Lansing's Old Town railroad spur to be reactivated

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Re: Lansing's Old Town railroad spur to be reactivated

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The track shouldn't have to be any better than FRA "excepted," so the JAIL will do just what it takes to avoid derailments more than a few times annually, which may just entail replacing some of the ties. Any re-alignment of the track, however, will require substantially more work, as tamping and lining track that is this old will exacerbate many of the existing problems.
Last edited by willardgarrett on Sun Feb 20, 2011 4:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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GrandTrunkFan
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Re: Lansing's Old Town railroad spur to be reactivated

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AARR wrote:Nice photos Nick Looks like there is a little more work than I thought to get it ready for rail service.
Definately! I dont think its too far gone but definately needs some clean up. Some good size saplings have sprouted up in some spots. At one point, I think the track is out of gauge a bit.

On a side note, what are the coal silos from? I noticed that the fuel dealer is nearby, did they used to deal coal? Did it get loads in by rail?
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Re: Lansing's Old Town railroad spur to be reactivated

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If I am correct, I think the silos are from "Lansing Ice & Fuel". Since I have not lived in Lansing since 2002 and have moved to Williamston, I thought that LI&F used them for storage for the fuel, but don't quote me. I probably shouldn't ask this, but is "Lansing Ice & Fuel" still in business?

That is my .02 cents worth....Hopefully it answers a few questions.....but also raises more......lol

If JAIL does do some track work, they should try and do it for real and not do a half ass job. If Friedland does get rail service 1-2 times a week, then the track most certainly will have to be improved vastly in order for anything like GPs to run on that track. I have to laugh, when the 1st train does venture on that track, I would love to see the faces of the people who park their cars on that line, and see a train come thru! Bet they move their cars pretty quickly! Or what should be done is JAIL should notify those people of impending rail traffic on that line! :)

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Re: Lansing's Old Town railroad spur to be reactivated

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GTW_Fan_58111 wrote:If JAIL does do some track work, they should try and do it for real and not do a half ass job. If Friedland does get rail service 1-2 times a week, then the track most certainly will have to be improved vastly in order for anything like GPs to run on that track.
There are spying eyes watching JAIL so the track work will have to be done legal like or on 3rd shift :wink:

From what I read service will be once every week or two so figure two movements on the line per switch. One to spot empties and another to retrieve loads.

With all due respect I enjoy the discussion and speculation about new business but knowing how some railroads love to tease us foamers I will believe Friedland will ship by rail again when I see or read about the track work from a reliable source.
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Re: Lansing's Old Town railroad spur to be reactivated

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I probably shouldn't ask this, but is "Lansing Ice & Fuel" still in business?
Yup. They are still in business. Also they have a Pacific Pride commercial fuel station on site as well. My best guess on how to notify people is probably flyers on cars or even putting up signs along the right of way. Im not sure what the best way would be.
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Re: Lansing's Old Town railroad spur to be reactivated

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GTW_Fan_58111 wrote: I have to laugh, when the 1st train does venture on that track, I would love to see the faces of the people who park their cars on that line, and see a train come thru! Bet they move their cars pretty quickly! Or what should be done is JAIL should notify those people of impending rail traffic on that line! :)
Tim L.
I bet the police will be notified a few hours before the JAIL runs through there the first time, in order to deal with this situation.
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Re: SW Lansing LS&MS spur views

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Larry G wrote: Other view is looking off to the SW towards Washington Ave on the ROW beside the Wig-Wag Pole.

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I see your snowy wig wag shot, and raise you a sunny wig wag shot. :D

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Re: SW Lansing LS&MS spur views

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J T wrote:
Larry G wrote: Other view is looking off to the SW towards Washington Ave on the ROW beside the Wig-Wag Pole.

Image
I see your snowy wig wag shot, and raise you a sunny wig wag shot. :D

Image


Nice detail!! I am Looking!!! :) The snowy day I was there did not stay on the ground too long. There was a domestic dispute going on about two houses away and it was ugly. Did not feel like staying.

As a child I remember waiting for the wig-wag as NYC trains went by here. Interesting that the pole and mast survives along with the original sign.
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Re: SW Lansing LS&MS spur views

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Larry G wrote:
Nice detail!! I am Looking!!! :) The snowy day I was there did not stay on the ground too long. There was a domestic dispute going on about two houses away and it was ugly. Did not feel like staying.

:lol: I know exactly what you mean. I was out and back into my car and on my way quickly.
As a child I remember waiting for the wig-wag as NYC trains went by here. Interesting that the pole and mast survives along with the original sign.
You must have some really great memories of the old days in the Lansing area. Do you have any idea when the last time that wig wag was in service? I'd like to learn a little history on it if you have any to share. :) Also, a simple google search of "wig wag" shows that one being quite unique as I couldn't find one single picture of one, other than for a model railroad. Was that type of wig wag rare?
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Re: Lansing's Old Town railroad spur to be reactivated

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You must have some really great memories of the old days in the Lansing area. Do you have any idea when the last time that wig was was in service? I'd like to learn a little history on it if you have any to share.

My aunt lived around the corner on Maplewood, just ahead and to the right in my photograph. As late as 1967 the wig-wag signal was working. After she moved did not go back into the neighborhood much so no date as to when it failed or was replaced by the crossbuck. Surpised that it survives in any form today.

After the forging plants shut down further to the SW over by Logan/MLK the line fell into disuse. It is amazing to me that the RR installed flashers down at Logan/MLK when the street was improved since so little train traffic used the line. At one time Lansing's BWL had a huge coal pile located alongside the line between Washington and MLK alongside Washington Park. When that was removed I have no idea.

At this point it would be interesting to see if anyone could come up with a last movement on this line.
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Re: Lansing's Old Town railroad spur to be reactivated

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Larry G wrote:
At this point it would be interesting to see if anyone could come up with a last movement on this line.
There are two or three covered hoppers sitting on a spur off that line in back of that huge complex at the corner of Washington and Mt. Hope. Just saw them there on Saturday, and I believe they've been sitting there for several years. Heck, I think they've been sitting there for at least 5 years or more. I wonder why they've been forgotten.


edit: Ok, just looked on bing...in one shot, there are two hoppers and in the other shot there are three. Not sure which photo is older. I guess I should have paid attention when I was there the other day.

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Re: Lansing's Old Town railroad spur to be reactivated

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I imagine the last run over this segment was in the last couple weeks. The segment of the line running to Quality Dairy's bottle making plant at the corner of Washington & Mt. Hope has not been out of service at all. QD gets 2 or 3 cars of plastic pellets there every other week or so and has for years. As the satellite images show, the number of cars there varies as they're switched out. They havn't been forgotten.
This whole thread is about a different segment of line in North Lansing (Old Town) that has been out of service for several years.
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Re: Lansing's Old Town railroad spur to be reactivated

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I wonder if that WRRS bell atop the old wig-wag post still runs when a lonely train is within sight? Anyone got a set of jumper cables? I bet it does! Very cool that is has survived this long. I always have wondered why lonely wigwags were installed in the places they were. Often little side streets and back roads. Thanks for the photos of it. Isn't there a scrap place at the end of that line that also gets occasional service, west of MLK?

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Re: Lansing's Old Town railroad spur to be reactivated

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MP73point4 wrote:I imagine the last run over this segment was in the last couple weeks. The segment of the line running to Quality Dairy's bottle making plant at the corner of Washington & Mt. Hope has not been out of service at all. QD gets 2 or 3 cars of plastic pellets there every other week or so and has for years. As the satellite images show, the number of cars there varies as they're switched out. They havn't been forgotten.
MP73 probably already knows this but for those who do not (and care :lol: there is another customer on the line that ships / receives machinery couple times per year. At least last I heard they were still active.
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Re: Lansing's Old Town railroad spur to be reactivated

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MP73point4 wrote:I imagine the last run over this segment was in the last couple weeks. The segment of the line running to Quality Dairy's bottle making plant at the corner of Washington & Mt. Hope has not been out of service at all. QD gets 2 or 3 cars of plastic pellets there every other week or so and has for years. As the satellite images show, the number of cars there varies as they're switched out. They havn't been forgotten.
This whole thread is about a different segment of line in North Lansing (Old Town) that has been out of service for several years.
Actually, if you've read the whole thread, you'd see some discussion about other parts of the original line...like the one above in the photos. :)

Thanks for the info on the movements, though. The railheads DID look like they'd had some activity on them recently.
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Re: Lansing's Old Town railroad spur to be reactivated

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GP30M4216 wrote:I wonder if that WRRS bell atop the old wig-wag post still runs when a lonely train is within sight?
Did a search for WRRS and all that kept coming up were examples of various bells, but nothing explained what the letters stood for. I'm curious, what does WRRS stand for?
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Re: Lansing's Old Town railroad spur to be reactivated

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WRRS stands for Western Railroad Supply, I believe. They were (still are?) a major manufacturer of crossing bells and other components.
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Re: Lansing's Old Town railroad spur to be reactivated

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They are Western-Cullen-Hayes, Inc. now, and continue to produce electrical warning equipment in Chicago and Richmond, Indiana.

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Re: Lansing's Old Town railroad spur to be reactivated

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J T wrote:
MP73point4 wrote:I imagine the last run over this segment was in the last couple weeks. The segment of the line running to Quality Dairy's bottle making plant at the corner of Washington & Mt. Hope has not been out of service at all. QD gets 2 or 3 cars of plastic pellets there every other week or so and has for years. As the satellite images show, the number of cars there varies as they're switched out. They havn't been forgotten.
This whole thread is about a different segment of line in North Lansing (Old Town) that has been out of service for several years.
Actually, if you've read the whole thread, you'd see some discussion about other parts of the original line...like the one above in the photos. :)

Thanks for the info on the movements, though. The railheads DID look like they'd had some activity on them recently.
Yes, I've been reading the whole thread. I just wanted to be clear regarding which section of the line I was talking about vs. the thread's title.
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Re: Lansing's Old Town railroad spur to be reactivated

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MP73point4 wrote: Yes, I've been reading the whole thread. I just wanted to be clear regarding which section of the line I was talking about vs. the thread's title.
Ah, ok...understood. :D
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