(The Metro West Daily News posted the following story by Geoff Mosher on its website on July 10.)
BOSTON — A railroad company recommended this week a $20 million to $30 million expansion of track that would enable the MBTA to add two more midday trains to the westernmost stops on the Worcester-Boston line.
At State House hearings Monday and Tuesday, CSX Transportation, the Florida company that owns the track between Framingham and Worcester, presented representatives of the Central Massachusetts Caucus and the MBTA with a capacity study that called for construction of 6.5 miles of new track.
According to the CSX “Worcester Service Expansion Study,” the railroad tracks between Worcester and Boston are at full capacity for both passenger and freight trains.
To maintain the existing quality of service without causing more delays, CSX recommended the MBTA construct the new track in railyards in both Framingham and Worcester.
“This would allow us to move trains around without putting them on the main track,” said Joe Pesaturo, MBTA spokesperson.
It also would allow the MBTA to increase the number of roundtrip weekday trains from 10 to 12 at the five stops farthest west — Ashland, Southborough, Westborough, Grafton and Worcester. By contrast, the MBTA operates 20 roundtrip trains between Boston and Framingham each weekday.
“The capacity study provides sobering information, but the reality is that the rail infrastructure is outdated and does not meet existing passenger and freight demands,” said state Rep. Karyn Polito, R-Shrewsbury, House co-chairman of the Central Massachusetts Caucus.
“It is imperative that all local, state and federal officials work collaboratively…with the MBTA and CSX to make improvements to the rail a priority.”
If the MBTA decides to expand, funding will be required to initiate engineering and environmental feasibility studies, Polito said.
CSX recommended the MBTA further investigate the possibility of expanded service by conducting a preliminary engineering study to better estimate the costs of the project, which could be up to $30 million, said Brian Sullivan, CSX spokeman.
“It’s not a number that has a science behind it that says we’ve done detailed engineering,” Sullivan said.
High costs are expected because the construction areas may pose challenging obstacles, including environmental issues and land acquisition.
The possibility of wetlands in Framingham and excavation of ledge areas in Worcester also could add to the project’s cost, Polito said.
The MBTA hopes to hire an engineering firm in three to six months, Pesaturo said.Business leaders in MetroWest and Central Massachusetts support increased rail service from Worcester to Boston.
“There’s people that need to go in at different times, and if there’s not enough trains available, it’s not going to be of much use to them,” said Barbara Clifford, executive director of the Corridor Nine Chamber of Commerce, which includes Westborough, Southborough, Northborough and Shrewsbury.
“From trying to ease the congestion on the roads and serve people that may have a reverse commute, there’s so many reasons that it would make good sense to be able to have more (trains),” Clifford said.