Charlotte Industrial (CHIN)

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AARR
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Charlotte Industrial (CHIN)

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Since the subject of Charlotte Southern (CHS) came up and its viability I will post my very successful paper railroad Charlotte Industrial (CHIN) :)

Service started in the late 90's when I acquired the line (approximately 2.5 miles) from CN/GTW. I use an ex-GTW SW1200 (yard switcher version) and it is still working fine. An ex-GTW GP9/18 was added around 2006.

The only customer from the beginning is the elevator southeast of town. All my fortunes ride on this customer. In the beginning they were good for 350-500 cars a year and some fertilizer. However, they have expanded capacity and acquired other local elevators without rail service so now in a good year they can ship up to 1,420 carloads of grain and receive 80 cars of fertilizer. But, it all depends on their customers. For example, from around 2005 to 2020 most of their product was going to local ethanol plants so average shipments out during that period was in the 450-650 range. Lately, with three local ethanol plants closing and others reducing production they are shipping a lot more grain out by rail to distant customers and car counts have been over a 1,000 the last several years.

Fertilizer capacity is also up. They started out receiving 12-15 cars a year but now receive 60-80 of mostly liquid but also dry fertilizer.

In the beginning CN would drop off five cars at a time on our line in downtown Charlotte. CN hated this arrangement and wanted it to go away. But, I kept growing the business and so they reluctantly worked with me.

Around 2005 a glass plant east of Charlotte closed and I persuaded CN to set out 25 car blocks at the siding by the plant. Through begging and pleading they granted me a mile or two of trackage rights to this siding. I pick up the 25 car blocks, take it to the siding across from the elevator, load five cars at a time (that's all the elevator spur will hold), rebuild the block to 25 after loading and take them back to the siding on CN east of town.

Usually this can be accomplished in a 12 hour shift but if there is a lot of traffic on CN sometimes, due to waiting for clearance, it can take a second day.

Recently I've been averaging 3-4 25 car shipments per month. But if the elevator starts selling to local customers by truck it may drop to around 2 per month. Fertilizer, at least for now, is steady at 60-80 per year. As long as I can keep car levels in the 500-600 range the line is viable.

For now CHIN's future is fine but things could change quickly if my only customer ever stops using rail.
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AARR
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Re: Charlotte Industrial (CHIN)

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CHIN continues to operate without any major changes to operations or traffic. The SW1200 and GP18 operate reliably. Due to several local ethanol plants still closed, outbound grain traffic will exceed 1,000 carloads in 2022 (with a bumper crop possibly over 1,200) and inbound fertilizer loads should be around 70-80 again.

CN is a good partner but if their traffic levels are high we will sit and wait for clearance before picking up/setting out our 25 car block on one of the local passing sidings off CN's mainline. This can turn a one day operation into two.
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: Charlotte Industrial (CHIN)

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Here is a short history on CHIN's engines:

Owner: Charlotte Industrial 7019
Model: EMD SW1200 Built As: GTW 7019 (SW1200)
Serial Number: 20383 Order No: 4300
Frame Number: 4300-3 Built: 4/1955
Notes: Acquired from GTW 1997
Other locos with this serial: GTW 7019(SW1200)
Image

Owner: Charlotte Industrial 4700
Model: EMD GP18 Built As: GTW 4700 (GP18)
Serial Number: 25732 Order No: 5612
Frame Number: 5612-1 Built: 2/1960
Notes: Acquired from CBNS 2006
Other locos with this serial: CBNS 4700(GP18) GTW 4700(GP18)
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: Charlotte Industrial (CHIN)

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Recently Eaton Farm Bureau Co-op was acquired by Caledonia Farmers Elevator. One of the storage sites in downtown Mason will be demolished. Also, the other Mason site and Leslie will become stores and no longer store grain or receive bulk shipments of fertilizer. The net result is:
- Inbound fertilizer will drop from 60-80 annually to 24-30 cars of dry fertilizer and 12-15 of liquid.
- Outbound grain will drop from 1,000+ cars annually to 586-782. This keeps the line safely profitable. If the ethanol plants reopen a significant volume of corn will go by truck to them and outbound shipments of feed corn, soybeans and wheat could drop even further to 322-430 per year. At that point the combination of inbound fertilizer and outbound grain would be just enough to pay the lines bills but not earn a profit.
- However, with Caledonia Farmer Elevator, there is an opportunity to ship in other commodities such as feed and fuel.
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: Charlotte Industrial (CHIN)

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CHIN is busy with Caledonia Farmers Elevator emptying its silos preparing for the summer corn crop which looks like it will be above average. Both engines, the SW1200 and GP18, operate reliably but will probably need some work in the near future. Routine maintenance is performed on site, but heavier stuff is contracted out. CHIN does not have an engine house and both units sit outside year-round. After 25 years of operation CHIN is considering building an engine shed at an undetermined site.

With several local ethanol plants still on "temporary" shut down since 2019 outbound grain shipments should exceed 750 this year. Corn is usually about 60%, soybeans about 30% and wheat about 10%.

The couple miles of track have been upgraded to 286,000 lbs to take advantage of the heavier cars for the elevator.

CHIN is becoming more aggressive finding another customer. The elevator has been its only customer since starting up service and, in part due to some luck, there has always been enough business to pay the bills and invest in the track without subsides. By watching the WMI model, CHIN is emboldened that they should be able to come up with something. If nothing else, perhaps Caledonia Farmers Elevator will add to its rail shipments feed or fuel.
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: Charlotte Industrial (CHIN)

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CHIN has handled several 25-car blocks of corn recently destined for feed mills down south on CN. They also shipped a 25-car block of soybeans to Zeeland Farm Services in Ithaca via CN-GLC. Another 25-car block of soybeans destined for Zeeland will be loaded next week. Several 3-car blocks of both dry and liquid fertilizer were shipped into Caledonia Farmers Elevator.

Caledonia Farmers Elevator is open to receiving feed and fuel by rail. If CN can provide a favorable rate, then this could be the additional commodities CHIN has been looking for to grow their carload business.

The SW1200 7019 will be shipped to GLC Owosso Shops for an overhaul at the first opportunity The venerable 67 year old engine performs its humble job well and is liked by the crew.
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: Charlotte Industrial (CHIN)

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GP18 4700 was sold to Hamilton Hartford Group and replaced with GP9R JAIL 4603

Owner: Charlotte Industrial 4603
Model: Rebuilt EMD GP9R Built As: GTW 1755 (GP9)
Serial Number: 19669 Order No: 5343
Frame Number: 5343-5 Built: 8/1954
Notes: JAIL acquired from MEI in 2011. Acquired from JAIL 12/22.
Other locos with this serial: JAIL 4603 (GP9R) GTW 4603(GP9R) GTW 4431(GP9)

Image

A two-stall engine house will be built near the end of the line off Flanders Road. The project will begin in the spring and expected to be ready for occupancy by Fall.
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: Charlotte Industrial (CHIN)

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

All former engines have been removed and replaced with the following engine:
Owner: Charlotte Industrial Railroad
Model: Rebuilt EMD GP9R Built As: PRR 7015 (GP9)
Serial Number: 20719
Order No: 5408
Frame Number: 5408-16 Built: 10/1955
Notes: Assigned to CHIN
Other locos with this serial: CHIN 1760 (GP9R) ADBF 1760(GP9R) ADBR 1760(GP9) NHN 1760(GP9) MCER 7015(GP9) CR 7015(GP9) PC 7015 (GP9) PRR 7015(GP9)
Image

Carloads for the Caledonia elevator could be as few as 320 to as many as 780 depending on how much is trucked to local ethanol plants. With three local plants still closed car numbers should be on the higher side. Cuts from 5-25 cars are handled at a time. Inbound fertilizer is expected to be in the 25-30 range for 2023.

Operations is as needed (from 2-5 times per month) and an extra crew (usually the PONB/WDIN although it can be any crew from the TOAD family) handles the switching.
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: Charlotte Industrial (CHIN)

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Caledonia Elevator is shipping out 5-25 car blocks of corn, soybeans and wheat three to four times per month. They have received 15-20 cars of dry and liquid fertilizer in 2023. They opened a feed mill that distributes canola meal, cottonseed, flaxseed and soy meal to local farmers, especially cattle and dairy farms. Currently all these products are trucked in, but they are open to receiving at least some of them by rail.
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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Re: Charlotte Industrial (CHIN)

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CHIN has accepted an offer from a new company, Transportation Holdings LLC. under their Adrian & Toledo (ADTO) division. This will include DIND, JAIL and LIND. They are led by Christopher Bagwell, a seasoned railroad executive.

CHIN 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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