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Ameriwood permanently laid off all 79 positions at Dowagiac. The move is in response to the governors stay at home order. They will turn the plant from manufacturing to a distribution center. Looks like the Burns Harbor turn won't have any work here for a while.

How many cars were they getting? At one time they may have been close to the largest shipper on this segment.

5 years ago the Burns Harbor job would switch them a couple times a week on their way to Decatur and Lawton. Usually got a few centerbeams and an ocasional box car. Last few years this like just dried up for them. Even the elevator in Decatur hasn't shipped much recently. Lousy growing season or what I don't know but not much activity of late. Welch's in Lawton still gets tank cars but normally gets switched once per week. With only 1 Amtrak and this lack of freight activity the Michigan line looks like a ghost of its former self.

Thank you Super Chief. At one time it seemed Ameriwood shipped the largest volume of cars on this segment. But like you said rail shipments are way down.

Super Chief wrote:5 years ago the Burns Harbor job would switch them a couple times a week on their way to Decatur and Lawton.

Super Chief wrote:5 years ago the Burns Harbor job would switch them a couple times a week on their way to Decatur and Lawton. Usually got a few centerbeams and an ocasional box car. Last few years this like just dried up for them. Even the elevator in Decatur hasn't shipped much recently. Lousy growing season or what I don't know but not much activity of late. Welch's in Lawton still gets tank cars but normally gets switched once per week. With only 1 Amtrak and this lack of freight activity the Michigan line looks like a ghost of its former self.

Actually 4 Amtrak trains a day two in each direction through Dowagiac.

Thanks for correcting the Amtrak count, do you know how often the Burns Harbor job is running per week? Seems radio traffic from them is way down on the line.