Old KLS&C depot in Paw Paw gone

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Jochs
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Old KLS&C depot in Paw Paw gone

Unread post by Jochs »

The depot in Paw Paw has been torn down, looks like something else is going up in that area in Paw Paw. The tracks are still intact west of Paw Paw all the way to Hartford, but are only used at the cold storage plant at Hartford, and have only been used for storage east of Hartford. It is my understanding that there is a bridge in Lawrence that is not able to be used because of its state of deterioration.
Here's rubble from the depot. The tracks have also been removed where the depot was:
Image
The view of the old depot site from across M-40:
Image
The tracks are blocked in Paw Paw, but are intact.
Image
Shrubs and weeds cover the tracks out by the Coca-Cola plant in Paw Paw.
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Re: Old KLS&C depot in Paw Paw gone

Unread post by Firemedic Mike »

Sad to see it go. Thanks for sharing. I would have been scratching my head the next time I went through there and decided to drive by it.
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Re: Old KLS&C depot in Paw Paw gone

Unread post by Jochs »

Apparently a new Ford Dealership is going in there.
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Re: Old KLS&C depot in Paw Paw gone

Unread post by J T »

Jochs wrote:Apparently a new Ford Dealership is going in there.
They're gonna need some rail service! :lol: :twisted:
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Re: Old KLS&C depot in Paw Paw gone

Unread post by jrgerber »

Yes its sad, a bit of history, Pioneer Railcorp purchased it out of bankruptcy in 1995 for $500,000 in cash and stock. At the time they had high hopes for the railroad I think the target was 500 cars per year. They had a variety of customers for the first couple of years. They sold a piece of land (not sure where on the line) for $300,000 cash. They had a customer in Paw Paw a trucking company that was shipping apple juice or something like that. That apparently dried up. The Coca Cola plant would have made a great customer but that didn't transpire over the years. Anyone with any ideas of potential customers on the line outside of Coca Cola?

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Re: Old KLS&C depot in Paw Paw gone

Unread post by J T »

Even if they did find some new customers, I can't image what the cost would be to referb that line. It's in awful condition.
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Re: Old KLS&C depot in Paw Paw gone

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jrgerber wrote:Anyone with any ideas of potential customers on the line outside of Coca Cola?
IIRC last customers were a pair of canning/packing plants (Honee Bee & Knouse?) and someone who received wine from CA. They may have stopped shipping by rail by the time Pioneer took over, though :( Other than Coca Cola I am not aware of any potential business other than the one J T snapped one of the last revenue trips to (west of Paw Paw IIRC).
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Re: Old KLS&C depot in Paw Paw gone

Unread post by ~Z~ »

jrgerber wrote:Anyone with any ideas of potential customers on the line outside of Coca Cola?
TLC aka Ryder near Tea Pot Dome was originally built in the 80's to be able to receive rail service. They never ended up finishing the configuration inside to end up using rail, and have stuck with trucking service. I asked them if they've ever considered using some rail, but alas, not speedy enough for their frozen product needs.
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Re: Old KLS&C depot in Paw Paw gone

Unread post by CSX_CO »

Anyone have a shot of the depot before it was turned into construction debris?

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Re: Old KLS&C depot in Paw Paw gone

Unread post by Jochs »

AARR wrote:
jrgerber wrote:Anyone with any ideas of potential customers on the line outside of Coca Cola?
IIRC last customers were a pair of canning/packing plants (Honee Bee & Knouse?) and someone who received wine from CA. They may have stopped shipping by rail by the time Pioneer took over, though :( Other than Coca Cola I am not aware of any potential business other than the one J T snapped one of the last revenue trips to (west of Paw Paw IIRC).
Honee Bear is what I think you mean.
Not sure if you mean the St. Julian Winery in Paw Paw as the one who received wine from California, as they produce their own brand of wine. (or so they say. :lol: )
~Z~ wrote:
jrgerber wrote:Anyone with any ideas of potential customers on the line outside of Coca Cola?
TLC aka Ryder near Tea Pot Dome was originally built in the 80's to be able to receive rail service. They never ended up finishing the configuration inside to end up using rail, and have stuck with trucking service. I asked them if they've ever considered using some rail, but alas, not speedy enough for their frozen product needs.
Is that what this switch is for near Tea Pot Dome?
Image
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Re: Old KLS&C depot in Paw Paw gone

Unread post by ~Z~ »

Jochs wrote:Is that what this switch is for near Tea Pot Dome?
Image
No idea what that switch was supposed to be. TLC is just a little bit east of there, seen here:
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Re: Old KLS&C depot in Paw Paw gone

Unread post by Jochs »

Darn it! I just wasted a good "Where is it" location!" :lol:
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Re: Old KLS&C depot in Paw Paw gone

Unread post by J T »

Jochs wrote:Darn it! I just wasted a good "Where is it" location!" :lol:
I would have guessed that immediately. :P

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Re: Old KLS&C depot in Paw Paw gone

Unread post by DLM »

Paw Paw Wine Distributors received boxcars of wine.

Ralph Moyle Trucking has a warehouse with a rail siding just west of Paw Paw. They warehouse for Coca Cola Foods and Welch's. They still show a photo of the rail siding on their website.

My first cab ride was on the KLS&C. I was the only customer. So off to Lawrence we went with just the locomotive.

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Re: Old KLS&C depot in Paw Paw gone

Unread post by AARR »

J T wrote:
Jochs wrote:Darn it! I just wasted a good "Where is it" location!" :lol:
I would have guessed that immediately. :P
The Where Is It thread is in Super Long Threads which I don't think you go there J T :?
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Re: Old KLS&C depot in Paw Paw gone

Unread post by J T »

Huh? People post "Where is it" threads in the off topic section. Or has that changed?
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Re: Old KLS&C depot in Paw Paw gone

Unread post by Saturnalia »

J T wrote:Huh? People post "Where is it" threads in the off topic section. Or has that changed?
Either log out and visit the Super Long Threads Forum or enter yourself into it, but we have a thread dedicated to it.

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Re: Old KLS&C depot in Paw Paw gone

Unread post by GrandTrunkFan »

I checked out the whole line in Birds Eye from the link that Zack posted. IIRC are all the CN boxcars on the line in storage? Theres no real pattern to how they are stored. Some on sidings, some on the main, one is even on a rail spur to a building and it looks like its practically lined up at a dock door. Are they still on the line? Is that West Michigan locomotive still on the line as well?
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Re: Old KLS&C depot in Paw Paw gone

Unread post by Firemedic Mike »

It has been several months since I last drove the line, but there is a GP and I believe it is an NW2 still just outside of Paw Paw. Usually they tie up either at the cold storage plant or within a mile east of it. The switcher usually seems to have a caboose with it. Not sure the pattern to the car storage, including the cars and caboose in Lawrence, if they are even there anymore. Looks like a road trip may be in order in the next few days.
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Re: Old KLS&C depot in Paw Paw gone

Unread post by Jochs »

There were some CN boxcars in the Lawrence Siding a couple of years ago, but they were scrapped and cut up on site.

There is usually a switcher parked at the cold storage plant in Hartford, and D700 gets cars and sets cars off in Hartford every now and then.
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