NS Michigan Customers

Anything pertaining to railfanning in Michigan.
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ns8401
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Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by ns8401 »

NS3322 wrote:
Wed May 12, 2021 7:46 pm
AARR wrote:
Wed May 12, 2021 6:23 pm
I hear the ethanol plant near Albion is shutdown until the market improves for ethanol
Interesting to hear that. Unrelated, but I wonder if the ethanol plant in Riga is also in the same boat (it shut down briefly in 2019)?
ns8401 wrote:
Wed May 12, 2021 7:06 pm
Car counts are down on the locals coming east from Wayne and that includes what looks like less Jackson and west cars. Haven’t seen much Anderson’s lately.
How is Gerdau traffic since melting and casting operations were idled in 2020?

Meaning to ask, is General Materials in Jackson still using rail? Also, is Chelsea Grain done for good, or has someone taken it over?
I would need to know what Gerdau and general materials shipped as specifically as you can remember the cars. Chelsea grain is still not served that I know of. I haven’t seen any old grain Hoppers to say otherwise.
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AARR
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Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by AARR »

ns8401 wrote:
Wed May 12, 2021 10:20 pm
How is Gerdau traffic since melting and casting operations were idled in 2020?

I would need to know what Gerdau and general materials shipped as specifically as you can remember the cars.
General Materials would receive an occasional building supply/lumber carload

I thought someone said that Gerdau shuttles 30-50 carloads of steel coil a week to the place in Holt. Can someone confirm this?
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ns8401
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Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by ns8401 »

AARR wrote:
Thu May 13, 2021 6:55 am
ns8401 wrote:
Wed May 12, 2021 10:20 pm
How is Gerdau traffic since melting and casting operations were idled in 2020?

I would need to know what Gerdau and general materials shipped as specifically as you can remember the cars.
General Materials would receive an occasional building supply/lumber carload

I thought someone said that Gerdau shuttles 30-50 carloads of steel coil a week to the place in Holt. Can someone confirm this?
Lansing Railfan mentioned this.
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LansingRailFan
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Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by LansingRailFan »

ns8401 wrote:
Thu May 13, 2021 7:27 am
AARR wrote:
Thu May 13, 2021 6:55 am
ns8401 wrote:
Wed May 12, 2021 10:20 pm
How is Gerdau traffic since melting and casting operations were idled in 2020?

I would need to know what Gerdau and general materials shipped as specifically as you can remember the cars.
General Materials would receive an occasional building supply/lumber carload

I thought someone said that Gerdau shuttles 30-50 carloads of steel coil a week to the place in Holt. Can someone confirm this?
Lansing Railfan mentioned this.
NS brings it to Jackson Yard and then it’s handed off to JAIL. They also interchange with them other cars as well for Michigan Packaging, Kent Feeds etc...

The Gerdau to RSDC-Holt is captive traffic from Jackson to Holt. Occasionally, RSDC gets a coil from CSX. Also, Harris Rebar gets coil and flats from CSX.

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NS3322
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Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by NS3322 »

LansingRailFan wrote:
Thu May 13, 2021 8:59 am
NS brings it to Jackson Yard and then it’s handed off to JAIL. They also interchange with them other cars as well for Michigan Packaging, Kent Feeds etc...
Fairly certain Kent Feeds is an inactive customer.

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AARR
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Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by AARR »

Kent's spur is in very poor shape and may be disconnected. However, it shares a lead with the steel place next door (former lumber yard) and their spur is still intact although unused.

Also, the elevator in town (now operated by Eaton Farm Bureau) gets a few carloads of fertilizer from what I hear (maybe feed too)
NS3322 wrote:
Thu May 13, 2021 3:09 pm
Fairly certain Kent Feeds is an inactive customer.
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Dowagiac Train Dude
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Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by Dowagiac Train Dude »

NS 7147 and NS 7149 are in Lawton switching out the Welch’s plant right now. Should be heading back south soon. They may have already switched out Cargill in Decatur before they got here.

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Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by 1TrackMind »

AARR wrote:
Thu May 13, 2021 6:55 am
ns8401 wrote:
Wed May 12, 2021 10:20 pm
How is Gerdau traffic since melting and casting operations were idled in 2020?

I would need to know what Gerdau and general materials shipped as specifically as you can remember the cars.
General Materials would receive an occasional building supply/lumber carload

I thought someone said that Gerdau shuttles 30-50 carloads of steel coil a week to the place in Holt. Can someone confirm this?
I've never heard of Gerdau sending cars to RSI in Holt.

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Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by 1TrackMind »

AARR wrote:
Thu May 13, 2021 3:14 pm
Kent's spur is in very poor shape and may be disconnected. However, it shares a lead with the steel place next door (former lumber yard) and their spur is still intact although unused.

Also, the elevator in town (now operated by Eaton Farm Bureau) gets a few carloads of fertilizer from what I hear (maybe feed too)
NS3322 wrote:
Thu May 13, 2021 3:09 pm
Fairly certain Kent Feeds is an inactive customer.
Kents tracks are removed

railrod1949
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Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by railrod1949 »

Where is Kent's located on the NS Michigan Line?

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NS3322
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Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by NS3322 »

railrod1949 wrote:
Fri May 14, 2021 8:56 am
Where is Kent's located on the NS Michigan Line?
It's on the JAIL in Mason. A little off-topic, but relevant.

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LansingRailFan
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Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by LansingRailFan »

1TrackMind wrote:
Thu May 13, 2021 11:09 pm
AARR wrote:
Thu May 13, 2021 6:55 am
ns8401 wrote:
Wed May 12, 2021 10:20 pm
How is Gerdau traffic since melting and casting operations were idled in 2020?

I would need to know what Gerdau and general materials shipped as specifically as you can remember the cars.
General Materials would receive an occasional building supply/lumber carload

I thought someone said that Gerdau shuttles 30-50 carloads of steel coil a week to the place in Holt. Can someone confirm this?
I've never heard of Gerdau sending cars to RSI in Holt.
Are there other steel sources in Jackson?

These cars are captive to Jackson/Holt and don’t go back to Detroit.

1TrackMind
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Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by 1TrackMind »

LansingRailFan wrote:
Fri May 14, 2021 2:10 pm
1TrackMind wrote:
Thu May 13, 2021 11:09 pm
AARR wrote:
Thu May 13, 2021 6:55 am

General Materials would receive an occasional building supply/lumber carload

I thought someone said that Gerdau shuttles 30-50 carloads of steel coil a week to the place in Holt. Can someone confirm this?
I've never heard of Gerdau sending cars to RSI in Holt.
Are there other steel sources in Jackson?

These cars are captive to Jackson/Holt and don’t go back to Detroit.
What cars are captive? None of the coil cars ever stayed in Jackson.

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Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by Dowagiac Train Dude »

NS3322 wrote:
Sun Jun 30, 2019 7:26 pm
Where does the Michigan Line end in the Detroit Area (is it still Townline)?


Does Miller Trucking (in the old MC shops) receive rail service?
And when did Flex 'N Gate in Battle Creek stop shipping by rail?
Just an FYI, there is another unit train at Cargill that is loading tonight and tomorrow. Supposed to be a beautiful day tomorrow, good day for a drive to Decatur. 😀

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LansingRailFan
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Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by LansingRailFan »

1TrackMind wrote:
Fri May 14, 2021 2:30 pm
LansingRailFan wrote:
Fri May 14, 2021 2:10 pm
1TrackMind wrote:
Thu May 13, 2021 11:09 pm


I've never heard of Gerdau sending cars to RSI in Holt.
Are there other steel sources in Jackson?

These cars are captive to Jackson/Holt and don’t go back to Detroit.
What cars are captive? None of the coil cars ever stayed in Jackson.
They don’t stay in Jackson. They constantly move back and forth between Gerdau in Jackson and RSDC in Holt.

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DaveO
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Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by DaveO »

Are the coil cars carrying NS reporting marks?

To have a fleet of cars only traveling on NS track for such a short distance makes me wonder.
The revenue division wouldn't seem that good unless they have a contract with the parties involved.
Or the cars are leased from NS or someone else.

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Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by LansingRailFan »

DaveO wrote:
Sat May 15, 2021 12:41 pm
Are the coil cars carrying NS reporting marks?

To have a fleet of cars only traveling on NS track for such a short distance makes me wonder.
The revenue division wouldn't seem that good unless they have a contract with the parties involved.
Or the cars are leased from NS or someone else.
I’ll catalog the reporting marks of all of the cars and repost at a later date.

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NS3322
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Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by NS3322 »

Per Facebook, it sounds like NS took one of B57's (Battle Creek local) locomotives and B57 will now be permanently sporting an N&W caboose. The caboose will primarily be used for the nightly shoving move back from WestRock.

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AARR
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Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by AARR »

Have you had an opportunity to catalog reporting markings?

You are a reliable and trusted source of railroad information so I believe you that Gerdau is shipping steel coils to Holt but it seems strange because I used to get by there once a month (now it's about once every six months) and I've not seen a single coil car in their property ever.
LansingRailFan wrote:
Sat May 15, 2021 2:00 pm
DaveO wrote:
Sat May 15, 2021 12:41 pm
Are the coil cars carrying NS reporting marks?

To have a fleet of cars only traveling on NS track for such a short distance makes me wonder.
The revenue division wouldn't seem that good unless they have a contract with the parties involved.
Or the cars are leased from NS or someone else.
I’ll catalog the reporting marks of all of the cars and repost at a later date.
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...

Raildudes dad
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Re: NS Michigan Customers

Unread post by Raildudes dad »

Get me some coil car numbers and I can tell you if they are shuttling.

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