Ishpeming Western (ISHW)

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AARR
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Ishpeming Western (ISHW)

Unread post by AARR »

In 2016 the ISHW was created from CN trackage in Ishpeming west to Baraga, a new branch to the Lundin Eagle Mine in Humboldt and from Ishpeming to Pluto for a total of about 61 miles. ISHW interchanges with CN in Ishpeming’s Euclid Yard.

ISHW belongs to the E&WM family of railroads which includes E&WM, TL&W, ISHW, M&MI and GBN.

Owner: Ishpeming Western
Model: EMD F9Ar Built As: MILW 96A (FP7A)
Serial Number: 10361
Order No: 3073
Frame Number: 3073-A1 Built: 1/1951
Notes: Rebuilt to GP9 standard
Other locos with this serial: ISHW 600(F9Ar) ELS 600(FP7A) WSOR 71A(FP7A) WICT 96A(FP7A) MILW 96A(FP7A)
Image

Owner: Ishpeming Western
Model: EMD GP9R Built As: NKP 814 (GP9)
Serial Number: 25092
Order No: 5592
Frame Number: 5592-20 Built: 1/1959
Notes
Other locos with this serial: ISHW 601(GP9R) ILSX 1323(GP9) MNN 1484(GP9) DME 1484(GP9) NW 2814(GP9) NKP 814 (GP9)
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Owner: Ishpeming Western
Model: Rebuilt EMD GP10 Built As: GN 618 (GP7)
Serial Number: 11044
Order No: 5029
Frame Number: 5029-13 Built: 10/1950
Notes:
Other locos with this serial: ISHW 602(GP10) ILSX 1345(GP10) BNSF 1418(GP10) BN 1418(GP10) GN 618 (GP7)
Image

Although the engines are 60-70 years old, they are well-maintained and liked by the crews. There are no immediate plans to replace them.

Customers include:
Ishpeming Transload - A. Lindberg & Sons: 200-300 carloads a year of limestone
Ishpeming Transload – Ishpeming Concrete: 70-110 carloads a year of cement
Ishpeming Transload – Sara Lee Bakery: Receives 2-3 carloads a week of flour
Ishpeming Transload: Several hundred carloads of transmission pipe
Ishpeming – Holli Forest Products: inactive pulpwood spur
Ishpeming – A&L Iron & Metal: 1-2 outbound carloads of scrap metal per week
Pluto – Pepin-Ireco: Receives 3-4 carloads per week of ammonium nitrate and blasting powder
Diorite – MR Transload: An occasional carload or two of paint ore
Humboldt – Lundin Eagle Mine: ships out 50-70 carloads per week of copper and nickel concentrate.
Michigamme – J. M. Longyear: inactive pulpwood spur
Michigamme – xxx: inactive pulpwood spur
Bovine – NewPage: 1 outbound (pulpwood) 17-car block every 2-3 weeks
L’Anse – Connor Forest Industries: inactive pulpwood transload
L’Anse – L’Anse Warden Electric: Receives 9-15 carloads per week of used railroad ties
L’Anse – BPB Mfg.: Receives 1-3 carloads per week of kaolin, 5-7 carloads per week of clay, perlite and starch and ships out 9-14 carloads per week of ceiling tile & panel board.
Baraga – Lacourt Bottled Gas: 80-100 carloads a year of inbound propane

In 2022 ISHW handled 6,742 carloads of which 3,489 were concentrated from Lundin Eagle Mine. An increase is forecasted for 2023 when L’Anse Warden Electric can officially increase the volume of wood railroad ties it can burn.

Operations is Monday-Friday and occasionally on Saturday to end the week at Euclid Yard. The crew starts at Euclid Yard in Ishpeming but can end up anywhere on the system during the week although they usually end up back in Euclid. Typically, they make one trip per week to Baraga, three trips per week to L’Anse, three trips per week to Humboldt and one trip per week to Pluto. CN interchanged in Euclid Yard usually three days per week (Sunday, Wednesday and Friday).

Lundin Eagle Mine life was recently extended another several years to mid-2025 so it will remain a valuable source of traffic for a few more years. Without the mine traffic, ISHW would not be able to cover its expenses without assistance.
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AARR
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Re: Ishpeming Western (ISHW)

Unread post by AARR »

L’Anse Warden Electric received permission in 2016 to burn up to 17 tons per hour of old treated railroad ties. They will begin in 2023. They are forecasting burning 19-29 car loads per week (up from 9-14). ISPW will deliver three times per week in 6-10 car blocks. LWE unloads them in the small yard next to the plant, stockpiles them next to the yard and trucks them one block to the plant.
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: Ishpeming Western (ISHW)

Unread post by AARR »

Other than the increased traffic to L’Anse Warden Electric everything remains the same.

Operations is daily, Monday-Friday and occasionally on a Saturday. The crew starts the week in Euclid Yard (Ishpeming) and ends their week there too. In-between they can be anywhere on the system. Typically, they go to Pluto once a week, Baraga once a week and L’Anse (including Humboldt) three times per week. CN exchanges cars in Euclid Yard (Ishpeming) three times per week (Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday).

Lundin Eagle Mine remains the largest customer shipping 50-70 cars per week. L’Anse Warden Electric is now the number two customer receiving 19-29 cars per week. BPB Mfg. is third handling 12-18 cars per week. Transload business at Euclid Yard is brisk where they handle 400-900 cars annually for three to five customers.

The F9Ar, GP9R and GP10 are liked by the crew and perform their simple chores to everyone’s satisfaction. The F9Ar is especially liked in the tough winters because it seals better than the hood units. On one occasion an SD9 was used for a week and was a hit with the crew. However, it will only fill in now and then as the SD9’s are the favorite around the Escanaba area switching the long lines of storage cars on the Channing District.

ISHW’s Operating Ratio is comfortably in the 70% range.
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
Ann Arbor RR Nerd
Posts: 37905
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:39 pm
Location: Washington, MI

Re: Ishpeming Western (ISHW)

Unread post by AARR »

WATCO has agreed to purchase the following railroads: GBN, ISHW, M&MI and TL&W. ISHW and M&MI meet the 100 car per mile per year profitability standard. The other two lines are well below the standard. WATCO has the financial resources to operate the lines and make the investments to keep the track reliable and safe as well as aggressively pursue new customers (as they have on their other MI and WI lines). They are preparing to begin operations on 11/1/23.

WATCO will replace the Geeps and F-Units on ISHW and TL&W will be replaced by 38’s and 39’s. WATCO will also return M&MI’s SW8 and replace it with their own SW engine.

For now, the Geeps and F-Units will be stored in Wells. The two Geeps will eventually be returned to ILSX. The four F-Units are in good operating condition and several museums/tourist railroads have expressed interest in them.
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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