Orion Branch and Oak Yard Update

[OaklandCountyCustoms]

perhaps... just as an observation it looks as though 2 tracks will be for the circus train, they kept both of the southern most tracks which are lined on both sides by black top... much more friendly to loading and unloading people and frieght than in the middle of the yard. In regards to the wye...it was there last summer intact, i walked on it. first phase took out the southern turnout leading into the yard. second phase took out the eastern turnout entering the yard isolating the old PO&N. The third (northen) turnout was just removed with the lot of it. I made the hike last year also prior to all the removal when all the tracks lengths and turnouts were written on for removal. The tracks and turnout were still intact as far north as the power substation. I will have to dig out a photo from last year, but at one point the yard was just about full with box cars and flat cars. Even had a "Pigeon CO-OP" blue GT hopper and some DT&I boxes.

[OaklandCountyCustoms]

ok...here are a couple pictures i have taken from 2007, 2008 and 2009. enjoy.


Sept 2007. this is the south-eastern track on the wye if entering the yard from the north.


Sept 2007. This is the north bound track which goes to the east to enter the yard. this photo was taken prior to the turnout being switched into a curve vs a turnout. Even though the overgrowth is large, there were plants which were severed over the rails indicating something within the year had gone over the tracks...even if just once...it was still used.


May 2008. Another look heading north past the turnout. tracks intact, however, switch stand was taken off its mount.


May 2008, yard full.


May 2008, yard full


April 2009, telephone box from above now shown removed from mount next to trail (tracks removed)


100 years of history in a pile.


view entering yard.


view leaving yard.

very sad.

[Racer]

It's too bad to see this happening up there in Lake Orion. I think the CN/ GTW's trackage up there in the Pontiac region is really nice scenic-wise and it sucks to see this all going away.

[AARR]

Thanks OCC. I appreciate the updates. Yes, it's sad but apparently necessary for other GM plants to keep going.

[conrailmike]

Well even though it's sad to see it go, GM may have known what was going to happen down the line...

With the announcement today of Pontiac car division getting the axe ( we build the G6 - buh bye), we also found out that the new Malibu Hybrid will be built in Hamtramck starting in 2012. This means that we could loose the rest of the Malibu to Hamtramck or what we build now will be be given back to Fairfax Assembly. Do the math and there's a good possibility that Orion Assembly will cease production in another year. Sad? yes, but that's life in the auto industry these days....

[JANGAJONGA]

Wow that is sad.......amazing how less then a year ago that yard was chock full and now its completly empty and torn up. i heard there was a another customer on this line? is this true?

[OaklandCountyCustoms]

the other customer on the line had its siding torn out recently also. no busniess north of collier rd now.

[Racer]

the other customer on the line had its siding torn out recently also. no busniess north of collier rd now.

Wasn't this other customer a scrap dealer?

[AARR]

Wasn't this other customer a scrap dealer?

No, it was Powers Dist (beer dist). When Powers was in Sylvan Lake the received about 250 cars a year. When they moved to Auburn Hills (next to CN's Orion Yard) in the late 1990's they anticipated receiving 600 a year. But the cars came in 4-car blocks...and they could only unload 3 per switch, so as you can see they needed frequent switching. However, CN wanted to get paid for each switch and Powers only wanted to pay for one. So Powers would only receive what they were willing to pay for and that means one car would sit around costing everyone money until CN would switch it on their schedule. So Powers reduced their projection to 400 cars annually. However, they many times I checked out their spur I would say they never came close to that number and eventually went to their own trucks.

This is a customer who would have benefitted from a short line operator who'd switch them as many times as they wanted without multiple charges. Also, a short line would kill for 600, or 400, or 200 cars a year of business. To CN, who appears to have no more beer customers around the Detroit area after having at least half a dozen customers a short 10-15 years ago, 600, 1000, heck even 3,500 cars of business is nothing.

How do I know about the 3,500...about 10 years ago I tried to broker a deal with a local road construction firm and CN to handle 3,500 cars a year of aggregate/limestone to Romeo (which at the time CN was in the process of abandoning). CN was not interested in the move. They would have picked up the stone in Durand and taken it to either Pontiac or Port Huron with delivery to Romeo but they just were not interested.

[odave]

The scrap place is just south of Collier Rd.

Here's a Live Search Bird's Eye

[pbmaxno15]

OCC, Did you get a shot of the Pigeon COOP hopper? I would love to see a picture if you have one.

[JANGAJONGA]

The scrap place is just south of Collier Rd.

Here's a Live Search Bird's Eye

So is the scrap place the only reason why this line is still around now?

[odave]

South of Walton, there is a lumber transload facility west of Baldwin, and a GM facility (Pontiac?) east of Baldwin. Not sure how much longer the latter will be around.

[conrailmike]

The facility you are speaking of would be Pontiac SPO (Service Parts Operations) and over half of that has not been in use for years. There is no rail service to it anymore, hasn't been for years. All that is now is storage for CN. I can still remember when Columbia Ave. would constantly be blocked due to a train working that area. I sure wish I could've gotten pictures of it back then.

[OaklandCountyCustoms]

Mike. There are 3 buildings that still get rail service in the GM plant. I watched gondolas get taken out of the northern most building full of scrap, i also saw a car inside the building that has a grade crossing, it was blue flagged. and one time last year...maybe even 2 years ago i saw a GP moving a car on the western most track that also crosses the street in a very abandoned looking area.

[conrailmike]

Wow, I was sure that they didn't switch up there anymore. It must not be very often....

I do know that the SPO building itself doesn't get rail service anymore, that would be the building at Joslyn and Columbia Ave.

[AARR]

I don't drive Columbia Ave. much anymore but when the dock door is open I can see gondola's lined up inside.

[bnsfben]

BEN!!!!!!!!!! WELCOME ABOARD!!!! Glad you found us. Now we need to get you a camera and posting pics!!

I have posted some pictures go check them out!

[AARR]

OCC, Did you get a shot of the Pigeon COOP hopper? I would love to see a picture if you have one.

The Pigeron Coop covered hoppers I've seen were GTW with small Pigeon Coop stickers on them.

[bnsfben]

I went past the orion branch on my way to Pine Knob today. There has obviously a train or a highrailer (or atleast something on the rails). The snow plow on the road had pushed snow to the side, and when it got to the tracks, there was not pile of snow. Also there is no snow on the rails, showing something most likley has been through fairly recentally. I thought this brach was no longer in use!(?) Anyone know if this was a real train, or if it would have been a high rail vehicle?

Also I drove by what I assume was the road entrance to the yard. There is a "for lease/sale" sign up. I am assuming this is for the yard, or maybe the area around the yard not sure.

I know this subject has been betten to death, but this was a particular time I wanted to know if this line is still in use in almost March 2010.

Thanks for any info!