More LSRC talk...

[Sppengelly]

With all the talk about the Alpena operations, what happened to the operations north Alpena?

I know the track to Rogers City and Hawks was removed in 2001 but what were the reasons? I can see why the track from Rogers City Jct. to Hawks would be abandoned and removed (business not steady enough, can be handled via transloadings) but why was the track to Port Calcite in Rogers City removed? I know that they ship out a lot by ship but was that the main reason? One would think that having access to both rail AND marine transportation would have been a huge advantage. With such a large facility (largest limestone mine in the world, 100+ years of life left) it seems silly not to have rail.

[AARR]

Last rail shipments from the limestone pit in Calcite was 1984. I agree with you that its amazing a huge pit can't even by accident find someone who needs enough limestone by rail to keep the line open but that's the facts.

Last three customers were Austin Powders at Hawks (16-20 cars per year of blasting powder), Rogers City Plastics between Rogers City Jct. and Calcite (75-100 cars per year of plastic pellets), and Dyno??? (25-30 cars per year of nitroglycerine). Line was abandoned in 1999 when RCP switched its pellets to the transload in Clare. Ironically RCP now gets its pellets at the transload in Petoskey along with Petoskey Plastics making from some nice sized plastic pellet deliveries. Austin Powders still gets its powder at a transload in Alpena. Dyno??? may have closed.

[LSRC]

My understanding is that the D&M dropped Calcite because it was too rough on their freight car fleet, or so I heard.

The tracks were removed because Roger City Plastics was cutting the number of cars they were receiving in half. The Lake State determined that the line would loose too much money and was abandoned and removed. The plastics business then went with a GLC/truck routing.

[AARR]

The tracks were removed because Roger City Plastics was cutting the number of cars they were receiving in half. The Lake State determined that the line would loose too much money and was abandoned and removed. The plastics business then went with a GLC/truck routing.

I had a "duh" moment. LSRC is correct, RCP was going to cut traffic in half. So when LSRC company abandoned the line they switched to Clare's transload. Now, however, I think they are receiving even more cars than back in the LSRC direct service days at the transload in Petoskey.

[Saturnalia]

Funny, I was just in Posen Yesterday:


Posen by MQT3001, on Flickr

Quick grab shot on the way back from visiting family.

[penn central]

Last rail shipments from the limestone pit in Calcite was 1984. I agree with you that its amazing a huge pit can't even by accident find someone who needs enough limestone by rail to keep the line open but that's the facts.

Last three customers were Austin Powders at Hawks (16-20 cars per year of blasting powder), Rogers City Plastics between Rogers City Jct. and Calcite (75-100 cars per year of plastic pellets), and Dyno??? (25-30 cars per year of nitroglycerine). Line was abandoned in 1999 when RCP switched its pellets to the transload in Clare. Ironically RCP now gets its pellets at the transload in Petoskey along with Petoskey Plastics making from some nice sized plastic pellet deliveries. Austin Powders still gets its powder at a transload in Alpena. Dyno??? may have closed.

I can confirm Calcite quite shipping in 1984 i was at Genesse Street yard on a Saturday morning in Saginaw, The southbound GTW train from Bay City had for power three GTW GP38's i didn't get the numbers and two Michigan Limestone Alco S1's for power the ML S1's where dead in tow it was just before sun up so no pics, Man what a beautiful shot that would have been, This was in October of 1984.

[Tom Train]

AARR, if the Dyno you are referring to is Dyno-Nobel, they are still active in business in Alpena County, at least they were two years ago.

[lightning]

Funny, I was just in Posen Yesterday:


Posen by MQT3001, on Flickr

Quick grab shot on the way back from visiting family.

Tater Town!!!!

[lightning]

I've got a photo's of the last train that ran on that line.....It's the 469 and 1 csxt hopper....the old line cut my wifes aunts property in the back...

[J T]

Quick grab shot on the way back from visiting family.

Where are you, Europe? Fix that date format!

[Saturnalia]

Quick grab shot on the way back from visiting family.

Where are you, Europe? Fix that date format!

Latin America

[AARR]

I've got a photo's of the last train that ran on that line.....It's the 469 and 1 csxt hopper....the old line cut my wifes aunts property in the back...

Sounds like it was a car from Austin Powders from Hawks.

[penn central]

There where three loads of lumber on the train to Grayling today might be headed to Tri-State Forest Products in Gaylord. And yesterday saw the train to Paines on my way to work, He had for power the 2052 and 7 cars, 3 tank cars one CH, Two boxcars, And one load of lumber for Bear Truss.