AARR/I&O/CFE - No Longer Under the RA Tree

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Y@
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AARR/I&O/CFE - No Longer Under the RA Tree

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November 14th, 2010, will be the last day of operations for the Ann Arbor Railroad, the Indiana & Ohio Railway, and the Chicago Fort Wayne & Eastern regionals under the RailAmerica family. As of the following day, their operations will be transferred to the Midwest Railnet Transportation Firm, who also owns the Bowling Green Southern Railroad.

Plans are in the works to combine these four regionals into a family operation, moving traffic throughout the midwest in a competitive manor.

More details to come, including a new map of the roads all put together.
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AARR
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Re: AARR/I&O/CFE - No Longer Under the RA Tree

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Y@ wrote:November 14th, 2010, will be the last day of operations for the Ann Arbor Railroad, the Indiana & Ohio Railway, and the Chicago Fort Wayne & Eastern regionals under the RailAmerica family. As of the following day, their operations will be transferred to the Midwest Railnet Transportation Firm, who also owns the Bowling Green Southern Railroad.

Plans are in the works to combine these four regionals into a family operation, moving traffic throughout the midwest in a competitive manor.

More details to come, including a new map of the roads all put together.
This will be a cool paper railroad! Details my man, details :)
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...

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Re: AARR/I&O/CFE - No Longer Under the RA Tree

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More details of the deal came to light today.

First and most interesting, the "West End" of the BGS will not be included in this deal. It will become a new RailAmerica property, the Champaign & Bowling Green (CBG) railway. This will allow the BGS units to freelance across the system better.

No official name for the combination of the AARR/BGS/CFE/IORY has been established yet, but several names are floating around. What we do know is that for the time being, all units on property will keep their current initials and road numbers. For example, the IORY 4083 will not change. The plan is to eventually reletter all locomotives to the new initials, whatever they may be. Most road numbers will not change.

Here's the system map for the combination. The yellow line indicates what will become RA property, and the red lines indicate trackage rights.

Image

More details to come.
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AARR
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Re: AARR/I&O/CFE - No Longer Under the RA Tree

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FYI - There's two branches north of Springfield. One to Mechanicsburg and the other Urbana.
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...

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Re: AARR/I&O/CFE - No Longer Under the RA Tree

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AARR wrote:FYI - There's two branches north of Springfield. One to Mechanicsburg and the other Urbana.
It's a pretty rough sketch Don, I'm no expert map-maker. :)
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Re: AARR/I&O/CFE - No Longer Under the RA Tree

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Sounds like there is a possibility of the auto traffic out of Detroit returning. That contract could come back after it went away early this year.

Also, appears to be some pre-merger power placement going on. CEFX 9400 going to Delta tonight to replace the 4083, and IORY 4071 is expected to join it this weekend. BGS 8420 and 8424 are also headed to the I&O, they were dropped off on the connection at Warsaw last night and the CHFW will pick them up tonight. Should head to Lima after that.

Not sure exactly what's going on with all the train symbols and the changes that could take place amongst them. Could see more crews hired soon as well.
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Re: AARR/I&O/CFE - No Longer Under the RA Tree

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Got an email today about the plans for the symbols. These are pretty rough right now, but lay the basic foundation for the changes to come amongst the routing of trains. Most, if not all of the former BGS trains will keep their numbers. The BGS intermodal trains have been eliminated after a short stint of poor service. This list does not include locals, only turns and road freights.

AATO - Ann Arbor-Toledo Turn
BGIN - Bowling Green-Indianapolis Road Freight
CHFW - Chicago-Fort Wayne Road Freight
CHIN - Chicago-Indianapolis Turn
CNCO - Cincinnati-Columbus Turn
CNNV - Cincinnati-North Vernon Turn
COLI - Columbus-Lima Road Freight
FRLI - Flat Rock-Lima Road Freight
FWCH - Fort Wayne-Chicago Road Freight
FWLI - Fort Wayne-Lima Turn
INBG - Indianapolis-Bowling Green Road Freight
INLI - Indianapolis-Lima Road Freight
LICO - Lima-Columbus Road Freight
LICL - Lima-Crestline Turn
LIIN - Lima-Indianapolis Road Freight
SPCN - Springfield-Cincinnati Turn
135 - Anderson-Wabash - Automotive/General Freight
136 - Wabash-Anderson - Automotive/General Freight
161 - Anderson-Elkhart Road Freight (Traffic goes to NS at Wabash.)
162 - Elkhart-Anderson Road Freight (Traffic comes from NS at Wabash.)
189 - Wabash-Elkhart General Freight (NS 18K prior to handoff to BGS.)
190 - Elkhart-Wabash General Freight (Becomes NS 19K at Wabash.)
311 - Marion-Elkhart Road Freight
312 - Elkhart-Marion Road Freight
400 - Delta-Lima Turn (As Needed)
401 - Lima-Flat Rock Road Freight
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Re: AARR/I&O/CFE - No Longer Under the RA Tree

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Word coming down from the guys at the top is they will use whatever power, wherever. Look for many units to roam far and wide across the system.

BGS 8420 and 8424 have been delivered to the IORY in Lima. Not assigned yet. Both units are pretty ratty looking.

There are plans in place for track upgrades at some locations. The only thing that has been announced for sure is the IORY siding in Hamler will be lengthened and upgraded, as it's in poor shape right now. Heard rumblings of an actual passing siding going in south of the Metamora elevator too. Not sure about that one though.
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Re: AARR/I&O/CFE - No Longer Under the RA Tree

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Y@ wrote:Heard rumblings of an actual passing siding going in south of the Metamora elevator too. Not sure about that one though.
This will allow them to expand from loading 65 to 90 car blocks
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...

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Re: AARR/I&O/CFE - No Longer Under the RA Tree

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With only a few days to go until this becomes official, more details have been unveiled. Most of the upgrades will be done on the northern portion of the IORY.

It's official, Metamora will get another siding. There will now be three tracks; the main, the siding for grain loading, and a passing siding.
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Re: AARR/I&O/CFE - No Longer Under the RA Tree

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The rumor mill continues to whir about possible names, but it sounds like the guys up top are leaning towards the entire system being the "Indiana & Ohio Railway." Seems like a good fit, eh?
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Re: AARR/I&O/CFE - No Longer Under the RA Tree

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Y@ wrote:The rumor mill continues to whir about possible names, but it sounds like the guys up top are leaning towards the entire system being the "Indiana & Ohio Railway." Seems like a good fit, eh?
& Michigan :)
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...

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Re: AARR/I&O/CFE - No Longer Under the RA Tree

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AARR wrote:
Y@ wrote:The rumor mill continues to whir about possible names, but it sounds like the guys up top are leaning towards the entire system being the "Indiana & Ohio Railway." Seems like a good fit, eh?
& Michigan :)
Well in that case you'd have to include Kentucky and Illinois, and that's just too much! :lol:

Indiana Illinois Kentucky Michigan & Ohio Railway. NO. :lol:

Sounds like the IORY name will stay!
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Re: AARR/I&O/CFE - No Longer Under the RA Tree

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Y@ wrote:
AARR wrote:
Y@ wrote:The rumor mill continues to whir about possible names, but it sounds like the guys up top are leaning towards the entire system being the "Indiana & Ohio Railway." Seems like a good fit, eh?
& Michigan :)
Well in that case you'd have to include Kentucky and Illinois, and that's just too much! :lol:

Indiana Illinois Kentucky Michigan & Ohio Railway. NO. :lol:

Sounds like the IORY name will stay!
Chicago, Indiana, & Ohio :wink:
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...

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Re: AARR/I&O/CFE - No Longer Under the RA Tree

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Interesting piece of info here; BGS SD40T-2's 2397, 2408, and 2415 are on their way to Cincinnati to be reactivated in the CSX shops at Queensgate. They have also been re-stenciled to IORY reporting marks. They are D-I-T on CSX Q27212 and will be dropped upon arrival at Queensgate. These are the only three SD40T-2's that were stored in serviceable condition. There are four more in the BGS Central Street Yard in Bowling Green, but all are listed as retired. These units have all been inactive since 2006 when all of the BGS tunnel motors were retired. There were originally 17, all former Union Pacific units.
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Re: AARR/I&O/CFE - No Longer Under the RA Tree

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More news coming in.

Train symbols have been confirmed, with one slight change. The "LIIN" will actually be run as "L612," or just "612." Counterpart "INLI" will keep it's alpha name.

More power movements going on right now. IORY 4083 is in Cincinnati for it's 92-day inspection, and upon release it will head north to Lima. IORY 4082 is in Lima right now, and will be in Flat Rock by Monday, along with CEFX 9400 and BGS 8424. Replacing the 9400 in Delta will be CFE 3887. Road power in Lima at this time is BGS 8420, IORY 4071, FEC 505, CEFX 9362 and NREX 5597. Road power based out of Cincy is IORY 4084, IORY 4085, NREX 5678 and CIND 5003. Power in Columbus is CIND 5008, CEFX 9500 and CFE 3883. Washington Court House has IORY 4072 and CBNS 5007. Springfield has CBNS 5004 and CEFX 6671 for their turn. AA 7771 will be making it's way south to Lima in the coming days, swapping with the FEC 505. Several other units are spread around the system that I can't find data for. Also word of more BGS units coming to the north end with a few random units heading south. Some leasers coming soon as well, should have details on those later tonight.
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Re: AARR/I&O/CFE - No Longer Under the RA Tree

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AA 7771 is in Toledo and will head south to Lima on CSX Q50713 tomorrow night.

Confirmed leasers:

CEFX 3129: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... x?id=14014
CEFX 9375: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=208981
CEFX 9486: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=371288
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Re: AARR/I&O/CFE - No Longer Under the RA Tree

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Here is a much more detailed map of the system. Zoom in and look around!

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie ... 940918&z=6

Note: Not all lines actually exist.
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