Pan Am Southern
Pan Am Southern, LLC (reporting mark PAS)[1] is a freight railroad jointly owned by Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) and Pan Am Railways (PAR). PAS owns trackage known as the Patriot Corridor between Albany, New York, and the Boston, Massachusetts, area, utilizing rail lines formerly owned by the Boston and Maine Corporation. It is operated by PAR subsidiary Springfield Terminal Railway.
 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Reporting mark | PAS |
| Locale | New England, New York |
| Dates of operation | 2009– |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
History
On May 15, 2008, Norfolk Southern Railway announced that it had come to an agreement with Pan Am Railways to "create an improved rail route between Albany, N.Y., and the greater Boston, Mass., area called the 'Patriot Corridor'."[2][3][4]
On March 12, 2009, Norfolk Southern and Pan Am received STB approval of the deal.[5] As of May 1, 2009, each of the two companies owns 50% of Pan Am Southern. 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 Company subsidiary. NS transferred to PAS cash and property valued at $137.5 million.[6]
Planned improvements to the route include track and signal upgrades, and expansion of terminals, including new automotive and intermodal terminals constructed in Ayer, Massachusetts and Mechanicville, New York.[7]
Planned lines are as follows:[8]
- Rotterdam Junction and Schenectady, New York to CPF 312 (east of Willows, Massachusetts[3]), partially via trackage rights over CP and MBTA (Fitchburg Line)
- Branches from North Adams to Adams, Massachusetts; in Gardner, Massachusetts; from Ayer to Harvard, Massachusetts; from Ayer to West Groton, Massachusetts via MBTA trackage rights; and from Willows to Littleton, Massachusetts via MBTA trackage rights
- White River Junction, Vermont to New Haven, Connecticut, partially via trackage rights over NECR and Amtrak (New Haven-Springfield Line)
- Branches from Berlin to Derby, Connecticut partially via MNCR (Waterbury Branch) trackage rights; from Plainville to Southington, Connecticut; and from North Haven to Cedar Hill, Connecticut via CSX trackage rights
References
- Railinc, Search MARKs, accessed October 2009
- "Pan Am Railways and Norfolk Southern Create the Patriot Corridor to Improve Rail Service and Expand Capacity in New York and New England" (Press release). Norfolk Southern Corp. 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-05-15.
- Norfolk Southern Railway and Pan Am Railways (2008-05-16). "Introducing the Patriot Corridor" (PDF). Norfolk Southern Corp. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
- The Associated Press (2008-05-15). "2 railroad freight companies combine effort". AP Business News. Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
- US Board Approves Joint Ownership Of Pan Am Southern LLC, CNN Money, http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200903102012DOWJONESDJONLINE000756_FORTUNE5.htm%5B%5D, 3/12/09
- Pan Am Railways and Norfolk Southern Receive Approval to Improve Rail Service in New York and New England, http://www.nscorp.com/nscportal/nscorp/Media/News%20Releases/2009/pan-am.html, 3/12/09
- "Pan Am's second takeoff". Trains Magazine. Kalmbach Publishing. January 2010.
- Surface Transportation Board, NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY, PAN AM RAILWAYS, INC., ET AL.-JOINT CONTROL AND OPERATING/POOLING AGREEMENTS-PAN AM SOUTHERN LLC Archived 2011-06-15 at the Wayback Machine, June 26, 2008