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The more and more I look into the Ann Arbor and Michigan Interstate the more interesting it becomes (Just ordered both of AA's Railfan Chronicles). Obviously there was some bad feelings in the air when the AA retreated south of Ann Arbor and TSB took over the northern portion with MIGN. Now, I'm assuming that the AA crews were hired in when the Acquisition Corp took over. Using the two RS2's and then the GP38's acquired from Conrail. Heading north to Hosmer to link up with TSB GP35's that had previously been yours still painted -although patched, must have created some hostility of some sort between the crews at first? Were the first few days kind of rocky?

Secondly in a past post about Ithaca's planned ethanol plant I believe, mention was made about a run through grain train for GLC over Watco/AA rails to Toledo. Why would GLC do such a thing? So AA could free up power to use elsewhere? And if so, would it be AA crews on their territory or an extra GLC crew? (Sorry about the questions but the board has been a it dry as of late and, I'm curious....... thanks to any and all answers!

AA's issue was with the State of MI withholding money that AA felt they were promised and owed. I'm not aware of bad-blood between AA and TSBY.

Also, it's Osmer, not Hosmer.

MIGN-Todd wrote:Secondly in a past post about Ithaca's planned ethanol plant I believe, mention was made about a run through grain train for GLC over Watco/AA rails to Toledo. Why would GLC do such a thing? So AA could free up power to use elsewhere? And if so, would it be AA crews on their territory or an extra GLC crew?

What was probably being mentioned is that they'd run a grain train through like they always have - either they'd swap power at Osmer, or they'd have NS power run through

The reason I asked that one was because I heard the AA was against it but since Watco came to play they were open to it..... or something to that extant. The way I understood was that GLC would not drop it at Osmer but to just run through

This is what GLC's president Chris Bagwell told us at the AARRT&HA annual meeting several years ago

MIGN-Todd wrote:The reason I asked that one was because I heard the AA was against it but since Watco came to play they were open to it..... or something to that extant.

The Ithaca ethanol plant is no longer,the property was bought by Zeeland Farm Services. They have started construction of a Soybean Processing Facility there,no word if rail service will be used. Although it will be one of the largest plants of it's kind in the Midwest so we shall see.

Michigan Interstate didn't just feel like they were promised and owed money. They state had a contractual obligation and didn't live up to it. Maybe if instead of blowing $40 million on the rail barge project the state would have put the money into fixing up the track, Michigan Interstate would still be around -- regardless of whether the ferries continued or not.