GM Roanoke Ind truck plant picking up steam

[redside20]

http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/ne ... p?ID=41697
Roanoke near Fort Wayne, ns serves the plant. looks like traffic will pick up.

[conrailmike]

Let's hope it lasts.

[Steel Inferno]

When is the 3rd shift at Flint Truck supposed to start?

[conrailmike]

What 3rd shift? That's a rumor so far and nothing else....

The only plants taking people right at the moment are Flint Metal Fab. (34), Lordstown Assem. (303), and Lordstown Metal Fab. (150) and of course now with Fort Wayne bringing on 3rd shift, they may need a few.

[Steel Inferno]

What 3rd shift? That's a rumor so far and nothing else....

The only plants taking people right at the moment are Flint Metal Fab. (34), Lordstown Assem. (303), and Lordstown Metal Fab. (150) and of course now with Fort Wayne bringing on 3rd shift, they may need a few.

Ahh biscuits

[AARR]

I imagine Roanoke ships out by rail but do they receive anything inbound?

[CSX_CO]

I imagine Roanoke ships out by rail but do they receive anything inbound?

They used to receive inbound body panels from Indianapolis. Prior to the recession, the GM Stamping plant in Indy would produce body panels on first shift, and load by the end of first. At 1500, a CSX switch crew would pull the loaded cars. At 1800 J767 came on duty to take these cars over to Muncie, IN and a connection with the NS 312 train (I think 312 was the symbol) which was a daily Fort Wayne-Muncie turn job. Shipment was guaranteed to be in Muncie by 2300 (usually there by 2200). Autos would be 'tagged' to the rear of 312 who then departed northbound on the New Castle District. Upon arrival at Fort Wayne, they would pull east on the Wabash. A Roanoke engine would be waiting to grab those hots off the rear of 312, and take them out to Roanoke for that days production. Stamped and loaded on first, and in position for first the next morning.

When Silverado production trailed off, and the 'hots' became smaller in number, CSX discontinued the train, and GM turned to trucking the panels to Roanoke out of Indianapolis. To be honest, I'm not sure if Indy is even stamping the panels anymore, as they're down to 1 pull a day, and its not even guaranteed service anymore. The cars they pull are usually bound for the Alton and Southern in St. Louis, and Kansas City production facilities.

This is more for AARR, in addition to the body panels, J767 would have 'shorts' which were a mish-mash of cars. Quite a few cars out of Illinois Cereal in Indy bound for Battle Creek and the Cereal plants. Not sure how this traffic moves now, but probably goes through Hawthorne and the NS's three-times-a-week job that goes back and forth between Hawthorne and Marion, IN.

Practice Safe CSX

[MSchwiebert]

Like most newer assembly plants, the facility has an on-site stamping facility. I know it was expanded a few years back when the prior version of pickups started production. I'd imagine (unless there's some sort of press capacity issue) that all stamping is done on site now. Most likely, frames and steel for the stampings are the only inbound products via rail but I cannot say that with 100% certainty

[AARR]

Thanks CSX_CO. The logistics of railroad movements fascinates me.

Once in a while Trains Mag will post the journeys of freight cars from pick up to final set out and the time it takes. I love to read these things. I helps me better understand why railroads go after some business but not others.

[conrailmike]

Like most newer assembly plants, the facility has an on-site stamping facility. I know it was expanded a few years back when the prior version of pickups started production. I'd imagine (unless there's some sort of press capacity issue) that all stamping is done on site now. Most likely, frames and steel for the stampings are the only inbound products via rail but I cannot say that with 100% certainty

This is not true just because it's a newer plant, only certain plants have the stamping plants on-site or next door. If it's stamped next door then I doubt that it's delivered by rail. I would say the only inbound items by rail are the frames.

[conrailmike]

I imagine Roanoke ships out by rail but do they receive anything inbound?

Just like the other GM assembly plants, nothing comes in by rail anymore. Truck plants get frames in by rail and that's it. Car plants don't get parts or stampings by rail because of the uni-body design. Body panels come in by truck and everything gets welded together. Even for interior items, most of the stuff now is pre-assembled somewhere else ( suppliers) and then brought in and installed.

[Mr. Tops]

Thanks CSX_CO. The logistics of railroad movements fascinates me.

Oh, really? Huh...you learn something new every day!