Press release submitted by Doug Pizzi
GRAFTON – CSX Transportation, the nation’s largest eastern railroad, has recognized the Grafton and Upton Railroad as one of its fastest growing short line rail partners in the nation for 2012, during which the G and U increased its freight volume handled by 193 percent.
“This shows that the investment in infrastructure and jobs I’ve been making over the last five years is living up to the potential I saw when I purchased the railroad,” said G and U owner and CEO Jon Delli Priscoli. “I thank CSX for recognizing my efforts to revive this historic railroad and make it an economic development engine for the Blackstone Valley.”
CSX officials gave the Short Line Marketing Award to Delli Priscoli at the national carrier’s 23rd Annual Short Line Workshop recently held near their corporate headquarters in Jacksonville, FL.
“When I visited the G and U five years ago, the railroad operated only in Grafton and had two customers,” said Tony Giobbie, CSX’s Short Line Development Manager, Northeast Region. “So this isn’t a fluke, it has been a gradual expansion that’s been underway for years.”
Giobbe noted that the G and U increased freight volume by 137 percent in 2011.
After purchasing the railroad, Delli Priscoli invested millions of private dollars into rehabilitating the tracks along the 16-mile right of way. He also developed two transloading yards, one in West Upton, the other in Hopedale. At those sites bulk goods, everything from building materials to wood-stove pellets to food grade and industrial liquids, are transferred from freight cars to trucks, which carry the goods to manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers.
Right now, CSX drops off freight cars bound for G and U customers at the G&U yard on Westboro Road in North Grafton. Currently, the G and U is working on the final phase of restoring the railroad, rehabilitating tracks between Hopedale and the line’s end in Milford, where the railroad also connects to a CSX right of way.
Image left to right
Derrick Smith- V.P. Emerging Markets – CSX
Len Kellerman- Director Short Line Development- CSX
Jon Delli Priscoli, Owner, CEO, Grafton and Upton RR
Tony Giobbie- Manager – Short Line Development Northeast Region CSX
UPTON DAILY 
I would like to know what sort of industrial liquids are being transferred in the middle of our town. What hazards do they represent and what oversight is given?
I’ve done a lot of reading and at this point flammable, hazardous and explosive chemicals are not out of the scope of possibilities. The G&U and Dana Transport spokesman actually said, it could be anything. And since Upton is not challenging the federal preemption the local and state regulations/zoning/codes will be enforced, so it sounds like no one will be watching what goes on at the Upton site? The Upton Board of Health gave a glowing report for the G&U activities, but I cannot find anything in the BOH minutes or the letter indicating what the BOH inspected or looked at. But hey, as Rick Binaco said, “The Board of Health is an independent board that reports to the people of Upton and the State. It has one mission; to protect the health and well being of our community.” Does everyone believe that?
I would like to know who is going to gain from this “economic development engine”? Are any of the host towns going to see revenues for the G&U railroad activities?