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It looks like steps are underway to modify and improve this mill with a look towards the future.

Which railroad services the mill?

chapmaja wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 14, 2022 12:15 pm

It looks like steps are underway to modify and improve this mill with a look towards the future.

Which railroad services the mill?

My guess it would be the Escanaba Lake Superior railroad or CN.

The Escanaba Paper mill is serviced by CN.

Tom49801 wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 14, 2022 3:51 pm

chapmaja wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 14, 2022 12:15 pm

It looks like steps are underway to modify and improve this mill with a look towards the future.

Which railroad services the mill?

My guess it would be the Escanaba Lake Superior railroad or CN.

From the RailroadFan E&LS Wiki: "In 1969, the E&LS stopped serving the Escanaba Paper Company during a strike on July 1, 1969 at the mill. In response, the mill's owners built a new connection to the C&NW and Soo Line and cut car movements on the E&LS more than five-fold in two years, from 2,200 carloads in 1968 to 449 in 1970."

I believe they have not served that paper mill in a really long time. Also, the old E&LS bridge into the mill is now used by Billerud as the main entrance into the plant.

I think this mill receives/ships over 10,000 cars a year of mostly chemicals and paper products. Might still get some wood chips and pulp wood logs in by rail too.

I recall hearing years ago that the only reason E&LS was still around by the mid-1970's was because they switched this mill and the money they made doing so. When they lost the job they almost went out of business. Then Mr. Larkin bought it in the mi-1970's. They had some industries on the spur into Escanaba just south of the mill, like the crane company, but that went out of business around 1980 or so. The interchange with Milwaukee Road was hit and miss at best by then as Milwaukee Road was bankrupt.
But in 1979 or 1980 E&LS got the state contract to operate the former Milwaukee Road lines out of Channing to Green Bay and the rest is history with E&LS still around today.

https://www.radioresultsnetwork.com/2022/12/14/220793/

CanDo has the switching contract for the mill.

Does anyone have a good map of who owns/operates over what track in Escanaba/Wells area and what is in or out of service? There are so many tracks up there, I’d love to know what’s what!

GP30M4216 wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 15, 2022 9:00 am

Does anyone have a good map of who owns/operates over what track in Escanaba/Wells area and what is in or out of service? There are so many tracks up there, I’d love to know what’s what!

https://fragis.fra.dot.gov/GISFRASafety/

The FRA map shows owners and trackage rights. Doesn't have anything on specific trains.

I see Michigan legislators have given Escanaba Paper $200 million doors to go with the $1 billion the Swiss parent company is investing to upgrade the mill to keep it viable for the 1200 workers there. That should keep the Gladstone line to the Soo busier for a long time.