NS Michigan Customers

Anything pertaining to railfanning in Michigan.
User avatar
NS3322
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1255
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2015 12:08 pm
Location: CP-LEVITT

NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by NS3322 »

With the success of my CN customer list, I have decided to tackle NS.
Could someone provide a list of all the NS subdivision and where they start and end?

Is the Porter to Lawton section considered a part of the Michigan Line (in NS terms, not Amtrak)? (Does NS call it something else?)

blueheron13
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 531
Joined: Wed Jun 07, 2017 4:01 pm
Location: All over Southeast Michigan

Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by blueheron13 »

I don't have an up to date list, but you might want to start with the Michigan lines as listed in the 2008 timetables here:

http://www.multimodalways.org/archives/ ... 0ETTs.html

Michigan lines are listed under both the Dearborn and Lake Divisions. I don't know if those divisions still exist today, though, hopefully someone else will know.

In the timetable, the line that most call the Wabash line is called the NS Detroit District, which I have certainly heard of, but the eastern 33 miles are referred to as the NS Detroit Terminal, which I've never heard of and wonder if it is accurate today.

FWIW don't forget the NS line that serves the Ottawa Lake grain elevator. This is the Clinton Industrial Track.
Amateur railfan trying to become a real railfan since 2017.

User avatar
AARR
Ann Arbor RR Nerd
Posts: 37905
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:39 pm
Location: Washington, MI

Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by AARR »

I have a partial list of the Michigan Line started that I can post later
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...

chapmaja
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1263
Joined: Sat Nov 22, 2008 2:02 pm

Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by chapmaja »

I don't know if you are including interchanges, but starting in Milan, heading east to Oakwood Yard we have the

Ann Arbor Railroad interchange in Milan

(not currently service) ACH in Milan

Georgia Pacific in Milan

Transload facility (for Ford Rawsonville Rd plant) on McKeon Rd south of Textile - covered hoppers and tank cars)

Possible warehouse locations (one next to transload and one at corner of McKeon and Textile)

Huron Valley Steel Corp (Belleville) - no cars but two sidings off the mainline into property

ITSIM Metal / Home Depot property (Romulus) - one boxcar on NS accessed side, line does "connect" through property but in poor condition. Most service comes from CSX to this property)

Kreher Wire Processing (Romulus?) - not sure if active, siding on south side of mainline

Sunoco Fuel terminal (Romulus) just east of Middlebelt Rd.

Environmental Disposal Company (Romulus) -no cars, located on north side of mainline just east of Sunoco.

Westside Beer Spur - Spur still in place, but cut at Wick Rd. No active customers unless Scotties Potties used rail service (yuck)

unused? spur north of mainline - doesn't appear to service anyone but still connected - east of west side spur, maybe to a warehouse?

Atlas Oil Company - no cars, but looks in use. North of mainline.

Multiple spurs north of mainline crossing Trolley Industrial Drive. No active customers seen.

Interchange with CN (wye in SE quadrant of diamond)

warehouse -outer drive just east of yard.



Going west from Milan AA diamond

No current customers in Milan Yard used as car storage - formerly tank car (fertilizer?) on west end of yard.

Britton Elevator (active? ) - no sign of cars on location

Propane distributor - Adrian (no cars, but looks active, off Adrian yard)

Anderson Development Company? Adrian (no cars, looks like possibly still in use, off Adrian yard)

Chemtura / BioLab , Adrian tank cars

ADBF interchange

Inteva Products (active?)

Elevator - just north of Morenci Rd, no cars, but track looks possibly active.

1TrackMind
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 223
Joined: Thu May 24, 2018 5:47 pm

Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by 1TrackMind »

[quote="chapmaja"

Going west from Milan AA diamond

No current customers in Milan Yard used as car storage - formerly tank car (fertilizer?) on west end of yard.

Britton Elevator (active? ) - no sign of cars on location

Propane distributor - Adrian (no cars, but looks active, off Adrian yard)

Anderson Development Company? Adrian (no cars, looks like possibly still in use, off Adrian yard)

Chemtura / BioLab , Adrian tank cars

ADBF interchange

Inteva Products (active?)

Elevator - just north of Morenci Rd, no cars, but track looks possibly active.[/quote]

Britton elevator is closed

NS has not active customers in Adrian, only ADBF interchange

Fertilizer north of Morenci gets a few cars.

User avatar
AARR
Ann Arbor RR Nerd
Posts: 37905
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:39 pm
Location: Washington, MI

Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by AARR »

There is an aluminum scrap company in the Trolley Industrial Park that ships out aluminum scrap bales in box cars

Chemtura / BioLab has cars on their spur so if NS isn't switching them ADBF is

Anderson Dev. doesn't ship anything by rail. Neither does Inteva.
1TrackMind wrote:[quote="chapmaja"

Going west from Milan AA diamond

No current customers in Milan Yard used as car storage - formerly tank car (fertilizer?) on west end of yard.

Britton Elevator (active? ) - no sign of cars on location

Propane distributor - Adrian (no cars, but looks active, off Adrian yard)

Anderson Development Company? Adrian (no cars, looks like possibly still in use, off Adrian yard)

Chemtura / BioLab , Adrian tank cars

ADBF interchange

Inteva Products (active?)

Elevator - just north of Morenci Rd, no cars, but track looks possibly active.
Britton elevator is closed

NS has not active customers in Adrian, only ADBF interchange

Fertilizer north of Morenci gets a few cars.
[/quote]
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...

1TrackMind
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 223
Joined: Thu May 24, 2018 5:47 pm

Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by 1TrackMind »

AARR wrote:There is an aluminum scrap company in the Trolley Industrial Park that ships out aluminum scrap bales in box cars

Chemtura / BioLab has cars on their spur so if NS isn't switching them ADBF is
Chemtura is long gone. They demolished the buildings a few years ago.

User avatar
AARR
Ann Arbor RR Nerd
Posts: 37905
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:39 pm
Location: Washington, MI

Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by AARR »

Thank you!
1TrackMind wrote:Chemtura is long gone. They demolished the buildings a few years ago.
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...

User avatar
AARR
Ann Arbor RR Nerd
Posts: 37905
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:39 pm
Location: Washington, MI

Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by AARR »

Michigan Line Customers
Chelsea – Chelsea Grain: outbound grain
Chelsea – Chelsea Milling: inbound sugar & wheat and outbound flour
Jackson – Way Bakery (Aunt Millie’s): inbound flour & sugar
Jackson – CertainTeed: inbound polyvinyl chloride
Jackson – OmniSource: outbound scrap metal
Jackson – Gerdau-MacSteel: outbound metal dust
Jackson – General Materials: inbound lumber
Jackson – Worthington Specialty Processing: inbound steel roll coil
Jackson – Dawn Foods: inbound flour & sugar
Albion – American Colloid: inbound bentonite clay
Albion – Georgia-Pacific: inbound liner & medium (paper for cardboard)
Hartung – Andersons Agriculture Ethanol: inbound corn and outbound DDG & ethanol
Hartung – Continental Carbonic: outbound carbon dioxide
Battle Creek – Streamline Foods: inbound liquid sweeteners
Battle Creek – Kellogg’s: inbound bran, corn, rice, sugar, wheat & wheat germ
Battle Creek – Post Cereal: inbound gelatin, sugar & wheat
Battle Creek – Graphic Packaging: inbound kaolin & process chemicals
Battle Creek – Ralston: inbound feed
Battle Creek – WestRock: inbound adhesives, kaolin, & titanium dioxide
Augusta – Knappen Milling: inbound wheat and outbound flour

As always I'm open to corrections
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...

Jim_c
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 311
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2017 6:14 pm

Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by Jim_c »

Welch's in Lawton? Grain elevator in Decatur?
Trails to Rails. Put the track back.

RailfanVBC
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2018 8:54 pm
Location: South Haven, Michigan

Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by RailfanVBC »

Jim_c wrote:Welch's in Lawton? Grain elevator in Decatur?
Decatur and Lawton are technically on the Amtrak Michigan Line (served by NS) so they might not be included on this list.

Jim_c
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 311
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2017 6:14 pm

Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by Jim_c »

RailfanVBC wrote:
Jim_c wrote:Welch's in Lawton? Grain elevator in Decatur?
Decatur and Lawton are technically on the Amtrak Michigan Line (served by NS) so they might not be included on this list.
The shippers on the AML east of Kalamazoo were included. I think there are a few more farther west of Decatur.
Trails to Rails. Put the track back.

User avatar
AARR
Ann Arbor RR Nerd
Posts: 37905
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:39 pm
Location: Washington, MI

Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by AARR »

RFVBC is correct, my list is between Kzoo-Wayne. I'll post the Amtrak line customers later.
RailfanVBC wrote:
Jim_c wrote:Welch's in Lawton? Grain elevator in Decatur?
Decatur and Lawton are technically on the Amtrak Michigan Line (served by NS) so they might not be included on this list.
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...

Jim_c
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 311
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2017 6:14 pm

Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by Jim_c »

AARR wrote:RFVBC is correct, my list is between Kzoo-Wayne. I'll post the Amtrak line customers later.
I though NS handled the freight on the AML west of Kalamazoo. Was I mistaken?
Trails to Rails. Put the track back.

User avatar
AARR
Ann Arbor RR Nerd
Posts: 37905
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:39 pm
Location: Washington, MI

Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by AARR »

Jim, you are correct, NS handles the customers west of Kzoo. I'll post that list later.
Jim_c wrote:
AARR wrote:RFVBC is correct, my list is between Kzoo-Wayne. I'll post the Amtrak line customers later.
I though NS handled the freight on the AML west of Kalamazoo. Was I mistaken?
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...

User avatar
NS3322
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1255
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2015 12:08 pm
Location: CP-LEVITT

Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by NS3322 »

AARR wrote:Michigan Line Customers
Chelsea – Chelsea Grain: outbound grain
Chelsea – Chelsea Milling: inbound sugar & wheat and outbound flour
Jackson – Way Bakery (Aunt Millie’s): inbound flour & sugar
Jackson – CertainTeed: inbound polyvinyl chloride
Jackson – OmniSource: outbound scrap metal
Jackson – Gerdau-MacSteel: outbound metal dust
Jackson – General Materials: inbound lumber
Jackson – Worthington Specialty Processing: inbound steel roll coil
Jackson – Dawn Foods: inbound flour & sugar
Albion – American Colloid: inbound bentonite clay
Albion – Georgia-Pacific: inbound liner & medium (paper for cardboard)
Hartung – Andersons Agriculture Ethanol: inbound corn and outbound DDG & ethanol
Hartung – Continental Carbonic: outbound carbon dioxide
Battle Creek – Streamline Foods: inbound liquid sweeteners
Battle Creek – Kellogg’s: inbound bran, corn, rice, sugar, wheat & wheat germ
Battle Creek – Post Cereal: inbound gelatin, sugar & wheat
Battle Creek – Graphic Packaging: inbound kaolin & process chemicals
Battle Creek – Ralston: inbound feed
Battle Creek – WestRock: inbound adhesives, kaolin, & titanium dioxide
Augusta – Knappen Milling: inbound wheat and outbound flour

As always I'm open to corrections
Great list!

Just a few minor corrections:

1. You missed Knauf Insulation in Albion.
2. Never heard of "Hartung" before. I am pretty sure it is still called Albion at that point.
3. What you are calling Streamline Foods is actually ADM Sweetner Terminal.
4. You also missed ReConserve in Battle Creek (relatively new customer).


Also is Georgia Pacific in Albion still an active shipper? It is unfortunate that all local freight switching in Albion is done at night.
Last edited by NS3322 on Sun Jun 30, 2019 6:48 pm, edited 2 times in total.

User avatar
NS3322
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1255
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2015 12:08 pm
Location: CP-LEVITT

Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by NS3322 »

Here is what I have for west of Kalamazoo:
(I will most likely place all Michigan Line Customers on one list).

Welch Foods- Lawton
Northstar Grain- Decatur
Ameriwood Industries- Dowagiac
Unknown Materials Transload- Niles (located at 41.8539, -86.22937)
National Standard- Niles
Quality Composite Systems- Niles (active shipper?)
Co-Alliance- Buchanan (active shipper?)

Is Welch's in Lawton still regularly shipping? I drove by last week and did not see any tank cars. (Unless they were all tucked away in the unloading shed).

I happened to catch a meet between B05 and #351 in Three Oaks back on March 25, 2016.
Were the two bulkheads headed for National Standard? I am still unsure where the tanks were going, any idea?
IMG_7678.jpg

User avatar
AARR
Ann Arbor RR Nerd
Posts: 37905
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:39 pm
Location: Washington, MI

Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by AARR »

You beat me too it NS3322 :lol:

I'm told Welch's still gets regular service.

I don't know if National Standard receives rail service. It seems like they got a few carloads after the spur was first opened and then they stopped.

I'm told Co-Alliance still gets a few carloads of liquid fertilizer.

Bulkheads may be going to Ameriwood. Tank cars for either Co-Alliance or Welch's.
NS3322 wrote:Here is what I have for west of Kalamazoo:
(I will most likely place all Michigan Line Customers on one list).

Welch Foods- Lawton
Northstar Grain- Decatur
Ameriwood Industries- Dowagiac
Unknown Materials Transload- Niles (located at 41.8539, -86.22937)
National Standard- Niles
Quality Composite Systems- Niles (active shipper?)
Co-Alliance- Buchanan (active shipper?)

Is Welch's in Lawton still regularly shipping? I drove by last week and did not see any tank cars. (Unless they were all tucked away in the unloading shed).

I happened to catch a meet between B05 and #351 in Three Oaks back on March 25, 2016.
Were the two bulkheads headed for National Standard? I am still unsure where the tanks were going, any idea?
IMG_7678.jpg
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...

1TrackMind
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 223
Joined: Thu May 24, 2018 5:47 pm

Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by 1TrackMind »

NS3322 wrote:
AARR wrote:Michigan Line Customers


Also is Georgia Pacific in Albion still an active shipper? It is unfortunate that all local freight switching in Albion is done at night.
They still seem to get a few cars a month.

User avatar
NS3322
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1255
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2015 12:08 pm
Location: CP-LEVITT

Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by NS3322 »

Where does the Michigan Line end in the Detroit Area (is it still Townline)?


Does Miller Trucking (in the old MC shops) receive rail service?
And when did Flex 'N Gate in Battle Creek stop shipping by rail?

Post Reply