West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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NS3322
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Unread post by NS3322 »

J T wrote:
NS3322 wrote: Is the infamous Lake Cora "backyard running" section between mileposts 25.1 and 26.5?
I'm happy to take advantage of the opportunity to post this image as much as I can. :lol: :D

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Cannot believe these were taken 11 years ago...these are some of my favorite photos. Kudos to Jon Hall and JT for likely capturing one of the last revenue moves past Lawrence! Where was the reefer headed that day?
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Last edited by NS3322 on Sat Dec 01, 2018 5:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Farmboybello
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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NS3322 wrote:
Where was the reefer headed that day?
IIRC the reefers were delivered to Ralph Moyle Industries just past Teapot Dome. They were the last customer past Hanson Logistics in Hartford.
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AARR
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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J_T, that is one of my favorite all time pictures. It looks like that train is running on grass.

IIRC the Coke plant in Paw Paw would be the signature customer and I don't think they would get enough cars to justify investing in rebuilding the rail but maybe I'm wrong :? .
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NS3322
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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Not sure where to ask this but it is somewhat related. Did GLLX purchase another CF7? In this photo the CF7 has "GLLX" reporting marks...this photo was taken at the Colebrookdale Railroad (Boyertown, PA) in 2016. Someone posted in the RYPN thread that it has left Pennsylvania.

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SD80MAC
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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That one is owned by someone else, the reporting marks were loaned for the move.
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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NS3322 wrote: Cannot believe these were taken 11 years ago...these are some of my favorite photos. Kudos to Jon Hall for likely capturing one of the last revenue moves past Lawrence! Where was the reefer headed that day?
What, no kudos to me too? :lol:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimthias/
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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AARR wrote:J_T, that is one of my favorite all time pictures. It looks like that train is running on grass.
Well, it pretty much was! haha
IIRC the Coke plant in Paw Paw would be the signature customer and I don't think they would get enough cars to justify investing in rebuilding the rail but maybe I'm wrong :? .
Even if they were able to justify it, where are they going to rebuild the line near Lake Cora?
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Unread post by NS3322 »

J T wrote:
NS3322 wrote: Cannot believe these were taken 11 years ago...these are some of my favorite photos. Kudos to Jon Hall for likely capturing one of the last revenue moves past Lawrence! Where was the reefer headed that day?
What, no kudos to me too? :lol:
My bad JT, did not realize that was your photo!

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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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NS3322 wrote:
J T wrote:
NS3322 wrote: Cannot believe these were taken 11 years ago...these are some of my favorite photos. Kudos to Jon Hall for likely capturing one of the last revenue moves past Lawrence! Where was the reefer headed that day?
What, no kudos to me too? :lol:
My bad JT, did not realize that was your photo!
Haha. Yeah, Jon and I were following the train that day. Just randomly stumbled upon the photo op as we were heading to Indiana.

The last page or two in this gallery has all my shots from that day: http://railroadfan.com/gallery/thumbnai ... age-4.html
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimthias/
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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One of my favorites from that day:

Image
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimthias/
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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J T wrote:
IIRC the Coke plant in Paw Paw would be the signature customer and I don't think they would get enough cars to justify investing in rebuilding the rail but maybe I'm wrong :? .
Even if they were able to justify it, where are they going to rebuild the line near Lake Cora?
They would rebuild it right along the old right of way since (thankfully) Pioneer kept the rights to reacquire the portion they sold with that provision now passing to the new owners. If the line is ever rebuilt through there it will be fun watching all the NIMBYs freak out over the rails going back through their yards.
Railroad right of ways are for railroads, not bikes.

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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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Farmboybello wrote: They would rebuild it right along the old right of way since (thankfully) Pioneer kept the rights to reacquire the portion they sold with that provision now passing to the new owners. If the line is ever rebuilt through there it will be fun watching all the NIMBYs freak out over the rails going back through their yards.
That's going to be one hell of a fight!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimthias/
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Unread post by Schteinkuh »

J T wrote:
Farmboybello wrote: They would rebuild it right along the old right of way since (thankfully) Pioneer kept the rights to reacquire the portion they sold with that provision now passing to the new owners. If the line is ever rebuilt through there it will be fun watching all the NIMBYs freak out over the rails going back through their yards.
That's going to be one hell of a fight!
Sounds pretty one sided to me! One side has rights to reacquire, the other side can only whine and watch, really.
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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Just some further correspondence between WMRR and the STB about the Lake Cora property that had the ROW given back to adjacent land owners: https://www.stb.gov/filings/all.nsf/ba7 ... 246881.pdf
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NS3322
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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~Z~ wrote:Just some further correspondence between WMRR and the STB about the Lake Cora property that had the ROW given back to adjacent land owners: https://www.stb.gov/filings/all.nsf/ba7 ... 246881.pdf
Is the big (Ethanol?) development still coming to Paw Paw?

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AARR
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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Why would an ethanol plant build in Paw Paw, have to fight legalities to rebuild the ROW when there is so much open and inexpensive land along existing ROW's?
NS3322 wrote:
~Z~ wrote:Just some further correspondence between WMRR and the STB about the Lake Cora property that had the ROW given back to adjacent land owners: https://www.stb.gov/filings/all.nsf/ba7 ... 246881.pdf
Is the big (Ethanol?) development still coming to Paw Paw?
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: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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AARR wrote:Why would an ethanol plant build in Paw Paw, have to fight legalities to rebuild the ROW when there is so much open and inexpensive land along existing ROW's?
NS3322 wrote:
~Z~ wrote:Just some further correspondence between WMRR and the STB about the Lake Cora property that had the ROW given back to adjacent land owners: https://www.stb.gov/filings/all.nsf/ba7 ... 246881.pdf
Is the big (Ethanol?) development still coming to Paw Paw?
I am not in charge, I just remember some big factory/facility wanted to build in Paw Paw.
It did not make much sense to me either.

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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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Paw Paw has been marketing very aggressively for businesses to locate there. They would probably be supportive of any effort to restore rail service.
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

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Jim_c wrote:Paw Paw has been marketing very aggressively for businesses to locate there. They would probably be supportive of any effort to restore rail service.
This is just an opinion but I don’t see why the Village and Township of Paw Paw wouldn’t want to try to financially help WMI return rail service to Paw Paw. Having access to a railroad is a major thing businesses look for when they are thinking of moving into an area. Pioneer didn't try to market this railroad at all and according to another post on this website, apparently destroyed relationships with Paw Paw and residents living along the line. I don't know how much contact the new owners have had with Paw Paw about returning rail service there but seeing the current industrial and economic shape of Van Buren County I don't see a reason why they wouldn't be all for bringing the railroad back.
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Re: West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

Unread post by RailfanVBC »

Farmboybello wrote:
Jim_c wrote:Paw Paw has been marketing very aggressively for businesses to locate there. They would probably be supportive of any effort to restore rail service.
This is just an opinion but I don’t see why the Village and Township of Paw Paw wouldn’t want to try to financially help WMI return rail service to Paw Paw. Having access to a railroad is a major thing businesses look for when they are thinking of moving into an area. Pioneer didn't try to market this railroad at all and according to another post on this website, apparently destroyed relationships with Paw Paw and residents living along the line. I don't know how much contact the new owners have had with Paw Paw about returning rail service there but seeing the current industrial and economic shape of Van Buren County I don't see a reason why they wouldn't be all for bringing the railroad back.
I would think that they would expand to Lawrence sometime soon especially with the business boom they seem to be having currently. The track ends about two miles from Lawrence and when I drove around there a while ago I counted at least 3 customers on the line that WMI could service.

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