD GP40 EMD GP40 The EMD GP40 is a 4-axle diesel-electric road switcher locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between November 1965 and December 1971... |
11 |
| 343-354, 370, 371, 373, 374, 376-382 |
MEC | EMD GP40 EMD GP40 The EMD GP40 is a 4-axle diesel-electric road switcher locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between November 1965 and December 1971... |
23 |
| 500-508 | MEC | GMD GP40-2L(W) EMD GP40-2 An EMD GP40-2 is a 4-axle diesel road switcher locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division as part of its Dash 2 line between April 1972 and December 1986. Power was provided by an EMD 645E3 16-cylinder engine which generated 3000 horsepower .- Production :Standard GP40-2 production... |
9 |
| 509-519 | MEC | GMD GP40-2(W) EMD GP40-2 An EMD GP40-2 is a 4-axle diesel road switcher locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division as part of its Dash 2 line between April 1972 and December 1986. Power was provided by an EMD 645E3 16-cylinder engine which generated 3000 horsepower .- Production :Standard GP40-2 production... |
11 |
| 600-619 | MEC | EMD SD40-2 EMD SD40-2 The EMD SD40-2 is a C-C locomotive produced by EMD from 1972 to 1989.The SD40-2 was first introduced in January 1972 as the mid-range offering in EMD's six-axle "Dash-2" series, competing against the GE U30C and the MLW M630... |
20 |
| 643 | ST | EMD SD26 SD26 The SD26 is an EMD SD24 diesel locomotive that was rebuilt by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway between January 1973 and January 1978. In an effort to spare the cost of purchasing new motive power, the Santa Fe elected to expand on the success of its CF7 and other capital rebuild programs... |
1 |
| 690 | BM | EMD SD39 EMD SD39 An EMD SD39 is a 6-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between August 1968 and May 1970. 54 examples of this locomotive model were built for American railroads.... |
1 |
| Fleet Total: | 110 |
"Heritage" locomotives
In summer 2011, Pan Am Railways repainted an EMD GP9EMD GP9
An EMD GP9 is a four-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division in the United States, and General Motors Diesel in Canada between January, 1954, and August, 1963. US production ended in December, 1959, while an additional thirteen units were built in Canada, including...
locomotive (Springfield Terminal #77) into the historic maroon and gold "Minuteman
Minutemen
Minutemen were members of teams of select men from the American colonial partisan militia during the American Revolutionary War. They provided a highly mobile, rapidly deployed force that allowed the colonies to respond immediately to war threats, hence the name.The minutemen were among the first...
" paint scheme used on Boston & Maine locomotives in the 1950s. Company officials have stated that an historic Maine Central paint scheme will eventually be applied to another locomotive.
External links
- Pan Am Railways official website
- Pan Am Railways system map
- GRS photographs NERAIL Photo Archive
- PAR photographs NERAIL Photo Archive
- PAR/GRS railfan information Northern New England Railfan Site