West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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GLLX3002
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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J T wrote:
GLLX3002 wrote:Now the really funny part, all of the speculation.
Would you like to share some of my popcorn? :)
Yes please, I was actually just about to throw some in the microwave.
Not associated with GLLX in anyway or MQT or G&W. I just have a thing for the 02. OH BOY!

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Racer
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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Is this STB Filing concerning the entire line or just Lawrence to Paw Paw? Would Pioneer still operate Lawrence to the CSX interchange in Hartford?
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Saturnalia
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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Chrisracer8903 wrote:Is this STB Filing concerning the entire line or just Lawrence to Paw Paw? Would Pioneer still operate Lawrence to the CSX interchange in Hartford?
It is a file for a time extension on the abandonment filing (delaying the decision). The abandonment filing was for Lawrence to Paw Paw, so at most, this is what the extension is for. Probably, this means the GLLX has some interest in the line, either existing (such as stored equipment), or new interest (such as buying).
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GLLX3002
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Unread post by GLLX3002 »

Chrisracer8903 wrote:Is this STB Filing concerning the entire line or just Lawrence to Paw Paw? Would Pioneer still operate Lawrence to the CSX interchange in Hartford?
The Original STB filing was for the portion east of Lawrence.
Not associated with GLLX in anyway or MQT or G&W. I just have a thing for the 02. OH BOY!

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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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This is interesting to say the least. What could Pioneer be thinking, the line physically is like the MAL they just bought ,so maybe others see potential and that's great. I'll dust off my dinner train uniform and hat and meet them in Paw Paw, oh crap they tore down the depot last year. If GLLX buys it maybe they'll keep the two locomotives. The GP9 could be the helper stationed at Lawrence to get the NW2 over the hill to Tea Pot Dome.

GLLX3002
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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I doubt they will keep the locomotives. However I have seen stranger things happen.
Not associated with GLLX in anyway or MQT or G&W. I just have a thing for the 02. OH BOY!

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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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Super Chief wrote:This is interesting to say the least. What could Pioneer be thinking, the line physically is like the MAL they just bought ,so maybe others see potential and that's great. I'll dust off my dinner train uniform and hat and meet them in Paw Paw, oh crap they tore down the depot last year. If GLLX buys it maybe they'll keep the two locomotives. The GP9 could be the helper stationed at Lawrence to get the NW2 over the hill to Tea Pot Dome.
Don't forget about the 4433 & that SW in Manistee. I kinda wonder if those are up to GWI's standards...

Just speculating here...
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jimnorthwood
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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Following a couple of delays/extensions, the May 29 deadline has passed. The abandonment petition will be effective June 8:

http://www.stb.dot.gov/decisions/readin ... enDocument

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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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Bring on the bike path! I'm lubing up my chain as I type this...

:lol:
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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SD80MAC wrote:The afermentioned dinner train was the Kalamazoo, Lake Shore & Chicago.

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From railroadmichigan.com:

Kalamazoo, Lake Shore & Chicago Railway Co.

KLS&C operated former CSX rails from Hartford to Paw Paw, with freight and passenger excursion service, including the Star Clipper dinner train. The Star Clipper move to COE Rail in July, 91 and was replaced by ex METRA E8A 513, and 4 cars from Trancisco Tours. First trip was 9/20/91 as Michigan Wine Country dinner train. Pioneer Rail Corp now operates line as the West Michigan RR.

One of their old cars is now at the C&M, it used to be our car No. 3 but isn't currently used.
My father was a volunteer on that railroad until it ran out of business. As far as I knew, nothing had been through there since the 80's and some of the track was left to rot.
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Mike H
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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Don't write this line off just yet......The STB has not approved the line for abandonment & no rails have been pulled up. Remember, a lot of things can change.........

Mike H

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Jochs
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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The dinner train ran until around 1993, and I remember when CSX picked it up in Hartford in 1993.
They ran freight on the line for a couple more years, but most recently they have only gone as far as the cold storage place in Hartford.
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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IIRC there is one or two places in Paw Paw (Coca Cola's juice plant?) that I hold out hope will use rail service
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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Let's recap, Pioneer purchased the line in 1995 for about $200,000 cash and $300,000 in stock, they've had several real estate transactions that have probably netted them the amount they paid. They tried a juice deal with a trucking company in Paw Paw that didn't generate the business they had hoped. Coca Cola really never expressed much interest in shipping out by rail. Scrap values have increased since 1995. My thoughts are that Pioneer is rationalizing their railroads ie look at the Indiana Southwestern, A&F and West Michigan. The scrap is generating cash for purchasing other railroads or for track work that would qualify for federal tax credits ie 2012 and 2013. It appears that many of the Pioneer railroads have gotten tie work since the federal program has began.

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AARR
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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jrgerber wrote:Coca Cola really never expressed much interest in shipping out by rail.
Often with large companies logistics are made at the corporate level to achieve economies of volume. The coca cola plant in Detroit receives steady service from CSX as do other coca cola plants. For some reason the plant in Paw Paw does not fit into that model.
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: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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My guess is the plant in Paw Paw isn't big enough or have enough storage space to make shipping by rail via 2 lines advantageous in Paw Paw vs CSX in Detroit at a major plant.
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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Coca Cola produces juices in plastic bottles. Plastic bottles do not ride well when stacked in a box car. They do just fine in intermodal containers.

Gerber in Fremont, MI had the same issue with plastic jars....

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AARR
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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DLM wrote:Coca Cola produces juices in plastic bottles. Plastic bottles do not ride well when stacked in a box car. They do just fine in intermodal containers.

Gerber in Fremont, MI had the same issue with plastic jars....
I was thinking inbound syrup
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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Tanker cars on the WMI? I've seen the WMI last year and if you ask me,it's FRA Exempted track,not the Class 1 or 2 track that it was when the Dinner/Tourist train was operating there. And given the condition of the track,I wouldn't do tanker cars on there as it would become unstable going down the line and want to tip over on uneven track.
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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Corn syurp cars be the same as any other car over that trackage.

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