Fire Dept. Gets Access to TRANSFLO Cameras

This will allow them to see issues during incidents there.

Westborough firefighters will have “the opportunity to see what we’re getting into” during incidents at CSX’s new TRANSFLO bulk commodity facility, Fire Chief Nick Perron said Tuesday night. Firefighters will have access to the CSX affiliate’s “secure webcams,” Town Manager Jim Malloy said, “so if there is a spill, or if an employee there gets injured,” they can “see between the rail yard,” at 19 Walkup Drive. Selectmen voted Tuesday night to allow Westborough to enter an agreement with TRANSFLO to allow this access. The firm was required to install the cameras and provide the fire department access as part of its site plan approval, Malloy said. The facility’s ribbon-cutting opening was Tuesday. Lt. Gov. Tim Murray was among the guests.

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New Facility Paves Way for More Commuter, Freight Trains

CSX's TRANSFLO facility officially opened today.

An expanded commuter rail schedule and more frequent freight trains will come out of a new, state-of-the-art facility that opened today in Westborough, Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray said. CSX invested more than $20 million in the TRANSFLO bulk commodity transfer site at 19 Walkup Drive, relocating the operations from Beacon Park Yard in Boston, the Patrick administration said. The move created about 106 construction jobs, with plans for eigh permanent full-time jobs there, the administration said. The agreement between the Commonwealth and CSX is “really the first of its kind in the nation," Murray said. The multi-phasee deal was first reached in 2009 and includes CSX expanding its West Springfield facility, the administration said. Murray said …

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Increased Rail Service Starts This Month

A deal was finalized between the state and CSX that transfers ownership to the commonwealth.

Starting Oct. 29, commuter rail riders between Worcester and Boston will see an increase in options, according to Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray. Murray said an agreement had been completed with CSX to tranfer ownership of the rail tracks and control of operations along the Framingham/Worcester line from CSX to the state.  The increase in service will include three new inbound and three new outbound trains between the two cities for a total of 31 stops arriving or departing Worcester station. There will also be one inbound special express and one outbound special express next spring. The goal of 20 roundtrips will be hit a year from now, according to Murray's office. “Since the restoration of limited commuter rail service to Worcester in 1994, …

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Commuter Rail Trains Halted Due to Gas Leak

Wellesley Police are reporting that crews have struck a gas main on Rockland Street, and Commuter Rail trains have been halted.

Passengers traveling on the MBTA's Framingham-Worcester commuter rail line this afternoon are likely to see some delays after a gas main was struck in Wellesley.  According to an email alert from the Wellesley Police Department, a gas main was struck on Rockland Street. As a result, all CSX and MBTA trains on the Framingham-Worcester line through Wellesley have been halted.  The Framingham-Worcester commuter rail line passes through seven local stations: Westborough, Grafton, Southborough, Ashland, Framingham, Natick and West Natick.  The MBTA issued an alert saying the P515 1 p.m. outbound train was experiencing 45- to 60-minute delays due to a "fire emergency." The train was being held at Auburndale station.  No other MBTA alerts have …

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Police and Fire Notes

Westborough Fire Captain Completes Rail Safety Training

Capt. Robert Rand took the week-long course, held in Colorado.

Westborough Fire Department Capt. Robert Rand recently completed an extensive week-long training program entitled “Emergency Response to Railroad Tank Car Incidents” at the Security & Emergency Response Training Center in Pueblo, CO. This center is the Association of American Railroads’ premiere training facility in North America and participates in the Domestic Preparedness Training program under FEMA. In cooperation with CSX, the program addressed various tank and general service cars, their design, nomenclature, structure, and product transfer procedures. The goal of the program was to obtain the skills and knowledge to manage an incident in rail transportation safely. The program concluded with an evening, multi-hour, full-scale …

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Red Light at Railroad Bridge? Idea Proposed

Laser beams may be installed to warn truck drivers about the low hanging bridge.

The Town of Westborough may be getting a new warning system to alleviate truck strikes at the East Main Street railroad bridge. According to Police Chief Alan Gordon, part of the $1 million in mitigation money granted by CSX as part of its expansion into Westborough may be used to install laser sensors on East Main Street. A proposal includes laser beams to stretch across the roadway between poles at the maximum height that a truck is able to clear the low hanging bridge. If a truck is tall enough to break the beam, a warning would activate and allow the driver to avoid a possible bridge strike. “It might be in the form of a red light or a lighted sign that would tell the driver that the truck is too tall,” said Gordon. The specifics are …

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Gary Kelley

9:37 am on Saturday, November 12, 2011

Trucks getting stuck is the most noticeable. There are many trucks making it to the Shell station, stopping, and then they BACK UP....either on Prospect or into the Bay State Commons entrance (they don't know they can circle around.) This happened twice this past week around 5AM, stopping East Main traffic for a bit. Lasers sound cool, except there is an ongoing power and maintenance cost. Chains…   more ›

Train Delays Could Hamper Evening Commute

CSX signal work is scheduled to continue to 6 p.m.

According to an email alert from the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company (MBCR), CSX signal work is scheduled throughout the afternoon and could result in delays for evening commuters. Commuter trains on the Framingham/Worcester rail met with delays throughout the morning due to the work, which is now scheduled to continue until 6 p.m. "Customers were alerted over rail mail before this weekend about ongoing CSX work and 'T Alerts' and LED signage has been up to date regarding the latest CSX impacts in service," said Andrea Wheeler, spokesperson for the MBCR. In an email, the MBCR explained that customers traveling outbound from Boston to Grafton can expect some delays in their commute. Customers traveling between Grafton and …

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No Drive-Thru for Dunkin Donuts [POLL]

The Board of Selectmen reached decisions regarding two much debated site plans.

On Tuesday, Sept. 13 at the Westborough Board of Selectmen meeting, members reached a decision concerning two controversial proposed site plans affecting the town: Dunkin Donuts drive thru and the CSX transflo station. Selectmen were unanimous in the decision to deny the Dunkin Donuts proposal to add a drive thru at their East Main Street location, which comes after months of discussion between the board and Dunkin Donuts.  No Dunkin Donuts representatives were present at the meeting. Gail Fanselow addressed the board with a letter from Dr. Dan Fanselow, who owns a chiropractic practice on Colonial Drive but could not attend the meeting. In the letter, Dan Fanselow listed the reasons for which he did not support the drive thru, including…

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CSX Cargo, Warren Street Flooding Top Meeting Talk

At last night's Board of Selectman meeting, representatives from CSX answered residents' concerns over the proposed terminal.

At last night's Board of Selectman meeting, discussion continued over CSX's planned Transflo terminal. Representatives from CSX addressed the board and residents in an effort to answer questions raised at the June 28 Board of Selectman meeting. CSX Cargo Safety Jan Barnes, director of health, safety, environmental and quality for Transflo, emphasized that in Transflo's more than 12 years of operation, more than three million transfers have occurred with a safety record of 99.983 percent release-free products during operations. Greg Rhoads, director of chemical safety for CSX, confirmed that 70 percent of the materials expected to be transferred at the terminal are nonhazardous and 30 percent are hazardous. The materials list CSX has shared…

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Patch Facts

5 Things You Need to Know Today: July 12

American or National League? The 82nd annual All-Star game is tonight.

Each morning, Westborough Patch presents “5 Things You Need to Know,” a collection of announcements, events and reminders to help you organize your day. 1. Major League Baseball presents the 82nd annual All-Star game tonight at 8 p.m. from Chase Field in Phoenix. 2. A jewelry making class is taking place on Thursday, July 14 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Baubles, Bangles and Beads is part of the 2011 Hot Summer Nights program for kids in grades 6 through 10. The class will be held in Room 23 of the Forbes Municipal Building. Students will design and make all types of jewelry. The cost is $5 and includes supplies and snacks. Registration ends today. Call 508-366-3090 for more information. 3. A public hearing on the CSX rail expansion project in …

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