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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 9:44 am
by AARR
I've looked at the abandoned ROW from Hartford to Paw Paw. Paw Paw has a few possibilities. What potential customers did you see in Lawrence?
RailfanVBC wrote:I would think that they would expand to Lawrence sometime soon especially with the business boom they seem to be having currently. The track ends about two miles from Lawrence and when I drove around there a while ago I counted at least 3 customers on the line that WMI could service.

Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 9:55 am
by RailfanVBC
AARR wrote:I've looked at the abandoned ROW from Hartford to Paw Paw. Paw Paw has a few possibilities. What potential customers did you see in Lawrence?
RailfanVBC wrote:I would think that they would expand to Lawrence sometime soon especially with the business boom they seem to be having currently. The track ends about two miles from Lawrence and when I drove around there a while ago I counted at least 3 customers on the line that WMI could service.
There is the scrapyard outside of Lawrence where I believe the tracks end and a few warehouses in Lawrence located on the line. Also there is a large area recently clearsd by Butcher Road next to the crossing which might have somethig to do with the railroad.

Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2019 12:51 pm
by TSS
Currently, there is no way to run around a train on the West MI tracks. Prior to the abandonment, was there any passing track at the west end?

From old pictures, it appears to me the first runaround was at Lawrence. Does anyone remember how they handled interchange? The same way as now? If so, I guess that means freight business had to be very minimal, as every westbound freight would be a shoving move from Lawrence to Hartford.

Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2019 3:16 pm
by Super Chief
Everything was a shoving move either way. You had to shove to the CSX to keep your engine in the clear to go back. Also when I was fireman on the Wine Country Dinner Train always had the geep, the F or the E on the west end and would shove east from Lawrence to Paw Paw. The EJ & E caboose used on the tail end had a dualbeam head light and electric horn and the air whistle on the back end for this reason. It was something to go in reverse back up the Lawrence Hill to Lake Cora.

Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Posted: Fri Jun 21, 2019 8:24 pm
by NS3322
J T wrote:Image

Anyone know who Sheldon is? This is just east of the 50th St. crossing, directly north of Baker Lake.
*BUMP*

I was in the area today and went looking for the "Sheldon's Ditch" sign. It was nowhere to be found (I used JT's photo for reference). Was it thrown into the scrap pile by Pioneer, or did someone in our community pick it up? That is the best railroading inside joke I know of.

Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Posted: Fri Jun 21, 2019 8:33 pm
by Farmboybello
NS3322 wrote:
J T wrote:Image

Anyone know who Sheldon is? This is just east of the 50th St. crossing, directly north of Baker Lake.
*BUMP*

I was in the area today and went looking for the "Sheldon's Ditch" sign. It was nowhere to be found (I used JT's photo for reference). Was it thrown into the scrap pile by Pioneer, or did someone in our community pick it up. That is the best railroading inside joke I know of.
The sign is still there right by the milepost 23 sign on the east side of the 50th Street crossing. Right now you can’t see the sign due to the weeds that grow up around it but it is easily seen in the winter if you know where to look.

Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Posted: Fri Jun 21, 2019 9:35 pm
by NS3322
Farmboybello wrote:The sign is still there right by the milepost 23 sign on the east side of the 50th Street crossing. Right now you can’t see the sign due to the weeds that grow up around it but it is easily seen in the winter if you know where to look.
Oh that is great news! (I was hoping it was hidden in the weeds and overgrowth). I will have to stop by in the winter.

Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Posted: Sat Jun 22, 2019 7:53 pm
by Farmboybello
Delay in Block Productions released a new video yesterday highlighting the recent developments that have been made at WMI.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHebsI50M28&lc=

Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2019 6:23 pm
by AARR
I like DIBP videos. After the way he was treated at this site I doubt he'll be back and I feel we're worse off for it. :(
Farmboybello wrote:Delay in Block Productions released a new video yesterday highlighting the recent developments that have been made at WMI.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHebsI50M28&lc=

Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2019 6:33 pm
by SD80MAC
Unfortunately for DIB, his attitude during his time here did nothing to make anyone feel exactly welcoming.

Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2019 9:48 pm
by 12Bridge
That video would be alot better without the cheesy elevator music.

Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2019 11:17 pm
by NS3322
AARR wrote:I like DIBP videos. After the way he was treated at this site I doubt he'll be back and I feel we're worse off for it. :(
Farmboybello wrote:Delay in Block Productions released a new video yesterday highlighting the recent developments that have been made at WMI.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHebsI50M28&lc=
I am pretty sure he is still on here. I think he posted something recently about the WMI on one of the other boards.

I liked the video, although I wish he had gone more in depth on the history of the KLS&C and Pioneer operations.

I visited Hartford on Friday and managed to get some photos of CSX switching the WMI interchange and of the "new" operation (from afar, thanks to my zoom lens):
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/archiv ... ?id=132514

Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 12:18 am
by 1TrackMind
Anyone know what customers the WMI serve? I know one is the rubber recycler.

Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 6:13 am
by AARR
Plastic pellets for East Jordan Plastics is another one I think
Is Hanson's Logistics considered a customer?
1TrackMind wrote:Anyone know what customers the WMI serve? I know one is the rubber recycler.

Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 7:35 am
by Firemedic Mike
Hanson Logistics is not a customer. The locomotives are parked there and the siding is used to help rearrange cars, but Hanson’s does not currently use rail service in Hartford.

Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 9:13 am
by SD80MAC
.

Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 12:37 pm
by NS3322
Firemedic Mike wrote:Hanson Logistics is not a customer. The locomotives are parked there and the siding is used to help rearrange cars, but Hanson’s does not currently use rail service in Hartford.
I am pretty sure the "new" WMI hauled one car load for Hanson's and they then quit using rail service.

Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 4:48 pm
by SD80MAC
That's correct. Here it is:

ImageThe New West Michigan Railroad by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 6:33 pm
by NS3322
SD80MAC wrote:That's correct. Here it is:

ImageThe New West Michigan Railroad by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Nice photo! What the heck happened to the roof of the boxcar?

I never did get a shot of the old NW2u #100...

Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2019 10:00 pm
by RailfanVBC
After viewing the new video showing all the new customers and reading the recent STB documents filed by the Lake Cora people, I am wondering what it would take to rebuild past Lake Cora?