CSX MI Train Location Update 8-12-09

[Mr. Tops]

LAST NIGHT'S MMRR Z627-10 had 11 cars - 3 empty boxes for Bay/Shape, 7 loads of sand from Nugent and one empty hydrochloric acid tank from Webb. 3836/3839 for power.

TONIGHT'S MMRR Z627-11 had 30 cars - 3 empty boxes for Bay/Shape (again), 22 loads of sand from Nugent(!) and 5 empty nitrogen solution tanks from Brinks. 3839/3836 for power. Videos will be posted later today.

The "deadline" at the Henry Street engine shed grows. GP9 179 is now also outside with MMRR 180, CFE 3885 and MS 73.

[C&OGP75745]

Q33412 4752 by Plymouth @ 05:19 with 43 cars

D71712 will have 6035 long hood east today

[Raildudes dad]

No change at the GRE except the ex Chessie boxes disappeared yesterday. Don't know where they went. Didn't see them at Hughart or Wyoming but they could have been deep in Wyoming. Not visible from Judd or the west end.

[~Z~]

D00611 looks to have ended up near Plymouth yesterday afternoon... D00812 said to run Plymouth towards Flint today.
After CP X500 goes through Hudsonville, no other trains for the rest of the daylight hours, maintainers welding up rail between holland and hudsonville it appears.

Q32712 - set to leave detroit at 11am
Q33412 - ROSSTT 08-12-2009 08:49
Q33512 - ENSEL MI CH 89 08-12-2009 08:44
CP X50011 - KIRK MI CG 71 08-12-2009 09:15(recrew getting on near Gross, dead there now as of 10:30)
N90311 - WEST OLIVE MI CGC 33 08-12-2009 06:53
N90312 - hasn't left chicago yet
E94911 - 22ND STREET NO 2 IL DC 117 08-12-2009 07:44
E94912 - not moving yet
D70011 - LAMAR MI CG 4 08-12-2009 02:51
Amtrak P37112 - W MICHIGAN CITY CP MI CG 127 08-12-2009 08:50
Q32112 - TOLEDO STANLEY OH QT 5 08-12-2009 08:14
Q32212 - LINCOLN OS MI CC 72 08-12-2009 09:22
no Q/l/s/x13212
Q27212 - H K TOWER KY 000T13 08-12-2009 09:22

[PlymouthStationGuy]

Q32712 cleared Plymouth @ 11:25 352 for power and 40 cars
D00812 was just going as far as Clyde to run around his train and head back to Milford to drop off some rail and head then back to Plymouth.
Q32212 had 5414,7645 and 26 cars

[GP30M4216]

Anyone know what this D008 guy has for power?

[rob]

if it was the same as d00611 it 2519

rob

[AARR]

LAST NIGHT'S MMRR Z627-10 had 11 cars - 3 empty boxes for Bay/Shape and 8 loads of sand from Nugent. 3836/3839 for power.

TONIGHT'S MMRR Z627-11 had 30 cars - 3 empty boxes for Bay/Shape (again), 22 loads of sand from Nugent(!) and 5 empty nitrogen solution tanks from Brinks. 3839/3836 for power. Videos will be posted later today.

Nothing from Sappi or Webb

Fremont Co-op was supposed to increase rail service from 500 to 850 cars annually. Anyone notice if they're doing more business by rail?

[Mr. Tops]

Don, Sappi has been closed since April. The plant was "mothballed" for 6 months and is supposed to reopen in October. In the past month, I have seen TWO boxcars at the Mart Dock (who stores paper pulp and outbound paper rolls for the mill). Thinking maybe they are starting to stock up for the re-opening.

I made a blooper on the Z627-10 report. There was ONE empty hydrochloric acid tank from Webb in the train. It now reads correctly - 3 empty boxes for Bay/Shape, 7 loads of sand and 1 empty tank from Webb.

When was this increase at Fremont Co-op supposed to take place?

[Raildudes dad]

Fremont Co-op was supposed to increase rail service from 500 to 850 cars annually. Anyone notice if they're doing more business by rail?

I was making regular visits to Fremont early this year. The number of cars at the coop appeared higher than in the past. My visits were on a Sunday afternoon so I didn't see any loading or unloading but the the wheels were always shiny.

[Mr. Tops]

The number has increased since MMRR started operating on the line. Seems like CSX usually had one car for them maybe once or twice a week. Now, several times per week (2 or 3 times maybe), MMRR has a nice little string of hoppers from Fremont Co-op. Usually anywhere from 3-8 cars per switch. I'm just wondering if the number has gone up again?

[Raildudes dad]

Now, several times per week (2 or 3 times maybe), MMRR has a nice little string of hoppers from Fremont Co-op. Usually anywhere from 3-8 cars per switch. p again?

I'd guess that's about right based on my observations this summer.

Note to CG Tower: I said "I'd guess" because I don't know the facts about this situation

[AARR]

Thanks for the update, guys.

It was a while back I read the article about Fremont Co-op increasing rail shipments from 500 to 850 per year. At 3-8 per switch x 2-3x per week tat's about 17 cvars a week which is what 850 equals

Now, if they could just get some raw materials (edible oils and rice) going into Gerber and show them how many plastci baby food containers they can load in those excess 86' box cars that are sitting around all over the place they're back in business

[Mr. Tops]

Ehh...I think if Gerber loaded an 86 footer, it would fold in half Those boxcars were meant for low density parts (ie plastic rollerformed parts - ala auto bumpers). But, it would be nice if they would start shipping again. So many opportunities there, and the rails are still in place, to boot! Fremont Co-op also gets inbound tanks now of ammonia and nitrogen solution.

[~Z~]

Thanks for the update Dok, almost forgot to look up q335 as I figured they'd be in already. Gregg Pullano is on his way south from Manistee and hopes to find MQT on his way south, looking out for Q335, Q327, and maybe X500 as well.. checked on them, still showing "plaster creek", so maybe the crew went to go get q335?


Q32712 - FOWLERVILLE MI CH 62 08-12-2009 13:40
Q33512 - JORDAN DTC MI CH 115 08-12-2009 11:49
CP X50011 - PLASTER CREEK MI CGT 1 08-12-2009 12:52
N90312 - hasn't left chicago yet
E94912 - not moving yet
Q32212 - FLINT MI CC 35 08-12-2009 10:40
D00812 - CLYDE MI CC 59 08-12-2009 11:53
Q27212 - SE NICHOLS KY 00T101 08-12-2009 13:43
Q15112 - PERU CENTER OH BG 192 08-12-2009 13:56

Code: Select all

MQT Z15112 - not to GR yet - 65x80 = 145 cars, really? that's a beast!

Staying the night in Muskegon tonight, so may watch MMRR Z62712 go south or back north in the morning.

[AARR]

Ehh...I think if Gerber loaded an 86 footer, it would fold in half Those boxcars were meant for low density parts (ie plastic rollerformed parts - ala auto bumpers). But, it would be nice if they would start shipping again. So many opportunities there, and the rails are still in place, to boot!

I'll try to outline my theory here. Gerber used rail service when they used glass containers because they could better take advantage of the capacity/load limit due to the glasses heavier weight. When they started using plastic containers rail service lost that advantage because more plastic containers can be loaded in a semi trailer than glass. However, since plastic containers are lighter, if they used 86' box cars they could load them without exceeding their load limit (40-50 tons) and keep the beneifts of greater capacity of semi trailers. What do you think?

[cnw8835]

X500 nearing Fox. CP 8889 leading. Had an approach slow indication at Schafer.

[~Z~]

X500 nearing Fox. CP 8889 leading. Had an approach slow indication at Schafer.

x500 seymour, q335 lake o, q327 ensel, z151 not to GR

Update from Gregg, 3:54pm:

500 at fox, cp 8889 8822. Waiting on 335. Z151 coming in now as well. Im chasing 500 east

[sd70accsxt700]

Ehh...I think if Gerber loaded an 86 footer, it would fold in half Those boxcars were meant for low density parts (ie plastic rollerformed parts - ala auto bumpers).

Not sure what rollerformed parts are, but a 86' could take more then you think. Dont know if it still could handle a Gerber load or not. 86''s have been around from the mid 60's. Back then there were no "plastic parts". All steel hoods, doors, ect.

[Bentrail]

From what i understood it was due to going from glass bottle to plastic containers.
Glass bottle had 2 plus years shelve life.
Plastic only 1 year.
Trucks move product faster than the trains.