RailAmerica buys Marquette

[Saturnalia]

RA expects to close sometime in May

[atrainguy60]

I wonder if 3001 will stay on exMQT lines or if it will travel around RA's rail system across the country.

[Saturnalia]

I wonder if 3001 will stay on exMQT lines or if it will travel around RA's rail system across the country.

DON'T MENTION THE POSSIBILITY!

[Mr. Tops]

Don't forget that the GLLX units are privately owned...not owned by the railroad itself, but an individual.

Guess it all depends on the terms of the agreement, whether they are included in the sale; will continue to be leased to MQT; or will be "returned to the lessor", aka "screw you, I'm taking my engines back!" If anything ventures out, it will be the 38-2s, but I doubt that - it's not like MQT really has any excess power. If anything, you may see some scrap RA power trickle in to cover if there are any breakdowns of current power.

Time will tell...

[atrainguy60]

I was just wondering that, since they officially own the railroad now. If they are going to return the GLLX engines and send some RA engines to do the work over there, or if they will keep them.

[Saturnalia]

I was just wondering that, since they officially own the railroad now. If they are going to return the GLLX engines and send some RA engines to do the work over there, or if they will keep them.

no they will likely keep them. MQT has a good power/freight ratio, so at least for the time being, it will likely stay the same, but you guess at to when RA locos will show up is as good as mine.

[atrainguy60]

Well that's good. I like 3001 a lot, even though I've never seen it in person.

[Saturnalia]

Well that's good. I like 3001 a lot, even though I've never seen it in person.

I do believe that GLLX has very close ties to MQT as well. I'd say that unless something happens to any of the units, we shouldn't see any RA power at current traffic levels.

I'm gonna miss MQT . I just hope RA dosn't put a big ugly patch over the lettering on 3001 saying "Employee-Owned".

[SD80MAC]

Word is that Marquette will remain a seperate entity from RA with it's own management team, kind of like what they did with FEC a while back. It won't be integrated with GRE, MMRR or MS.

[Saturnalia]

Word is that Marquette will remain a seperate entity from RA with it's own management team, kind of like what they did with FEC a while back. It won't be integrated with GRE, MMRR or MS.

Great! Why mess up a railroad whose mamagement has obviously done a stellar job

[atrainguy60]

Does the acquisition mean that Marquette Rail now owns the track they operate on, or is it still only leased from CSX?

[penn central]

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[J T]

By the way, the owner of Great Lakes is a member of rrfan. I'm sure he's probably chuckling reading this speculation about his locomotives.

[penn central]

.

[amtrak1007]

By the way, the owner of Great Lakes is a member of rrfan. I'm sure he's probably chuckling reading this speculation about his locomotives.

All hail the Godfather.

[trnwatcher]

I had dinner with Jack Bixby and Ken Livingston from RA and Rick Burn from the MRHS, Tuesday night before they spoke at the Muskegon Railroad Historical Society General Meeting. The MQT will be ran as a seperate operating unit with the current GM of MQT now being an Operations Manager with RA. When we first started chatting with Jack and Ken they knew that the sale was to close that day but really did not know when. Literally during dinner the press release come through that the sale has closed.
It sounds like for now, the MQT will be ran as it has been ran up until now. With so many vairiables with the agreements with CSX, the locomotive lessor and other interested parties it will be some time before any major changes are scene on the MQT.
Jack and Ken seemed to be very nice and answered all questions put to them by not only RIck and I at dinner, but the MRHS membership at the meeting. There where some questions they just did not know the answers to but again most of these where about future plans and operational changes that just have not been worked out yet by RA.
We are looking to have Jack and Ken back in 2013 for an update of RA if they are willing to come back.

[Raildudes dad]

I missed the meeting because the "other site" had the wrong date

[amtrak1007]

I missed the meeting because the "other site" had the wrong date

You trust the "other site" to be correct?!?!?!?

[Raildudes dad]

I missed the meeting because the "other site" had the wrong date

You trust the "other site" to be correct?!?!?!?

One would think a date posted incorrectly for 3-4 weeks would get corrected or mentioned on the board as being wrong............but I guess not

[amtrak1007]

Man this stinks. Anyone know how much will stay the same? MQT was such a good railroad......why sell?

Why else? To make $$$$$, everyone has their price.