Ferry Yard - AA

[chapmaja]

When did Ferry Yard actually cease to operate.

I know, when I was growing up in the early 1980's in AA, my dad would take me to Ferry Yard. Back then the customers I knew of in the great AA area that were served from Ferry were the Saline Branch (cars would be dropped in Ferry then taken down to the branch and the engine from Saline, usually an RS1 IIRC, would work the branch. In AA you had Finglerle Lumber and a team track off Plymouth Rd that was a regular switch. Going north I don't think the place off Territorial was in operation, but there was a place near Barker and US-23 that got regular service.

Back then I think the AA was still running FT and TF trains that would make the setouts. I do recall that Ferry did last beyond the TSBY taking over as I have pictures somewhere of the TSBY operated GP-35's crossing the Huron River and recall walking in Ferry Yard with a member of the AA crew as the sand train pulled into the yard (back when crews allowed railfans into the yards with them).

My guess is that the split of the Michigan Interstate in about 1985 really doomed Ferry Yard. It became easier to interchange north of town at Osmer and when the team track closed (there was an oil/coal distributor just up from the team track as well) the yard became unneeded as operations could be handled from Toledo.

I would love to see Ferry reopen, as the tracks are still in place, but I don't see the need ever existing to do that. It would almost require a huge manufacturing complex to form along the AA and I don't see that happening.

What I would like to see is the AA and GLC under one common ownership again, but I don't think that would even change operations significantly.

[MiRailProductions]

When did Ferry Yard actually cease to operate.

I know, when I was growing up in the early 1980's in AA, my dad would take me to Ferry Yard. Back then the customers I knew of in the great AA area that were served from Ferry were the Saline Branch (cars would be dropped in Ferry then taken down to the branch and the engine from Saline, usually an RS1 IIRC, would work the branch. In AA you had Finglerle Lumber and a team track off Plymouth Rd that was a regular switch. Going north I don't think the place off Territorial was in operation, but there was a place near Barker and US-23 that got regular service.

Back then I think the AA was still running FT and TF trains that would make the setouts. I do recall that Ferry did last beyond the TSBY taking over as I have pictures somewhere of the TSBY operated GP-35's crossing the Huron River and recall walking in Ferry Yard with a member of the AA crew as the sand train pulled into the yard (back when crews allowed railfans into the yards with them).

My guess is that the split of the Michigan Interstate in about 1985 really doomed Ferry Yard. It became easier to interchange north of town at Osmer and when the team track closed (there was an oil/coal distributor just up from the team track as well) the yard became unneeded as operations could be handled from Toledo.

I would love to see Ferry reopen, as the tracks are still in place, but I don't see the need ever existing to do that. It would almost require a huge manufacturing complex to form along the AA and I don't see that happening.

What I would like to see is the AA and GLC under one common ownership again, but I don't think that would even change operations significantly.

I don't know much about Ferry Yard, but the AA and the GLC being under one ownership isn't too far-fetched. WATCO has some share in GLC's ownership, IIRC. I'd be glad to see it myself.

[AARR]

It seems that Ann Arbor interchange between AA and CR was shifted to Toledo well before 1990. My guess is around 1985ish.

Michigan Interstate used the same symbols as previous operators of the Annie. However, there were two major differences: 1) There was only one train each way between Toledo and Frankfort (symbols TF5 and FT2 IIRC) and 2) it took up to three crews to go one way as opposed to the pre-MI days when one crew could usually go Toledo to Frankfort in 12 hours.

[NS3322]

Is the turntable still in place?

[JStryker722]

When did Ferry Yard actually cease to operate.

I know, when I was growing up in the early 1980's in AA, my dad would take me to Ferry Yard. Back then the customers I knew of in the great AA area that were served from Ferry were the Saline Branch (cars would be dropped in Ferry then taken down to the branch and the engine from Saline, usually an RS1 IIRC, would work the branch. In AA you had Finglerle Lumber and a team track off Plymouth Rd that was a regular switch. Going north I don't think the place off Territorial was in operation, but there was a place near Barker and US-23 that got regular service.

Back then I think the AA was still running FT and TF trains that would make the setouts. I do recall that Ferry did last beyond the TSBY taking over as I have pictures somewhere of the TSBY operated GP-35's crossing the Huron River and recall walking in Ferry Yard with a member of the AA crew as the sand train pulled into the yard (back when crews allowed railfans into the yards with them).

My guess is that the split of the Michigan Interstate in about 1985 really doomed Ferry Yard. It became easier to interchange north of town at Osmer and when the team track closed (there was an oil/coal distributor just up from the team track as well) the yard became unneeded as operations could be handled from Toledo.

I would love to see Ferry reopen, as the tracks are still in place, but I don't see the need ever existing to do that. It would almost require a huge manufacturing complex to form along the AA and I don't see that happening.

What I would like to see is the AA and GLC under one common ownership again, but I don't think that would even change operations significantly.

I don't know much about Ferry Yard, but the AA and the GLC being under one ownership isn't too far-fetched. WATCO has some share in GLC's ownership, IIRC. I'd be glad to see it myself.

Idk if merging the railroads would make too much sense to do it in a hurry for sure. Their operating characteristics is totally different. GLC provides daily service to a large area of Northern Michigan. The AA service plan centers around Toledo,namely Chrysler and related businesses. The interchange in Osmer between the 2 doesnt even happen but 3 or 4x a week except during grain harvest season. So the only real change Id see with a merger is 1 crew running a road freight from Owosso to Toledo ( or vice versa) for the interchange traffic handled currently handled in Osmer and suddenly the commuter rail idea got simpler. Maybe some consolidations in management. Thats it.

[Fred]

I don't believe that under the AA trains ran from Toledo to Elberta in 12 hours with one crew. The trip is 300 miles and with work along the way, seems like it'd be very hard to do. I was under the impression that Owosso was the crew change point for both TF-5 and FT-2. I also believe that the union agreement called for 100 miles to constitute one days pay.

On another note, I prefer the AA & GLC to remain independent, I like the GLC blue more than the WATCO black.

[railrod1949]

I don't believe that under the AA trains ran from Toledo to Elberta in 12 hours with one crew. The trip is 300 miles and with work along the way, seems like it'd be very hard to do. I was under the impression that Owosso was the crew change point for both TF-5 and FT-2. I also believe that the union agreement called for 100 miles to constitute one days pay.

On another note, I prefer the AA & GLC to remain independent, I like the GLC blue more than the WATCO black.

Fred is correct! TF-5 and FT-2 change crews at Owosso. All old AA RR T&E crews were based at Owosso and worked east to and from Toledo and to and from Boat Landing/Elberta/Frankfort.

[PerRock]

Is the turntable still in place?

A few years ago it was. There hasn't been much work, if any to the yard in quite a few years. Haven't been back in there recently.

Technically it's still an active yard, but there's only 1 yard track connected to the main in it. AA drops cars there occasionally (there was a bunch of hoppers in it last year while Stadium Rd. was closed.)

peter

[chapmaja]

I don't believe that under the AA trains ran from Toledo to Elberta in 12 hours with one crew. The trip is 300 miles and with work along the way, seems like it'd be very hard to do. I was under the impression that Owosso was the crew change point for both TF-5 and FT-2. I also believe that the union agreement called for 100 miles to constitute one days pay.

On another note, I prefer the AA & GLC to remain independent, I like the GLC blue more than the WATCO black.

I didn't mean to say that the TF and FT trains ran the entire length in one run, only that they did setouts as needed in AA IIRC.

Does anyone know if this is in fact what happen or was traffic to Ferry Yard handled by a local from Toledo to AA and then handled by locals / yard jobs in AA.

Was there also a crew change in Cadillac? Owosso to Boat Landing would itself seem like a long trip.

During the Michigan Interstate era does anyone have a list of what trains the AA was actually operating?

Also, the interchange I was talking about was not the AA-CR interchange. I don't think much moved on that after the scrap yard closed that was next two those tracks. I was talking about the AA-TSBY interchange.

[Fred]

The main reason for the AA/CR interchange in Ann Arbor allowed the fastest move of parts out of the Ford Saline plant to get to the Ford Wayne Assembly plant

[AARR]

As of 1968/69 AA operated a Toledo-Frankfort road freight. The northbound departed Toledo at 7pm and worked Diann, (possibly Ann Arbor), Owosso and Cadillac arriving in Frankfort at 7am the next day.

The southbound train departed Frankfort at 10am and worked Owosso, (possibly Ann Arbor) and Diann arriving in Toledo at 9:30pm.

Locals worked (as necessary) Toledo-Diann, Toledo-Owosso, Owosso-Cadillac and Frankfort-Cadillac.

I'm sure there were variances to the above schedule.

By the time CR was appointed the operator in 1976 road freights performed most of the switching between Frankfort Toledo with occasional locals as needed especially between Toledo and Ann Arbor. This is when it would take as many as three crews to go one way do to amount of work and poor track conditions.

[MiRailProductions]

On another note, I prefer the AA & GLC to remain independent, I like the GLC blue more than the WATCO black.

Their paint scheme wouldn't have to be black. WSOR has an independent paint scheme, and they're under WATCO. On a side note, I see your point. WATCO doesn't seem to have as good of a maintenance team on the Ann Arbor as GLC does. Under WATCO ownership, my biggest fear would be worsening track conditions possibly leading to customers not wanting to ship by rail.

[chapmaja]

As of 1968/69 AA operated a Toledo-Frankfort road freight. The northbound departed Toledo at 7pm and worked Diann, (possibly Ann Arbor), Owosso and Cadillac arriving in Frankfort at 7am the next day.

The southbound train departed Frankfort at 10am and worked Owosso, (possibly Ann Arbor) and Diann arriving in Toledo at 9:30pm.

Locals worked (as necessary) Toledo-Diann, Toledo-Owosso, Owosso-Cadillac and Frankfort-Cadillac.

I'm sure there were variances to the above schedule.

By the time CR was appointed the operator in 1976 road freights performed most of the switching between Frankfort Toledo with occasional locals as needed especially between Toledo and Ann Arbor. This is when it would take as many as three crews to go one way do to amount of work and poor track conditions.

I know they used to have an operation in the early 1980's based out of Ferry. This usually had one of the RS2's. I recall seeing them go as far north as Whitmore Lake to switch the factory there and return SB. I wonder if this was considered as a local or a yard job through. It is possible if Michigan Interstate kept the same operations as the AA before Conrail, that the traffic would go to and from Toledo via the Toledo-Owosso local.

I think Dundee cement was handled via a local from Toledo through, so it could have been handled from the Toledo-Owosso local.

[Fred]

I believe the job based in Ann Arbor was RS-100 and often had one of the two RS-1's for power and operated between Pittsfield (Saline Branch) and Whitmore Lake. Ford Saline would ship "used" plastic in 50' boxes up to Rhe Tech in Whitmore Lake which would refine it some how & then ship it back in a 50 foot box on RS-100 to the Ford saline plant.

[chapmaja]

I believe the job based in Ann Arbor was RS-100 and often had one of the two RS-1's for power and operated between Pittsfield (Saline Branch) and Whitmore Lake. Ford Saline would ship "used" plastic in 50' boxes up to Rhe Tech in Whitmore Lake which would refine it some how & then ship it back in a 50 foot box on RS-100 to the Ford saline plant.

I believe the job based in Ann Arbor was RS-100 and often had one of the two RS-1's for power and operated between Pittsfield (Saline Branch) and Whitmore Lake. Ford Saline would ship "used" plastic in 50' boxes up to Rhe Tech in Whitmore Lake which would refine it some how & then ship it back in a 50 foot box on RS-100 to the Ford saline plant.

When did Rhe-Tec open? I don't remember them when I was younger, but it's possible they were open then. I know there was a switch to a lumber yard across from Rhe-Tec (may still be a disconnected siding to the plant), but I don't recall that ever getting service.

What I recall for power was the RS2's, sometimes the RS1's and for a period of time, Ludington Northern #16.

I will have to look through the slides to see what units we have pictures of.

[AARR]

RheTech moved from Detroit to Whitmore Lake in 1970 and the shuttle service with Ford Saline started soon afterwards.

When did Rhe-Tec open? I don't remember them when I was younger, but it's possible they were open then. I know there was a switch to a lumber yard across from Rhe-Tec (may still be a disconnected siding to the plant), but I don't recall that ever getting service.

[MiddleMI]

Is the turntable still in place?

A few years ago it was. There hasn't been much work, if any to the yard in quite a few years. Haven't been back in there recently.

Technically it's still an active yard, but there's only 1 yard track connected to the main in it. AA drops cars there occasionally (there was a bunch of hoppers in it last year while Stadium Rd. was closed.)

peter

Looking at Bing bird's eye views, which look to be fairly recent, I'm not seeing anything resembling a turntable, so maybe it's been removed. The main (or what I think is the main - it's the western track) looks awfully beat up, where as the one yard track (east track) looks to be fairly well maintained, so maybe it's the other way around.

[AARR]

Also, a few years ago, construction debris was loaded into open top hoppers at the south end of Ferry Yard.

Is the turntable still in place?

A few years ago it was. There hasn't been much work, if any to the yard in quite a few years. Haven't been back in there recently.

Technically it's still an active yard, but there's only 1 yard track connected to the main in it. AA drops cars there occasionally (there was a bunch of hoppers in it last year while Stadium Rd. was closed.)

peter

Looking at Bing bird's eye views, which look to be fairly recent, I'm not seeing anything resembling a turntable, so maybe it's been removed. The main (or what I think is the main - it's the western track) looks awfully beat up, where as the one yard track (east track) looks to be fairly well maintained, so maybe it's the other way around.

[Raildudes dad]

Looking at Bing bird's eye views, which look to be fairly recent, I'm not seeing anything resembling a turntable, so maybe it's been removed. The main (or what I think is the main - it's the western track) looks awfully beat up, where as the one yard track (east track) looks to be fairly well maintained, so maybe it's the other way around.

Google maps aerial view shows mostly wooded. But the only man-made things visible are the ties on the turntable. I've actually done a site visit for salvaging it and have a file somewhere on it.

[MiddleMI]

Looking at Bing bird's eye views, which look to be fairly recent, I'm not seeing anything resembling a turntable, so maybe it's been removed. The main (or what I think is the main - it's the western track) looks awfully beat up, where as the one yard track (east track) looks to be fairly well maintained, so maybe it's the other way around.

Google maps aerial view shows mostly wooded. But the only man-made things visible are the ties on the turntable. I've actually done a site visit for salvaging it and have a file somewhere on it.

On close inspection, there is something in the wooded area, but I'd have never thought that was a turntable. Didn't even realize there was enough room for one.