Latest From Ogihara

Anything pertaining to railfanning in Michigan.
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BL2-1843
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Latest From Ogihara

Unread post by BL2-1843 »

Ogihara at Howell, known as Thai Summit for nearly eight years already has ben stockpiling scrap gondola's all month. Not sure what is going on, as of today, there is the most cars by far in the plant for shipping out scrap. D708 sat off 10 today, 9 on Monday, and 5 each last Wednesday and Friday and 14 others since June 7 while shipping out only 7 loads. Total gons in the plant now total 42, all of them lease cars assigned to them. Did not realize they had that many unless more has been added to the fleet. Currently, very little scrap in the plant to load. While averaging 18 loads per month, sometimes more, they have been known to ship out equal that much by truck over the years and are very particular who gets scrap depending on scrap prices and who pays the most.

chapmaja
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Re: Latest From Ogihara

Unread post by chapmaja »

How many have been going out lately? I suspect they are either stockpiling the scrap on site (which you should be able to see), or are shipping by truck right now because of pricing. If either of these are the case then the cars they normally send out are likely returned to sit in their yard on site until they are needed. I'm not sure I have ever witnessed that many cars on site at one time before.

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BL2-1843
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Re: Latest From Ogihara

Unread post by BL2-1843 »

chapmaja wrote:How many have been going out lately? I suspect they are either stockpiling the scrap on site (which you should be able to see), or are shipping by truck right now because of pricing. If either of these are the case then the cars they normally send out are likely returned to sit in their yard on site until they are needed. I'm not sure I have ever witnessed that many cars on site at one time before.
I keep a close watch on the amount of scrap in the bin to load via truck or rail. There has not been much build up lately, and often times isn't unless they are very short on rail cars to load. Hard to see the plant at all from I-96 in the summer with the ever increasing tree growth and foliage. In addition to the 7 loads that have gone in June so far, 19 loads went out in May, 15 in April, 17 in March, 14 in February and 15 in January for a yearly total to date of 77 rail car loads for 2019. It is quite a sight to see over 40 gondolas in the plant at one time.

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AARR
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Re: Latest From Ogihara

Unread post by AARR »

Thank you for the updates, BL2. I remember when Ogihara was shipping outbound stampings by rail and you documented those as well 8)
BL2-1843 wrote:
chapmaja wrote:How many have been going out lately? I suspect they are either stockpiling the scrap on site (which you should be able to see), or are shipping by truck right now because of pricing. If either of these are the case then the cars they normally send out are likely returned to sit in their yard on site until they are needed. I'm not sure I have ever witnessed that many cars on site at one time before.
I keep a close watch on the amount of scrap in the bin to load via truck or rail. There has not been much build up lately, and often times isn't unless they are very short on rail cars to load. Hard to see the plant at all from I-96 in the summer with the ever increasing tree growth and foliage. In addition to the 7 loads that have gone in June so far, 19 loads went out in May, 15 in April, 17 in March, 14 in February and 15 in January for a yearly total to date of 77 rail car loads for 2019. It is quite a sight to see over 40 gondolas in the plant at one time.
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...

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BL2-1843
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Re: Latest From Ogihara

Unread post by BL2-1843 »

D70808 sat nine more empty scrap gons off at Ohigara Monday afternoon which temporarily gave them 51 cars in the plant. They picked up three loads, first since June 21st and all three had loose scrap in them instead of the compacted cube squares that have always been sent out While out there on Saturday, half the bin and loose scrap in it and what remaining cube squares were there were not smooth sided but rough as if they were pulling them apart. Some of the cars delivered to them had different reporting marks than as well what usually is assigned to them. One was WFRX. Still have not figured out what is going on there.

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Doktor No
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Re: Latest From Ogihara

Unread post by Doktor No »

Cubed scrap takes more time and energy to melt. Loose scrap melts relatively easy. Perhaps they switched destinations and processes.
Curb Your Enthusiasm.

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BL2-1843
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Re: Latest From Ogihara

Unread post by BL2-1843 »

Livingston Daily.com on Friday August 16th announced another major expansion of the former Ohigara facility in Howell now known as Thai Summit. It will be the 4th major expansion since 2012 and will break ground in September for a 50,000 sq. ft. building and a 2000 sq. f. scrap shed to be completed by next May. This was due to new major contracts from Ford Motor and Fiat Chrysler to make parts for the Ford Ranger and Raptor trucks and Bronco and Explorer SUV's as well as parts for the Fiat-Chrysler Jeep Grand Wagoneer, Grand Cherokee SUV's.

Unknown if any parts will be shipped out by rail, but it will be a surprise if they do even though they have done so in the past. How the new scrap shed will play out as well, and if it has anything to do with the hoarding of current scrap gondolas in their lease fleet is unknown as well. Full story of this may be found at the link below if anyone is able to see it without a subscription but should be various other ways to find this story

https://www.livingstondaily.com/story/n ... 011880001/

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