Ann Arbor Railway - Rail America

[AARR]

I found these an article: http://www.monroenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll ... /111129986 Holcim (US) Inc. said Tuesday the poor economy will force it to close its Dundee cement-making plant permanently by mid-2009, ending a nearly 50-year run and causing the loss of 163 jobs.

Well, they haven't. That's a gaurantee, unless there's another source of that sulphuric smell that was there long before the new engine plant was built, and the dry bulk trucks are all driving back there for something else. I didn't get a chance to see if there were any covered hopper cars spotted there, but the plant is still going strong as of two weeks ago.

Elmira Terminal is getting their cement by truck. I'm told it's no longer made in Dundee but out west, barged to Chicago, and trucked to Elmira. I'm not an insider so perhaps this info is incorrect. But 99.9% sure Elmira gets cement by truck now.

[KenB]

The cement plant in Dundee, Mich. has closed however the cement terminal is still operating. A new plant was built in Missouri that can produce cement for about 1/3 the cost of production in Michigan. The terminal receives cement by railcar, trucks it out. Since terminal is very old it is also high cost and I suspect it will be replaced.
When I get a chance I will rip out the transformers serving the plant. Too bad, was a nice plant.

[willardgarrett]

Hmmmm. I guess that sulphur smell must be coming from somewhere else, although I have no idea what it would be. I'll try to check it out again when I drive past there tomorrow

[OwlCaboose2853]

Hmmmm. I guess that sulphur smell must be coming from somewhere else, although I have no idea what it would be. I'll try to check it out again when I drive past there tomorrow

Assessment of Environmental Impacts of the Holcim Cement
http://www.wbcsd.org/web/projects/cement/tf5/holcim.pdf
Probably, there're an old sludge (surlphur wastes) leftover???

[sd70accsxt700]

Just wondering what is up with this?

[AARR]

Just wondering what is up with this?

Everyone who should know the answer is denying there's any or ever has been talks. But at the same time there are people who are very close too, although not directly in the railroad business, who say this is still a possible acquisition.

I can understand why RR's lie about these deals though because the right information in the wrong hands, and us railfans do not have a reputation for accuracy, can kill a deal.

[midland sub]

RA might just have bigger fish to fry at the moment.... Who says they don't already own an interest in the AA? Maybe private equity firm Fortress owns an interest? I guess we'll just have to wait and see....

Is it really any surprise? The Annie has a history of being treated like a little sister of the poor cast off.

[AARR]

admin edit: cleaned up the trolling about other lines being sold and the responses to that post.

A well-placed reliable source told me ADBF's acquisition of NS's line from Jackson to Lansing was a "Railfan Rumor". Then afterwards told me it was a deal 3 years in the making. What do you think about that RRTTF?

[sd70accsxt700]

Not the AA. Please hurry up and buy the AA. LOL

http://www.railamerica.com/RAnews/11-04 ... roads.aspx

[AARR]

I was just wondering about AA and RA. I wonder what the hold up is? Maybe the deal is dead

[midland sub]

AARR ask your buddy that owns a Michigan shortline- they seem to know everything about RA. Then have them explain where RA got the cash since they're supposedly broke.

[AARR]

Those 3 lines total 70 miles of track and 6,000 carloads per year. This falls short of the magical (some say mythical) 100 cars per mile per year. It seems beneath what RA would go for. Something like AA with 50 miles of track and 20000ish carloads per year (and growing with GLC interchange) seems more RA's style.

I am in no position to say if it is a good or bad decision. Just curious to see what others say or think about it. Of course if someone from RA would PM me with the inside story that would be pretty cool too

[Nighttrain404]

I don't think that RA would sell the GLC portion of track or if they would it probably will be abandoned only one costumer in T.C. Cherry growers aren't using any of it and starting to see overgrowth in areas.

[Rick in TC]

NightTrain, that made no sense at all. What are you talking about? What does RA have to do with GLC, and the topic of this discussion, which was the Ann Arbor Railroad- nowhere near TC???

[TrainWatcher]

NightTrain, that made no sense at all. What are you talking about? What does RA have to do with GLC, and the topic of this discussion, which was the Ann Arbor Railroad- nowhere near TC???

Rick, I think he might be referancing the idea, that the GLC Management might want to also cooperate (sell) with RA making the Annie one single road from TC to Toledo again.

[MP73point4]

He may also be thinking "old school" Ann Arbor in its entirety from Toledo to Frankfort (and throwing in the TC area trackage), not making the distinction between the current Ann Arbor and GLC operated segments of the original Ann Arbor.

[chapmaja]

A purchase by RA of the AA and GLC would make this into one massive system actually.

The system itself would extend from TC on the north end, to Chicago on the west, Cincy on the south and however far east the CFE and IORY extend (in Ohio), plus the Thumb trackage of Michigan. . All of them could be incorperated into one operating system, which would potentially make for very intersting movements.

[TrainWatcher]

I think i'd give both CSX and NS a run for their money when it comes to Michigan commerce.

[Rick in TC]

Interesting points! That would be quite the system, and you would think the ability to offer lower rates since much or the mileage could be on RA, depending on the destinations.

[Nighttrain404]

I was saying since theirs only one costumer out in Grawn and the cherry growers are staying with the truck traffic the rails would be ripped out just leaving the costumer in Willaimsburg. And even browns lumber only receives one car a week barely .