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Dowagiac Train Dude wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 27, 2021 11:02 am

Do you know if Pfizer and the airport are still in talks of moving the rail line so they can extend the runways to the south? I think it was a few years ago that they were discussing this but I don’t remember hearing or seeing anything else about it.

https://flyazo.com/runway-extension-project/

PatAzo wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 27, 2021 12:26 pm

Dowagiac Train Dude wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 27, 2021 11:02 am

Do you know if Pfizer and the airport are still in talks of moving the rail line so they can extend the runways to the south? I think it was a few years ago that they were discussing this but I don’t remember hearing or seeing anything else about it.

https://flyazo.com/runway-extension-project/

Thank you very much.

Are they trying to justify the giant control tower at the airport? Ridiculous.
If this comes to pass, I wonder if they'll rebuild the Mueller Plastics siding. As far as I know, its never seen a carload.

Ben Higdon wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 29, 2021 10:15 am

If this comes to pass, I wonder if they'll rebuild the Mueller Plastics siding. As far as I know, its never seen a carload.

Now called MANN+HUMMEL.

GDLK earlier today at 14:45 passed the Elkhart depot heading east onto the Kalamazoo Secondary with 79 cars, behind WAMX 4189 and 4209.

Ben Higdon wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 29, 2021 10:15 am

Are they trying to justify the giant control tower at the airport? Ridiculous.
If this comes to pass, I wonder if they'll rebuild the Mueller Plastics siding. As far as I know, its never seen a carload.

lol seriously? they needed a new control tower. the “size” of it is irrelevant. federal regulations state that controllers have to see the entire field. it houses more than just the local controllers too; they also handle approach and departure traffic for most airports in the region including Grand Rapids and Lansing and I think even Flint. It’s called TRACON if you’re interested in doing some research.

Made a quick trip down to Kalamazoo yesterday and noted the following relative to Grand Elk industries:

Nutrien in Moline- noted about a half dozen covered hoppers from 131, including several BNSF cars and a big BN green one, too

Endeavor in Wayland- that GLLX GT high hood has some work to do! I’m not sure I’ve ever seen cars on their loop. But today, about 3-4 tankcars and a long line of covered hoppers trailed out behind the locomotive.

Kalamazoo- I cruised by the growing Graphics Packaging plant, wow, what a change! I noted the “semaphore” for SB trains near Mosel is more visible now since something was demolished in that area. About 8 Thiele tankcars were stationed around North Yard.

Meanwhile, I was surprised to see a couple ballast hoppers near the old load out on the CK&S south of Paterson. I didn’t know this was still used! With the expanding gentrification moving north, I wonder how long this ancient infrastructure will live on?

Gentrification?

PatAzo wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 06, 2022 11:45 am

Gentrification?

noun
The process whereby the character of a poor urban area is changed by wealthier people moving in, improving housing, and attracting new businesses, typically displacing current inhabitants in the process. "an area undergoing rapid gentrification"

In the above case referring to the change in motive power

AARR wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 06, 2022 12:14 pm

noun
The process whereby the character of a poor urban area is changed by wealthier people moving in...

In the above case referring to the change in motive power

I know what it is. I don't see a trend of the wealthy displacing the poor from the North Side.

Are they replacing older engines with newer ones?

PatAzo wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 06, 2022 4:07 pm

AARR wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 06, 2022 12:14 pm

noun
The process whereby the character of a poor urban area is changed by wealthier people moving in...

In the above case referring to the change in motive power

I know what it is. I don't see a trend of the wealthy displacing the poor from the North Side.

PatAzo wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 06, 2022 4:07 pm

I know what it is. I don't see a trend of the wealthy displacing the poor from the North Side.

Agreed, the North Side is super sketchy...the gentrification in Kalamazoo is mainly around the downtown area and WMU.

AARR, what are you referring to by changing motive power?

Guys, I would have been skeptical as you are but I have just seen it with my own eyes. In Kalamazoo, east of Bells/the footprint of BO, both north and south, surprising new investment in formerly industrial lands. I lived in Kzoo from 2003-2008 and spent part of that time walking this neighborhood, waiting for trains, before I had a car. Other than Water Street, there were no coffee joints, let alone other breweries (beside the Eccentric), distilleries, etc. Perhaps you call it "investment" instead of gentrification, but it is changing the face of this particular slice of one neighborhood all the same.

NVM, I was thinking of something else.

NS3322 wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 06, 2022 5:26 pm

AARR, what are you referring to by changing motive power?

Before Bells was Bells it was a tire shop on the south side and a scrap yard on the north. Water Street Coffee was a gas station. Food Dance Cafe was a furniture store. Shakespeare produced fishing gear and can controls. Arcadia Brewing was an abandoned power plant.. Commercial/industrial properties have evolved. Where are wealthy displacing the poor residence?

There are new apartment development but I don’t see a trend of older homes being razed to build new and unaffordable ones.

The ballast unload pit will probably last until someone makes NS and offer for the property. If future generations continue to return to the city center development will continue.

GDLK/WAMX so far is sticking with the largely 645 powered locomotives.

I'm not sure "gentrification" fits, but replacing industrial structures with residential buildings and recreational business aimed at the young upwardly mobile crowd changes the character of the area. People of a certain income range are seen as a blight on such communities and the remaining industrial structures more so. It is amazing how people will build a house or business near a busy rail line or industrial area and then complain about the noise and disruption that was there before they arrived. Cities seeing money from the new residences and businesses are happy to agree and push the blight out of town - and then complain about the manufacturing jobs lost.

Graphic traffic is supposed to pick up in the next week or so. Expect 105 to make more trips up there per week.

I saw on Facebook that HLCX 3834 was reassigned to the FOXY in Wausau, is GMTX 2204 still on property?

NS3322 wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 18, 2022 11:16 am

I saw on Facebook that HLCX 3834 was reassigned to the FOXY in Wausau, is GMTX 2204 still on property?

Doubtful. Saw GMTX 2204 go south from Grand Rapids on Jan 11th, was trailing, and haven't seen it since:
https://railroadfan.com/phpbb/viewtopic ... 04#p479049

does anyone know where all the cars in storage in Hugart yard went to? The yard seems a lot emptier than I have seen it in a while