Saginaw & Michigan Thumb (S&MT)

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AARR
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Saginaw & Michigan Thumb (S&MT)

Unread post by AARR »

In 2018 Genesee and Wyoming decided to sell its Michigan thumb lines including the Sebewaing Sub (Saginaw to Bad Axe), Bad Axe Sub (Croswell to Kinde and branch from Palms to Ruth), Vassar Cluster (Millington to Munger, Vassar to Colling and Denmark to Richville) and Port Huron Sub (Saginaw to Brown City). Approximately 222 miles of ROW.

These lines, operated under HESR by G&W, began to lose business quickly around 2015. Rather than invest and grow, G&W decided to "right-size" service (reduce) to match the lower revenues. This only accelerated the loss of more business and created poor relationships.
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...

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AARR
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Re: Saginaw & Michigan Thumb (S&MT)

Unread post by AARR »

Initial Roster

Owner: Huron and Eastern
Model: EMD GP38 Built As: GMO 715 (GP38)
Serial Number: 35178
Order No: 7185
Frame Number: 7185-15 Built: 8/1969
Notes: ex-NECR
Other locos with this serial: HESR 2027(GP38) NECR 3852(GP38) NECR 9534(GP38) ICG 9534(GP38) GMO 715(GP38)
Image

Owner: Huron and Eastern
Model: EMD GP38AC Built As: LN 4023 (GP38AC)
Serial Number: 35977
Order No: 7234
Frame Number: 7234-4 Built: 5/1971
Notes:
Other locos with this serial: HESR 2029(GP38AC) CORP 5153(GP38) CORP 3838(GP38AC) BIP 378(GP38-3) CSX 2153(GP38AC) LN 4023(GP38AC)
Image

Owner: Huron and Eastern
Model: EMD GP38-2 Built As: CRIP 4352 (GP38-2)
Serial Number: 757136-38
Order No: 757136
Frame Number: 757136-38 Built: 11/1976
Notes: Ex-P&LE, Exx-CRIP
Other locos with this serial: HESR 3868(GP38-2) HESR 204(GP38-2) PLE 2057(GP38-2) CRIP 4352(GP38-2)
Image

Owner: Huron and Eastern
Model: EMD GP38AC Built As: BO 3718 (GP40)
Serial Number: 34841
Order No: 7158
Frame Number: 7158-19 Built: 3/1969
Notes: Ex-BO
Other locos with this serial: HESR 8802(GP38AC) CMGN 8802(GP38AC) IMRR 8802(GP38AC) BO 3718(GP40)
Image

Owner: Kiamichi
Model: EMD GP35 Built As: CEI 256 (GP35)
Serial Number: 29649
Order No: 7758
Frame Number: 7758-2 Built: 9/1964
Notes: ex-CEI
Other locos with this serial: KRR 3805(GP38-2) KRR 3805(GP35) CEI 256(GP35)
Image
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...

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AARR
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Re: Saginaw & Michigan Thumb (S&MT)

Unread post by AARR »

Operations:
800 – A weekday job that originates at Arthur, works to Saginaw and returns. Interchanges with LSRC and HESR in Saginaw. Works customers between Saginaw and Arthur. Sometimes will work east past Arthur if time permits.

805 – A weeknight job that originates wherever 800 finishes and works to Sebewaing. Sometimes works as far as Wallace, Pigeon or Elkton. Switches all local customers. Exchanges cars with 810 and 820.

810 – A weekday job that originates in Vassar. Works customers on the Vassar Cluster and Port Huron Sub. Interchanges cars with 805 in Reese and LSRC in Saginaw (Towerline Yard).

815 – A weeknight job that is called as needed if 810 does not finish their work (for example when an elevator is loading a unit train).

820 – A weekday job that originates at Bad Axe. Works local customers between Wallace and Croswell including the Kinde and Ruth Branches. Exchanges cars with 805. Sometimes works short to Elkton, Pigeon or Wallace.

825 – A weeknight job that is called as needed if 820 does not finish their work (for example when an elevator is loading a unit train).

Grain and windmill extras run as 850 jobs but most, even units, run as standard symbols.

Saturdays are common during the heavy grain season and run as standard symbols or 850 jobs.
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: Saginaw & Michigan Thumb (S&MT)

Unread post by GRHC »

Engine pictures (in HESR schemes) added above.
[/quote]

Nice touch with the engine photos.
The next thing you should do is include track maps for each of your paper railroads. 😉

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AARR
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Re: Saginaw & Michigan Thumb (S&MT)

Unread post by AARR »

You are correct. I will have to improve my computer skills to do it.
GR H & C wrote:
Sun May 22, 2022 9:32 pm
The next thing you should do is include track maps for each of your paper railroads. 😉
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...

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AARR
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Re: Saginaw & Michigan Thumb (S&MT)

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A lot of grain is moving from the elevators as they empty their silos in preparation for this year’s corn harvest. Quite a few large unit trains (85-105 cars) are being handled requiring all seven engines to be operational (usually the six-axle and two to three of the four axles are assigned to a unit train of grain). That leaves the three or four other engines to handle the rest of the customers.

Inbound fertilizer, both dry and liquid, is also filling up the consists. S&MT does not have a truly huge fertilizer terminal, but all the small ones can add up to some 25 car blocks that require multiple setouts. For example, Cooperative Elevator will receive a 25-car block of potash and S&MT will drop those cars off at five locations. If Nutrien and Helena receive cars at the same time the block may be as large as 40-45 cars. The same is true of liquid nitrogen.
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...

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AARR
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Re: Saginaw & Michigan Thumb (S&MT)

Unread post by AARR »

Business has picked up substantially at POET Biorefining in Caro. Corn shuttles will resume from online elevators adding a 25-30 car block a week. They also continue to receive a 26-car block of corn weekly from WI via HESR/CN/WSOR. Dry Distilled Grain (DDG) averages 5-8 cars per week and ethanol shipments average 7-11 cars per week. Jobs 810 and 815 work POET three to five days per week now and sometimes a sixth day. It often takes several hours to pull, spot and move cars around. POET has a switch mobile for interplant switching. Most traffic is interchanged with 805.
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...

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AARR
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Re: Saginaw & Michigan Thumb (S&MT)

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Due to an increase in business two engines were acquired in December 2022. They are:
Owner: Lake State Railway Company
Model: EMD SD40 Built As: GTW 5921 (SD40)
Serial Number: 36887
Order No: 7289
Frame Number: 7289-1 Built: 8/1970
Notes: Ex-GTW
Other locos with this serial: LSRC 5921(SD40) GTW 5921(SD40)
Image

Owner: Haines & Kibblehouse Inc.
Model: EMD SD38 Built As: DTI 250 (SD38)
Serial Number: 34863
Order No: 7161
Frame Number: 7161-1 Built: 7/1969
Notes: EX DT&I
Other locos with this serial: HKGX 2005(SD38) RBMN 2005(SD38) GTW 6250(SD38) DTI 250(SD38)
Image
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...

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AARR
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Re: Saginaw & Michigan Thumb (S&MT)

Unread post by AARR »

Several shuttle trains have started up recently. These are movements that G&W has lost but S&MT have regained. They are:
• As mentioned in the 8/10/22 post, 25-30 car blocks of corn are being shuttled from online elevators to POET Biorefining in Caro.
• Wallace Stone in Wallace (west of Pigeon) will ship small blocks of stone for ready mix to Saginaw (transload spur east of Saginaw), Vassar (the old Sargent Sand spur) and Deckerville.
• Michigan Sugar will resume the sugar beet shuttle from Deckerville to their Bay City plant via HESR. This will result in more frequent train symbols 825 operating especially during the “Campaign” when Michigan Sugar plants operate 24/7.
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...

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AARR
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Re: Saginaw & Michigan Thumb (S&MT)

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S&MT has accepted an offer from Genesee & Wyoming (HESR Division) to acquire the entire line. S&MT worked hard to meet the 100 cars per one mile of track per year profitability level and felt that it would be in better hands with a company that has more operational experience and finances to invest. The transition dates is forecasted for 10/1/23.

Many railfans are disappointed because it was G&W in the first place that let service deteriorate to the point that they sold to the local group of owners/managers. However, S&MT believes they have maxed out new business opportunities (acquiring new business was their strength) and having an experienced short line operator is in the best interest of the line.

There is a huge fight at RailroadFan.com between the railroad employees and railfans about the pros and cons of this sale. The thread has not been shut down yet but as name calling and insults fly it is a matter of time before ~Z~ Beavis and Butthead’s it. :lol:
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...

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