Officials wary of more trains

Adding commuter trains between Worcester, Framingham, and Boston would be a boon to residents who use the rail line, which is among the most crowded in Greater Boston.

But local officials say more trains would also be a burden to Ashland and Framingham, where street-level railroad crossings already cause traffic congestion at the busiest times of day.

As the state continues to discuss the possibility of expanding service, officials in Ashland and Framingham say reconfiguring the crossings must be a part of any final plan.

Last week , state officials attended public meetings to discuss a study that looked at the possibility of adding a third track to portions of the line to accommodate more trains. The line between Boston and Worcester, much of which is owned by the freight railroad company CSX, carries both freight and passenger trains.

Thomas Cahir, a deputy secretary with the state's Executive Office of Transportation and Construction, said state officials are still digesting the study, but that plans to expand rail service in the Framingham area appear more feasible than plans to add service in the Worcester area. But he also said additional ideas could be considered, such as using smaller side tracks to accommodate more trains.

The state has had discussions with CSX, Cahir said, and in the short term is looking for ways to add two runs between Worcester and Framingham during the day. More service increases are not likely for a long time, he said, and would probably require updated infrastructure.

Some officials have suggested that passenger service could be improved if the state took charge of the rail. Cahir said there was no formal proposal for that, but said the state has had discussions with CSX about its assets across the state.

``Anything that would create efficiency is worthy of discussion," he said.

Worcester Mayor Tim Murray has long advocated more rail service to his city.

``Worcester wants more trains," he said, adding that the city is considering hiring its own consultant to look at the issue.

But that could cause a ripple effect farther down the line. Traffic on routes 126 and 135 in downtown Framingham comes to a halt whenever a train crosses 126. Kathy Bartolini, Framingham's director of planning and economic development, said that congestion can hurt plans to revitalize the downtown area because local residents will stop coming.

``People are consciously making a decision . . . to avoid downtown Framingham," Bartolini said. ``Every train results in several more people saying `any place but.' " Framingham has convened a task force to look at possibilities for reconfiguring the crossing, such as having Route 126 run beneath the tracks.

Ashland Town Manager John Petrin said he is concerned that the traffic tie-ups in his town may impede police and fire services. The town is also unhappy with noise from train whistles.

Both the Worcester City Council and the Ashland Board of Selectmen have agreed on a resolution that calls for more trains but acknowledges the potential impact on other communities. The Framingham Board of Selectmen is slated to discuss expanded train service at a meeting Tuesday .

State Senator Karen Spilka, an Ashland Democrat, said she is unsure how much plans for overpasses or underpasses would cost. While it has so far been up to Ashland and Framingham to push for changes to the railroad crossings, she believes the message has gotten through.

Cahir said that if additional trains are ultimately scheduled, the state would make sure local concerns are addressed. ``Obviously, we're not going to be running trains through a community unannounced," he said.

The study also considered the possibility of adding rail service from downtown Framingham to Framingham State College via a track that is currently used only to move freight.

Dale Hamel , the college's vice president of administration and finance, said the service would make the school more accessible to students. Several students already take the train to downtown Framingham and then take a bus or taxi to the campus, about 2 miles away.

While some residents expressed concern about additional trains travel ing through their neighborhood, state officials said extending rail service to the college is a low priority and is unlikely to happen. Hamel said the college would look at the possibility of expanding bus service from downtown Framingham.

Emily Shartin can be reached at eshartin@globe.com.