New Coal Movement for LS&I in UP

[M&LS]

@Raildudesdad, the problem up there is the freeze, snow or rain or just condensation from the warm pellets can freeze lumps of load to the car side, even with vibration.
Remember to derailments on the Conrail in Detroit at Rouge? Frozen coal!

[Raildudes dad]

@Raildudesdad, the problem up there is the freeze, snow or rain or just condensation from the warm pellets can freeze lumps of load to the car side, even with vibration.
Remember to derailments on the Conrail in Detroit at Rouge? Frozen coal!

I guess I "assumed" that when the boats were not running, they would not be hauling pellets downhill or coal uphill. The rest of the year, they would have to watch for frozen loads and handle it accordingly. Port Sheldon gets coal loads daily throughout the winter so I know they have to deal wiith frozen loads.

[M&LS]

@ raildudesdad, I think you assumed correctly, I would think the same thing. I don't know if they ship by rail(exclusively) in the winter... I'll have to ask a friend who follows the LS&I. Does anyone on here know?

[i995impalass]

The coal was railed in with the LS&I 1000 hoppers (now on the Algoma all rail/ 7 Weigher) from West Yard 15 years before I started. The coal was brought in by ship to the power plant transloaded. At the Tilden clay shed #10 track is the coal track to the dumper and at the Empire track #5 was still in place to the coal building. My days working there (08) Blaundo was hauling right in into the same dumpers and the tracks were still in. Down at West Yard on the inbound lead, the coal track was still in an gated closed for the power plant.

LS&I during the off season is yes slower, but not shut down. They have the Weigher running all year round, and yard jobs running to switch the shops. Remember those ore cars are in a heavy yearly FRA program totally torn down and looked over and don't skip inspection months. If busy enough Algoma will send their boats around this time (March), since they do not have to go past the locks. This means a dock, hill, and a Tilden might be running. Also a some jobs might be combined depending on the work load- Dock/ Hill, Yard/ Tilden.

[muskegonrr]

People still live in the UP?