Jackson-Lansing Railroad

[Tim]

Ambassador Steel in Holt, when serviced by NS, ran in spurts depending on what they had orders for. They might get the maximum two cars that can be spotted every day for a couple weeks and then nothing for a month. They receive nothing but rebar in gons. The other steel receiver is Alro Steel on the Belt just north of Saginaw Yard which receives steel plates about once every week or two, usually on flatcars but sometimes in a gon. This came off the CSX until JAIL took over. And of course the big receiver is RSDC (Regional Steel Distribution Corp) which gets coil steel for all the GM plants in the region.

[M&LS]

So by keeping an ear to the ground and fortuitous travels I have a lead on what JAILs new motive power will be...

It's a GP 15 from LTEX, just got dropped in Endsle yard earlier today(wed)!
I spotted it on csx at i496 behind two CN monsters(and not a single csx loco) this afternoon. When I got home looked up the traffic reports on csx and our admin had mentioned that he had heard on the radio when q355 dropped it off that it was for interchange with JAIL.
Now we have L(a)TEX in the JAIL... Too many jokes!!!

Edit: before I put my foot to deep in my mouth, railroadfan did not say that it was for JAIL.... Does anyone have any other ideas about where it could be going?
I'm going to go check it out tomorrow(thurs) and see what I can see. I'll let yas know!

[wawatam]

The GP 15 #1419 has been moved down to Holt. Hope to see it in action soon.

[M&LS]

Thanks for the update wawatam!

[GLC 392]

Speaking of Holt, i had a coil gon in my train tonight billed to Arcelor Mittal in Burns Harbor and then to Holt MI, we loaded it at US steels Irvin plant.

[Clay320]

Quick question, does the JAIL also have the short branch that goes SE of Jackson? Or does NS still have that?

[Scooterb]

does the JAIL also have the short branch that goes SE of Jackson? Or does NS still have that?

NS still has that line.
btw JAIL went north out of Jackson about 5:00 am today.

[Clay320]

At 0:45 you'll see 1419. Not my video.

[TrainWatcher]

Glad they stepped up to more of a road switcher, but why not go for GP38-2's? My understanding is the GP15-1 series (especially ex-Conrail) were used for the tight turn radii of some curves in industrial areas. The Lansing Secondary from what I hear from all of you is able to handle 6 axles and other large locomotives. And LTEX I wouldn't think has a LACK of GP38-2's or GP40-2's.

[AARR]

At 0:45 you'll see 1419. Not my video.

Where was this video taken? Did you notice the MQT cars on the head end? I wonder what ruting they take to get to CN? Maybe MQT-GDLK-CN in Kalamazoo?

[cnw8835]

Where was this video taken? Did you notice the MQT cars on the head end? I wonder what ruting they take to get to CN? Maybe MQT-GDLK-CN in Kalamazoo?

Don, the video is of Q335 on Wednesday at Romulus. CSX train using CN power.

[AARR]

Glad they stepped up to more of a road switcher, but why not go for GP38-2's? My understanding is the GP15-1 series (especially ex-Conrail) were used for the tight turn radii of some curves in industrial areas. The Lansing Secondary from what I hear from all of you is able to handle 6 axles and other large locomotives. And LTEX I wouldn't think has a LACK of GP38-2's or GP40-2's.

My guess is 15-1's are cheaper than 38-2's.

GP15-1's and GP38-2's have similiar starting tractive effort. As speed goes up the 38-2's TE gets a little better than 15-1. On JAIL I doubt they'll go fast enough for a long enough period of time to get substancial benefit from the 38-2.

IMO more short line railroads would have GP15's if they were available years ago but 15's have only in recent years been let go by Class 1's and made available to short lines. And short lines are gobbling them up.

[AARR]

Where was this video taken? Did you notice the MQT cars on the head end? I wonder what ruting they take to get to CN? Maybe MQT-GDLK-CN in Kalamazoo?

Don, the video is of Q335 on Wednesday at Romulus. CSX train using CN power.

Thanks...so much for my theory on how those MQT cars got from MQT to CN

[cnw8835]

Where was this video taken? Did you notice the MQT cars on the head end? I wonder what ruting they take to get to CN? Maybe MQT-GDLK-CN in Kalamazoo?

Don, the video is of Q335 on Wednesday at Romulus. CSX train using CN power.

Thanks...so much for my theory on how those MQT cars got from MQT to CN

Depending on their destination, last I knew, a large portion of MQT cars bound for CN will go to/from Toledo on Q334/Q335 to be interchanged there with CN.

[CERY]

Glad they stepped up to more of a road switcher, but why not go for GP38-2's? My understanding is the GP15-1 series (especially ex-Conrail) were used for the tight turn radii of some curves in industrial areas. The Lansing Secondary from what I hear from all of you is able to handle 6 axles and other large locomotives. And LTEX I wouldn't think has a LACK of GP38-2's or GP40-2's.

The GP9 is one of the best road switchers ever produced and has one of the best track records in the industry. If you want a cheap and reliable option the GP9 is the way to go. EMD produced the GP15 as a cost effective replacement for the GP7/9 and other light road switchers. While the GP15-1 produces 10,000 less pounds of tractive effort at 10mph vs the GP38-2 and 5,000 pounds less than a GP40 it has 4 fewer cylinders and therefor should use less fuel.

Please see GATX's locomotive page for the information that I reference. The GP15-1 is a great locomotive for slow speed operations.

I also assume, I don't have any numbers on this, that the cost to lease a GP15-1 is less than that of GP38/38-2/40. Why pay for something that you don't need.

[GP30M4216]

As I recall, Conrail operated GP15-1s on the Lansing Branch and other local Michigan branchlines for much of the 80s and 90s. This LTEX 1419 is a former Conrail (then NS) GP15-1, basically back on home rails! Kind of cool! I wonder if they are just getting the one?

That being said, I wonder what the story is? Are the two A&B GP9s insufficient to handle the traffic on this line? Do they need additional power (a GP15-1) to augment the 9's, or is this meant to replace one of the GP9s which will be sent back to Adrian? I wonder if this 15-1 will get a version of the A&B pant scheme?

[Clay320]

As I recall, Conrail operated GP15-1s on the Lansing Branch and other local Michigan branchlines for much of the 80s and 90s. This LTEX 1419 is a former Conrail (then NS) GP15-1, basically back on home rails! Kind of cool! I wonder if they are just getting the one?

That being said, I wonder what the story is? Are the two A&B GP9s insufficient to handle the traffic on this line? Do they need additional power (a GP15-1) to augment the 9's, or is this meant to replace one of the GP9s which will be sent back to Adrian? I wonder if this 15-1 will get a version of the A&B pant scheme?

My guess is its to augment the GP9s. Things get tight on a railroad with only two engines. If you have a problem with one engine that takes it out of service then you better hope the other doesn't have anything happen to it until the first is fixed. This becomes a big issue when you need two engines to haul a larger train, especially in winter when things get slippery. If one goes down your screwed.

Having three or four engines also gives you the flexibility to rotate them out of service for maintenance and to position them in multiple places so your not running to the other end of the railroad for only a few cars.

[MSchwiebert]

http://docs.stb.dot.gov/?sGet&Dl9ZTH1WX ... ME00MQw%3D

As part of the Unions filing to revoke the consumation of the JAIL takeover, a customer listing had to be provided. The link (above) provides additional customers that were not accounted for on the first filing.

[AARR]

So GE Capital is who they're storing the cars for

[BL2-1843]

As I recall, Conrail operated GP15-1s on the Lansing Branch and other local Michigan branchlines for much of the 80s and 90s. This LTEX 1419 is a former Conrail (then NS) GP15-1, basically back on home rails! Kind of cool! I wonder if they are just getting the one?

LTEX 1443 exCR also, and in the same color orange paint as 1419 due anyday as it went through Lansing on the 17th.