Lapeer Industrial (LIND)

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AARR
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Lapeer Industrial (LIND)

Unread post by AARR »

Since the subject of Lapeer Industrial (LI) came up and its viability I will post my very successful paper railroad Lapeer Industrial (LIND) :)

Service started in the late 90's when I acquired the line (approximately 1 mile) from CN/GTW. I use an ex-GTW SW9 (7010-7015 series) and it is still working fine.

Of the three original customers (Lapeer Grain, Foam Seal and Lapeer Metal Stamping) none remain. In fact, even some of the other customers I developed over the years (Lapeer Truss, Detail Boring, Wilkinson) closed or stopped shipping by rail.

At this time, I have five customers (two are transload). At the former Lapeer Grain spur Hyponex transloads a 3-car block about every 4 weeks of perlite. At the former Detail Boring transload Loc Performance receives a car of steel billets every 2-3 months (unloaded off the main track). Delta Faucet receives 2-3 cars a week of plastic pellets (unloaded off the main track). At the former Foam Seal spur Albar Industries transloads 1-2 cars a week of plastic pellets. The former Lapeer Metal Stamping is now occupied by Grid Logic and receives a carload of plastic pellets every other month or so.

CN sets out and picks up cars on the siding where my line begins. They seem to like my business :) .

Service is once a week and typically takes 6-8 hours to shuffle all the inbound and outbound cars around.

The former Lapeer Grain has a new owner (both in Imlay City, Lapeer and several other locations). They are looking to build a large feed customer base. I am talking to them about establishing an unloading site at the very end of my line. They could receive a 25 car block from CN at a time and I would shuffle the cars around for them. It would require building at a minimum a 25 car siding at the end of my line and adding another engine. I've identified up to 500 cars of feed business and possible up to 100 cars of fertilizer business. They also have capacity in Imlay City but CN is reluctant/higher priced to give them the switching service they would need to be successful. For now it's discussion only.

For now LIND's future is fine.
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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AARR
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Re: Lapeer Industrial (LIND)

Unread post by AARR »

We are forecasting just shy of 300 carloads in 2022. Nothing else has changed.
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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AARR
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Re: Lapeer Industrial (LIND)

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Owner: Lapeer Industrial 7010
Model: EMD SW9 Built As: GTW 7010 (SW9)
Serial Number: 11165 Order No: 4045
Frame Number: 4045-1 Built: 6/1952
Notes: Acquired from GTW 1997
Other locos with this serial: GTW 7010(SW9)
Image
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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AARR
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Re: Lapeer Industrial (LIND)

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There is a potential disruption to LIND's operation. A bridge about half mile south from the CN interchange over Hunters Creek may be placed out of service. There are two customers south of the bridge that would lose service if it is closed. The Albar Industries transload (1-2 cars a week of plastic pellets) and Grid Logic (a carload of plastic pellets every other month or so). Also, that would put out of running the new owner of Lapeer Grain transload for feed (potential 500 cars) and fertilizer (potential 100 cars).

Although LIND is profitable their pockets are not deep enough to sustain major legal action or absorb the complete cost of repairing the bridge.

For now, operations (once a week) and service to all customers will not change. But obviously this will be watched very closely.
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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AARR
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Re: Lapeer Industrial (LIND)

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The status of the bridge remains under investigation but in the meantime LIND has made arrangements with Albar Industries to move their plastic pellet transload to the former Lapeer Grain spur where they only other user is Hyponex who receives a three car block of perlite about every four weeks.
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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AARR
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Re: Lapeer Industrial (LIND)

Unread post by AARR »

LIND is now part of the TOAD family of railroads which includes TOAD, WDIN, DIND, PHIN, LIND, PONB, JAIL and CHIN.

SW9 7010 was sold and replaced by SW900 902 which was transferred from DIND:
Owner: Lapeer Industrial
Model: EMD SW900 Built As: GTW 7262 (SW900)
Serial Number: 24973
Order No: 4424
Frame Number: 4424-1 Built: 11/1958
Notes: LTEX leased to LBW&L
Other locos with this serial: LIND 902 (SW900) LTEX 902(SW900) GTW 7262(SW900)
Image

The bridge was certified to operate on with a spacer car between the loads at 5mph. Other than adding a spacer car(s) this does not present any difficulties for LIND.

The customers are as follows:
• Hyponex receives a three-car block of perlite every 3-5 weeks at the old Lapeer Grain spur
• Loc Performance receives a car of steel billets every 2-3 months (unloaded off the main track)
• Delta Faucet receives 2-3 cars a week of plastic pellets (unloaded off the main track)
• Albar industries acquired a building with a spur (south of the bridge) and receives 1-2 cars per week of plastic pellets
• Grid Logic receives a carload of plastic pellets every 6-9 weeks

Operations is every Wednesday. The crew that works LIND also works PHIN on Sunday, DIND on Monday and Thursday and TOAD on Tuesday and Friday.
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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AARR
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Re: Lapeer Industrial (LIND)

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LIND has changed its operating day to Tuesday, switching the above customers. LIND continues to look for a customer to occupy its south end. Lapeer Grain has floated building a transload there that could accept 25 car blocks of agricultural products and fertilizer. But nothing is imminent.
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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AARR
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Re: Lapeer Industrial (LIND)

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LIND has accepted an offer from a new company, Transportation Holdings, LLC. Under their Adrian & Toledo (ADTO) division. This will include CHIN, DIND and JAIL.

LIND worked hard to meet the 100 cars per one mile of track per year profitability level and felt that it would be in better hands with a professional short line company that has more operational experience and finances to invest. The transition dates is forecasted for 10/1/23.
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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