Despite protests from powerful local officials, Amorello has remained steadfast in pushing for the deal, which would help the agency to pay for road improvements and toll programs.

He and other board members, point to CSX’s permanent “easement”—a guarantee of right-of-way on the land, as reason that the railroad company could stay in Boston permanently.

The railway also passes through a 48-acre parcel called Allston Landing North, which the University purchased from the Turnpike in 1997.

“Harvard has owned its other holdings in Allston for two years now, and nothing’s happened to the railroads there,” Amorello said. “The railroads there too are protected by federal and states’ statutes.”

But officials from several state agencies remain unconvinced, saying that Harvard could flex its financial muscle to convince CSX to move from the land.

“Harvard’s purchase of the property would give Harvard a financial incentive to induce CSX to leave the property,” said Dick Garver, deputy director for planning at the BRA, which has already overseen some of Harvard’s development in the Allston area.

Garver echoed Boston politicians in emphasizing the economic importance of the railway.

“It’s the link to the port, it serves local businesses, it carries products to local consumers at a lower price than can be done by truck,” he said.

Bruce Houghton, whose chemical company is adjacent to the land and uses the railway frequently, said that the railway’s loss would be a major blow to his company and other local businesses, partly because it would mean a greater reliance on more costly freight trucking.

“The key to all of this is not who owns it, but really what happens to that rail yard, and how does that affect the pricing of all goods, affect the competitiveness in industry,” Houghton said in January. “If there were no rail available it would substantially increase our costs, which I suppose we would pass onto our customers. If that happened to all the freight coming in, the cost of living in New England would increase to some extent.”

Local politicians have also criticized the deal as unnecessarily rushed and not transparent enough.

“We’re not saying don’t go ahead with the sale, but we just want to have a discussion with other transportation officials before that sale goes forward to fully realize what implications such a sale might have for the next hundred years,” said John Carlyle, spokesperson for Transportation Secretary Daniel Grabowskis.

“We’re not sure what the terms of [CSX’s] easement are,” he said.

“There’s a little curiosity out there as to why this process seems to be expedited,” Carlyle said, “and why its difficult to get meetings and even phone calls returned.”

A day before voting on the sale, the Turnpike board met privately with concerned officials to attempt to calm their fears, Turnpike spokesperson Steve Hines said.