It didn’t.
Instead, CSX put most line sales on hold. One big exception was the Massena Line in Upstate New York that CSX sold to Canadian National this year. This permits CN to directly connect Montreal with the U.S. quite close to New York City. CN officials say they want a direct connection to CSX and preferred a direct connection between the railroads communicating traffic through a short line or other intermediary.
Then in November Canadian Pacific followed up by buying the Central Maine & Quebec short line, successor to the ill-fated Montreal, Maine & Atlantic, as a new Atlantic Ocean outlet for inbound and outbound cargo. It’s been less than 30 years (hasn’t it?) since the same railroad spun off the route connecting it to the Atlantic Ocean.
Trains reported the CP announcement just a day after we reported that Union Pacific was considering selling the former, famed Denver & Rio Grande Western main line over Tennessee Pass — or, at least, that there was interest in the line.
As late as a year ago, we thought Class I railroads would continue to shrink and that out of service former mainline routes might end up like parts of the Milwaukee Road or the Erie: broken up, trailized, or abandoned.
Wow, what a difference a year makes.
@Donald Woodsworth; there is still some traffic from Salem UP yard that comes down fromChitown then turns East on that CSX line,Not sure if D&EI has some lease on the line west of Salem to East St.Louis
The leadership at CSX changed direction after Harrison was not running the show..
Are we also missing CSX’s recent agreement with the VA DOT?
Any rumors on what CSX intends to do with it’s mothballed East St. Louis, IL – Cincinnati, OH mainline (out of service between Caseyville, IL and (at least) Olney, IL for the past several years????
Not included was CSX’s sale of the Baldwin to Pensacola Line across the Florida Panhandle to the new Florida Gulf & Atlantic railroad. CP says they are also looking into acquiring more shortlines from G&W.