NS Lansing Secondary

[RailCanon]

Does anyone know what time B28/B36 or whatever it's called now is operating over the Lansing Secondary?
I recall that, effective with the operational changes that came with the Grank Elk spinoff, the train was moved to Jackson from Lansing and now only serves Lansing proper as needed.
Anyone have any information? Hogger? Scooter??

[Scooterb]

HAve heard it at all hours or not at all.
Hows that for an answer?????
Sometimes early to mid morning, sometimes around 3- 5 in the afternoon.
Havent heard it at all lately.
Will post if I hear it

[Hogger1225]

It' s just down to the one job now. B-28 was dis-continued. NS and it's hard-core crew of surplus managers are doing their best to dry up everything NS aquired with the Conrail split. I am assuming that the B-30 starts out of Jackson sometime in the early morning, can't tell you for sure because they have revoked my access to the computer system until I am taken off this medical hold, and with the way they are running things I don't care if I ever get back.

[AARR]

NS and it's hard-core crew of surplus managers are doing their best to dry up everything NS aquired with the Conrail split.

Except a few key routes. I hope they short line the lines they don't want soon before there's not enough business to interest a short line operator.

[GTWFRED]

NS and it's hard-core crew of surplus managers are doing their best to dry up everything NS aquired with the Conrail split.

Except a few key routes. I hope they short line the lines they don't want soon before there's not enough business to interest a short line operator.

The potential business is there in Lansing south to Jackson. They just need a RR company that cares, willing to negotiate, & are accomidating. Perfect recipe for a shortline, as long as they don't start yanking track before then. Bring on the Grank Elk, or MMRR,...!

[GrandTrunkFan]

The potential business is there in Lansing south to Jackson. They just need a RR company that cares, willing to negotiate, & are accomidating. Perfect recipe for a shortline, as long as they don't start yanking track before then

What businesses are on that line anymore? Is the big steel place in Mason still shipping by rail or are they closed up?

[RailCanon]

Last I knew, RSDC Steel (just south of Holt) was still shipping/receiving cars, but at a depressed number due to the economy.
As far as other business goes, Lansing has Padnos Steel/Scrap and Quality Dairy Plastics, as well as interchanges with CSX and CN. There's another industry just north of Holt (Capitol drywall?), the elevator in Mason, and several other industries just south of Mason that are serviced more frequently. Leslie still has an elevator with a spur, but they rarely get anything and usually the spur has track equipment stored on it.

[GrandTrunkFan]

Last I knew, RSDC Steel (just south of Holt) was still shipping/receiving cars, but at a depressed number due to the economy.
As far as other business goes, Lansing has Padnos Steel/Scrap and Quality Dairy Plastics, as well as interchanges with CSX and CN. There's another industry just north of Holt (Capitol drywall?), the elevator in Mason, and several other industries just south of Mason that are serviced more frequently. Leslie still has an elevator with a spur, but they rarely get anything and usually the spur has track equipment stored on it.

Thanks for clearing that up, Gregg. I couldnt think of the name of that place. I didnt think there was too much on that line.

[GTWFRED]

To add to Gregg's list, there is a metal works company in south Lansing at Jolly, that used to regularly get a car or 2 switched, the oil company just north of the Mason elevator that used to get a tank car or 2, and just north of that where Lear is/was were getting quite a few cars for a while, don't know about now but I think the track is still there. Pretty sure I'm forgetting a couple more.

[AARR]

I've got the list of customers at home (courtesy of posts from this board and there's about a dozen or so...all but one from Mason to Lansing. I'll post it when I have a chance.

[Scooterb]

Michigan State used to Get coal once in awhile off loaded in Mason and trucked to MSU 25 cars at a time I think.
Coil cars seem to be few to non existant lately

[AARR]

Michigan State used to Get coal once in awhile off loaded in Mason and trucked to MSU 25 cars at a time I think.

The coal was delivered to Spartan Excavators in Mason(?) and trucked to MSU. I think that has stopped as CSX has redone some track around MSU's power plant to facilitate trains more conveniently.

[RailCanon]

I don't think CSX's service had anything to do with that arrangement. And no changes have been made to the track layout at MSU's plant here in EL. There are, however, plans in store to expand the "yard" here and build a new connection near the new bridge at Farm lane. That may have been what you were thinking about Don.

[AARR]

That may have been what you were thinking about Don.

Thanks Gregg. I think that's what I was trying to remember.

[Dan Cluley]

I'm pretty sure the tank cars in Mason are for Americhem? (I think that's the name) the company across the street to the East. I've seen them unloading the tank cars into tanker trucks. I have not seen any tank cars sitting there recently, but don't go by every day.

The oil company on the West side of the tracks looks like it used to have it's own siding, but just ties sinking into the grass now.

Other than the coil cars, I'd guess the most traffic is boxcars going to Michigan Packaging. This is one of the industries on the South side of Mason.

[AARR]

I'm pretty sure the tank cars in Mason are for Americhem? (I think that's the name)

Yes and yes.

Other than the coil cars, I'd guess the most traffic is boxcars going to Michigan Packaging. This is one of the industries on the South side of Mason.

There's three or four customers that can receive box cars. Of course MP, then there's one or two lumber yards and two drywall yards.

[GrandTrunkFan]

I ran out to the hobby shop in Frandor and on my way back I noticed the "Norfolk Southern: Saginaw Yard" sign has been removed from beside M-43. Also, it looks like MCM is just about finished with that old GM plant.

[mikekmac]

I happened to catch B-30 creeping south at Aurelius Road this afternoon (about 4:30pm). Two locomotives (one NS and one Conrail), but only one empty bulkhead flatcar.

[mikekmac]

Any changes to the schedule on the Lansing Secondary in recent months?

When I was last able to keep track of such things, I seem to remember there was a weekday daily that came north from Jackson in the morning and headed back south in the afternoon.

But through the winter, there were at least a few stretches of three or four days in a row when the snow showed no evidence that a train had come through. (I cross the tracks on my way to and from work now.)

Also, I think it was last Wednesday (the 31st) and the Wednesday before that I was eastbound on 96 at about 5PM and looked south to see a train -northbound-.

Can anyone bring me up to date on what's happening on this line?

- Mike

[AARR]

It seems that the steel distribution center in Holt would be very busy these days. In its heyday it would receive 30+ cars per day.