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by conrailmike
Mon Feb 06, 2023 4:39 pm
Forum: Michigan Talk
Topic: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???
Replies: 279
Views: 244751

Re: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???

Why no frames coming in Contrail Mike? I was wondering this myself, is there a reason for this? I am interested in the information you provide given you are in the auto industry and are a great resource when it comes to these things. Thank you. GM has said that it will not be traditional body-on-fr...
by conrailmike
Tue Jan 17, 2023 4:14 pm
Forum: Michigan Talk
Topic: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???
Replies: 279
Views: 244751

Re: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???

The only thing that will come out of Orion on rails, will be finished trucks. No frames coming in like normal pickup production.
by conrailmike
Mon Sep 12, 2022 12:16 pm
Forum: Michigan Talk
Topic: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???
Replies: 279
Views: 244751

Re: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???

My understanding is CN gets Flint's westbound loads at their Flint ramps. But when I see that LSRC is handling 1,000 cars a month of GM's Flint vehicles it seems that's a lot of traffic CN is missing out on. They used to truck them from Flint to New Boston. The LSRC managed to get them back on rail...
by conrailmike
Tue May 17, 2022 6:40 pm
Forum: Michigan Talk
Topic: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???
Replies: 279
Views: 244751

Re: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???

Bolyard's transload is by Baldwin Ave. They got a center beam last week and seem to average 2-6 cars a month. Ferrous Processing Trading is usually serviced on Wednesday afternoon. They seem to send out a car a week. Very disappointing for a scrap yard of that size. They could ship 20-30 a week but...
by conrailmike
Sun Apr 24, 2022 5:24 pm
Forum: Michigan Talk
Topic: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???
Replies: 279
Views: 244751

Re: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???

Will the stamping plant ship anything by rail? You should start to see the stamping plant ship again, they stamp for Orion Assembly and production resumed this month. Oh that's great news! Do you know exactly when during the week they ship to the metal stamping plant? No idea, I would imagine if th...
by conrailmike
Sat Apr 23, 2022 8:20 am
Forum: Michigan Talk
Topic: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???
Replies: 279
Views: 244751

Re: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???

The stamping plant has not shipped since last September. I’ve seen the local use that track and back to the yard after switching the scrap yard So I drove by the active portion of the line in Pontiac today and I went to Price Street (The Y Crossing, since the tracks split up into 2) and the right t...
by conrailmike
Sun Feb 27, 2022 7:08 am
Forum: Michigan Talk
Topic: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???
Replies: 279
Views: 244751

Re: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???

Looking at some Ward's Auto Yearbooks, I see that the most recent Orion production peak was 2008 calendar year, 250,425 cars. That was about when CN stopped serving it. Things tanked quickly with the bankruptcy. Since it opened in fall 1983 the plant has apparently never operated near capacity for ...
by conrailmike
Fri Feb 11, 2022 8:23 pm
Forum: Michigan Talk
Topic: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???
Replies: 279
Views: 244751

Re: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???

AARR wrote:
Fri Feb 11, 2022 8:24 am
Nothing has changed with the tracks in the area. If service does resume, I wonder how they will stage the vehicle racks because most of the yard tracks in the Orion Marshalling yard are gone.
Last I knew there were still 4 tracks behind the plant.
by conrailmike
Tue Jan 25, 2022 4:30 pm
Forum: Michigan Talk
Topic: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???
Replies: 279
Views: 244751

Re: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???

Perhaps there still is hope for the Orion Sub. See article below. https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/gm-six-billion-electric-vehicle-investment-michigan-incentives Also wondering if that new Battery Plant in Lansing will require rail service? Just depends on where in Lansing it'll be built and w...
by conrailmike
Tue Jan 25, 2022 4:19 pm
Forum: Michigan Talk
Topic: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???
Replies: 279
Views: 244751

Re: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???

Perhaps there still is hope for the Orion Sub. See article below. https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/gm-six-billion-electric-vehicle-investment-michigan-incentives Also wondering if that new Battery Plant in Lansing will require rail service? Honestly, seeing what we know now, if they don’t brin...
by conrailmike
Thu Jan 20, 2022 7:38 am
Forum: Michigan Talk
Topic: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???
Replies: 279
Views: 244751

Re: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???

Here’s the thing I just realized: If CN/GM brings back rail service to the plant, it would actually be a lot more easier to get cars from the plant to places like Toledo and Chicago, since the racks would be going to Pontiac yard, where E251 could pick it up and take them to Chicago or A450 take th...
by conrailmike
Thu Jan 20, 2022 5:28 am
Forum: Michigan Talk
Topic: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???
Replies: 279
Views: 244751

Re: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???

They have all the opportunities to bring the line back, it would be so financially viable to do it. The opportunity is only there if GM wants it. If GM is happy with trucking vehicles from the plant to a loading location then I doubt it'll change. The only reason GM would switch is that it's cheaper.
by conrailmike
Sun Jan 09, 2022 5:14 pm
Forum: Michigan Talk
Topic: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???
Replies: 279
Views: 244751

Re: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???

So perhaps I missed it, but did they say what kind of EV they will build? https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/general-motors/2022/01/07/gm-now-wants-tax-abatement-1-3-billion-investment-orion/9132824002/ It could be the electric version of the Equinox or the Blazer. I'm not sure what e...
by conrailmike
Tue Dec 21, 2021 8:11 am
Forum: Michigan Talk
Topic: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???
Replies: 279
Views: 244751

Re: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???

Don't get your hopes up yet, nothing but rumors right now. The big question is even if the volume is there, is GM gonna pay what CN wants to move those vehicles. If anything GM would rather truck it to LSRC in Buick City and load it there where they would gladly handle smaller carloads unlike CN. B...
by conrailmike
Mon Dec 20, 2021 5:35 pm
Forum: Michigan Talk
Topic: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???
Replies: 279
Views: 244751

Re: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???

Saw this article today - possible $3B as in ‘billions’ investment by GM being considered for the Orion plant for electric pickup production. Wondering if the volumes being projected would be sufficient to warrant reactivating the branch. https://insideevs.com/news/553881/rumor-gm-3billion-projects-...
by conrailmike
Thu Dec 16, 2021 8:10 am
Forum: Michigan Talk
Topic: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???
Replies: 279
Views: 244751

Re: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???

Saw this article today - possible $3B as in ‘billions’ investment by GM being considered for the Orion plant for electric pickup production. Wondering if the volumes being projected would be sufficient to warrant reactivating the branch. https://insideevs.com/news/553881/rumor-gm-3billion-projects-...
by conrailmike
Thu Dec 02, 2021 5:37 pm
Forum: Michigan Talk
Topic: GM Flint Assembly Questions
Replies: 20
Views: 17897

Re: GM Flint Assembly Questions

In the Trains Magazine article it says LSRC is handling 1,000 car loads a month from Flint. This is apparently traffic CN doesn't want because they would short haul it to Toledo and hand over to CSX. That is a significant amount of traffic CN is declining on. They seem to get a handful of inbound l...
by conrailmike
Fri Oct 01, 2021 4:30 pm
Forum: Chit Chat Babble Room
Topic: Where do you work and what do you do?
Replies: 54
Views: 33624

Re: Where do you work and what do you do?

I work for GM on the assembly line at Flint Truck Assembly, on day shift, been with GM for 21 years now, and 9 more to go. Before that, I worked residential construction and commercial construction.
by conrailmike
Mon Aug 30, 2021 3:21 pm
Forum: Train Location Updates / Heads Ups
Topic: CN Updates August 2021
Replies: 864
Views: 132557

Re: CN Updates August 2021

bluewonderrails wrote:
Mon Aug 30, 2021 2:20 pm
LansingRailFan wrote:
Mon Aug 30, 2021 1:36 pm
KCS/4-CN EB by 205 cam at 1:21 PM - M396
Through mp221 Cedar around 13:58

KCS #4043
CN #5713
CN #3217
CN #8886
CN #3183
Cleared Flint @15:15
by conrailmike
Fri Aug 20, 2021 6:46 pm
Forum: Michigan Talk
Topic: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???
Replies: 279
Views: 244751

Re: CN Lake Orion Sub - The end finally???

I don't know if they stamp for anyone else besides Orion and they (Orion) are on layoff next week but I don't know about the past month. The stamping plant's product that goes by rail to Texas from what I've heard You are correct sir, they stamp for Orion and Arlington Assembly - Full size SUVs htt...