Imlay City Northern (ICN)

Sub forum for Paper Railroads
User avatar
AARR
Ann Arbor RR Nerd
Posts: 37900
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:39 pm
Location: Washington, MI

Imlay City Northern (ICN)

Unread post by AARR »

Imlay City Northern (ICN) started service in 1984 on the ex-GTW Cass City Sub from Imlay City Junction (Milepost 33.1) to Pigeon (Berne Road, Milepost 92.8) for 60 miles. In 1989 the line from Imlay City Junction to Oxford Gravel Pit (Milepost 16.0) with the line ending at the old junction with Michigan Central (Milepost 14.0) was reopened adding 19 miles. Interchanges are with CN (GTW) at Pigeon, HESR (SGV, CSX/Chessie) at Clifford and HESR (CSX/Chessie) at Pigeon.

Engine Roster History:
Owner: Imlay City Northern
Model: EMD GP7 Built As: DTS 41 (GP7)
Serial Number: 12459
Order No: 5062
Frame Number: 5062-1 Built: 1/1951
Notes: Acquired from GTW 1984
Other locos with this serial: ICN 6041(GP7) DTS 41(GP7)
Image

Owner: Imlay City Northern
Model: EMD GP7 Built As: DTS 44 (GP7)
Serial Number: 15526
Order No: 5109
Frame Number: 5109-2 Built: 11/1951
Notes: Acquired from GTW 1984
Other locos with this serial: ICN 6044(GP7) DTS 44(GP7)
Image

They acquired a pair of Chessie GP9’s in 1989:
Owner: Imlay City Northern
Model: EMD GP9 Built As: BO 6581 (GP9)
Serial Number: 24365
Order No: 5568
Frame Number: 5568-10 Built: 1/1958
Notes: Acquired from Chessie 1989
Other locos with this serial: ICN 6581(GP9) BO 6581(GP9)
Image

Owner: Imlay City Northern

Model: EMD GP9 Built As: BO 6594 (GP9)
Serial Number: 24378
Order No: 5568
Frame Number: 5568-23 Built: 2/1958
Notes: Acquired from Chessie 1989
Other locos with this serial: ICN 6594(GP9) BO 6594(GP9)
Image

The engine house is in Imlay City.

Customer History:
• Initially serviced a hand full of elevators that all shipped around 75-100 cars annually. Most stopped shipping by rail during the 90's.
• Pigeon Coop (later renamed Cooperative Elevator) in Pigeon expanded to ship 1,500-2,000 cars annually in 1984. Initially most cars were handled by Chessie/CSX (with ICN doing the in-plant switching). When the CSX sold the Sebewaing line to HESR ICN got the traffic back, but most was interchanged to CSX in Clifford. When HESR/SGV acquired the Port Huron line most of the traffic shifted back to the Pigeon interchange. ICN continues to handle the in-plant switching.
• Initially serviced a handful of small fertilizer dealers
• Vlassic Pickles in Imlay City which shipped about 250 cars annually. Around 2006 CN built a spur direct from their mainline (including a bridge over ICN) and all business dried-up for ICN.
• Shipments of limestone from Wallace (about 3 miles west of Pigeon) started in the late 1980's (after HESR took over the Sebewaing Sub from CSX). They are unloaded at Oxford Pits where a transload was established. Carloads started at about 2,250 a year but have grown to 3,375 annually.
• There were a handful of non-ag shippers that were small volume customers such as Cass City Wire that received 2-3 cars a month.

Current Customer List:
• Koenig now operates the gravel pit in Oxford. They receive 2,250-3,375 cars per year (60-90 cars per week of limestone when busy and about half to a third of that when slow).
• Cooperative Elevator operates the former J & J Farm Services elevators and Royster-Clark fertilizer dealer in North Branch. From the beginning in 2007 CO has used this location to stage corn for the ethanol plant in Caro. After trying different arrangements (including trucks) the current system is to load a 25-car block per month. Since the sidings are short it takes several days/switches to load all the cars. The block is then interchanged with HESR at Clifford who shuttles it to Caro. CO also receives a dozen or so fertilizer cars annually.
• Star of the West operates a bulk bean plant south of Cass City (Rawson Road) that opened in 1984. It was expanded in 1997 and usually ships 2-4 covered hoppers a week. In 1997 they also added a small fertilizer plant that gets about a dozen cars a year.
• Millennium Steering in Cass City took over the Cass City Wire plant around 2000 and has steadily received 1-2 cars every week or two of plastic pellets since.
• Very recently Star of the West took over the former Wrubel/Merchant Grain elevator in Cass City and is using it as a bagged bean plant. They ship 1-3 boxcars a week.
• Cooperative Elevator operates a small fertilizer dealer in Gagetown that receives about a dozen cars annually
• Cooperative Pigeon operates a 1,500-2,000 car per year elevator in Pigeon. Most years many of the cars are interchanged in Pigeon with HESR (although ICN handles in-plant loading). However, in 2020, CN experimented shipping 110 car blocks south to the ports in Louisiana. Since the interchange in Imlay City between CN/ICN can only handle about 25 cars ICN has to use the CN mainline/passing siding to exchange these grain blocks.
• Cooperative Elevator main dry fertilizer plant is in Pigeon north of the elevator receiving 40-50 carloads annually. They also receive about a dozen or so liquid fertilizer tank cars too.
• Cooperative Elevator also operates a bean plant north of the main elevator. They ship primarily bagged beans in box cars usually averaging 4-6 cars per week.

Operations consists of the crew going on duty M-F at 7am and running wherever needed. When limestone is busy usually there are three round trips between Oxford Pits and Pigeon. Weekend service is common when aggregates are busy or if a large unit grain train needs loading.

New business: Prospects a few. There are a few small elevators/feed mills in Gagetown and Owendale and a small fertilizer dealer in Owendale. Vlassic is still in Imlay City and has expanded but they haven't shipped by rail in over 10 years. CN disconnected their spur to the plant while ICN's was still in place. Due to the cost of CN reconnecting the spur if Vlassic ever decided to resume rail service they might go with ICN. Vlassic can ship 300-400 carloads annually.
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...

User avatar
AARR
Ann Arbor RR Nerd
Posts: 37900
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:39 pm
Location: Washington, MI

Re: Imlay City Northern (ICN)

Unread post by AARR »

ICN continues to operate without many changes. The Geeps grind out the heavy loads reliably. Service remains 3-6x per week with about 3 round trips between Oxford and Pigeon when the stone business is heavy. ICN is forecasting over 6,000 carloads in 2022. This is lower than the 100 cars per mile per year of profitability standard. The rail was upgraded to 286,000-pound standards through a combination of grants, loans and customer subsidies.

Although Cooperative Elevator in Pigeon sends quite a few carloads/unit trains via HESR (for LSRC/CSX or GLC/AA/NS) ICN still switches the cars during the loading process. The only cars ICN takes south are those interchanged with CN in Imlay City. The 25 car blocks are ok, but anything bigger must be set out on the CN 2nd main and requires going up a somewhat steep incline. For the 110 car units it takes all four of my engines two cuts to get up the hill.

ICN is a marginally profitable railroad. They get by with employees who multi-task. The Team pitches in wherever needed.
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...

User avatar
AARR
Ann Arbor RR Nerd
Posts: 37900
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:39 pm
Location: Washington, MI

Re: Imlay City Northern (ICN)

Unread post by AARR »

The stone from Wallace (east of Pigeon on HESR) to Oxford (Koenig) is going strong. Typically, ICN makes three round trips per week between Pigeon and Oxford averaging 20-30 cars of stone per trip. Usually, a of the Geeps can handle it.

There are several customers who require switching once a week: Both Star of the West plants in Cass City, the Cooperative Bean elevator and grain plants both in Pigeon. Although they only ship a few cars at a time a third engine is usually added because the interchange with CN in Imlay City is up a steep incline.

The Cooperative Elevator in Pigeon has received several 105 car unit trains of covered hoppers to be loaded with corn. 50 of those cars are loaded at their Pigeon plant and 55 are interchanged with HESR who takes them to be loaded at their Elkton plant five miles to the east. All four engines are needed to pull the loads back to Imlay City. Then the train is broken into three sections (35 each) and all four engines push the cars up the interchange incline to CN's Imlay City passing siding about a mile on the east side of town. It can take several hours to get all 105 cars on the siding. When large unit grain trains from CN are loaded at Cooperative Elevator in Pigeon it often requires a sixth day of service to keep the stone and other customers fluid.

When HESR brings in large unit trains to be loaded at the Cooperative Elevator in Pigeon they park the cars on the loading spur, but ICN moves the cars around until they are all loaded. HESR will pick them up later and take them back to Saginaw (LSRC/CSX) or Durand (GLC-NS).
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...

User avatar
AARR
Ann Arbor RR Nerd
Posts: 37900
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:39 pm
Location: Washington, MI

Re: Imlay City Northern (ICN)

Unread post by AARR »

ICN is planning on either overhauling or rebuilding all four Geeps at the end of the stone season (around Nov or Dec) or replacing them. Although parts are still accessible for the venerable engines, newer models with better fuel mileage and newer parts may be more economical. Management will be accessing the options.
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...

User avatar
AARR
Ann Arbor RR Nerd
Posts: 37900
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:39 pm
Location: Washington, MI

Re: Imlay City Northern (ICN)

Unread post by AARR »

Both Star of the West mills in Cass City have recently significantly reduced carloads.

The Rawson location (south of town) ships edible beans in bulk was loading two to four covered hoppers per week but now is shipping one to three every other week.

The downtown location (ships edible beans bagged in box cars) was shipping one to two cars per week but now ships that many per month.

The downturns came without warning and an official reason has not been given yet by Star of the West. ICN does not know if they are upset with something ICN did, a Class One connector, if they lost business or if there are new destinations for their product. Communication with Star of the West can be frustrating sometimes.

The stone business has slowed down for the season.

Grain shipments are up but will level off soon before also slowing down until the Spring wheat season.

When the stone traffic is slow operations average two to three days per week with one engine able to handle all the duties.
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...

User avatar
AARR
Ann Arbor RR Nerd
Posts: 37900
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:39 pm
Location: Washington, MI

Re: Imlay City Northern (ICN)

Unread post by AARR »

The Cooperative Elevator bean plant in Pigeon just completed an expansion. They are forecasting up to 300 carloads annually of bagged edible beans shipped in box cars. Most of those cars will be interchanged with CN in Imlay City but some will go via HESR in Pigeon to LSRC in Saginaw or GLC in Durand (and then forwarded to NS via AA).
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...

User avatar
David Collins
Youtube Railfan Guru
Posts: 2756
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2020 10:46 am
Location: Bloomfield Hills, Mi
Contact:

Re: Imlay City Northern (ICN)

Unread post by David Collins »

AARR wrote:
Sat Jun 24, 2023 8:42 am
The Cooperative Elevator bean plant in Pigeon just completed an expansion. They are forecasting up to 300 carloads annually of bagged edible beans shipped in box cars. Most of those cars will be interchanged with CN in Imlay City but some will go via HESR in Pigeon to LSRC in Saginaw or GLC in Durand (and then forwarded to NS via AA).
I have a pair of SD70ACU’s with 4,500 horsepower each and AC traction for sale that haven’t sold yet, perfect for long and heavy trains!
Ferris State University’s Train Guy

Youtube: Michigan Railfan Films

Flickr: David R. Collins

SC: daveeed1k

User avatar
AARR
Ann Arbor RR Nerd
Posts: 37900
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:39 pm
Location: Washington, MI

Re: Imlay City Northern (ICN)

Unread post by AARR »

Please post there prior owner(s) and numbers. The MIGN might be interested.
David Collins wrote:
Sat Jun 24, 2023 11:30 am
I have a pair of SD70ACU’s with 4,500 horsepower each and AC traction for sale that haven’t sold yet, perfect for long and heavy trains!
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...

User avatar
David Collins
Youtube Railfan Guru
Posts: 2756
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2020 10:46 am
Location: Bloomfield Hills, Mi
Contact:

Re: Imlay City Northern (ICN)

Unread post by David Collins »

AARR wrote:
Sat Jun 24, 2023 12:41 pm
Please post there prior owner(s) and numbers. The MIGN might be interested.
I should probably give a little background on what an SD70ACU is if you don’t know. The ACU is essentially an SD90MAC, rebuilt with an SD70ACe cab, better technology (with some PTC hiccups unfortunately) and vastly improved pulling power.

The two units are as follows:

GCRR 7277, nee NS 7277, nee UP 3649 and 8049 (I believe those are the former UP numbers)

GCRR 7305, nee NS 7305, nee UP 3614 and UP 8014 (once again, UP’s are assumptions)

We have new build locomotives arriving on property so we no longer need the ACU’s. They’re great performing locomotives minus the Positive Train Control problems they’re known for having, and crews love them.
Attachments
IMG_0901.jpeg
IMG_0899.jpeg
Ferris State University’s Train Guy

Youtube: Michigan Railfan Films

Flickr: David R. Collins

SC: daveeed1k

User avatar
AARR
Ann Arbor RR Nerd
Posts: 37900
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:39 pm
Location: Washington, MI

Re: Imlay City Northern (ICN)

Unread post by AARR »

Thank David for the information. I’ll look at my paper railroads and let you know.
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...

User avatar
AARR
Ann Arbor RR Nerd
Posts: 37900
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:39 pm
Location: Washington, MI

Re: Imlay City Northern (ICN)

Unread post by AARR »

ICN has been carrying limestone from the pits east of Pigeon at Wallace to the pits east of Oxford since the late 80’s. Business has grown substantially over the years. An average year sees them shipping 2,250-3,375 carloads. During the busiest season that average 62-93 cars per week. Typically, the service is three round trips per week. A fleet of ex GM&O high top hoppers have been in service since the early 1990’s During the winter they are used in sugar beet service and in the summer limestone. It was a great arrangement. In 2016 sugar beet service ended and they became dedicated to limestone service. However, they are nearing their useful life and will need replacing. These cars have an interchange exemption to operate on both HESR and ICN. They may be overhauled and have their useful lives extended by 20 years or replaced (possibly by 286,000-pound cars).
Image

There is a nostalgia for these cars as they have been in dedicated service for 30 years.
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...

User avatar
AARR
Ann Arbor RR Nerd
Posts: 37900
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:39 pm
Location: Washington, MI

Re: Imlay City Northern (ICN)

Unread post by AARR »

It is official now that all non-stone traffic will be interchanged with HESR at Pigeon (Cass City-Pigeon customers) or Clifford (North Branch customers). CN has mandated that this arrangement so the interchange tracks at Imlay City will be placed out of service (however, ICN will leave them in place). The Imlay City interchange tracks are on a steep grade which makes for a slow and at times dangerous process. Only the stone traffic will traverse the entire line from Pigeon to Oxford. Unofficially, ICN has been sending most cars to HESR anyway for several years.

In other news, Vita Plus has resumed shipping by rail from its Gagetown and Owendale locations as well as receiving some dry fertilizer. Most of their capacity is for corn destined for Caro or Marysville but with ethanol demand dropping they will use some of their storage for beans and wheat. They are forecasting to ship 50-70 cars per year from both locations combined in 15-car blocks to their mills in WI. The Owendale location will also receive a few cars of fertilizer.

This is how the customer list looks currently:
• Oxford – Koenig Sand & Gravel: Receives 60-90 cars per week usually in three blocks of 20-30 cars each. They receive ½ to 1/3 of that during the slower seasons.
• North Branch – Cooperative Elevator: Receives a dozen or so fertilizer cars (dry and liquid) annually and ships out six to eight 25-car blocks of corn annually that are shuttled to the ethanol plant in Caro by HESR. CE uses this site for corn storage destined for the Caro ethanol plant and doesn’t stock any other commodities currently.
• Cass City (Rawson) – Star of the West: They use this to store edible beans in bulk and ship two to three cars per week.
• Cass City – Millenium Steering: Receives four to six cars of plastic pellets per month.
• Cass City – Star of the West: This is the old Merchant Grain/nee Wrubel Elevator. Star of the West acquired it in 2019 and ships edible beans bagged. They average two to four cars per month using ratty old 50’ 77 ton boxcars.
• Gagetown & Owendale – Vita Plus elevators have begun shipping again after a 20 year hiatus. They will combine to ship two to three 15-car blocks of soybeans per year and a single 15-car block of wheat each Spring. All cars are destined for other Vita grain processing centers. Owendale also receives less than 12 cars a year of potash.
• Gagetown – Cooperative Elevator: A small fertilizer dealer that receives less than 12 cars per year of dry and liquid fertilizer.
• Pigeon – Cooperative Elevator: This is a large terminal that receives dry and liquid fertilizer (40-50 and 12-15 cars per year respectively) and ships out 1,500-2,000 cars per year of barley, corn, edible beans, oats, rye, soybeans and wheat. They ship as few as three to five carloads, up to 110 at a time. Cooperative Elevator will also load unit trains from multiple elevators (Akron, Pigeon, Elkton and Ruth). ICN handles all the interplant switching with HESR setting out and picking up.
• Pigeon – Cooperative Elevator: This is their edible bean plant where they ship bagged products in boxcars. A recent expansion allows them to ship up to 300 cars per year often in ratty old 50’ 77 ton boxcars. Much of their product goes to food processors in Mexico.

ICN’s engine roster is made up of two GP7’s that are over 70 years old and two GP9’s that are over 60 years old. Although they have served ICN well, there are dependability issues starting and the stone trains require engines that can pull and have higher in-service times. Since the stone trains are pulled in blocks not exceeding 30-35 cars at a time, a pair of newer Geeps, like GP38-2’s or -3’s, are a perfect fit. The plan is to acquire three new engines for road service and keep one of the old Geeps around to switch the Cooperative Elevator. ICN will visit Bay City Locomotive Leasing (BCLX) to see what is in their inventory.

See the above post regarding the stone cars. With a glut of hopper cars on the market ICN is leaning toward acquiring used (but newer than the ex-GMO hoppers) to handle stone traffic between Wallace and Oxford rather than rebuild the existing fleet. A stone car can make a full turn in about a week so ICN believes that four sets of 30 cars will be adequate to service their customers.

During the busy season of stone, the train moves somewhere every day on the system. They use trackage rights on HESR from Pigeon west to Wallace (three miles) to directly serve the Wallace Quarry. They also frequently use Wallace Quarry’s small yard to interchange cars with HESR rather than Pigeon. When the stone season slows down, ICN’s operation is reduced to two to three days per week with them only going to Oxford or Wallace one day a week. It is best to call the office in Imlay City to find out where the crew is that day.

ICN is railfan friendly if you stay off the equipment and their property. Unfortunately, they have had a few problems with theft (attempting to remove stuff from the venerable engines) and vandalism (young climate alarmists painting graffiti messages on ICN property including one of the GP9’s). ICN will prosecute anyone who commits a crime on their property. If you respect their property, you won’t have a problem.
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...

User avatar
AARR
Ann Arbor RR Nerd
Posts: 37900
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:39 pm
Location: Washington, MI

Re: Imlay City Northern (ICN)

Unread post by AARR »

ICN is acquiring the three following engines from Helm Financial:

Owner: Imlay City Northern
Model: Rebuilt EMD GP38-3 Built As: BO 3833 (GP38)
Serial Number: 33351
Order No: 7060
Frame Number: 7060-34 Built: 10/1967
Notes: Acq 2024. Rblt 2024.
Other locos with this serial: ICN 900(GP38-3) HLCX 900(GP38-3) TRRA 2000(GP38-3) KCS 900(GP38-3) UP 900(GP38-3) UP 2400(GP38-3) CSX 2033(GP38) BO 3833(GP38)
Image

Owner: Imlay City Northern
Model: Rebuilt EMD GP38-3 Built As: BO 3834 (GP38)
Serial Number: 33352
Order No: 7060
Frame Number: 7060-35 Built: 10/1967
Notes: Acq 2024. Rblt 2024.
Other locos with this serial: ICN 901(GP38-3) HLCX 901(GP38-3) UP 901(GP38-3) UP 2401(GP38-3) CSX 2034(GP38) BO 3834(GP38)
Image

Owner: Imlay City Northern
Model: Rebuilt EMD GP38-3 Built As: CO 3872 (GP38)
Serial Number: 33703
Order No: 7060
Frame Number: 7060-73 Built: 11/1967
Notes: Acq 2024. Rblt 2024.
Other locos with this serial: HLCX 902(GP38-3) NCRC 902(GP38-3) UP 902(GP38-3) UP 2402(GP38-3) CSX 2072(GP38) CO 3872(GP38)
Image

GP7 6041, GP9 6581 and GP9 6594 will be scrapped after the GP38-3’s arrive from rebuilding. GP7 6044 will be retained at stored in Pigeon to switch Cooperative Elevator’s huge grain elevator.

ICN is also acquiring 130 open top hopper cars from CN for limestone service.
Owner: Canadian National Railways
Type: Open Hopper
AAR Class: HT: Open top self-clearing car, having fixed sides and ends and bottom consisting of three or more divided hoppers with doors hinged crosswise of car and dumping between rails.
AAR Type: H350
Detail Info: Unequipped Hopper, Load Limit: 185,000 and greater, Non-rotary couplers
Plate: B
Max Gross Weight: 263000
Load Limit: 195400
Dry Capacity: 4341
Ext L/W/H: 54' 9" / 10' 7" / 13' 1"
Image
Image

Numbered in the 330003-330249 series, four sets of 30 cars will be utilized during the busy season with 10 spares. Since these cars will remain on ICN’s tracks and not be used for interchange it isn’t necessary that they be the new standard 286,000 lbs cars.
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...

Post Reply