Riga-Ottawa Lake project

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MiddleMI
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Re: Riga-Ottawa Lake project

Unread post by MiddleMI »

So, yeah, I know this was here, but how it was being described it was as if this would be some massive obstracle that would preclude reconnection of the line. This could fairly easily be gone around.

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James Sofonia
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Re: Riga-Ottawa Lake project

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I've been thru this area before and as MRC mentioned it looked to me like you could squeak it by on the NE side of the building. But to the West although a longer diversion it would keep it further from the houses on RR street.

Joshua Niederkohr
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Re: Riga-Ottawa Lake project

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Waddy wrote:I think there are already plans in place to go around the tile shop to the west.
There has always been a plan since the one article was published in "The Blade" on December 3, 2012. They said they already have a plan to go around it. The building is a warehouse for the Tile Shop :D

bluestreak81
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Re: Riga-Ottawa Lake project

Unread post by bluestreak81 »

It's been a while since this thread has been updated...has there been any additional talk about re-building Riga to Ottawa Lake?

http://www.tmacog.org/TransportationMee ... roject.pdf

rail_watcher
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Re: Riga-Ottawa Lake project

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So, I'm wondering, with all the talk that new ownership is investing in the infrastructure of the rail lines to attract new customers, will they have a different view on reconnecting Riga to Ottawa Lake and invest the money to do it?

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DaveO
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Re: Riga-Ottawa Lake project

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Do you think Norfolk Southern is interested in short-hauling itself?

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ns8401
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Re: Riga-Ottawa Lake project

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DaveO wrote:
Tue Nov 16, 2021 9:53 am
Do you think Norfolk Southern is interested in short-hauling itself?
As I recall it was MDOT that had a plan for reconnecting it. I would think ADBF would get trackage rights down the line into Toledo. NS could keep the grain elevator in Riga as a customer AND get paid to have someone else run freight on the line. That’s a win-win.
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DaveO
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Re: Riga-Ottawa Lake project

Unread post by DaveO »

It wasn't MDOT, it was the owner at that time of the ADBF looking for free money.
How he got MDOT to participate is probably a study in politics.
If ADBF gets involved in the haul, they get involved in the shipping revenue.
It's only a short branch with enough traffic that I seriously doubt NS is interested in sharing that revenue.

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AARR
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Re: Riga-Ottawa Lake project

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ns8401 wrote:
Sat Nov 20, 2021 10:17 pm
NS could keep the grain elevator in Riga...
The elevator is in Ottawa Lake and it's huge
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...

jimnorthwood
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Re: Riga-Ottawa Lake project

Unread post by jimnorthwood »

https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot ... 4918_7.pdf

It was an MDOT project. See page 6, cells 106 and 107, of the above attachment. What role the railroad played, if any, in getting the project listed is not known to me.

It is my understanding the ethanol refinery in Blissfield is closed, or operating at greatly reduced capacity. I believe much if not all of the momentum for this project was lost when the facility closed. MDOT preferred the interchange of ethanol cars not take place in Adrian. It is also my understanding that when the refinery was still in operation, ADBF worked out an interchange agreement with IORY in Riga for the ethanol cars. This probably satisfied the main goal of the project as far as MDOT is concerned.

ADBF would likely accept federal or state grant money for this project if offered. However, many of these grants contain provisions whereby the railroad is required to put up matching money. I don't know whether the railroad is in a financial position to be willing/able to do that. Unless NS decided to stop service to the Ottawa Lake grain elevator in favor of ADBF, as part of this project, the economics of a re-lay of track from Riga to Ottawa Lake seem questionable, at least to me.

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AARR
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Re: Riga-Ottawa Lake project

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jimnorthwood wrote:
Sun Nov 21, 2021 9:20 am
It is my understanding the ethanol refinery in Blissfield is closed, or operating at greatly reduced capacity. I believe much if not all of the momentum for this project was lost when the facility closed. MDOT preferred the interchange of ethanol cars not take place in Adrian. It is also my understanding that when the refinery was still in operation, ADBF worked out an interchange agreement with IORY in Riga for the ethanol cars. This probably satisfied the main goal of the project as far as MDOT is concerned.
Unit trains of grain from MAC in Blissfield are/were a major concern and as far as the city was concerned a safety hazard because of the length of time these long and slow trains blocked major roads. I don't know if this is still an issue.
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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Re: Riga-Ottawa Lake project

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AARR wrote:
Sun Nov 21, 2021 7:04 am
ns8401 wrote:
Sat Nov 20, 2021 10:17 pm
NS could keep the grain elevator in Riga...
The elevator is in Ottawa Lake and it's huge
Doh… gee I’ve only been by it a hundred times you’d think I’d get where it is right :lol:
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