Tracks in Fremont, Michigan

[David Collins]

I was scouring googlé maps to see if there’s any tracks close to my college and found some in Fremont, are they still in use, and if so, who owns them and how often are trains running on that line?

[~Z~]

Michigan Shore based out of Muskegon owns it. Very very rarely used. Wiki page of the customers:
https://railroadfan.com/wiki/index.php/ ... n_.28MS.29

[NS3322]

Michigan Shore based out of Muskegon owns it. Very very rarely used. Wiki page of the customers:
https://railroadfan.com/wiki/index.php/ ... n_.28MS.29

Yep, very infrequent. I am not even sure MS has gone up there this year. Ceres Solutions moved almost all of their operations that require rail in Fremont to White Cloud on the MQT a few years ago. I do believe Ceres in Fremont was/is getting occasional covered hoppers for fertilizer production.

Not sure if they are still transloading lumber.

I see someone re-added Gerber on the list as inactive, but I do not think they have shipped/used rail since around 2006 so I removed it. That is roughly when they switched to plastic jars instead of glass...which are easier to transport in semi trucks. Typically we do not include customers that have not used rail in 5+ years on the Wiki.

[AARR]

IMHO if the customer has a spur we should list it even if they haven't used it in over five years. Gerber still has a spur on their property (part of it is fenced in and could easily unload tank cars from it )

I see someone re-added Gerber on the list as inactive, but I do not think they have shipped/used rail since around 2006 so I removed it. That is roughly when they switched to plastic jars instead of glass...which are easier to transport in semi trucks. Typically we do not include customers that have not used rail in 5+ years on the Wiki.

[NS3322]

IMHO if the customer has a spur we should list it even if they haven't used it in over five years. Gerber still has a spur on their property (part of it is fenced in and could easily unload tank cars from it )

I see someone re-added Gerber on the list as inactive, but I do not think they have shipped/used rail since around 2006 so I removed it. That is roughly when they switched to plastic jars instead of glass...which are easier to transport in semi trucks. Typically we do not include customers that have not used rail in 5+ years on the Wiki.

I do agree that it is important to note past major customers...I will attempt to brainstorm a method of recording this info.

Update: AARR, I set up a sub-page within the MMRR/GRE/MS Wiki for former Michigan Shore customers as a test page for recording former customers. Let me know if you like it!
https://railroadfan.com/wiki/index.php/ ... _Customers

[AARR]

Looks good to me. Thank you.

I do agree that it is important to note past major customers...I will attempt to brainstorm a method of recording this info.

Update: AARR, I set up a sub-page within the MMRR/GRE/MS Wiki for former Michigan Shore customers as a test page for recording former customers. Let me know if you like it!
https://railroadfan.com/wiki/index.php/ ... _Customers

[MQT1223]

I don't understand why Michigan Shore bothers to hold onto the tracks from Barry Jct to Fremont anyway... that's a long stretch of railroad for the sporadic customer in Fremont. Gerber isn't going to come back to rail anytime soon.

I know the grade between White Cloud and Fremont is still railroad owned in case something catastrophic ever happened to the Grand Haven Swing Bridge but even that seems like a stretch to relay 10 or so miles of rail just to eliminate one bridge.

[DaveO]

Perusing google aerial imaging, I would say that's not correct. The grade has been overtaken by civilization.

[Steve B]

Perusing google aerial imaging, I would say that's not correct. The grade has been overtaken by civilization.

Among other obliterated parts, at one point it vanishes through a golf course.

[MQT1223]

Perusing google aerial imaging, I would say that's not correct. The grade has been overtaken by civilization.

I don't know what civilization you are referring to. I see only fields and a few buildings in downtown White Cloud that can be bypassed or taken back.

[MQT1223]

Perusing google aerial imaging, I would say that's not correct. The grade has been overtaken by civilization.

Among other obliterated parts, at one point it vanishes through a golf course.

Wouldn't be the first time a railroad cut through a golf course.

[DaveO]

I know the grade between White Cloud and Fremont is still railroad owned in case something catastrophic ever happened to the Grand Haven Swing Bridge but even that seems like a stretch to relay 10 or so miles of rail just to eliminate one bridge.

That clearly wasn't accurate. Now you are changing the statement.
They could use imminent domain to reclaim the grade.
Reality is that grade will stay abandoned regardless of the swing bridge operational status.
I suspect(opinion) that outright replacing the bridge would be cheaper and quicker than putting track back between Fremont and White Cloud.

[chapmaja]

Decided to look at the Google Maps Street view image from Fremont. Interestingly, the image, dated Sept 2019 shows at least two cars, 1 boxcar and 1 covered hopper at the Co-op.

There is some property in Fremont and in White Cloud that would require reclamation to reinstall that line, and the gold course might have some interesting holes with a rail line smack dab in the middle of the hole, but I don't see the line ever going in anyway.

I think it would actaully be cheaper and easier to reclaim the Musketawa Trail from Grand Rapids to Muskegon and connect to the Coopersville and Marne near Hayes St rather than relay the line from White Cloud to Fremont. (Not that either would happen, as the most like solution, barring a major federal government intervention prohibiting it, would be putting a replacement bridge in place).

[MQT1223]

Decided to look at the Google Maps Street view image from Fremont. Interestingly, the image, dated Sept 2019 shows at least two cars, 1 boxcar and 1 covered hopper at the Co-op.

There is some property in Fremont and in White Cloud that would require reclamation to reinstall that line, and the gold course might have some interesting holes with a rail line smack dab in the middle of the hole, but I don't see the line ever going in anyway.

I think it would actaully be cheaper and easier to reclaim the Musketawa Trail from Grand Rapids to Muskegon and connect to the Coopersville and Marne near Hayes St rather than relay the line from White Cloud to Fremont. (Not that either would happen, as the most like solution, barring a major federal government intervention prohibiting it, would be putting a replacement bridge in place).

I will also add that thus was CSX’s plan back when they operated both lines.

[David Collins]

Decided to look at the Google Maps Street view image from Fremont. Interestingly, the image, dated Sept 2019 shows at least two cars, 1 boxcar and 1 covered hopper at the Co-op.

I saw this too, was wondering about that.

[NS3322]

Decided to look at the Google Maps Street view image from Fremont. Interestingly, the image, dated Sept 2019 shows at least two cars, 1 boxcar and 1 covered hopper at the Co-op.

I saw this too, was wondering about that.

Fertilizer for the co-op and a boxcar for the lumber transload.