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Picked up this question from the other site. Thought somebody might know the answer.

Traffic on the Mt. Clemens Sub.
Posted by jim on 4/25/2021, 1:58 pm
Vehicle frames are a common sight on south bounds coming down from Port Huron. Does anybody know whey they're coming from and where they're going? Possibly the Ford plant in Wayne? I've seen entire trains of them and have wondered about that for some time.

AARR wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 26, 2021 6:13 pm

Picked up this question from the other site. Thought somebody might know the answer.

Traffic on the Mt. Clemens Sub.
Posted by jim on 4/25/2021, 1:58 pm
Vehicle frames are a common sight on south bounds coming down from Port Huron. Does anybody know whey they're coming from and where they're going? Possibly the Ford plant in Wayne? I've seen entire trains of them and have wondered about that for some time.

I would guess they're truck frames and since they're coming out of Canada, they might be coming from Magna (Cosma International). I know Tower International supplied the F150 frames at one time but Tower doesn't have facilities in Canada.

AARR wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 26, 2021 6:13 pm

Picked up this question from the other site. Thought somebody might know the answer.

Traffic on the Mt. Clemens Sub.
Posted by jim on 4/25/2021, 1:58 pm
Vehicle frames are a common sight on south bounds coming down from Port Huron. Does anybody know whey they're coming from and where they're going? Possibly the Ford plant in Wayne? I've seen entire trains of them and have wondered about that for some time.

It will say what they're for on the bracket that sits on top of the stack of frames and secures it to the car. If it's for Ford MAP (Wayne) it will say either P375N (Ranger) or U725 (Bronco). I don't know what the program code is currently for the new F-150 or Super Duty but I don't believe they’re built in Michigan. If I'm not mistaken they come from somewhere in Kentucky. If it's a GM truck frame it will say GMT--- where the dashes are a number. Those usually head south from the Flint Truck Plant and go through Flat Rock, I see the empties all the time there. Not sure what the code for RAM trucks are, I don't recall ever seeing those pass anywhere near my house on a rail car anyway.

conrailmike wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 26, 2021 6:31 pm

AARR wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 26, 2021 6:13 pm

Picked up this question from the other site. Thought somebody might know the answer.

Traffic on the Mt. Clemens Sub.
Posted by jim on 4/25/2021, 1:58 pm
Vehicle frames are a common sight on south bounds coming down from Port Huron. Does anybody know whey they're coming from and where they're going? Possibly the Ford plant in Wayne? I've seen entire trains of them and have wondered about that for some time.

I would guess they're truck frames and since they're coming out of Canada, they might be coming from Magna (Cosma International). I know Tower International supplied the F150 frames at one time but Tower doesn't have facilities in Canada.

I can ask around when I go to work in the morning. I work in the Body Shop at Wayne so I might not be able to get an answer right away but I'll try. I don't have as many friends in Final Assembly as I used to, most of them transferred out or retired when we changed over to Ranger.

They could be frames for the LD Silverados (Ft. Wayne and Mexico) or the full size GM SUVs which are built down in Texas. I forgot that Cosma manufactures all the frames for GM in Canada.

conrailmike wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 26, 2021 7:49 pm

They could be frames for the LD Silverados (Ft. Wayne and Mexico) or the full size GM SUVs which are built down in Texas. I forgot that Cosma manufactures all the frames for GM in Canada.

I have a hard time believing GM would want to pay to ship that great of a distance by rail despite the high margins for trucks, not to mention I would likely see the loaded heading south coming through Flat Rock. You work for GM right? What’s the program code(s) for the current of trucks and SUVs?

Perhaps they’re for the RAM plant in Sterling Heights?

AARR wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 26, 2021 6:13 pm

Picked up this question from the other site. Thought somebody might know the answer.

Traffic on the Mt. Clemens Sub.
Posted by jim on 4/25/2021, 1:58 pm
Vehicle frames are a common sight on south bounds coming down from Port Huron. Does anybody know whey they're coming from and where they're going? Possibly the Ford plant in Wayne? I've seen entire trains of them and have wondered about that for some time.

Frames used to come from Formet in St Thomas, Ontario. Picked up and brought back to London by 584 where they would be picked up by 385 to Flat Rock.

Chip wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 26, 2021 9:16 pm

conrailmike wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 26, 2021 7:49 pm

They could be frames for the LD Silverados (Ft. Wayne and Mexico) or the full size GM SUVs which are built down in Texas. I forgot that Cosma manufactures all the frames for GM in Canada.

I have a hard time believing GM would want to pay to ship that great of a distance by rail despite the high margins for trucks, not to mention I would likely see the loaded heading south coming through Flat Rock. You work for GM right? What’s the program code(s) for the current of trucks and SUVs?

Perhaps they’re for the RAM plant in Sterling Heights?

Yeah, I work at Flint Assembly. The current platform is the GMT-T1XX. It's hard to say where the other frames are coming from as far as the light duty and SUVs are concerned but I know all the HD frames for Flint are made in Canada.

Like you said, if someone can spot the tags on them, it'd be easy to know who they were for.

Chip wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 26, 2021 9:16 pm

conrailmike wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 26, 2021 7:49 pm

They could be frames for the LD Silverados (Ft. Wayne and Mexico) or the full size GM SUVs which are built down in Texas. I forgot that Cosma manufactures all the frames for GM in Canada.

I have a hard time believing GM would want to pay to ship that great of a distance by rail despite the high margins for trucks, not to mention I would likely see the loaded heading south coming through Flat Rock. You work for GM right? What’s the program code(s) for the current of trucks and SUVs?

Perhaps they’re for the RAM plant in Sterling Heights?

Sterling Heights FCA gets their frames in on NS. I think they come in on 120 or 188. Empties go out on 121 usually.

LansingRailFan wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 27, 2021 8:33 am

Chip wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 26, 2021 9:16 pm

conrailmike wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 26, 2021 7:49 pm

They could be frames for the LD Silverados (Ft. Wayne and Mexico) or the full size GM SUVs which are built down in Texas. I forgot that Cosma manufactures all the frames for GM in Canada.

I have a hard time believing GM would want to pay to ship that great of a distance by rail despite the high margins for trucks, not to mention I would likely see the loaded heading south coming through Flat Rock. You work for GM right? What’s the program code(s) for the current of trucks and SUVs?

Perhaps they’re for the RAM plant in Sterling Heights?

Sterling Heights FCA gets their frames in on NS. I think they come in on 120 or 188. Empties go out on 121 usually.

What about Warren Truck? I forgot that plant is still running.

The frames on M385 etc... are primarily Ford and GM. Ford's go to the River Rouge F-150 plant and the GM ones are for the Fort Wayne, Indiana truck plant and handed off to NS at Oakwood Yard.

Conrail services the Warren Truck Plant and I believe their frames come in on NS 176 and are handed off to CR. If they did get frames in from Canada, they'd be handed off from CN to CR most likely but I don't think that's the case.

Flint’s frames come from Formet in St. Thomas.

A few years ago they came in on 501 (some of the hottest cars on the railroad) and went out empty on 348, but that’s all changed now.

bnsfben wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:55 pm

Flint’s frames come from Formet in St. Thomas.

A few years ago they came in on 501 (some of the hottest cars on the railroad) and went out empty on 348, but that’s all changed now.

Formet, Cosma, Magna.... it's all the same lol

conrailmike wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 28, 2021 8:00 pm

bnsfben wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 28, 2021 7:55 pm

Flint’s frames come from Formet in St. Thomas.

A few years ago they came in on 501 (some of the hottest cars on the railroad) and went out empty on 348, but that’s all changed now.

Formet, Cosma, Magna.... it's all the same lol

True! On the old fashioned 1980s SRS system at CN it still says “Formet” so that’s what I recognize. We’d be in trouble if the loaded frames weren’t “shoved down” to Torrey the same night they arrived in Bristol yard.