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So I was checking out Satellite imagry of Coldwater, Mi. I notice it appears their are three companies with spurs, one looks to be a factory, one a grain silo type site. Who switches these? I don't think it is the Little River, but I could be wrong.

Indiana northeastern

Is the line owned by them and leased to Little River RR.

Do you know the schedule?

Also do Indiana and Northeastern trains still go through Hillsdale and when?

Indiana Northeastern owns and operates most of the branch to Coldwater - some of it may be owned by the state of Michigan but maintained by INER. Little River RR has an operating agreement with INER for their excursion operations.

The Coldwater/Quincy area represents the highest concentration of active customers for the INER (not the highest car counts - those would be the two major grain elevators on their lines). With the variety of shippers, they tend to get to Coldwater around 3 times per week last I knew, sometimes more often. I think it's typically a daytime job. Cars come up from the NS interchange on a train to Hillsdale, and then the Coldwater Turn works west and return. All crews are qualified on all territory so the trains run as needed - per carload and shipper demand.

Hillsdale is the INER operational headquarters. Most of their locomotive maintenance moved to Hudson around 2010 I think. Cars are laid over or stored in Hillsdale yard, and power can be wyed and stored there. Some switching is done to rearrange cars in the right order for Coldwater switching.

To add what the other guys said INER’s customers are Panel Processing, the plastics plant, North Central Coop (inbound fertilizer) and the rendering plant (their largest Coldwater customer at around 350 cars annually). There is also a pallet assembly plant that I hear gets an occasional carload of lumber.

Quincy has Star of the West Milling and the potting soil plant.

It’s been a while since I railfanned INER so things may be different now.

Thank for all the info.

I thought Little River did a once in a blue moon revenue run for freight. Or am I thinking of another tourist line.

wagnew0923 wrote:Thank for all the info.

I thought Little River did a once in a blue moon revenue run for freight. Or am I thinking of another tourist line.

I think you are thinking of the Coopersville and Marne near Grand Rapids. They are technically a common carrier with one customer they serve a few times a year.

Too add to chapmaja's Standard Lumber in Walker is getting more cars than in the past. Might have been double digits (12?) in 2017. The C&M guys will be making major investments with all the cash they're rolling in .

chapmaja wrote:

wagnew0923 wrote:Thank for all the info.

I thought Little River did a once in a blue moon revenue run for freight. Or am I thinking of another tourist line.

I think you are thinking of the Coopersville and Marne near Grand Rapids. They are technically a common carrier with one customer they serve a few times a year.

AARR wrote:Too add to chapmaja's Standard Lumber in Walker is getting more cars than in the past. Might have been double digits (12?) in 2017.

Try 58

AARR wrote:Too add to chapmaja's Standard Lumber in Walker is getting more cars than in the past. Might have been double digits (12?) in 2017. The C&M guys will be making major investments with all the cash they're rolling in .

Like restoring that Canadian steamer?

INE refurbished the sungro siding last year. I posted a video of INE crossing Briggs Rd not too long ago although I will freely admit not a very good one. They usually have a couple cars in their siding at any given time. I was there a couple hours ago but didn't notice what they had. At night trains will tie down along the back side of the property from time to time.

What is the schedule for the INE in Coldwater?

NS3322 wrote:What is the schedule for the INE in Coldwater?

I work down there and often hear them around noon. Not necessarily every day, but fairly often. I don't work close enough to see them with any regularity.

What does the Rendering plant ship/receive?

They ship bone meal (ground bone) and tallow (animal fat or lard). Last I heard they were shipping about 7 cars a week with 1/3 bone meal and 2/3 tallow.

johnnycat wrote:What does the Rendering plant ship/receive?

Technically the line from Quincy to end of track is under the Branch County Rail Users group. The Little River can only go to Quincy because as long as they stop and run around their train there they are not on the national system. INER would have to give permission for any movements east of Quincy. End of track west is at Wheeler Rd. now.

Jim_c wrote:

NS3322 wrote:What is the schedule for the INE in Coldwater?

I work down there and often hear them around noon. Not necessarily every day, but fairly often. I don't work close enough to see them with any regularity.

Do they work Coldwater on Friday?

And do they still keep locomotives in Hillsdale, or are they all based out of the new shop?

Not sure about Hillsdale. Yesterday (Friday) I heard them on the radio working Coldwater just before 8:00 AM. Not sure if that's their regular Friday time.

Is it a regularity to hear them in Coldwater in the mornings? I'm considering chasing them next Friday.