(The following story by John Dyer appeared on the Boston Globe website on June 30, 2010.)
BOSTON — The City Council approved a proposal Tuesday by railroad giant CSX to move its freight yards from Boston’s Allston section to Worcester, a key part of a $100 million deal between the state and CSX that would allow the MBTA to add at least seven commuter trains to the Worcester-Framingham line by 2012.
Residents of the East Side neighborhood where CSX would transfer operations fiercely opposed the proposal. Building and environmental permits need to be finalized before councilors can grant their final approval.
CSX and state and local officials say the agreement could end years of frustration among commuters from Boston’s western suburbs who use the often-late rail line, open a large parcel in Boston for development by Harvard University, and even reroute some commuting pat terns to North Station.
The Worcester-Framingham line is the least reliable in the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s commuter rail network because CSX operates the route primarily for its freight trains.