RailRoadFan.com

Back when the AA ran to Frankfort/Elberta, I understand they had a short branch that went into Frankfort to serve a few customers. Who were they, and how long did this last? Thanks in advance.

The cherry cannery and I believe Harris Pie were the last two customers. Lasted until the whole thing came up well after ferry service stopped. Last loads were reefers of cherries etc, etc. Or maybe it was frozen pies. Last loads were in ATSF diesel powered refrigerator cars IIRC.

As Dok said it was most likely Pets Pies but Mitchell also shipped out some cars near the very end IIRC

Somewhere I read that near the end Pet received tank cars of fish oil occasionally.

I don't know if it was fish oil. Perhaps some kind of liquid sweetener most likely.

SW wrote: ↑

Sun Jul 26, 2020 7:47 pm

Somewhere I read that near the end Pet received tank cars of fish oil occasionally.

A Free Press article from 10/7/1985, published just after the "Annie Rambler" excursion to Frankfort, says "once or twice a week with a car of fish oil for the Pet Milk plant." It's not clear if the deliveries had just stopped, or very soon would. Many here would really like to know the date of the last revenue move from Frankfort.

That was the exact article! Thanks for posting!

More importantly, what was Pet Milk doing with fish oil?

hoborich wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 27, 2020 8:52 pm

More importantly, what was Pet Milk doing with fish oil?

Unfortunately the article's author, Harry Cook, died in 2017. Absent input from Pet Milk veterans or those familiar with its processes, who knows? Maybe Cook named the wrong product. I briefly looked up industrial uses of fish oil, but the results were inconclusive...

I don't know why but I somehow remember the company as "Pet Foods" rather than "Pet Milk". A variety of food products for people, not your pet. So the fish oil could have been used for a lot of stuff.

Pixl wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 28, 2020 8:36 am

I don't know why but I somehow remember the company as "Pet Foods" rather than "Pet Milk". A variety of food products for people, not your pet. So the fish oil could have been used for a lot of stuff.

Pet Milk is evaporated milk, nothing to do with actual pets.

"PET Evaporated Milk is a homogenized concentrate made from fresh, whole cow's milk with approximately half of the natural water removed, then fortified with Vitamin D. It consists of about 6.5% milk fat"

There was also a Standard Oil depot on the Frankfort side of the lake into at least the late 1950s.

There are a couple of color photos of it in Steve Hile's book on the UTLX tank car fleet.

What’s the link to the article

Presuming you've already seen the photo in this link.

http://www.michiganrailroads.com/statio ... ankfort-mi

LansingRailFan wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 29, 2020 9:14 am

What’s the link to the article

Newspapers.com is a pay site. $150/yr for the "Publisher Extra" version includes the Free Press. MSU and the Library of Michigan have it on microfilm, when they reopen.

There's nothing useful for this thread in there beyond that screenshot. Good thoughtful commentary on the state of railroads, though.

Steve B wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 27, 2020 10:35 pm

hoborich wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 27, 2020 8:52 pm

More importantly, what was Pet Milk doing with fish oil?

Unfortunately the article's author, Harry Cook, died in 2017. Absent input from Pet Milk veterans or those familiar with its processes, who knows? Maybe Cook named the wrong product. I briefly looked up industrial uses of fish oil, but the results were inconclusive...

The Pet Foods plant in Frankfort made fruit/ vegetable based products. Pie filling was a major product IIRC.

I conducted a lubrication survey there circa 1990. I do not remember fish oil being used in the process.

The inbound mechanical refrigerators were fruits from the west. When the ferries operated they would come over on the ferry and go directly to the plant.

I'm still suspect that they received fish oil but I may be wrong

Standard Railfan wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 2:43 pm

The Pet Foods plant in Frankfort made fruit/ vegetable based products. Pie filling was a major product IIRC.

I conducted a lubrication survey there circa 1990. I do not remember fish oil being used in the process.

AARR wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 2:52 pm

The inbound mechanical refrigerators were fruits from the west. When the ferries operated they would come over on the ferry and go directly to the plant.

I'm still suspect that they received fish oil but I may be wrong

I am inclined to agree with you. I would expect a vegetable oil or palm oil or shortening. If it was fish oil I would be interested in learning how Pet used it.