West Michigan RR Abandonment Petition Coming

[AARR]

I am trying to finish up the Wiki page I have been building for the KLSC. For some reason I cannot find good customer info for KLSC.

Coe Rail/MAL is next...
(This info needs to be written down somewhere in one place before its lost to time).

Thank you for doing this. I’ll assist you anyway I can.

[NS3322]

I am trying to finish up the Wiki page I have been building for the KLSC. For some reason I cannot find good customer info for KLSC.

Coe Rail/MAL is next...
(This info needs to be written down somewhere in one place before its lost to time).

Thank you for doing this. I’ll assist you anyway I can.

Appreciate it AARR!

I just reached out to a former KLSC employee and these are the customers he remembered:
Hanson Logistics - Hartford
Lawrence Cold Storage - Lawrence
Southwestern Michigan Feed - Lawrence
RMI Logistics - Paw Paw
Coca-Cola - Paw Paw

Still not exactly sure what they received, but it is a start.

[AARR]

I just reached out to a former KLSC employee and these are the customers he remembered:
Hanson Logistics - Hartford
Lawrence Cold Storage - Lawrence
Southwestern Michigan Feed - Lawrence
RMI Logistics - Paw Paw
Coca-Cola - Paw Paw

Still not exactly sure what they received, but it is a start.

My notes indicate Coca-Cola never received rail service. Also, I don't show anything for Southwestern Michigan Feed, but they might have been a customer back then.
Otherwise, your list and my notes are a match.
Hanson received tomato paste (and possibly other stuff) and shipped out frozen produce (and possibly other stuff). They were the largest shipper getting switched several times per week.
Lawrence Cold Storage and RMI received an occasional carload of produce.
KLSC forecasted 500 cars a year, but I doubt they got that close. They probably thought they would get some business from Coca-Cola and the canning plant in Paw Paw but it never materialized.

[12Bridge]

Where did Lawrence Cold Storage get cars? They did not have a siding.

[AARR]

There were a couple small warehouses in-between Lawrence and Paw Paw. I don't know what the names of those were when KLSC operated the line but I figured one of them might have been Lawrence Cold Storage.

Where did Lawrence Cold Storage get cars? They did not have a siding.

[NS3322]

Where did Lawrence Cold Storage get cars? They did not have a siding.

What was the warehouse called where LTW Ergonomic Solutions is today?

[12Bridge]

I think that used to be Welch's.

[GRHC]

I read on a Railfan website that the WMI may no longer be transloading apples from refrigerated box cars for Gogo Squeez in Traverse City Michigan. Can anybody confirm this?
I know for a fact the WMI still receives refrigerated box cars but I’m not sure who they are for.

[AARR]

I think apples are seasonal. Gogo will use local sourcing whenever possible.

Does tomato paste arrive in refrigerated boxcars or in regular boxcars?

I read on a Railfan website that the WMI may no longer be transloading apples from refrigerated box cars for Gogo Squeez in Traverse City Michigan. Can anybody confirm this?
I know for a fact the WMI still receives refrigerated box cars but I’m not sure who they are for.

[CAT345C]

I think apples are seasonal. Gogo will use local sourcing whenever possible.

Does tomato paste arrive in refrigerated boxcars or in regular boxcars?

It came in regular 50' box cars.

[SD80MAC]

WMI hasn’t handled tomato paste since 2015.

[CAT345C]

WMI hasn’t handled tomato paste since 2015.

I had a can of ravioli on for lunch one day while hi-railing. Technically we handled tomato paste that day lol

[GRHC]

I think apples are seasonal. Gogo will use local sourcing whenever possible.

Does tomato paste arrive in refrigerated boxcars or in regular boxcars?

I read on a Railfan website that the WMI may no longer be transloading apples from refrigerated box cars for Gogo Squeez in Traverse City Michigan. Can anybody confirm this?
I know for a fact the WMI still receives refrigerated box cars but I’m not sure who they are for.

I read on a railfan website that the WMI did not transload apples for Gogo Squeez in Traverse City Michigan. They did however transload apples for local delivery. At this time I’m seeing refrigerated box cars being delivered to the WMI on a regular basis and I would assume these are still hauling apples.

[SD80MAC]

You would assume wrong.

[GRHC]

You would assume wrong.

Thank you best friend forever SD80MAC for clearing that up for me. I haven’t seen any hopper cars for shredded rubber tire loading in a very long time so I would have to guess that business has dried up moved back to the NS or moved to some other railroad providing transload services.
I believe that I read that outbound shipments of pork in refrigerated box cars had ceased and if so I wonder if this is still the case. Those refrigerated box cars could also be full of Eggo® Waffles because managing morning chaos is a breeze… if you have Eggo® Waffles. They're the perfect breakfast solution for little ones and grown-ups – quick, tasty, and convenient. With a variety of mouthwatering flavors to choose from, there's an Eggo® Waffle to satisfy every kid's cravings – even the pickiest eaters. L'Eggo With Eggo® and embrace those small victories, one delicious bite at a time.

[pudgy]

French fries are inbound these days in the reefer cars.

[AARR]

TY pudgy. It’s interesting all the diverse commodities that WMI handles.

French fries are inbound these days in the reefer cars.

[pudgy]

Actually not French fries, waffle fries, but generic enough.

[David Lang]

With all this talk of Waffles and French Fries, you guys are making me hungry!

Can't eat all those carbs like I used to though.

[GRHC]

Actually not French fries, waffle fries, but generic enough.

No way not Eggo® Waffles but waffle fries sooo flipping kind of close. Both can be eaten for breakfast and are tasty and nutritious. Thank you pudgy for the info.
With the early spring and the lack of any ice on Lake Michigan along with the ground not being frozen I would think the spring construction season would be getting underway quite soon. That could possibly mean an uptick in aggregate shipments to the WMI in the near future.