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Re: GDLK Operations

Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 10:40 pm
by 1TrackMind
NS3322 wrote:
Sun Apr 11, 2021 5:18 pm
1TrackMind wrote:
Fri Apr 09, 2021 9:48 pm
NS is no longer running from Jackson or Battle Creek to Kalamazoo. All traffic is now coming from Detroit.
What changed to cause this?
PSR and not having to pay the GDLK haulage

Re: GDLK Operations

Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2021 1:17 am
by justalurker66
So Jackson and Battle Creek are now being served from Detroit instead of Kalamazoo?
Cars to and from Jackson and Battle Creek no longer exchanged with GDLK in Kalamazoo?

Re: GDLK Operations

Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2021 7:09 am
by ns8401
LansingRailFan wrote:
Sun Apr 11, 2021 6:51 pm
ns8401 wrote:
Sun Apr 11, 2021 6:40 pm
NS3322 wrote:
Sun Apr 11, 2021 5:18 pm


What changed to cause this?
They get all the money if they move it all themselves. I’m sure that was a factor.
Uhhhh
Well... do you think the Grand Elk was moving the cars for free? Whatever they got takes away from what NS can receive for doing it and if I’m not mistaken the farther the car travels on your railroad the more it costs.

It won’t work very well operationally so I don’t think it’s gonna last.

Re: GDLK Operations

Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2021 7:13 am
by ns8401
justalurker66 wrote:
Mon Apr 12, 2021 1:17 am
So Jackson and Battle Creek are now being served from Detroit instead of Kalamazoo?
Cars to and from Jackson and Battle Creek no longer exchanged with GDLK in Kalamazoo?
Correct.

Re: GDLK Operations

Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2021 9:47 am
by GP30M4216
So, sorry to get sidetracked on the NS for a second, but basically what we have here is a similar situation to the setup from about 10 years ago, where all Wayne , Jackson and BC traffic comes from the east, right? How is this traffic being fed to the east end? Something like 38E/39E Elkhart-Wayne? Also, what job now switches Knappen Milling in Augusta?

Re: GDLK Operations

Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2021 10:01 am
by ns8401
GP30M4216 wrote:
Mon Apr 12, 2021 9:47 am
So, sorry to get sidetracked on the NS for a second, but basically what we have here is a similar situation to the setup from about 10 years ago, where all Wayne , Jackson and BC traffic comes from the east, right? How is this traffic being fed to the east end? Something like 38E/39E Elkhart-Wayne? Also, what job now switches Knappen Milling in Augusta?
The traffic rides 358 or 332 to Oakwood. The situation is only similar to the direction the traffic comes from. 10 years ago you had rack trains and coil steel trains out of Wayne. B19 handles all that traffic plus all of the Jackson-Lansing-Battle Creek traffic now Between Wayne and Oakwood. You can imagine how big of a train that could be. One day Last week they took 9+ hours to leave Wayne and had 152 cars and over 10,000’ of train. This morning when I was leaving for work around 430 they were still trying to leave. Wayne isn’t really set up for that volume of traffic to leave at once in a super efficient manner. The north pass isn’t long enough for them to fit more than about 100 cars or so. So they have to hand throw at Second street for head room and then close it before they can depart. If they are lucky they have a brakemen to do that for them but there have been times where the conductor is taking a long walk to the head end which can be as far East as Merriman Road or beyond.

Re: GDLK Operations

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 5:27 pm
by NS3322
Is the LC Howard warehouse by Gearhart (E Michigan Ave) still using rail? Wasn't this served by NS?

Re: GDLK Operations

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2021 1:55 am
by 1TrackMind
NS3322 wrote:
Thu Apr 15, 2021 5:27 pm
Is the LC Howard warehouse by Gearhart (E Michigan Ave) still using rail? Wasn't this served by NS?
They haven't gotten anything in probably over a year. Used to unload cotton seed.

Re: GDLK Operations

Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 3:13 pm
by Super Chief
Another reason Elk road trains are shorter all empties from GR go to CN at Kilgore then to BC. This has been going on for a while. Got to have a plan B when.NS says no more trains to Gearhart. How will new Graphic Packaging plant will affect traffic patterns? Will they ship by rail both ways or one way? Time will tell.

Re: GDLK Operations

Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 7:01 pm
by AARR
Super Chief wrote:
Tue Apr 20, 2021 3:13 pm
How will new Graphic Packaging plant will affect traffic patterns? Will they ship by rail both ways or one way? Time will tell.
By all means correct me if I'm wrong but it's my understanding that GP receives tank cars direct to their spur but any inbound scrap paper goes to LC Howard warehouses and all outbound product goes by truck.

Re: GDLK Operations

Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 9:29 pm
by Conrail Quality
Never posted on this board before. I used to be a long time member on the old Michigan Railroads Measage Board. Don't remember my log in credentials over there.

Anyway I just wanted to mention that the stone train mentioned earlier in this thread just came through Three Rivers at approx 8:15pm. Two NS locomotives, and lots of hoppers. My phone's battery was dead so was not able to record it. Sorry about that. Maybe next time.

Re: GDLK Operations

Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2021 1:48 am
by 1TrackMind
AARR wrote:
Tue Apr 20, 2021 7:01 pm
By all means correct me if I'm wrong but it's my understanding that GP receives tank cars direct to their spur but any inbound scrap paper goes to LC Howard warehouses and all outbound product goes by truck.
Scrap paper is delivered directly by GDLK.

Re: GDLK Operations

Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2021 6:55 am
by AARR
Thank you
1TrackMind wrote:
Wed Apr 21, 2021 1:48 am
AARR wrote:
Tue Apr 20, 2021 7:01 pm
By all means correct me if I'm wrong but it's my understanding that GP receives tank cars direct to their spur but any inbound scrap paper goes to LC Howard warehouses and all outbound product goes by truck.
Scrap paper is delivered directly by GDLK.

Re: GDLK Operations

Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2021 8:03 am
by LansingRailFan
Conrail Quality wrote:
Tue Apr 20, 2021 9:29 pm
Never posted on this board before. I used to be a long time member on the old Michigan Railroads Measage Board. Don't remember my log in credentials over there.

Anyway I just wanted to mention that the stone train mentioned earlier in this thread just came through Three Rivers at approx 8:15pm. Two NS locomotives, and lots of hoppers. My phone's battery was dead so was not able to record it. Sorry about that. Maybe next time.
Welcome!

Re: GDLK Operations

Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2021 9:18 am
by GP30M4216
AARR wrote:
Tue Apr 20, 2021 7:01 pm
Super Chief wrote:
Tue Apr 20, 2021 3:13 pm
How will new Graphic Packaging plant will affect traffic patterns? Will they ship by rail both ways or one way? Time will tell.
By all means correct me if I'm wrong but it's my understanding that GP receives tank cars direct to their spur but any inbound scrap paper goes to LC Howard warehouses and all outbound product goes by truck.
Back when I was living in kzoo 2003-2008, the occasional scrap paper loads came in boxcars and went to a loading dock inside GP Kalamazoo Board Mill plant #6, which is on the east side of the tracks between Paterson and the water plant. Google Maps shows two boxcars on that spur sitting outside the plant, so I bet that’s where they still go. It was always nice to see something other than tank cars going up that way. I think GP is the very last active customer up there now?

Has anyone seen a site plan for the GP expansion on the old Checker site? I’m curious to know how big the footprint will be, and, of course, if any new railroad loading or unloading docks are planned.

Re: GDLK Operations

Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2021 9:43 am
by GP30M4216
Also, looking up the former LS&MS north of Mosel and the Kalamazoo River in Parchment, I see a giant new industrial building is under construction on former Crown Vantage property, just north of the one-time last customer at the end of this line. Google Maps now has an LC Howard pin dropped on this former Georgia Pacific plant. Any chance there is rail service again north of Mosel going to this facility? I didn’t realize a spur was still in place into the former Hercules site up that way as well, but I’m pretty sure it is closed.

Re: GDLK Operations

Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2021 9:58 am
by Conrail Quality
LansingRailFan wrote:
Wed Apr 21, 2021 8:03 am
Conrail Quality wrote:
Tue Apr 20, 2021 9:29 pm
Never posted on this board before. I used to be a long time member on the old Michigan Railroads Measage Board. Don't remember my log in credentials over there.

Anyway I just wanted to mention that the stone train mentioned earlier in this thread just came through Three Rivers at approx 8:15pm. Two NS locomotives, and lots of hoppers. My phone's battery was dead so was not able to record it. Sorry about that. Maybe next time.
Welcome!
Thank you, my friend 🙂

Re: GDLK Operations

Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2021 1:43 pm
by 1TrackMind
GP30M4216 wrote:
Wed Apr 21, 2021 9:43 am
Also, looking up the former LS&MS north of Mosel and the Kalamazoo River in Parchment, I see a giant new industrial building is under construction on former Crown Vantage property, just north of the one-time last customer at the end of this line. Google Maps now has an LC Howard pin dropped on this former Georgia Pacific plant. Any chance there is rail service again north of Mosel going to this facility? I didn’t realize a spur was still in place into the former Hercules site up that way as well, but I’m pretty sure it is closed.
Rail service is planned.

Re: GDLK Operations

Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2021 3:46 pm
by NS3322
GP30M4216 wrote:
Wed Apr 21, 2021 9:18 am
Has anyone seen a site plan for the GP expansion on the old Checker site? I’m curious to know how big the footprint will be, and, of course, if any new railroad loading or unloading docks are planned.
Best I could find:
Image

Re: GDLK Operations

Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2021 7:44 pm
by GP30M4216
NS3322 - Thanks, I had not seen this map. Is that implying that Pitcher Street will permenently close south of Mosel as part of the project? Or just temporarily while the project takes place?

NS8401 - from earlier, thank you so much for the explanation of the current Oakwood-Wayne-Michigan Line traffic situation. It sounds like these are becoming huge trains. Good thing they can occupy a main and loaf along as needed without blocking the two Amtraks currently operating.