GR&E Questions

[NS3322]

What is the schedule for the GRE? Do they run on Fridays?
And do they leave the locomotive outside or inside the enginehouse?

[Plannerdad]

Based on my observations from both ends of the line, they are unpredictable. Depends on how many loads for King are in the yard at Ann Street and probably if there is any space left in Lowell to place them, IMHO. Usually they head EB mid-morning sometime, and return mid-afternoon. But it can be any day of the week, usually around 3 days a week lately, since King has expanded. Occasionally they make two trips to Lowell in one day. They generally do not leave their locomotive outside in GR, but depending on the balance of cars, crew hours, etc. they will leave a locomotive in Lowell overnight.

[chapmaja]

Does Amway have their own track mobile or small locomotive? Looking at Google Maps I see 20 cars (tanks and covered hoppers) spread between their yard and what appears to be at least half a dozen different loading / unloading locations. Does Amway get inbound materials only, or do they ship outbound as well?

Also, who are the current customers on the GRE? Is the wire place in Lowell still in business, or is it just King Milling now. I also recall a spur with covered hoppers being unloaded but that appears gone as well. In Ada there is the Amway plant. In GR you have Precision Poly with covered hoppers. Kent Manufacturing has a connected spur, but it doesn't look used. West of GR was the cement unloading, but that doesn't look used either. West of that Meijer looked like it used to get service, but the switches may be removed and the spurs looked unused. The next potential customer is Standard Lumber near Fruit Ridge.

Where does the GRE end and the C&M trackage begin? In Marne I see no sign of customers. The old plant in Coopersville is used for equipment "storage" but the tracks are disconnected within the plant property itself.

[Saturnalia]

Check out the GRE wiki page for the answers to a lot of your questions (both of you)
http://railroadfan.com/wiki/index.php/M ... R,_MS,_GRE

[Schteinkuh]

Amway has a little track mobile

[Mark F]

Amway has a little track mobile

So does King Milling.

[SD80MAC]

GRE runs fairly reliably Monday-Wednesday-Friday. On duty time depends on if the crew comes from Muskegon or Alma. Cuurently they have 3 active customers plus the C&M interchange. More info at: http://railroadfan.com/wiki/index.php/M ... R,_MS,_GRE

[NS3322]

Has the switch been removed where the tracks split south of the bridge in Lowell (one going to King Milling and the other formerly going to Ionia)?

[MQT1223]

Has the switch been removed where the tracks split south of the bridge in Lowell (one going to King Milling and the other formerly going to Ionia)?

That was removed years ago. The rails from Malta to Grand River Ave are gone now with “the last mile” remaining from Grand River Ave to the county line remaining.

[SD80MAC]

Has the switch been removed where the tracks split south of the bridge in Lowell (one going to King Milling and the other formerly going to Ionia)?

Yes, about 2 years ago.