RailRoadRumorMill. Up and running.

[M.D.Bentley]

Most people know that Marathon had been expanding their operations in the Downriver/Detroit area. Well in a dispute with the Detroit Salt Co. (who was just purchased by a Canadian Co. ) over placement of some trackage, has decided to seek some rail space out in the middle of nowhere. Well "Nowhere" happens to be located along the Ann Arbor Railroad and Marathon is pushing hard to get this accomplished. They had mentioned that there was a lot of space with some track already there with room for more. Not being up on the AA RR, anyone have a clue where this might be ? They did not disclose the location.

[TrainWatcher]

Can't imagine too many places on the Annie. A lot of that is either heavily wooded on the southern end, unless its on the north end by Osmer, or they might put a site out on the Saline Branch. What are we talking traffic wise? Like unit oilcan trains? 2-3 tanks a week?

[ns8401]

How about Dundee?

[Clay320]

How about Dundee?

Maybe out by the cement plant(now closed)?

[AARR]

How about Dundee?

Maybe out by the cement plant(now closed)?

This was my first thought too. They still have two employees there and get some inbound cement by rail but for how long is unknown and most likley will fully close soon.

BTW - some do not like rumors. but i love rumors. I realize rumors are based on 99% made up stuff but they are far more interesting to discuss than real railroading

[hoborich]

What are they "rumored" to be doing out there? Are they going to build another refinery? You have to make stuff, to ship stuff.

[Michael]

Marathon has a website about the downriver upgrade project http://www.detroithoup.com/ but it mentions there has not been a new oil refinery built in the US since 1976, only upgrades to existing facilities.
Has anyone heard what type of oil/gas facility this new place along the AARR is supposed to be?

[MDH]

Transloading facility? Maybe? (i.e. truck it over & ship from there? but wouldn't be high volume then)

[AARR]

Transloading facility? Maybe? (i.e. truck it over & ship from there? but wouldn't be high volume then)

There are some decent sized petroleum transload operations in the central states. Crude oil is loaded in Dakota's(?) and shipped east and south to refineries where in some cases it is transloaded again for final delivery to refineeries. some of these operations average 12-25 cars a week and may be even bigger by now as demand has gone up.

[M.D.Bentley]

Like I said, the dispute is over track placement on the salt company's property. With all of the underground pipes located along the ROW. Maybe a railcar loading facility ?

[ConrailMan5]

I thought at first that it could be on the pittsfield branch. But it seems that dundee has more available space.

Either way, more trains on the annie is good for me.

[MDH]

Transloading facility? Maybe? (i.e. truck it over & ship from there? but wouldn't be high volume then)

There are some decent sized petroleum transload operations in the central states. Crude oil is loaded in Dakota's(?) and shipped east and south to refineries where in some cases it is transloaded again for final delivery to refineeries. some of these operations average 12-25 cars a week and may be even bigger by now as demand has gone up.

I was thinking more along the lines of a general Transload facility like this one:

http://www.cn.ca/documents/Shipping/car ... oit-en.pdf

Then the Annie could utilize it for more than just one customer...

CSX has a similar one here in Toledo and two more in Detroit, not sure if there's enough demand in the region for more but could be...

http://www.transflo.net/index.cfm/terminals/

Michael

[redside20]

Transloading facility? Maybe? (i.e. truck it over & ship from there? but wouldn't be high volume then)

There are some decent sized petroleum transload operations in the central states. Crude oil is loaded in Dakota's(?) and shipped east and south to refineries where in some cases it is transloaded again for final delivery to refineeries. some of these operations average 12-25 cars a week and may be even bigger by now as demand has gone up.

I was thinking more along the lines of a general Transload facility like this one:

http://www.cn.ca/documents/Shipping/car ... oit-en.pdf

Then the Annie could utilize it for more than just one customer...

CSX has a similar one here in Toledo and two more in Detroit, not sure if there's enough demand in the region for more but could be...

http://www.transflo.net/index.cfm/terminals/

Michael

I just love looking at those..

[AARR]

I was thinking more along the lines of a general Transload facility like this one:

http://www.cn.ca/documents/Shipping/car ... oit-en.pdf

Then the Annie could utilize it for more than just one customer...

CSX has a similar one here in Toledo and two more in Detroit, not sure if there's enough demand in the region for more but could be...

http://www.transflo.net/index.cfm/terminals/

Michael

That set up would make sense.

I think most of us know, but for those who do not, companies will float rumors that they will take their business elsewhere to get their primary target to agree to a particular demand. In this case Marathon wants to locate the expanded rail operation on Detroit Salt land where their is underground piping that would need to be moved. DS does not want to move the piping, Marathon does not want to pay for moving the piping, but the city probably wants a compromise to keep jobs there. And so the game goes. But, it is a lot of fun speculating on a transload operation on my 2nd favorite railroad

[MDH]

I think most of us know, but for those who do not, companies will float rumors that they will take their business elsewhere to get their primary target to agree to a particular demand.

No different than the little kid who says "I'm going to take my toys and go home unless you play what I want to play!"

[M.D.Bentley]

More info. Conrail sent out a whole bunch of Reassigned Marathon cars on Tuesdays NS B-30, for Oakwood yard . Cars listed as sent to Ann Arbor railroad.

[AARR]

More info. Conrail sent out a whole bunch of Reassigned Marathon cars on Tuesdays NS B-30, for Oakwood yard . Cars listed as sent to Ann Arbor railroad.

Was the AA reference a mistake or does that mean the cars are being transloaded on AA's system?

[sd70accsxt700]

All it means is that Marathon re assigned cars in its fleet for service else where. They were handed off to NS B30 to be taken to Oakwood Yard. As of right now the desttination is showing as AARR. Chances are that means that they will be assigned to another Marathon facility on the AARR, but billing could change in route to be sent somewhere else.

[AARR]

Chances are that means that they will be assigned to another Marathon facility on the AARR, but billing could change in route to be sent somewhere else.

Is anyone aware of a Marathon facility (or refinery) on AA?

[ns8401]

Here's something to add to the AA part of this equation:

They are getting a new unit, a former UP/MKT/CR/PC GP40, now reclassed as a GP40-3 and numbered as 1337 that was overhauled and repainted in yellow with the elongated shield logo by LTE. This may be just for general service but I can't imagine they would buy another unit if business was static so there may be something to the Marathon rumor... Also there are NO marathon facilities on the AA unless they went and built something recently.

History:
Built 08/1968 As PC 3111 to CR 3111 to MKT 3111 to MKT 237 to UP 672 to UP 9955 To UP 1337 To AA 1337.