HESR in Pigeon

[pbmaxno15]

At 11:30 p.m. I was on my way home through Pigeon and caught HESR. They were backing off the elevator/bean plant spur. They backed to the switch and headed west past the old depot on the main. MNN 1471 was in the lead with NECR 3852 following. They had 4 boxcars and 1 covered hopper in tow. That was the first time I have seen 3852 over here. Too bad it was dark. It is still interesting to see some different paint over here in the thumb.

[AARR]

Has the big elevator in Pigeon been active lately? I've read the send out 100 car units and they're certainly big enough to ship quite a few of them. I would imagine they'll also be receiving fertilizer about now.

[pbmaxno15]

The Co-opfacility east of Elkton has 5 single dome tanks, which I assume have to be fertilizer, but they have been there for a while. Monday night there were 5 covered hoppers shoehorned between crossings on the spur to the small elevator in Elkton and one more under the chute. They were all gone last night. I didn't see any boxes on the spur by the bean plant north of the elevator in Pigeon. There are one or two covered hoppers at the Active facility on the west side of Pigeon on a pretty regular basis. I haven't seen the 100 unit trains up here. The longest I have ever seen was 42 covered hoppers headed north into Sebewaing last fall.

[AARR]

pbmaxno15, thanks for the update. Pigeon also has a fertilizer yard at the north end of the large elevator. Both the main line and the siding have dug out openings under them to unload dry fertilizer into or near the small building.

East of Elkton is another very large Co-op elevator. And on the east side of that is another ag operation with large domes. I thought it was a milling operation (because I've seen CSX specialty covered hoppers there for flour or milled grain service)...but maybe you're right and it's for fertilizer.

[cnw8835]

East of Elkton is another very large Co-op elevator. And on the east side of that is another ag operation with large domes. I thought it was a milling operation (because I've seen CSX specialty covered hoppers there for flour or milled grain service)...but maybe you're right and it's for fertilizer.

The main siding there is for grain loading. There is also a spur running north towards M-142 that goes through another building which I believe is for bean loading. The fertilizer place is out closer to Moore Rd on the east side. This is the best shot I have of the facility

[AARR]

Very nice picture, Jon!