Packard Plant Rail Service

[azimmer]

A group of developers has purchased the old Packard Plant on Detroit's east side. The plans are to produce modular homes and offices on the site:

http://www.freep.com/article/20131028/B ... l-Van-Horn

Norfolk Southern operates two branch lines on the east side, and one of those lines is directly adjacent to the site. Currently, the only customer on that line is a produce distributor that is located just south of the old Packard Plant

Can anyone provide more information or speculation on how this new operation, if it comes to fruition, will change rail operations in Detroit? There is some talk that new rail lines will be constructed to deliver finished goods to a port on the Detroit River.

[ConrailDetr​oit]

That is on Conrails Beltline extension, not NS. Even though all we have seen is the Conrail crew using an NS engine.

There are a few customers north of the plant. Soon to be GM Poletown, Strong steel and a warehouse that receives boxcars next to the Parade Company warehouse on Huber.

[Stinger4me]

There was a time when the Conrail tracks went south to Jefferson and underneath Jefferson. I think the tracks provided service to the former U.S. Royal(later Uniroyal) and may have headed west south of Jefferson Ave. perhaps close to and making connection with the GTW near the Brush St. Depot. The hooligans in Motown loved to break into boxcars and help themselves to new tires.

[azimmer]

That is on Conrails Beltline extension ...
There are a few customers north of the plant. Soon to be GM Poletown ...

It's hard to remember that Conrail is still in business with all the NS locos prowling around the area.

But GM Poletown is not linked to the Beltline. It is serviced from the nearby Conrail and CN lines that run directly from North/East yard. (For CN it would be the Mt. Clemens sub.)

Those crews that work the Beltline have to traverse some of the worst urban territory in the country. I'd hate to be in their place.

[KenB]

The GM Poletown plant was switched by GTW-CN. CN lost the contract to CR-DSAA so CN pulled the switch leading into the plants yard which was bult with State money. So Conrail-DSAA has to relay the track on the orginal Belt Line (again with State money) to acces the yard.

[AARR]

A switching short line tried to get the contract to switch Poletown and interchange with CR crossing CN tracks. I guess the state determined rebuilding the line for direct access to CR was the most economical way to go .

[M.D.Bentley]

The state of Michigan has nothing to do with who switches the Poletown plant. YES it was built with state funds ( just like Mack yard.). The reason CN quit switching the BOC was when GM went into bankruptcy, a lot of suppliers/creditors got burnt. The CN was using it for storage but GM told them to pay rent or get out. They got out and took their switch with them. There are 7 customers on the Beltline Extension , some get rail service some don't at this time. The Beltline use to go to the river at one time and there seemed to be a yard every block or two. AND yes you could smell the rubber ( thats how they knew which cars had tires in them ). AND CONRAIL IS STILL ALIVE !

[PatAzo]

Some of the inbound materials by rail. Outbound I'd expect truck movements. If the finished product is to big to truck across town to the port it's to big to be economical to ship by sea. They say modular but I suspect pre-fabricated kits if they figure to ship any distance.

Call me a Doubting Thomas. $6M to buy 35 acres of abandoned collapsing buildings so unsafe the fire department won't go in most of them when they are on fire. In 1998-99 the city and state were going to demolish the site and estimated it at $5M. That's $11M plus to get 35 acres to build on. Why not go an hours or so down the road and get 35 acres of vacant land to build on?

[astrofunk76]

Um...yeah. These "buyers" are actually living in another galaxy somewhere. Their nonsensical "statement" from yesterday includes talk of "prophecy," Albert Einstein and "Hernando Deesoto" [sic]. Interesting reading: http://www.freep.com/assets/freep/pdf/C42144731029.PDF

If that $6 million check arrives, I'll eat my hat.

Next up, from what I understand, are some Peruvians who bid $2 million. Can't wait to find out what their story is...

[azimmer]

Um...yeah. These "buyers" are actually living in another galaxy somewhere. Their nonsensical "statement" from yesterday includes talk of "prophecy," Albert Einstein and "Hernando Deesoto" [sic].

Not to mention "Hyland Park (sic)."

It seems that everyone has been deceived by a pack of crazies, yet no one wants to admit the farce because the prospect of $6 million has them all hypnotized.

I was at first surprised at the claim that 6000 jobs would be created at the site. GM Poletown, a much larger oeration just a short distance north, only employs about 1500. But now there comes this insane babble in the form of an official statement. Something is very wrong somewhere.

The newspapers should investigate this Dr. Jill van Horn.

It looks like the Beltline won't be revitalized after all.

[Standard Railfan]

Why not go an hours or so down the road and get 35 acres of vacant land to build on?

As Mr. Rogers would say "Can you say Enterprise Zone?"

[Norm]

Well, like any other plan in a severely depressed and dilapidated area of any inner city, I'll believe the intentions of the purchaser when I see the finished product. I don't think the Packard Plant is coming down anytime soon.

[PatAzo]

As Mr. Rogers would say "Can you say Enterprise Zone?"

With a viable business plan you don't need that site to get an enterprise zone or tax breaks. A clear site for $6M is comparable to what vacant industrial land in a city setting sells for. At $11M, real manufacturers are looking at what is available somewhere else.

My take is it's the age old real estate churn. Drum up some interest in a project and take your cut off the top.

[Standard Railfan]

The most recent news indicates that there will be no rail service needed at the former Packard plant.

The high bid was rejected owing to the bidder not submitting the required deposit in a timely fashion.

The second place bidder is a Chicago based developer, William Hults. According to the Detroit Free Press " Hults says he intends to proceed with his vision to redevelop the auto factory on the city’s east side into a mixed-use residential, commercial and entertainment complex."

More on the story here http://www.freep.com/article/20131101/B ... -Palazuelo

[hoborich]

Not to rain on the parade, but the old Packard plant, being a former auto plant, almost certainly would be a brownfield, and require millions for environmental cleanup. Haven't seen any mention of that...............yet.Developers always exagerate their plans and job creation by a factor of 10.