Hamilton Northwestern Railroad Co.

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joeyuboats
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Re: Hamilton Northwestern Railroad Co.

Unread post by joeyuboats »

Not just a dirty UP engine--a HNW patch out, done pretty neatly by a good group of guys. Anytime some loco from one of our large roads get patched or painted, it's a good thing.Look at Lake State and their ex-UP SD-70's---they look better now than they ever did. And underneath that UP paint on the HNW loco is Milwaukke road orange and black. Now that would really be interesting to see!

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DaveO
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Re: Hamilton Northwestern Railroad Co.

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It was obvious to me that someone took a bit of effort to get the lettering on.
Most important of course, it made it down and back up the line.

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SD80MAC
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Re: Hamilton Northwestern Railroad Co.

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Typhoon wrote:
Mon Jun 13, 2022 9:50 pm
Ohh dirty UP switch engines :D How exciting.... :roll:
Thanks for your support!
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SecondCreek
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Re: Hamilton Northwestern Railroad Co.

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GR H & C wrote:
Tue May 24, 2022 8:32 am
AARR wrote:
Tue May 24, 2022 6:47 am
Can someone assist me? I cannot find Lumbermen's on the Holland Branch.
It’s the old Lifesavers Plant on the corner of Waverly and 48th St. big huge place.
Is the old Lifesavers Plant located at 635 E 48th St Holland, MI 49423? That's what came up when I Googled it. What does Lumbermen's do and is the plant still rail served?

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AARR
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Re: Hamilton Northwestern Railroad Co.

Unread post by AARR »

Just saw your response. Thanks GR H & C.
GR H & C wrote:
Tue May 24, 2022 8:32 am
AARR wrote:
Tue May 24, 2022 6:47 am
Can someone assist me? I cannot find Lumbermen's on the Holland Branch.
It’s the old Lifesavers Plant on the corner of Waverly and 48th St. big huge place.
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...

GRHC
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Re: Hamilton Northwestern Railroad Co.

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SecondCreek wrote:
Wed Jun 15, 2022 2:25 pm
GR H & C wrote:
Tue May 24, 2022 8:32 am
AARR wrote:
Tue May 24, 2022 6:47 am
Can someone assist me? I cannot find Lumbermen's on the Holland Branch.
It’s the old Lifesavers Plant on the corner of Waverly and 48th St. big huge place.
Is the old Lifesavers Plant located at 635 E 48th St Holland, MI 49423? That's what came up when I Googled it. What does Lumbermen's do and is the plant still rail served?
Yes that is where the old Lifesavers plant is located. (My dad was the plant maintenance supervisor when I was a kid I loved that place.) i’m not sure what Lumbermans actually does or produces but they do receive inbound loads on bulkhead flat cars and in box cars. I believe they receive as many if not more carloads than Lifesavers did.

SecondCreek
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Re: Hamilton Northwestern Railroad Co.

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I'm looking to make a day trip from Chicago to the Holland area to photograph industrial and branchline operations including the new Hamilton Northwestern Railroad, the CSX line out to the Heinz pickle factory, the Padnos scrapyard switcher(s) out in the open where they cross public streets, etc. When would the best times of day (and day of the week) be to catch those operations in action?

Also does CSX still go out along Douglas Avenue on the other side of Holland? Does it still switch the De Leeuw Lumber Company?

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Standard Railfan
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Re: Hamilton Northwestern Railroad Co.

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Lumberman’s is a wholesale building materials company.
Oddly enough they sell lumber.

GRHC
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Re: Hamilton Northwestern Railroad Co.

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SecondCreek wrote:
Wed Jun 15, 2022 2:43 pm
I'm looking to make a day trip from Chicago to the Holland area to photograph industrial and branchline operations including the new Hamilton Northwestern Railroad, the CSX line out to the Heinz pickle factory, the Padnos scrapyard switcher(s) out in the open where they cross public streets, etc. When would the best times of day (and day of the week) be to catch those operations in action?

Also does CSX still go out along Douglas Avenue on the other side of Holland? Does it still switch the De Leeuw Lumber Company?
Monday through Friday and you should be able to get good pics at Padnos from the road and public property. Went past Heinz today (06/15/22) and there were no cars at the facility.
It seems to me they run to Heinz and Padnos either in the morning or late in the afternoon. They still do serve DeLeeuw lumber and there was a car waiting to be picked up on 06/10/22
I hope this information will be of help to you.

Note: All the branches and industries mentioned are served by CSX Y121 based out of Waverly yard.
As for the Hamilton Northwestern I’m not sure what their schedule is. I did catch them in Fillmore running to Hamilton at about 9 o’clock on a Saturday night 06/11/22

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SD80MAC
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Re: Hamilton Northwestern Railroad Co.

Unread post by SD80MAC »

Service to Heinz is as-needed. They might go out there 3 times in a week, they might not for 2 weeks, just depends on if any cars show up for them. You can pretty much bet on them going to Padnos almost every day.

HNW runs as needed, no schedule.
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SecondCreek
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Re: Hamilton Northwestern Railroad Co.

Unread post by SecondCreek »

GR H & C wrote:
Wed Jun 15, 2022 2:51 pm
SecondCreek wrote:
Wed Jun 15, 2022 2:43 pm
I'm looking to make a day trip from Chicago to the Holland area to photograph industrial and branchline operations including the new Hamilton Northwestern Railroad, the CSX line out to the Heinz pickle factory, the Padnos scrapyard switcher(s) out in the open where they cross public streets, etc. When would the best times of day (and day of the week) be to catch those operations in action?

Also does CSX still go out along Douglas Avenue on the other side of Holland? Does it still switch the De Leeuw Lumber Company?
Monday through Friday and you should be able to get good pics at Padnos from the road and public property. Went past Heinz today (06/15/22) and there were no cars at the facility.
It seems to me they run to Heinz and Padnos either in the morning or late in the afternoon. They still do serve DeLeeuw lumber and there was a car waiting to be picked up on 06/10/22
I hope this information will be of help to you.

Note: All the branches and industries mentioned are served by CSX Y121 based out of Waverly yard.
As for the Hamilton Northwestern I’m not sure what their schedule is. I did catch them in Fillmore running to Hamilton at about 9 o’clock on a Saturday night 06/11/22
Thanks for the information.

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MQT1223
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Re: Hamilton Northwestern Railroad Co.

Unread post by MQT1223 »

Typhoon wrote:
Mon Jun 13, 2022 9:50 pm
Ohh dirty UP switch engines :D How exciting.... :roll:
Come out and chase the line next time. Those “dirty UP switch engines” look right at home going through the fields of West Michigan on old jointed rail.
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996. :)

joeyuboats
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Re: Hamilton Northwestern Railroad Co.

Unread post by joeyuboats »

I'll bet that given time and money, that MP-15 would look great in the old C&O blue and yellow.

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MQT1223
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Re: Hamilton Northwestern Railroad Co.

Unread post by MQT1223 »

joeyuboats wrote:
Thu Jun 23, 2022 10:32 am
I'll bet that given time and money, that MP-15 would look great in the old C&O blue and yellow.
Would be a neat little treat if the C&O cab ever came up from Hamilton for a visit, but I doubt that would happen any time soon.
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996. :)

GP30M4216
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Re: Hamilton Northwestern Railroad Co.

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SecondCreek wrote:
Wed Jun 15, 2022 2:43 pm
I'm looking to make a day trip from Chicago to the Holland area to photograph industrial and branchline operations including the new Hamilton Northwestern Railroad, the CSX line out to the Heinz pickle factory, the Padnos scrapyard switcher(s) out in the open where they cross public streets, etc. When would the best times of day (and day of the week) be to catch those operations in action?

Also does CSX still go out along Douglas Avenue on the other side of Holland? Does it still switch the De Leeuw Lumber Company?
There is some helpful information about Holland’s Padnos scrapyard operations at this link: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=37790&p=469151&hilit=Padnos#p469151. As was mentioned, Padnos is the busiest individual customer in the Holland area. Y121 typically works then near the beginning or end of their day. They will also work Heinz at the end of the Dock Track if they have cars for them. The Dock Track is so interesting, welded rail at the east end, super industrial and hilly near Padnos, and then serpentine curves through scenic Kollen Park. Padnos centercabs seem to run every day except Sunday. The River Avenue crossing provides a good place to park and gives a good view in to where the centercabs and gondolas are stored. Pine Street has public sidewalks on both sides for good viewing, but the crossing is about a block from public parking.

It seems like De Leeuw Lumber has been receiving more centerbeam loads recently, but always still one at a time. As far as I know, the MCS plant at the end of the Ottawa Beach Branch hasn’t seen a railcar in a couple years now.

Both the Hamilton Branch section around Waverly/48th and the MJ lead in nearby Zeeland also have an industrial look and feel. Both are also served by Y121.

Be sure to share your trip report if you make your way up to Holland!

SecondCreek
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Re: Hamilton Northwestern Railroad Co.

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Thank you for all of the information!

GRHC
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Re: Hamilton Northwestern Railroad Co.

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Update: 09/07/2023 something is happening right next to the Hamilton Northwestern. Could this be a transload facility or a future rail served customer only time will tell.


1DA8FD3C-32A2-4D12-88FE-FA0F3021F60E.jpeg
72FD18F4-ED93-48C9-917B-7D0C79DEEB9B.jpeg

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~Z~
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Re: Hamilton Northwestern Railroad Co.

Unread post by ~Z~ »

Doesn't look like it'll be rail served. Appears to be a warehouse with 50 truck doors on the north side, but nothing rail indicated on the southern end. Owned by All Properties Unlimited for now during the construction phase:
https://cityofholland.civicweb.net/docu ... 75E2431287
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LansingRailFan
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Re: Hamilton Northwestern Railroad Co.

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GRHC wrote:
Thu Sep 07, 2023 8:17 pm
Update: 09/07/2023 something is happening right next to the Hamilton Northwestern. Could this be a transload facility or a future rail served customer only time will tell.



1DA8FD3C-32A2-4D12-88FE-FA0F3021F60E.jpeg

72FD18F4-ED93-48C9-917B-7D0C79DEEB9B.jpeg
Is this new activity? There’s been construction materials there for years and the docs that Z posted are from 2019

GRHC
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Re: Hamilton Northwestern Railroad Co.

Unread post by GRHC »

LansingRailFan wrote:
Fri Sep 08, 2023 10:44 am
GRHC wrote:
Thu Sep 07, 2023 8:17 pm
Update: 09/07/2023 something is happening right next to the Hamilton Northwestern. Could this be a transload facility or a future rail served customer only time will tell.
Is this new activity? There’s been construction materials there for years and the docs that Z posted are from 2019
I can only guess by the satellite images that activity has picked back up on the site.
Here’s another satellite image that shows there’s definitely been progress between when the satellite images were taken.

Let’s hope that the information Z has provided is outdated and plans have changed.
45372739-C6E5-4733-A90B-C97C0C562E12.jpeg
Last edited by GRHC on Fri Sep 08, 2023 11:24 am, edited 1 time in total.

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