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GRHC wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 30, 2022 1:40 pm

WARNING ALL MINDLESS POSTINGS REAL OR SIMULATIONS AND SPECULATION BY GR H & C ON THIS TOPIC/THREAD ARE FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY.
* simulated post/not real

That is definitely correct 'Twas a joke in the group chat.

On a side note... anyone have any info on the new customer coming online that's getting the new spur by the Hudsonville Ice Cream plant in Holland?

MQT1223 wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 19, 2023 7:54 pm

On a side note... anyone have any info on the new customer coming online that's getting the new spur by the Hudsonville Ice Cream plant in Holland?

Maybe Michigan wood pellet fuel, Edmar Manufacturing or Coastal Container. If I were to bet I would bet on Coastal Container.

Note: At one time there was an industrial siding there it was removed in the late 80s possibly the early 90s

MQT1223 wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 19, 2023 7:54 pm

On a side note... anyone have any info on the new customer coming online that's getting the new spur by the Hudsonville Ice Cream plant in Holland?

It’s Coastal Container’s expansion getting the new spur. I wonder if it’ll be a Y121 switch?

https://www.packaging-gateway.com/news/ ... r-holland/

GP30M4216 wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 19, 2023 10:43 pm

MQT1223 wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 19, 2023 7:54 pm

On a side note... anyone have any info on the new customer coming online that's getting the new spur by the Hudsonville Ice Cream plant in Holland?

It’s Coastal Container’s expansion getting the new spur. I wonder if it’ll be a Y121 switch?

https://www.packaging-gateway.com/news/ ... r-holland/

I win my bet thank you GP30M4216 for the confirmation.
Y121 or L301 I would have to guess Y121 because the local that was based out of Waverly yard used to go to East Saugatuck to service the fertilizer distributor.

With the way the spur will be facing, I would guess it will end up being L301 work. Y121 would either have to shove out there or go out to East Saugatuck to run around and come back.

SD80MAC wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 20, 2023 9:04 am

With the way the spur will be facing, I would guess it will end up being L301 work. Y121 would either have to shove out there or go out to East Saugatuck to run around and come back.

Very true they would have to shove their train just like they do when they come to Zeeland or when they work on the Fremont subdivision.
The Y121 crew would have the available time to do it because they don’t seem that busy these days where as L301 usually seems taxed for time.

Edit: additional thoughts and observations. If L301 handled the switching duties then they would have to park their train on the main which at times can you be quite long. They would end up blocking M 40 for a long periods of time or they would have to park the train on the other side of M 40. If I’m not mistaken there’s a slight grade where they would have to park their train while working the siding which could be problematic.

GRHC wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 20, 2023 9:19 am

SD80MAC wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 20, 2023 9:04 am

With the way the spur will be facing, I would guess it will end up being L301 work. Y121 would either have to shove out there or go out to East Saugatuck to run around and come back.

Very true they would have to shove their train just like they do when they come to Zeeland or when they work on the Fremont subdivision.
The Y121 crew would have the available time to do it because they don’t seem that busy these days where as L301 usually seems taxed for time.

Edit: additional thoughts and observations. If L301 handled the switching duties then they would have to park their train on the main which at times can you be quite long. They would end up blocking M 40 for a long periods of time or they would have to park the train on the other side of M 40. If I’m not mistaken there’s a slight grade where they would have to park their train while working the siding which could be problematic.

They would probably just cut the train south of M40, similar to what they do when working Standale Lumber in Grandville.

kd_1014 wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 26, 2023 3:39 pm

GRHC wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 20, 2023 9:19 am

SD80MAC wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 20, 2023 9:04 am

They would probably just cut the train south of M40, similar to what they do when working Standale Lumber in Grandville.

Yes I mentioned what you said about cutting off the train and leaving it on the other side of M40 which would put it on a slight grade which could be problematic. I’m sticking with my prediction that it will be serviced by Y121.

Well we shall see soon enough what happens because the right away for the siding has been cleared of trees and brush. The ties and rail have been delivered and are on site ready to be laid as soon as they grade the road bed.

They will probably have Y121 do it because that makes the least sense.

Hard to tell from the current google satellite imagery where the expansion is taking place, but there is a lot of open land between the curve on the Haworth spur (Hamilton branch) and the Coastal Container building. Was coming from the Hamilton branch ever considered an option for a new spur?

J T wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 27, 2023 2:14 pm

Hard to tell from the current google satellite imagery where the expansion is taking place, but there is a lot of open land between the curve on the Haworth spur (Hamilton branch) and the Coastal Container building. Was coming from the Hamilton branch ever considered an option for a new spur?

Where is the split between the Hamilton Northwestern and CSX operations on the Hamilton Branch? Would this be served by CSX even if they came off the Hamilton Branch, or would service come from the HNW off the Hamilton Branch and CSX if off the main?

Either way I don't see easy access to the plant from the branch or the main.

Does anyone know if they possibly purchased that plot of land next to the Hamilton Branch for the expansion plans?

chapmaja wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 27, 2023 2:52 pm

J T wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 27, 2023 2:14 pm

Hard to tell from the current google satellite imagery where the expansion is taking place, but there is a lot of open land between the curve on the Haworth spur (Hamilton branch) and the Coastal Container building. Was coming from the Hamilton branch ever considered an option for a new spur?

Where is the split between the Hamilton Northwestern and CSX operations on the Hamilton Branch? Would this be served by CSX even if they came off the Hamilton Branch, or would service come from the HNW off the Hamilton Branch and CSX if off the main?

Either way I don't see easy access to the plant from the branch or the main.

Does anyone know if they possibly purchased that plot of land next to the Hamilton Branch for the expansion plans?

Coming off the Hamilton branch would’ve been almost impossible because of a Holland BPW generating station right behind Coastal Container.

It is easy to get to Coastal Container from the main all they have to do is follow the path of the original siding.

Note: The expansion of the building is on the north west side of the existing building and looks to be about 65% complete.

If the siding would have come off the Hamilton branch it still would’ve been served by CSX.

I'm sure this has been discussed somewhere on here, but a search isn't turning anything up. What's traffic like between Detroit & GR, how many trains a day do the full route? vs how busy the line is east of Plymouth?

MiddleMI wrote: ↑

Thu May 04, 2023 8:41 pm

I'm sure this has been discussed somewhere on here, but a search isn't turning anything up. What's traffic like between Detroit & GR, how many trains a day do the full route? vs how busy the line is east of Plymouth?

The CSX daily updates thread does a pretty good job of covering traffic from South Lyon all the way to Grand Rapids once you know which trains go where. One daily road freight in each direction (but they have local symbols) run on a fairly regular schedule: L303 eastbound departs Grand Rapids around noon, and L302 west seems to get underway from Rougemere in the early afternoon getting west of Plymouth mid to late afternoon. Both typically work setoff and pickups in Lansing. Lansing has a daytime east turn local and an overnight west turn local. Y106 from Grand Rapids works as far east as Elmdale but some weekdays is a shorter turn. Grain train empties run as needed from the east to Webbersville, Grand Ledge, and occasionally Grand Rapids, are loaded at their respective elevator, and then the loads ship out a couple days later, typically. That’s about it, west of Plymouth.

East of Plymouth, someone else will have to chime in. It’s a double track railroad with numerous road freights and a few locals.

Was out and about on Saturday, driving Red Arrow Highway from Hartford to Benton Harbor. Heavy green paint markings applied to the rail and ties indicate what I assume is going to be a tie replacement project. From the grade crossings in Hartford, Watervliet, Coloma, and at Kerlikowske Rd near Riverside, it looked like a high percentage of the ties were marked for replacement. Without stopping to count, I’d guess 50%+. The asphalt crossings had also been cut with a pavement saw to permit renewal.

TSS wrote: ↑

Mon May 08, 2023 6:27 pm

Was out and about on Saturday, driving Red Arrow Highway from Hartford to Benton Harbor. Heavy green paint markings applied to the tail and ties indicate what I assume is going to be a tie replacement project. From the grade crossings in Hartford, Watervliet, Coloma, and at Kerlikowske Rd near Riverside, it looked like a high percentage of the ties were marked for replacement. Without stopping to count, I’d guess 50%+. The asphalt crossings had also been cut with a pavement saw to permit renewal.

Clearly the sign that they are selling it to CP

Clearly the sign that they are selling it to CP

Hi LansingRailfan.

Not sure if your response above was sarcasm or not, but if it was not, could it be that this section of the railroad was just due for regular maintenance? Of course, railroads allocate portions of their annual budget to such projects, and maybe this segment was marked for maintenance this year.

Now again, this is "if" your comment was not sarcastic (haha). Sometimes comments are hard to distinguish between what the writer truly meant by it. This is true in any comment, whether it be email, text messages, instant message, etc. Nobody talks to each other anymore face to face. I better stop while I'm ahead. "LOL" as it were.

If it's not in the train location update thread, I generally take LSR's posts as sarcasm, especially ones in this thread

David Lang wrote: ↑

Mon May 08, 2023 7:27 pm

Nobody talks to each other anymore face to face.

We'll be talking face to face on June 4th in Durand - come visit and see railfans out in the wild! viewtopic.php?t=39167

~Z~ wrote: ↑

Mon May 08, 2023 8:25 pm

If it's not in the train location update thread, I generally take LSR's posts as sarcasm, especially ones in this thread

David Lang wrote: ↑

Mon May 08, 2023 7:27 pm

Nobody talks to each other anymore face to face.

We'll be talking face to face on June 4th in Durand - come visit and see railfans out in the wild! viewtopic.php?t=39167

Ummm, it’s LRF and yes, sarcasm.