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Interesting. Expanding further possibly?

Interesting in that it also that it states GTW will maintain the Black River Drawbridge.
So they really aren't doing this to get away from maintaining the line.
So what is GTW getting away from?

I think the STB decision regarding the proposed leasing of the NS Michigan Line will be a factor in this case.
The STB had denied it on the basis of it clearly being union busting.
It will be the same in this case. Lake State does the work with non-union employees and GTW still gets all the traffic.

DaveO wrote:Interesting in that it also that it states GTW will maintain the Black River Drawbridge.
So they really aren't doing this to get away from maintaining the line.
So what is GTW getting away from?

CN will ONLY maintain the bridge, they are not responsible for the track or the crossings that are also on the line, so that is something that they are getting away from, the crossings are in good shape, a lot of work has been done by the signal dept. to ensure better operation, but little has been done to the track, which is in rough shape in spots.

How many customers are on the branch?

2, Domtar and Dunn Paper. Domtar seems to be the busier of the two but Dunn gets most of the headlines. Both are switched 2-3x per week.

Maybe LSRC can get the lumber yard and brass pipe plant to ship by rail again.

NS3322 wrote:How many customers are on the branch?

jimnorthwood wrote:https://www.stb.gov/filings/all.nsf/ba7 ... 245457.pdf

I can't get the filing page to load, but me thinks this is LSRC angling to get the CSX trackage from Port Huron as well. Possibly knowing that CSX is looking to cut back from Flint to Plymouth with LSRC as the likely operator from Plymouth north.

I also agree with the idea that CN is trying to get rid of any Port Huron based crews at this point.

There's at least one or two across the track from Domtar. Somebody was getting 60' TBOX cars a year or so ago, I think the sign on their building said something about Fiber or composites (?). And someone else is apparently cleaning tank cars. Last Friday there were 7 cars on their spur, the middle of this week when I saw one car had been pulled. These were black, approximately 50' cars, not the kaolin cars the paper mills get.

AARR wrote:2, Domtar and Dunn Paper. Domtar seems to be the busier of the two but Dunn gets most of the headlines. Both are switched 2-3x per week.

Maybe LSRC can get the lumber yard and brass pipe plant to ship by rail again.

NS3322 wrote:How many customers are on the branch?

Thanks for the update, GLR.

I thought Blue Water Fiber was closed but your observations indicate it is still open. They receive wood pulp bales used in the paper industry. In the past they had the capacity to receive up to 10 cars a week (I don't know if they actually received that many).

The tank car business is new to me.

Also, thanks for posting at MichiganRailroads.com. Since I upgraded to Windows 10 I can't log in there anymore.

GreatLakesRailfan wrote:There's at least one or two across the track from Domtar. Somebody was getting 60' TBOX cars a year or so ago, I think the sign on their building said something about Fiber or composites (?). And someone else is apparently cleaning tank cars. Last Friday there were 7 cars on their spur, the middle of this week when I saw one car had been pulled. These were black, approximately 50' cars, not the kaolin cars the paper mills get.

use this http://www.michiganrailroads.com/index.php to get Michiganrailroads.com

Thanks Henry.

I can view the boards but I can no longer log in to post responses to threads. It's a "Read Only" board for me now.

Henry F. Burger wrote:use this http://www.michiganrailroads.com/index.php to get Michiganrailroads.com

"MERCY!!!!" I just went with great friend "Mazon" to Pt. Huron to photograph a train under the Bluewater Bridge since we never have! We stayed at The DoubleTree™ here right by the tracks!!!! The next day, April 8, we waited for hours! I said "We are not leaving the tracks until the train!!!!" However, we went to a store─only to miss the train by 2 minutes! We caught it at the "Black River Crossing" though!

Now, we'll go back in May to get it! Hopefully it will have a nice GTW engine again! This is very interesting that LSRC will operate this spur! How will this work? Will they keep LSRC engines in Pt. Huron?

It's possible Blue Water Fiber is closed. I didn't see anything by their warehouse either day I saw the tanks. But I don't get out as much during the day as I used to, so I kinda figured maybe there wasn't anything those particular days. Unless CN pulled the switch though, there's a possibility that someone else could ship/receive by rail in the future...

AARR wrote:Thanks for the update, GLR.

I thought Blue Water Fiber was closed but your observations indicate it is still open. They receive wood pulp bales used in the paper industry. In the past they had the capacity to receive up to 10 cars a week (I don't know if they actually received that many).

The tank car business is new to me.

Also, thanks for posting at MichiganRailroads.com. Since I upgraded to Windows 10 I can't log in there anymore.

GreatLakesRailfan wrote:There's at least one or two across the track from Domtar. Somebody was getting 60' TBOX cars a year or so ago, I think the sign on their building said something about Fiber or composites (?). And someone else is apparently cleaning tank cars. Last Friday there were 7 cars on their spur, the middle of this week when I saw one car had been pulled. These were black, approximately 50' cars, not the kaolin cars the paper mills get.

I was fortunate enough to catch L524 pulling tanks off that one spur in February:
P2180134 by Brian Mohr, on Flickr

This is posted by DaveO on the "Other" board, 6/5/2018, 3:46 pm: "Also the STB indicates that the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen have filed objection to the lease. This may cause the STB to delay the process." Is LSRC still scheduled to operate this branch on June 11? This is very interesting!!!!

OK, I am going once again with my friend "Mazon" to stay expensively at The DoubleTree™ there!!!! I want to get the GTW switching Dunn®! Now, currently working up there is CN painted GTW GP9r #4626! Man, I want a "Blue" GTW working there when I go this weekend, but it looks doubtful! It still is a good unit though!

Here's a photo I took (Canon® 35mm S.L.R...age 9) of GTW "Fresh" re-built GP9r #4626 at Mt. Clemens in 1992:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=2363837

Been going to Port Huron for the boats, but ive been getting the HR job also.

The last two times ive been up there (weekdays - a Monday and a Tuesday) it has been running in the early afternoon, usually between 2-3:30pm.

Its also an easy chase back to the yard. The Black River drawbridge is very photogenic.

I'd like to guess where the cars go to in Robert's picture. I'm not sure about the first two box cars. Perhaps they are from one of the lumber yards south of Mt. Clemens. The next three airslides and single center flow look like they're from the pasta plant in Warren. The two lumber loads probably going to Erb Lumber. The next center flow and three covered hoppers probably one of the elevators in New Haven or Richmond. The blue hi-cube box cars are for the Ford Trim plant in Chesterfield. And the final blue covered hoppers are for one of the elevators in New Haven or Richmond.

Robertrains wrote:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=2363837[/size]

AARR wrote:I'd like to guess where the cars go to in Robert's picture. I'm not sure about the first two box cars. Perhaps they are from one of the lumber yards south of Mt. Clemens. The next three airslides and single center flow look like they're from the pasta plant in Warren. The two lumber loads probably going to Erb Lumber. The next center flow and three covered hoppers probably one of the elevators in New Haven or Richmond. The blue hi-cube box cars are for the Ford Trim plant in Chesterfield. And the final blue covered hoppers are for one of the elevators in New Haven or Richmond.

I think the boxcars were for either Great Lakes Recycling® or Anderson® Glass in Fraser! Yup, Prince® Spaghetti.... "Wednesday is Prince® Spaghetti Day!!!!!!!!"
Man the "GTW Local" used to have so much more business! That was always my favorite train to chase with my late Dad (RCJ I) in the 1980s and 1990s!!!! They had for years (1991─2000) GTW Center Cupola caboose #79054!!!!!

Here's a picture (Canon® 35mm S.L.R.) I took of the train working Ford® Trim Plant in 1993 with my favorite caboose:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=2363885

Get your pictures before June 11th. The STB rejected the BLET petition today.

DaveO wrote:Get your pictures before June 11th. The STB rejected the BLET petition today.

OK, this is why I am going my friend "Mazon" to stay expensively at The DoubleTree™ the night of June 9th! We shall get the "Last" GTW switching Dunn® Sunday June 10th!
Does anyone know when LSRC equipment will arrive in Pt. Huron? I would think something would show up this weekend! Operations are set to start June 11th!!!!