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Heard that this railroad is to start-up on Oct 01, 2010. Will operate the NS Lansing branch from Jackson to Lansing, Mich. Affilated with Adrain & Blissfield.

ADBF has a good track record of building up traffic on its lines and having popular excursion trains. Jackson to Lansing is great opportunity for them to do both. I hope the rumor is true, and suspect it may be.

Next, I'd like to see them go after CSX's West Detroit Branch and CR's Detroit Terminal West. They did a good job with GTW's Rat Line so maybe they can prop up those two lines too.

What are the chances they put the CHS Dinner Train on this route, anyone else have a thought about that?

Anyone know what power they are going to use on the line?

Did ADBF lease the line or buy it?

I believe ADBF has a few spare GP9's somewhere on its ADBF line. Came from east coast IIRC.

AARR wrote:I believe ADBF has a few spare GP9's somewhere on its ADBF line. Came from east coast IIRC.

There are 5 GP9s on the A&B line, although they probably can't do with less than 3 there. And 2 isnt going to be enough for the J&L line. I might be wrong but I don't think there are any other ADBF locos anywhere else that aren't being used.

Clay320 wrote:

AARR wrote:I believe ADBF has a few spare GP9's somewhere on its ADBF line. Came from east coast IIRC.

There are 5 GP9s on the A&B line, although they probably can't do with less than 3 there. And 2 isnt going to be enough for the J&L line. I might be wrong but I don't think there are any other ADBF locos anywhere else that aren't being used.

Well like Larry said, they could bring th dinner train to that line insted, so theyd have CHS #3 to use. Its not much but its better than just having a pair of GPs.

ADBF should do all right getting customers, god knows NS tried their hardest to drive 'em away!

Well, if ABDF wanst to run a shortline with GP7/9's I will prolly start prowling around the area. Not too many Michigan Railroads have High Hood early model geeps on their freight trains. Hats off to the ABDF.

TrainWatcher wrote:Well, if ABDF wanst to run a shortline with GP7/9's I will prolly start prowling around the area. Not too many Michigan Railroads have High Hood early model geeps on their freight trains. Hats off to the ABDF.

They already do, it's called the Adrian & Blissfield. Do you "prowl" over there?

Jon I have to say not yet. I've been meaning to go Fossil Hunt from Lenawee Junction and around Monroe area. But the Current ABDF set-up is smaller than this.

Now PLEASE correct me if I am wrong, but is this line the NS Lansing Secondary?

TrainWatcher wrote:Jon I have to say not yet. I've been meaning to go Fossil Hunt from Lenawee Junction and around Monroe area. But the Current ABDF set-up is smaller than this.

Look link - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_and ... _Rail_Road

Now PLEASE correct me if I am wrong, but is this line the NS Lansing Secondary?

YES, correct

Is there many customrs on that line, or is it more of a "connecting" line between main lines in Jackson & Lansing?

tyler_phillips wrote:Is there many customrs on that line, or is it more of a "connecting" line between main lines in Jackson & Lansing?

I have the list at home (compliments of Hogger1225 and Rail Cannon). If no one else responds I'll post it later. Seems like there's around 10ish customers with the steel distribution center in Holt the largest.

tyler_phillips wrote:Is there many customrs on that line, or is it more of a "connecting" line between main lines in Jackson & Lansing?

The potential for more customers is probably double, or more. NS did their best to drive as many of them away as they could. I think an aggressive customer hungry/friendly RR could do all right.

Indiana Northeastern is based out of Hillsdale and has plenty of classic power as well, Gp30's, GP7's, and GP9's.

First shot is at the Indiana/Ohio State Line, Second is at Fremont Indiana but this train originated in Hillsdale.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31625123@N ... 204283799/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31625123@N ... 4204283799
Couple of the ADBF as well.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31625123@N ... 204283799/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31625123@N ... 204283799/

They will have to run partly down the NS line to the yard I would imagine. I always enjoyed watching the train run by the Toy House there in Jackson. Some what of a grade for them to go down also as I remember growing up really close to the tracks.

Leslie – Mason Elevator: Don't think they've shipped in a while
Mason – North Pacific: inbound lumber
Mason – National Gypsum: inbound wallboard
Mason – Michigan Packaging: inbound medium (cardboard or paper)
Mason – Mason Elevator: Don't think they've shipped in a while
Mason – Americhem: inbound chemicals
Mason – Capital Excavating & Paving: Don't think they've shipped in a while. Handled some coal for MSU a while back.
Holt – Regional Steel Distribution Center: inbound steel flat rolls (largest shipper)
Holt – Capital Drywall: inbound drywall

On Lansing Industrial Track Quality Dairy receives plastic pellets and some machining company gets a few carloads of equipment annually.

Just because they have a spur, don't automatically expect things to change once the ownership changes. It also depends on if the prospective customer customer(s) can get rail via a routing that is accessible. Had an example of that at work last week. A wholesaler in New Mexico wanted to have some of our building products shipped in via rail to their warehouse from our production plant in Western Illinois to lower cost compared to the usual truck transportation. Our logistics department did some checking - and found that they couldn't use rail because it wasn't on a service lane that they had access to. (My guess is that a single carrier routing could not be lined up between the two facilities)

GTWFRED wrote:

tyler_phillips wrote:Is there many customrs on that line, or is it more of a "connecting" line between main lines in Jackson & Lansing?

The potential for more customers is probably double, or more. NS did their best to drive as many of them away as they could. I think an aggressive customer hungry/friendly RR could do all right.