IORY South End thread

[midland sub]

I figured it was about time to start a thread on the south end of the IORY. This way I stop hijacking the other IORY threads with something about this end of the system. With the IORY finally using just one route into Cincy it shouldn't be too hard to figure out what's moving between Cincy and Flat Rock.

To get this thread going:

The Springfield A moved a 130 empty grain train north of Wash CH on Saturday. It was 2 combined empty trains that CSX had brought to the IORY out of Columbus on Friday. Half was private hoppers (a former Ann Arbor car Don!) for I believe South Charleston and half (mostly CSX grain express hoppers) for one of the Heritage Co-op operations around Springfield. The Springfield crew brought a loaded 65 car grain train from Heritage's Mechanicsburg elevator. The WCH-A job helped with getting the huge grain train through Wash CH from the B&O to DT&I line.

Some IORY loco assignments 1/23/2010:

WCH-A, WCH-B and Springfield Turn:
LLPX 2611 and CFE 3888

Springfield-A
NREX 5678 (CP dual flags) and IORY 5001

Logan Sub:
CFE 3889

[midland sub]

The IORY operates three separate lines out of Springfield owned by the WESTCO Port Authority. One of the more interesting things about this partnership is the release by WESTCO of yearly car load numbers and an annual Rail Development Plan. I like to read over the plans to get an idea what it really cost to maintain a railroad. It does wonders to take some of the bite out the attitude of the Armchair Shortline/Regional CEOs that we all become at some point. Look over some of the detailed numbers on several track project WESTCO had done in 2008. The most important thing to take away from this is that this is the bare minimum work just to keep to these lines open for the most part. So next time your favorite shortline operation does something that you question (why did they stop moving this traffic or why does the track look so bad), take a quick look back at this.

http://www.westcopa.org/reports/Rail%20 ... 0final.pdf

[AARR]

Looking forward to the updates on this thread.

When you said one of the Heritage Coop elevators around Springfield, did you mean in Springfield proper or one of their elevators in a surrounding community? (Mechanicsburg, Thackery, Urbana, or West Liberty)

Is there someplace I can go to see the IORY roster. I know 3888 and 3889 are GP38-2's and I'm presuming LLTX 2611 is a rebuilt GP38. I'm also presuming 5001 and 5678 are SD40-2's with one possibly being a tunnell motor.

Would you mind listing the customers on the Springfield and branch lines?

Is the Sabina Bunge elevator in Jeffrsonville a large shipper?

[redside20]

if i could chime in, some customers on the urbana branch include

With a Grain of Salt-bulk facility for loading salt into railcars and Tech 2 Plastics. where the resins are transferred to truck from rail and taken about a mile and half away to the factory on County Line Road between Urbana and Springfield. The site is on the old spur to the Navistar Plant (formerly International Harvester) in Bowlusville.

Also Mechanicsburg is 20 miles northeast of Springfield. There is a Heritage Coop in the little village of Derby and Mount Sterling?

[midland sub]

Indeed Heritage Co-op's elevators are in the surrounding communities. Mechanicsburg ships the most by rail of the 4.

Sabina-Bungee sold the Jeffersonville elevator to Keynes Bros. of Logan Ohio back in 2006. It's strictly a wheat operation. Still has 2 tracks and former I&O GP7 #54. They've installed an unloading pit for receiving wheat by rail. They probably received less than 30 cars in 2009.

Tri-State Forest Products is the only DT&I based Springfield customer (centerbeams and boxcars of plywood).

Heritage Co-op is currently the only customer on the Mechanicsburg line. They also have a farm market about half way up the line that used to receive an occasional potash load or tank car of liquid fertilizer.

Urbana Sub:
At Glen Echo there's Convey-It a road salt distributor (might be closed at this point) and Tech II (plastic pellets). They use the old NYC-Penn Central loading ramp for the adjacent International (Navistar) assembly plant.

Urbana: The largest steady customer is Orbis (plastic pellets) on the old Erie line. Heritage has a fairly large grain elevator also off of the Erie line. They split unit grain trains in half with the West Liberty location. There should be 2 customers left on the old PRR Bradford main: International Fiber and someone that took over the Fox River paper operation. North of Urbana on the old NYC Heritage Co-op at West Liberty is the last customer. Like I said they split grain trains with the Urbana location.

[midland sub]

Here's the current I&O fleet:

GP40:
IORY 4030 (BN whiteface)
IORY 4032 (Helm maroon/blue)
IORY 4034 (red-orange)
IORY 4036 (red-orange)
CSCD 6637 (RA red-sliver-blue)
CORP 4024 (BN whiteface might be gone?)

GP40X
TP&W 4056 (RA red-silver-blue assigned CFE)

SD40-2 (all in Railtex red-grey)
IORY 4082
IORY 4083
IORY 4084 (out of service prob. won't return)
IORY 4085

SD40T-2 (all in Railtex red-grey)
IORY 4070
IORY 4071
IORY 4072

GP50:
IORY 5001 (BN)
CBNS 5002 (BN OOS in Norwood)
CBNS 5004 (BN)
IORY 5006 (BN parts source 2 Norwood)
CBNS 5007 (BN blown motor)
CIND 5000 (RA red-white-blue)
CIND 5003 (RA red-white-blue @ ISRR)
CIND 5008 (RA red-white-blue)

CF&E GP38-2s :
3880-3889 in Railtex red-grey with CF&E nose decal
3881 assigned to AGR and 3885 Mid Michigan

FEC GP38-2:
505 and 506 assigned to the CF&E

PIR SW1500 2342 (NS black with PIR lettering)

Leased units:
CEFX 3092 SD40-2 (UP yellow)
CEFX 6671 GP38-3 (grey-maroon former SP GP35)
CEFX 9362 SD45T-2 (SP Speedletter)
CEFX 9392 SD45T-2 (SP Speedletter)
CEFX 9400 SD45T-2 (SP speedletter)
CEFX 9500 SD45R (SP Speedletter)

NREX 5597 SD40-2 (odd primer color)
NREX 5678 SD40-2 (CP dual flags)

LLPX 2602 GP38 (CSX YN2)
LLPX 2611 GP38 (Conrail blue)

HLCX 1400 MP15AC (TVFM green)
HLCX 1401 MP15AC (TVFM green)

[Loco_Engr]

9392 & 5003 should be en route soon (if not already) from ISRR.

4024 appears to still be active; it's on the schedule for a quarterly inspection soon.

9362 shows going to storage.

9400 shows going down for truck/traction motor repair.

[AARR]

Thanks guys...I'm trying to absorb everything quickly

[railohio]

Thanks guys...I'm trying to absorb everything quickly

Maybe we should call you SpongeDon Stretchypants!

[CG Tower]

If it helps, I have created an Excel spread sheet of the industries from Diann to Washington C.H. on the former DT&I.

CG Tower

Thanks guys...I'm trying to absorb everything quickly

[midland sub]

I hear 4084 is OOS with excessively worn wheel sets and might not return again.

I would like to see the 4024 follow the 4023 to the Kyle. The 5003 will go directly to the CIND to replace 5008 which is down with blown power assemblies (again).

9392 & 5003 should be en route soon (if not already) from ISRR.

4024 appears to still be active; it's on the schedule for a quarterly inspection soon.

9362 shows going to storage.

9400 shows going down for truck/traction motor repair.

[AARR]

Thanks guys...I'm trying to absorb everything quickly

Maybe we should call you SpongeDon Stretchypants!

If it helps, I have created an Excel spread sheet of the industries from Diann to Washington C.H. on the former DT&I.

CG Tower

AARR wrote:
Thanks guys...I'm trying to absorb everything quickly

CG - If you're willing to share it with me I'll gladly accept your offer.

I make an effort to track all MI shortline track (mileposts - the original ones), passing sidings including length, engine rosters, customers and cars shipped, and interchange connections and overhead traffic.

Since IORY is in MI I've included them. However, I'm just doing the ex-DT&I stuff.

I have very little inside info and depend mostly on other people's observations and the internet. On most stuff I'm in the "ballpark". But, because I don't have the inside info there's always a margin of error when I post anything. GDLK & IORY are my two weakest shortlines at this time.

I've been dabbling with this hobby for many years so it looks like I spend a lot of time on it but I can only invest an hour or two a week because of my work and family.

So when ever someone whom I know to be fairly reliable, like yourself, makes an offer to share something I gladly accept!

[redside20]

i too am becoming a commerce junkie and it might be instrumental in my pursuit in a college degree in the fields of transportation& logistics and GIS. heck why not do both. In terms of the IORY, the thing i'm most curious about is what gets delivered to the I&O at Flat Rock Yard, and from the Ann Arbor at Diann and vice versa and tracking what moves over the line. for me Springfield and Washington Court House are definately closer than Flat Rock, Diann, and Delta for me.

I don't have any inside sources as i rely on other posters like midland sub because he is on the same yahoo groups as i am and that is how i get my information,

[AARR]

In terms of the IORY, the thing i'm most curious about is what gets delivered to the I&O at Flat Rock Yard, and from the Ann Arbor at Diann and vice versa and tracking what moves over the line.

I don't know about Flat Rock but I don't think it's much anymore. Maybe 10ish cars most days. But someone else will have to confirm.

Diann was exchanging some sand and scrap metal. I've heard the scrap metal is no longer taking this route but, again, someone else will have to confirm.

[CG Tower]

Sure! Send me an e-mail address and I'll forward it on to you. You can send me a private message if you wish, that's fine.

CG Tower

Thanks guys...I'm trying to absorb everything quickly

Maybe we should call you SpongeDon Stretchypants!

If it helps, I have created an Excel spread sheet of the industries from Diann to Washington C.H. on the former DT&I.

CG Tower

AARR wrote:
Thanks guys...I'm trying to absorb everything quickly

CG - If you're willing to share it with me I'll gladly accept your offer.

I make an effort to track all MI shortline track (mileposts - the original ones), passing sidings including length, engine rosters, customers and cars shipped, and interchange connections and overhead traffic.

Since IORY is in MI I've included them. However, I'm just doing the ex-DT&I stuff.

I have very little inside info and depend mostly on other people's observations and the internet. On most stuff I'm in the "ballpark". But, because I don't have the inside info there's always a margin of error when I post anything. GDLK & IORY are my two weakest shortlines at this time.

I've been dabbling with this hobby for many years so it looks like I spend a lot of time on it but I can only invest an hour or two a week because of my work and family.

So when ever someone whom I know to be fairly reliable, like yourself, makes an offer to share something I gladly accept!

[redside20]

speaking of grain trains to Haynes, a CSX empty hopper train is headed your way midland sub

[midland sub]

Thanks for the heads up. CSX had a loaded K899 (loaded phosphate train) not far behind it last night. CSX left one set of power (CSX 8093 and 6240) for the I&O to use today. The phosphate train was for Southwest Landmark in South Chuck and went up the DT&I this afternoon with the CSX power. The grain train is sitting on the Midland main in Wash CH. I assume it will also go north up the DT&I with the Springfield Turn. The I&O had 2 crews working the Midland out Wash CH on Sunday night. One crew worked the WCH industrial park and the other picked up the empty grain train to give CSX some room to work at Haynes.

speaking of grain trains to Haynes, a CSX empty hopper train is headed your way midland sub

[CSX_CO]

I saw mention made of CIND 5003 and CBNS 5009. As of yesterday they in Hawthorne Yard in Indy, and had been there over the weekend. CBNS 5009 is dead and drained and unfit for service based upon the tags (wonder what the ISRR guys did to it?). Normally the interchange for the CIND takes place at Beech Grove or at Shelbyville, IN for CSX convience. However, in a move in response to Honda at Greensburg 'shunning' CSX, they took the portion of the track between CIND ownership and Shelbyville OOS well over 2 years ago. Engines will have to get bounced back to Avon and forwarded to Cincy to get back to the RA properties.

Practice Safe CSX

[redside20]

hmm if there were two back to back trains on the midland sub last night, when can i expect the train to come back my way

Thanks for the heads up. CSX had a loaded K899 (loaded phosphate train) not far behind it last night. CSX left one set of power (CSX 8093 and 6240) for the I&O to use today. The phosphate train was for Southwest Landmark in South Chuck and went up the DT&I this afternoon with the CSX power. The grain train is sitting on the Midland main in Wash CH. I assume it will also go north up the DT&I with the Springfield Turn. The I&O had 2 crews working the Midland out Wash CH on Sunday night. One crew worked the WCH industrial park and the other picked up the empty grain train to give CSX some room to work at Haynes.

speaking of grain trains to Haynes, a CSX empty hopper train is headed your way midland sub

[midland sub]

You should see one or both of the grain trains from Saturday heading back to Columbus on Tuesday. The phospate trains take a couple of days or more for Southwest to unload.