West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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Schteinkuh
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Unread post by Schteinkuh »

Mike H wrote:How do you know that? No for profit business invests money just for the heck of it. If that truly is the plan, it would be a horrible marketing strategy & they should fire their marketing department........In my humble opinion. However, I would bet there is a plan.

Mike H
That was secondhand information from a very reliable source. Just passing it along. And if you're convinced that no for profit entities throw away money on investments, then, no disrespect intended but uhh *cue trump* "WRONG"
According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way a bee should be able to fly. Its wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground. The bee, of course, flies anyway because bees don't care what humans think is impossible.

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Schteinkuh
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Unread post by Schteinkuh »

Doktor No wrote:They ain't a goin back to Two Paws. They would add perhaps a few thousand feet in or near Hartford. What do you think would ensue if the announced plans to rebuild the rail to 2Paws? CHAOS is what it would be, CHAOS!
IIRC they have the legal authority to do that, though. Man, that would turn into one heck of a NIMBY wasps nest real quick.
According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way a bee should be able to fly. Its wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground. The bee, of course, flies anyway because bees don't care what humans think is impossible.

Mike H
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Unread post by Mike H »

Schteinkuh wrote:
Mike H wrote:How do you know that? No for profit business invests money just for the heck of it. If that truly is the plan, it would be a horrible marketing strategy & they should fire their marketing department........In my humble opinion. However, I would bet there is a plan.

Mike H
That was secondhand information from a very reliable source. Just passing it along. And if you're convinced that no for profit entities throw away money on investments, then, no disrespect intended but uhh *cue trump* "WRONG"
No disrespect intended on my end either, but your source gave you some very inaccurate information. I never said no for profit business has thrown away money on a bad investment, I simply said no for profit business invests money for the heck of it. Meaning the business has a plan for the investment regardless of whether it is a good or bad plan. Trust me, in this situation there for sure is a plan.

Mike H

Super Chief
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Unread post by Super Chief »

If I'm correctly reading this correctly Hamilton Hartford bought the line from Pioneer, GLLX stores their engines on the property and the property is being developed both as an active rail line again and a trail? Whats the arrangements on the Hamilton branch? HH owns the line to mill in Hamilton and CSX provides service and maintenance?

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SD80MAC
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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Super Chief wrote:If I'm correctly reading this correctly Hamilton Hartford bought the line from Pioneer, GLLX stores their engines on the property and the property is being developed both as an active rail line again and a trail? Whats the arrangements on the Hamilton branch? HH owns the line to mill in Hamilton and CSX provides service and maintenance?
Correct. HHG owns the line from roughly MP 19 in Holland down to Hamilton and they are responsible for maintaining it. CSX provides them with service once a week currently.
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Unread post by Super Chief »

Thank you for your input. Last count GLLX had 5 engines in Hartford and 2 in Wayland are there any more?

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SD80MAC
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Unread post by SD80MAC »

Super Chief wrote:Thank you for your input. Last count GLLX had 5 engines in Hartford and 2 in Wayland are there any more?
There are 5 in Hartford, 2 in Wayland, 1 in Lansing and 1 in Flint.
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NS3322
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Unread post by NS3322 »

SD80MAC wrote:There are 5 in Hartford, 2 in Wayland, 1 in Lansing and 1 in Flint.
Did the ex-GBW C420 that was in Wyoming Yard move to Hartford?

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SD80MAC
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Unread post by SD80MAC »

NS3322 wrote:
SD80MAC wrote:There are 5 in Hartford, 2 in Wayland, 1 in Lansing and 1 in Flint.
Did the ex-GBW C420 that was in Wyoming Yard move to Hartford?
No, it’s still there, but GLLX doesn’t own that engine, the reporting marks were loaned to the owner so it could move on CSX.
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Mike H
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Unread post by Mike H »

SD80MAC wrote:
Super Chief wrote:If I'm correctly reading this correctly Hamilton Hartford bought the line from Pioneer, GLLX stores their engines on the property and the property is being developed both as an active rail line again and a trail? Whats the arrangements on the Hamilton branch? HH owns the line to mill in Hamilton and CSX provides service and maintenance?
Correct. HHG owns the line from roughly MP 19 in Holland down to Hamilton and they are responsible for maintaining it. CSX provides them with service once a week currently.
Correction, HHG does NOT own the Hamilton Branch. It is owned & maintained by CHS. Hamilton Farm bought it from CSX many years ago when CSX tried to abandon it. CHS got the line when Hamilton Farm Bureau became part of CHS. I really like the Hamilton Branch & have followed it since CSX tried to abandon it. I was sure the line wouldn't survive, but there are some great guys in the Hamilton Farm Bureau days who had the insight to see the value of the line & took a risk to save it. I don't know for sure, but I get the impression that they HFB & CHS are glad the line was saved. They invest a lot of money into it each year.

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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Unread post by Waddy »

Would be kind of neat to see a shortline take over the hamilton branch. Looks like it could have some potential and im sure some of those businesses with spurs do not currently see rail service due to class ones having higher rates.

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NS3322
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Unread post by NS3322 »

SD80MAC wrote:There are 5 in Hartford, 2 in Wayland, 1 in Lansing and 1 in Flint.
Which one is the fifth locomotive?
1. GLLX 1397(MP15AC)
2. GLLX 1017(T6)
3. GLLX 1512(SW1200)
4. GLLX 2480 (CF7)
5. ??????

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SD80MAC
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Unread post by SD80MAC »

NS3322 wrote:
SD80MAC wrote:There are 5 in Hartford, 2 in Wayland, 1 in Lansing and 1 in Flint.
Which one is the fifth locomotive?
1. GLLX 1397(MP15AC)
2. GLLX 1017(T6)
3. GLLX 1512(SW1200)
4. GLLX 2480 (CF7)
5. ??????
They have 2 ex UP MP15s in Hartford, the other one is 1416 I think.
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Unread post by Super Chief »

Yes thats correct for Hartford as well as 2 cabooses I think.

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NS3322
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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Is Hanson Logistics railfan friendly?

Mike H
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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NS3322 wrote:Is Hanson Logistics railfan friendly?
No, not at all. They don't like unknown people there because it's a food grade facility.

Mike H

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Schteinkuh
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Unread post by Schteinkuh »

Mike H wrote:
NS3322 wrote:Is Hanson Logistics railfan friendly?
No, not at all. They don't like unknown people there because it's a food grade facility.

Mike H
Your chances are much better if you call or visit their office beforehand. Don't just walk back there without talking to anybody.
According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way a bee should be able to fly. Its wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground. The bee, of course, flies anyway because bees don't care what humans think is impossible.

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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Unread post by MQT1223 »

Waddy wrote:Would be kind of neat to see a shortline take over the hamilton branch. Looks like it could have some potential and im sure some of those businesses with spurs do not currently see rail service due to class ones having higher rates.
If CSX ever decided to dump the portion they own from 196 to Holland, It would be a cool route for tourist service. Very scenic I'd say with the rural setting.

Of course there are a lot of logistics involved in something like that, but Hamilton to me is a perfect destination for a brief layover with the Rabbit River trestle being the highlight of the route. It would be similar to the Little River operation from Coldwater to Quincy.
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Unread post by Saturnalia »

The Hamilton Branch makes the C&M look like the Northeast Corridor, at least in terms of track maintenance.
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Unread post by Jetlink »

MQT1223 wrote:
Waddy wrote:Would be kind of neat to see a shortline take over the hamilton branch. Looks like it could have some potential and im sure some of those businesses with spurs do not currently see rail service due to class ones having higher rates.
If CSX ever decided to dump the portion they own from 196 to Holland, It would be a cool route for tourist service. Very scenic I'd say with the rural setting.

Of course there are a lot of logistics involved in something like that, but Hamilton to me is a perfect destination for a brief layover with the Rabbit River trestle being the highlight of the route. It would be similar to the Little River operation from Coldwater to Quincy.
I think it would make a better bike trail. And more people would use it.
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