The last CSX Michigan line to be leased; in this case sold; Marquette Rail has commenced operations on the former CSX Ludington and Manistee Subdivision. Their first train out of Grand Rapids was originally 106 cars, but only 19 lime cars were brought north behind NREX GP50's 2933/2903/2939. Here's a picture of the train in Comstock Park, on November 13 around 2300 awaiting a crew change.
-Saginaw Bay Southern has begun operations on CSX's Flint (Mt. Morris) to Saginaw portion of the Saginaw Subdivison. Takeover date was October 29th. New SBS power includes 1 GP35 and 2 GP38M's. CSX still handles Q321, Q322, Q330, Q331 and D737 at McGrew Yard in Flint as well as yard jobs, coal and other unit trains; however, D735/D736 (Detroit-Saginaw) have been abolished.
-Marquette Rail will begin operations on CSX's Baldwin Subdivision on November 12th. Power has already been forwarded for the takeover. NREX (ex-UP) GP50's 2903,2911,2933,2935,2939,2943 have gone north. These are not the units that will eventually be used on the line, like units are being readied and painted. The takeover will see the demise of CSX trains D704, D711, D712 and D771.
RailAmerica is now the official operator between West Olive and Fremont, MI. The last Cannonball departed last night. Click HERE, to visit the new page devoted to the D727. Grand Rapids & Eastern GP38 3839 (formerly CSX 2106) is now in Muskegon as will be ex-GEXR, exx-MMRR, exxx-Cartier GP9s 179 and 180. Ludington Sub takeover has been moved back to October 15, 2005
A quick update as the STB has released the official filings for the Fremont Sub lease. It can be found here: STB Filing
Once again, the Fremont Subdivision lease is going to happen. The flaws in the contract between CSX/RA and the customers have been worked out. CSX must be off the premisis by midnight on September 9th, only a few days away. RailAmerica crews will be riding along on the last runs on September 9th for training. Unconfirmed reports say that RailAmerica will be using older EMD's, such as GP7/GP9's on this line after take-over.
On another note, the loading bay siding along Lakeshore Drive at the Sappi paper mill is being replaced. The paper mill's No. 4 machine produces pulp which is used by the No. 5 machine to make the finished product. They currently receive a limited amount of paper pulp by rail. However, without the No. 4 machine producing pulp, the mill will need to look elsewhere for the pulp they currently produce themselves. This pulp will be shipped by rail, thusly the loading dock siding re-vamp. The changes being made by the paper mill are actually beneficial to the railroad business.
Latest news is CSX will NOT BE LEASING the Fremont Sub. Atleast not any time soon as they had planned. As reported by Wymoing Yard's "Doktor No" on the Michigan Shortline Message Board: The Division Superintendant notified all unions and employees concerned. This is due to unhappy customers, because of CSX's departure; along with higher costs of transport with the impending shortline takeover, things started falling apart. In addition, with the recent news of the Sappi Paper mill reducing it's operations in Muskeon, as well as Gerber Baby Food in Fremont threatening to switch over to trucking in the event on CSX leasing the line out. However, bidding may re-open for NEW bids at a later date, but that is not certain quite yet.
Marquette Rail has began forming itself and has a website with all information on it: http://www.marquetterail.com
The Cannonball's (D727) last day of operation from Muskegon is September 9, 2005.
CSX has announced it will be leasing/selling three of it's lines in Michigan. This page will be used as a timeline of events once the changeovers start taking place.
->The Fremont Subdivision will be leased to Rail America ( Michigan Shore ) from milepost CGC 34 (Stanton Road - West Olive) north. The changeover will be in late August.
->The Ludington and Manistee Subdivisions will be sold to Marquette Rail Company, a conglomerate of Oklahoma's FarmRail, Michigan's own Lake State Rail Company and Progressive Rail. CSX will have the tracks up to Turner Street; MP CGE 3.6. Keeping the the line up to Fuller Junction for GRE interchange, and other customers including Padnos Scrap Metal. Takeover date sometime in September.
->The Saginaw Sub will will be leased to LSRC from MP CC 26.2. CSX will reopen McGrew Yard in Flint as their northermost terminal on the Saginaw Sub. CSX will also keep the Mt. Morris Siding, 3 miles north of McGrew Yard. LSRC will have Saginaw, Midland, Bay City. CSX will keep Port Huron. Takeover date sometime in October.
Also at this time the CP Rail runthrough trains that utilize CSX's Detroit, Plymouth, Lansing and Grand Rapids Subdivisions from Detroit, MI to Porter, IN are being prepared to be moved to the NS's former CR Chicago line. A connection has been installed in Butler, IN for these trains, and crews are being hired. The trains will get on NS at Detroit where they'll head southwest on the Michigan line to Butler where they'll take the new connection onto the westbound Chicago line into Chicago. Even with the decreased traffic in Grand Rapids, CSX has no future plans of ridding the aformentioned subdivisions.