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That's true in some shortline company. However the corporate culture at what once was Pioneer Railcorp has been changed and actually it looks like the company is being run professionally maybe for the first time.

rail_watcher wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 13, 2021 8:25 am

GLC 392 wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 11, 2021 7:40 pm

Bagwell is indeed in charge over there and I expect a lot of good changes and some that will also probably change things up that may not be liked by the railfan community.

Any further information or ideas about what might be changing?

Right now not much that I can elaborate on as I’m not sure what’s true and what’s not as with any railroad ship talk. Just have to wait and see at this point. But for everything that I’ve heard may happen it’s not out of the realm of possibility, they have the people to these plans and the money to back it.

Any truth to the rumor that the ADBF/JAIL wants to relocate the CHS dinner train to run down the JAIL south of Mason and abandon the CHS completely? Sounds like there is no hope for the customer at the end of the CHS and that management would want to restructure the lease with NS to allow a dinner train on the line.

Again a rumor, but I know it would make some sense. CN wants that switch in Charlotte pulled really bad.

MQT1223 wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 14, 2021 7:04 pm

Any truth to the rumor that the ADBF/JAIL wants to relocate the CHS dinner train to run down the JAIL south of Mason and abandon the CHS completely? Sounds like there is no hope for the customer at the end of the CHS and that management would want to restructure the lease with NS to allow a dinner train on the line.

Again a rumor, but I know it would make some sense. CN wants that switch in Charlotte pulled really bad.

No more dinner trains.

CHS likely to be sold to Sparrow and Eaton County w the portion not near the hospital being turned into a trail.

Crossing at MLK/M-99 by Reid Machinery being redone by MDOT too.

LansingRailFan wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 14, 2021 7:31 pm

MQT1223 wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 14, 2021 7:04 pm

Any truth to the rumor that the ADBF/JAIL wants to relocate the CHS dinner train to run down the JAIL south of Mason and abandon the CHS completely? Sounds like there is no hope for the customer at the end of the CHS and that management would want to restructure the lease with NS to allow a dinner train on the line.

Again a rumor, but I know it would make some sense. CN wants that switch in Charlotte pulled really bad.

No more dinner trains.

CHS likely to be sold to Sparrow and Eaton County w the portion not near the hospital being turned into a trail.

Crossing at MLK/M-99 by Reid Machinery being redone by MDOT too.

I think you have the wrong ADBF rail line

DaveO wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 14, 2021 8:27 pm

LansingRailFan wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 14, 2021 7:31 pm

MQT1223 wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 14, 2021 7:04 pm

Any truth to the rumor that the ADBF/JAIL wants to relocate the CHS dinner train to run down the JAIL south of Mason and abandon the CHS completely? Sounds like there is no hope for the customer at the end of the CHS and that management would want to restructure the lease with NS to allow a dinner train on the line.

Again a rumor, but I know it would make some sense. CN wants that switch in Charlotte pulled really bad.

No more dinner trains.

CHS likely to be sold to Sparrow and Eaton County w the portion not near the hospital being turned into a trail.

Crossing at MLK/M-99 by Reid Machinery being redone by MDOT too.

I think you have the wrong ADBF rail line

Nope, sure don’t.

New owners don’t want dinner trains. Not in Charlotte. Not in Adrian/Blissfield. All the old timers that wanted Salisbury Steak and powdered mashed potatoes are gone.

In addition, the CHS is likely gone too.

Sparrow Medical Group Charlotte Family Medicine 123
(517) 543-0600
https://goo.gl/maps/ypD1AAxcSkj5M9AW9

If you follow the Google maps link you’ll see that Sparrow owns either side of the tracks where the dinner train parks. Sparrow had offered previous ADBF owners $1,000,000 for the line in conjunction w Eaton County. Oh and ADBF can scrap the rail too. Mark countered with $3,000,000 lolololol and it all still sits.

ZFS/ADBF will concentrate efforts on ADBF, JAIL, Lapeer Industrial and Detroit Connecting RR and move freight. No more dinner trains.

The most foam out of their four RRs happen to be on JAIL so that’s what we talk about the most but there is opportunity on all of the remaining properties (and opportunities on the CHS as well, but that is moot) to grow business.

Thanks for the correct info. But looks like a medical center more than a hospital to me

DaveO wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 15, 2021 6:34 am

Thanks for the correct info. But looks like a medical center more than a hospital to me

Great. You call it whatever you want. Either way they want to buy that portion of the CHS

LansingRailFan wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 15, 2021 7:47 pm

Either way they want to buy that portion of the CHS

Do they just want to connect the buildings? Or build a new structure over the ROW?
I do hope they manage to turn the rest of CHS (if it is indeed being sold) into a trail.

Also, let us not forget about the two semi-abandoned passenger cars at the end of the line by the elevator. I wonder if those will be simply scrapped on site? It would be cool to see them get dragged out of the woods by #3.

NS3322 wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 15, 2021 7:49 pm

LansingRailFan wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 15, 2021 7:47 pm

Either way they want to buy that portion of the CHS

Do they just want to connect the buildings? Or build a new structure over the ROW?
I do hope they manage to turn the rest of CHS (if it is indeed being sold) into a trail.

Also, let us not forget about the two semi-abandoned passenger cars at the end of the line by the elevator. I wonder if those will be simply scrapped on site? It would be cool to see them get dragged out of the woods by #3.

In order for them to be dragged out by number three, the tracks would have to be repaired. More than likely they'll be scrapped on site.

Regarding Sparrow Hospital, I've heard two things: additional parking and connecting the buildings so I'm not sure which is official or if it is a combination of the two.

I know Mark D. was horrible with railfans while he was in charge of ADBF. I don't know anything about Mr. Bagwell, but do y'all think they will be a little more railfan friendly under this new ownership?

Chris seemed to have a good relationship with AARRT&HA. He was nice enough to come to our annual meeting and allowed us to walk on GLC property including shops.

rail_watcher wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 17, 2021 10:31 am

I know Mark D. was horrible with railfans while he was in charge of ADBF. I don't know anything about Mr. Bagwell, but do y'all think they will be a little more railfan friendly under this new ownership?

rail_watcher wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 17, 2021 10:31 am

I know Mark D. was horrible with railfans while he was in charge of ADBF. I don't know anything about Mr. Bagwell, but do y'all think they will be a little more railfan friendly under this new ownership?

Understatement of the year IMHO!

I know this is all hypothetical and no one truly has the answer, but I am wondering if new ownership will reconsider rebuilding the tracks from Riga to Ottawa Lake? I know it would be expensive, but it sure would seem to save money in the long run. Plus, IMO, previous ownership seemed to always want everyone else to pay for their projects. ADBF was always fighting with local villages and MDOT to have them pay for the maintenance and upkeep of ADBF's own crossings. Curious to see how new ownership will handle these types of things moving forward.

Indeed inquiring minds would like to know the answer to your question . Although it makes sense on several levels, especially rerouting interchange traffic away from Adrian when they run unit grain trains from Blissfield, based on the limited traffic ADBF currently has I doubt it will happen.

rail_watcher wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 24, 2021 10:11 am

I know this is all hypothetical and no one truly has the answer, but I am wondering if new ownership will reconsider rebuilding the tracks from Riga to Ottawa Lake?

Track surfacing project has started in Jackson. Goal is to get JAIL and ADBF up to 25 mph.

ADBF has never been surfaced and JAIL hasn’t been since they leased it.

AARR wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 24, 2021 10:37 am

...based on the limited traffic ADBF currently has I doubt it will happen.

Is this an accurate listing for ADBF customers?

W2Fuel - Adrian
Plastic Omnium - Adrian
OmniSource - Adrian
Michigan Agricultural Commodities - Blissfield
Nutrien AG Solutions - Blissfield
Valero Renewables - Riga (Inactive, but still shipping out carbon dioxide. CO2 is a byproduct of ethanol production).

LansingRailFan wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 24, 2021 11:05 am

Track surfacing project has started in Jackson. Goal is to get JAIL and ADBF up to 25 mph.

ADBF has never been surfaced and JAIL hasn’t been since they leased it.

Not too familiar with railroading terms and projects. What does it mean to surface the track?

W2Fuel was inactive last I heard
The carbon dioxide going to the ethanol plant is inbound for a company on-site (something dry ice IIRC) that distributes it.

NS3322 wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 24, 2021 11:12 am

AARR wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 24, 2021 10:37 am

...based on the limited traffic ADBF currently has I doubt it will happen.

Is this an accurate listing for ADBF customers?

W2Fuel - Adrian
Plastic Omnium - Adrian
OmniSource - Adrian
Michigan Agricultural Commodities - Blissfield
Nutrien AG Solutions - Blissfield
Valero Renewables - Riga (Inactive, but still shipping out carbon dioxide. CO2 is a byproduct of ethanol production).

rail_watcher wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 24, 2021 11:24 am

Not too familiar with railroading terms and projects. What does it mean to surface the track?

Type "railroad track surfacing" into your favorite web browser and you'll find the answer quickly.