Jackson & Lansing equipment

[NYCMan]

OK, I'll bite. Who says they are going back to "the lessor"? If, as you say, they were supposed to go backin 2011, then why are they still here? And, last week you said they WENT back, did they return or what? Lots of guesses. If you wait long enough, I suppose they could rust away, too. I'd like to know FACT as opposed to GUESS. Do you have any FACT to share with us, other than the fact that your information has been less than reliable so far.

[AARR]

OK, I'll bite. Who says they are going back to "the lessor"?

I've lived long enough to know that with a little patience in time the truth surfaces.

Like you said the people who say the GP15's are leased and being returned keep changing the date. What I know is the GP9's are equipped to run in the winter without continuously being left in idle. The GP15's must be left idling in cold weather. Fuel is expensive. So if I'm the owner I will operate the GP9's as much as possible in the winter and store preferable inside a building the GP15's so the fluids don't have to be drained.

I don't have any inside information. I have been reading this board for years and happen to recall bits and pieces of information about JAIL and its locomotives. I try assemble this information into something that makes sense. I could be wrong...

[NYCJIM]

I can give you three reasons
First of all, it wasn't I that posted they were to be turned in 2011. Second, both of the GP-9's are up and running, So there's no need to pay for lease power anymore to cover for the GP-9's. Third, the GP-15's were recently drained and sitting on the interchange track for CSX to pick up and go back to their Lessor .. Just waiting for CSX to accept them.

[NYCMan]

And, I guess, your third reason is why I have such a big disconnect. You say that the locomotives were drained and sitting on the CSX interchange track. Yet, then there were others that had no idea where the locomotives were. Then, suddenly, one of the locomotives is being seen earlier this week going to Jackson or in Mason or something like that.

If the locomotives were drained and sitting on the CSX interchange track and then they were gone, I'd buy the argument. But, then, POP!, one of the locomotives is seen in Jackson or Mason pulling a train. So, that sounds to me like it is not drained and sitting on an interchange track.

What AARR says makes a lot more sense. The GP9s are apparently winterized, whereas the GP15s are not. So, it seems to me that the likely place for the GP15s is inside the enginehouse keeping warm. Assuming JAIL is smart -- and I think they probably know better about what they are doing than any of us out here sitting on our couches would know -- they don't want to have to idle diesel locomotives 24/7, as fuel is expen$ive!

And, given the amount of traffic that JAIL handles, is 2 locomotives enough? I've seen some of their trains coming through Leslie with 50-plus heavy coil cars plus some boxcars, too, and the 2 locomotives doing the work were choking pretty hard.

[Clay320]

I had also heard that they were due the be sent back shortly. By guess is there was an issue getting them off the line and they may be around a while till that's resolved, so might as well use them in the meantime.

As for can the JAIL operate with 2 locos? Probably isn't ideal as I'd imagine a large road train would need both 9's, and any issue with one of them would limit train size. If/when the 15's do leave I'd imagine another loco would be brought up from Adrian to maintain 3 operating engines there.

[AARR]

As for can the JAIL operate with 2 locos? Probably isn't ideal as I'd imagine a large road train would need both 9's, and any issue with one of them would limit train size. If/when the 15's do leave I'd imagine another loco would be brought up from Adrian to maintain 3 operating engines there.

Heard something along these lines too.

If the GP15's go they'll be missed cause they certainly are colorful

[NYCJIM]

Clay320 pretty much said it. They were using just two GP-9's before. In the past, if there were Too many cars for the 2 GP's to handle back to Mason, they would just take what they could and hope they could get the rest the following trip.If some did see a 15 around Mason was it running or just being towed in their consist? I know for a fact they were over near Turner St drained, waiting for CSX to accept them and pick them up. Maybe there was a change of plans and they needed one or maybe they are now going out by the way of NS, but one thing for sure though, their time is short here and they are on there way off the property if they haven't left already.

[GTWRalph]

I drove by the JAIL Barn in Mason on my way home for work tonight. 1 GP-9 is in the barn. A GP-15 and GP-9 were on the main line together and the other GP-15 was on the siding next to the antiques building. To dark for any photos.

[NYCMan]

With the way those GP15s are getting around, maybe there are 4 of them and not 2? Thanks to GTWRalph for providing some first hand observations instead of just a guess or a rumor. So, as of tonight, per GTWRalph, JAIL has 4 locomotives in Mason, 2 GP9s and 2 GP15s. THanks, again, GTWRalph, for using your eyes and ears and not just adding to the guesses!

Someone else told me that JAIL now has or was getting 2 E8 locomotives. (Of course, the person that told me so has told me so much baloney over the years, I have learned to not believe it unless I see it.) Anyone know anything about any E units or where they may be hiding? Are they inside the Mason enginehouse?

[NYCJIM]

I found out a little while ago that they had to activate one of the 15's the other day to cover for one of the GP-9's that had to have some work done. The other 15 is not active and sitting in Mason. Once the GP-9 is back in service, to two GP-15's are to be going back to LTEX. That is what the plan is at this time. From what I've been told, the 15's won't be around much longer sad to say. Get your Pic's while you can.

[Racer]

With the way those GP15s are getting around, maybe there are 4 of them and not 2? Thanks to GTWRalph for providing some first hand observations instead of just a guess or a rumor. So, as of tonight, per GTWRalph, JAIL has 4 locomotives in Mason, 2 GP9s and 2 GP15s. THanks, again, GTWRalph, for using your eyes and ears and not just adding to the guesses!

Someone else told me that JAIL now has or was getting 2 E8 locomotives. (Of course, the person that told me so has told me so much baloney over the years, I have learned to not believe it unless I see it.) Anyone know anything about any E units or where they may be hiding? Are they inside the Mason enginehouse?

Technically, the JAIL has an F7 on it's property by the CSX interchange in Lansing, but it is owned by Railmark along with the SW1500 coupled to it. It is anyone's guess what will ever happen to them since their home rails are to become a bike trail. Why on earth would the JAIL need E8s? Unless A&B is proposing a new dinner train operation, but even that sounds far-fetched.

[Clay320]

Someone else told me that JAIL now has or was getting 2 E8 locomotives.

Yeah they're going to put them on the dinner train in Charlotte along with the dome car and charge $198.95 a seat.



And if you believe that I have some ocean front property in Kansas for sale...

[tyler_phillips]

This topic is hysterical! I bet Mr. Dobronski himself is reading through this laughing his butt off, just like me... It is very entertaining, however.

[GTWRalph]

NYCJIM - Glad I could help . I live and work in Mason about a mile from the JAIL barn. The GP-9 and GP-15 are out and about this morning. The other GP-15 is still behind the antiques building. The north side of the JAIL barn has operating ovehead doors ( always closed) . While on the south end of the barn , JAIL has plywood covering the entrance which up to this point has been covered. This is the first time that I could see inside the barn. The GP-9 has a few doors open on the side of the engine. Its not over the pit. You can see that a heavy vehicle has been driving up to the engine.

[AARR]

This topic is hysterical! I bet Mr. Dobronski himself is reading through this laughing his butt off, just like me... It is very entertaining, however.

This board is frequented by quite a few in the railroad industry including owners and upper management and they are often very amused about railfan "Guesses"

[Standard Railfan]

This topic is hysterical! I bet Mr. Dobronski himself is reading through this laughing his butt off, just like me... It is very entertaining, however.

This board is frequented by quite a few in the railroad industry including owners and upper management and they are often very amused about railfan "Guesses"

I am so glad we can keep them entertained. Look at all they do for us!

[GLLX3002]

Hi Mark and Jerry!

[Dan Cluley]

To verify what Ralph said, from this morning here are the 1443 on the siding by the old frieght house, the 1758 in the barn, and 1419/1760 with the northbound at College Rd.

[A No.1]

Back to the lessor Dan. My sources warned me about that last summer.

Looks like they're still around to me....



As of December, at least.

Nice video, Dec 2nd was the day I missed the Santa train due to finding out I had to report to Engineer School in Hammond, IN on the 3rd. Been having fun ever since though.

[CAT345C]

No that has to be a photoshop job the 15s don't really exist.