Napoleon, Defiance and Western: The Definitive Thread

[MQT1223]

Bunch of new ties stacked to put in this spring

When will rail be brought in since most of the rail is junk? I understand that Pioneer is just working on the stability but what would you say is the time frame? I'm assuming you can't really fix a cracked rail due to all the weight and abuse. A weld for example cannot fill a cracked rail.

[CSX_CO]

Line would benefit from good ties, rock, and drainage before new rail...

Practice Safe CSX

[Y@]

Most of the rail is in good shape. They went through and replaced a decent amount of rail in 2013 as I recall. As we've said before, the lines main problem is that it was built over the Black Swamp. Good ballast and ties will go a long way along with some additional work to the ROW.

[CG Tower]

Drainage, drainage, drainage....the three most important items in having good track. They could also benefit from a Jordan Spreader to ditch the entire line.

CG

[MQT1223]

Drainage, drainage, drainage....the three most important items in having good track. They could also benefit from a Jordan Spreader to ditch the entire line.

CG

Line would benefit from good ties, rock, and drainage before new rail...

Practice Safe CSX

Most of the rail is in good shape. They went through and replaced a decent amount of rail in 2013 as I recall. As we've said before, the lines main problem is that it was built over the Black Swamp. Good ballast and ties will go a long way along with some additional work to the ROW.

Yeah true. I've seen rail trails and abandoned rail beds that are in better shape than this, and even with deferred maintenance the drainage area's and ditches still do what they are designed to do.

[Bulby]

I'm hearing rumblings that the 1606 is having some issues with the throttle not picking up. Anyone out in Defiance care to confirm or deny?

[DT&Ifan]

Bunch of new ties stacked to put in this spring

Any idea where they will be installing these along the line? Have they been doing total replacement or selective?

[Notch 8]

Drainage, drainage, drainage....the three most important items in having good track. They could also benefit from a Jordan Spreader to ditch the entire line.

CG

The railhead is even with the grade on each side and the ditches would hold water, the need to get above grade. Pioneer has dumped a lot of ties and been dumping ballast as well. Has anyone seen the SW run lately ?

[MagnumForce]

Last Saturday

[jrgerber]

Any updates?

[jrgerber]

From the Pioneer Railroad most recent proxy statement:

The Napoleon Defiance & Western (NDW) railroad
operation offers considerable potential for growth. This operation has benefitted from $4,004,000 of track
infrastructure capital investment since its acquisition in late-December 2012. $900,000 of these track
improvements were funded with grants from the Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC). In early
March 2015, we closed on a $1,000,000 rehabilitation loan with the ORDC that reimburses us for
rehabilitation costs we have self-funded to date. We are committed to our continuing investment in this
railroad to bring it to a level of service that allows us to grow the rail traffic in this corridor. This operation
handled 2,094 loads in 2014, up 6% from 2013. We continue to be encouraged by the levels of support the
NDW operation is receiving from local, county and state officials and the customers located along the
railroad and believe this operation has the potential with continued improvement to be one of the brightest
operations in our portfolio. NDW generated $1,440,000 of revenues in 2014 and $976,000 in 2013. NDW
net income grew from $385,000 in 2013 to $760,000 in 2014 and NDW generated $1,162,000 of cash flow
in 2014 compared to $668,000 in 2013.

[MagnumForce]

So Spencer Wendelin had to be making bank, investing nothing, paying employees like crap and still hauling close to 2000 cars a year. What a slum lord.

[midland sub]

And still doing it in a much smaller sense with those smaller Indiana operations.....

Not really anything new in this shortline business. Interesting enough The Magazine of foamers has a couple of columnist they treat with God like adoration that fall into Wendelin territory. Peel back the onion of Chris Berger's days at the CERA/CIND and Blanchard's days with the Chicago Missouri & Western failure would be some interesting reading. Nothing illegal, just typical creative accounting.

So Spencer Wendelin had to be making bank, investing nothing, paying employees like crap and still hauling close to 2000 cars a year. What a slum lord.

[iKJames]

What's the current operations like? Crew starts for the day when? Just wondering, since I might be going out soon. Thanks in advance.

[MagnumForce]

They start around 7 daily and go from there. Always beginning at the office in Defiance and going where ever from there.

[MagnumForce]

And still doing it in a much smaller sense with those smaller Indiana operations.....

Not really anything new in this shortline business. Interesting enough The Magazine of foamers has a couple of columnist they treat with God like adoration that fall into Wendelin territory. Peel back the onion of Chris Berger's days at the CERA/CIND and Blanchard's days with the Chicago Missouri & Western failure would be some interesting reading. Nothing illegal, just typical creative accounting.

So Spencer Wendelin had to be making bank, investing nothing, paying employees like crap and still hauling close to 2000 cars a year. What a slum lord.

When a friend inquired about working at the MAW he was told he made more in fast food then he would at the maw.

[JStryker722]

I bet this railroad makes more for Pioneer than the actual Michigan Southern railroad this railroad is technically a subsidy to.

[AARR]

I bet this railroad makes more for Pioneer than the actual Michigan Southern railroad this railroad is technically a subsidy to.

MSO has about half the track and half the car volumes and is serviced 3x per week. I'm not sure what that equates to in profitability

[bluestreak81]

I know this question has been asked in the past, but has there been any recent talk in 2015 of new customers going online east of Route 6/24?

[railohio]

No.