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Most of the tracks around the Orion Plant are gone

It looks like the loading docks will be moved to the east side of the campus, if it ever gets rail service again or even builds vehicles.

Delray wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 22, 2024 6:35 pm

Most of the tracks around the Orion Plant are gone

To the north of this photo, 4 sets of track remain. They head north toward Silverbell Rd.

I remember back when they were building/ installing the new track for this. Used to work for a large machine tool manufacturer in Warren, that had a plant in Lake Orion. Had to go up there at least twice a week, and would see all the rail construction machinery out there, to the east of Joslyn Road. Remember the track cris--crossing Joslyn about 3 times north of 75. That was in 1980-- if I remember correct. Sad, that now it's 24 years later and all of this really did not live up to its potential. Guess it's time to pull the plug, and let it go.

I think if there is any hope at all, GM Lake Orion is really going to need to produce a large quantity of vehicles, and be sustainable at that level for the foreseeable future to even have a chance that rail service will return. Significant investment will be required to restore the line North of Ferrous Processing and Trading Company (North of Collier Road). North of this location, the track is completely overgrown in places and the crossing at Silverbell Road paved over to name a few issues. Don't get me wrong, I still have hope, but as more time continues to pass by, the probability becomes less. I also don't see GM producing large quantities of electric vehicles (to make rail service feasible) at GM Orion simply because the public demand for such vehicles just isn't there right now. Just some of my opinions though.

Status of the rails on Joslyn. If they do come back probably need to run a new set of tracks from I75 to the plant.

Somehow, I don't think we will have to worry about that.

Delray wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 26, 2024 6:42 pm

Status of the rails on Joslyn. If they do come back probably need to run a new set of tracks from I75 to the plant.

Man, I remember how beautiful that crossing looked when I was a kid.