Jackson & Lansing equipment

[DonHarding]

Well, yeah, it's lighter rail than what you'd find on the mainlines.

Yeah, makes a ton of sense. Did trains used to pass through the west side and through Saginaw yard more often before Adrian and Blissfield? Like, was it ever really an active location?

It was when the General Motors plant was there. Lansing was a different place twenty years ago, that's for sure! Hell, even thirty five years ago, Conrail was running six trains a day out of Jackson up to Lansing.

[ThatRailfanningKid]

I meant it more for use with CSX and CN, an I would listen it there for when JAIL requests permission to pass at Cedar interlocking and at MA tower.

Also, another off-topic question, yet still pertains to J&L. Does anyone know if the plans to use the LS&MS spur in Old Town fell through, or are they still going to do that?

[DonHarding]

I meant it more for use with CSX and CN, an I would listen it there for when JAIL requests permission to pass at Cedar interlocking and at MA tower.

Also, another off-topic question, yet still pertains to J&L. Does anyone know if the plans to use the LS&MS spur in Old Town fell through, or are they still going to do that?

The customer (I believe a Cement Company or something rather; haven't been to Lansing in awhile, I just get word back from friends about JAIL) that was supposed to be served by JAIL cancelled their plans for some reason. Not sure why. That's all I've heard though. I could be wrong. I haven't heard much about old town in about a year or so. I know JAIL was having issues with people parking in the middle of the tracks there. I think they may have had issues with people against the "loud trains."

[DonHarding]

Also - In regard to your comment about Saginaw Yard being more active, the whole JAIL line has increased business significantly since the take over, just not in Lansing. There's just not anything up there anymore for them. JAIL has really encouraged business along the line and has very competitive rates (according to a friend at RSDC) with the trucking companies. I remember back in 2008, NS was running 10 car trains about three times a week Northward, out of Jackson. JAIL is running anywhere between 15-45 car long trains EVERY NIGHT!

[AARR]

Also, another off-topic question, yet still pertains to J&L. Does anyone know if the plans to use the LS&MS spur in Old Town fell through, or are they still going to do that?

The customer (I believe a Cement Company or something rather; haven't been to Lansing in awhile, I just get word back from friends about JAIL) that was supposed to be served by JAIL cancelled their plans for some reason. Not sure why. That's all I've heard though. I could be wrong. I haven't heard much about old town in about a year or so. I know JAIL was having issues with people parking in the middle of the tracks there. I think they may have had issues with people against the "loud trains."

It's a recycling company (forget the name) who ships scrap metal and paper. From what I hear both parties are interested but can't agree on who'll pay for rehabbing the line.

[Hogger1225]

Friedland Industries Inc.

[ThatRailfanningKid]

Why don't they just combine funds between parties and rehab it together? Then they'd have two $ sources and less stress on both of them.

[AARR]

Why don't they just combine funds between parties and rehab it together? Then they'd have two $ sources and less stress on both of them.

Good idea but not that easy.

I don't know details so I'm just speculating. JAIL does not want to invest in something that will not return a profit. Perhaps Friedland is hesitant because they are quite content with trucking and don't want to commit money or minimum rail car loadings in order to make it worth JAIL's while. Perhaps both are a little hesitant because there is speculation that if they try to rehab the spur NIMBY's will put up a fight and that will cost additional dollars.

[SW]

And since you are new here, NIMBY =
Not
In
My
Back
Yard

[GTWRalph]

On my way home tonight I noticed JAIL has the CV caboose outside behind the Antiques building in Mason on the siding.

[ThatRailfanningKid]

On my way home tonight I noticed JAIL has the CV caboose outside behind the Antiques building in Mason on the siding.

They are doing track inspection. Expect them back about 6 A.M.

[ThatRailfanningKid]

Plus nine empties from RSDC to drop off in Jackson. Stopping at MPC too for a few boxcars carrying paperboard.

[J T]

Perhaps both are a little hesitant because there is speculation that if they try to rehab the spur NIMBY's will put up a fight and that will cost additional dollars.

The NIMBYs really don't have any say, IMO. The tracks were there before the NIMBYs moved in. There is more traffic noise on Grand River anyway. They'd barely know the train was coming through other than a low rumble.

[AARR]

Perhaps both are a little hesitant because there is speculation that if they try to rehab the spur NIMBY's will put up a fight and that will cost additional dollars.

The NIMBYs really don't have any say, IMO. The tracks were there before the NIMBYs moved in. There is more traffic noise on Grand River anyway. They'd barely know the train was coming through other than a low rumble.

You and I and most people are rational and understand. But NIMBY's are not necessarily a local protest group. They will organize from a region to protest.

Here is an example of how NIMBY's operate. My brother in law owns 5 acres and wanted to raze his old house and build a new one. His next door neighbors were full acceptable of his plans (and one even offered to help since my brother in law was building it himself). A nosey-busy-body lady who lived 1/2 mile away (on a different street no less) and would not be affected in the most minuet way protested and took him to court to block his plans. She could not get any one in the neighborhood to join her so she recruited a small group of people from the local region to join her protest and law suit. Their protest centered around his plans to take down a handful of trees which she said she enjoyed when driving by his house (there were other routes to exit the subdivision) but they could not sue over that so they attacked his construction plans and a host of other bureaucratic issues which all were thrown out in court but nevertheless my B-I-L had to spend money to fight back. In the end my B-I-L could only get her to back off when he said if she didn't stop he would move his old house down her street (which wasn't even on his street) and would require cutting down trees for close to a mile of road.

My point is this, right now there is a down-troddened ROW that hasn't seen a train in many years. If JAIL and Friedland ever get serious about resuming rail service a NIMBY from anywhere who simply opposes new train activity could create a problem with help from other NIMBY's who might not even live in Lansing.

[Raildudes dad]

I suspect what happened is Freidland said sure, we'll use rail, send us some cars. JAIL said the track needs a lot of work, front us the money, we'll fix it and give you a rebate on your freight rate so you can get your money back over time. Apparently the deal didn't pencil out for the scrap guys.

[midland sub]

NIMBYs prevented the I&O from relaying about 3 miles of tracks from Mason to Blue Ash in Cincy back in the late 1980s. Tracks had been removed I think less than ten years and the right of way was still owned at that point by the trustee of the Penn Central bankruptcy. NIMBYs have also caused the CSX-L&I project to be delayed until the summer.

Perhaps both are a little hesitant because there is speculation that if they try to rehab the spur NIMBY's will put up a fight and that will cost additional dollars.

The NIMBYs really don't have any say, IMO. The tracks were there before the NIMBYs moved in. There is more traffic noise on Grand River anyway. They'd barely know the train was coming through other than a low rumble.

[J T]

My point is this, right now there is a down-troddened ROW that hasn't seen a train in many years. If JAIL and Friedland ever get serious about resuming rail service a NIMBY from anywhere who simply opposes new train activity could create a problem with help from other NIMBY's who might not even live in Lansing.

It's JAIL's property, and the tracks are still in place. The amount of time since the last wheels rolled on that track is irrelevant. If they want to run a locomotive down it at any time, it is their right to. If NIMBY's are standing on the tracks protesting and don't move, arrest them for trespassing.

[trainjunkie47]

Wonder if anyone had considered using a trackmobile on the spur? With the low overall volume of cars and the relatively short distance from the JAIL main to the scrapper, a trackmobile should be able to handle that traffic, while allowing less rehab work than would otherwise be required to take a loco down the spur.

[JStryker722]

Wonder if anyone had considered using a trackmobile on the spur? With the low overall volume of cars and the relatively short distance from the JAIL main to the scrapper, a trackmobile should be able to handle that traffic, while allowing less rehab work than would otherwise be required to take a loco down the spur.

That's not a bad idea for just a short spur.

[Raildudes dad]

Might just as well put the money in the track as buy a trackmobile.