A guy that builds CSX routes in Michigan for TRS2004 says that CSX is selling all routes in Michigan. CSX is selling a line to a shortline rr. He apparently got the info from trainorders.com Anybody here got any up to date info on the situation.
I believe the Trains Newswire covered the story a month or two ago, concerning three branch lines CSX is selling or leasing. Two of them (the line from West Olive to Fremont and a line in the Flint area) are going to affiliates of RailAmerica. The third line, from Grand Rapids to Ludington and Manistee, is going to a company known as Marquette Rail or something like that. The Fremont line is already being run by the new operator, I understand.
I was up at Muskegon this last weekend.
Is CSX planning to get rid of the Chicago - Grand Rapids line? If not, what about the Holland - Muskegon line. That line seems like it is in good shape.
ed
So far CSX has sold three lines up here. One line to RailAmerica and the other to Lake State Railway.
RailAmerica- Bought the Fremont line through its Michigan Shore Railroad. Basically the Holland-Muskegon line except for the fact that it goes well north of Muskegon and CSX still owns the line from Holland up to West Olive Power Plant. RailAmerica has already taken over. 2 Mid-Michigan Railway GP9s are on the property. http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=198290
Lake State- Bought the Saginaw Sub north of Mt Morris. It goes up to the Bay City/Saginaw/Midland area connecting with the current Lake State property there. LS also bought the Ludington Sub. It goes north from Grand Rapids up through Newaygo and Baldwin up to Ludington and Manistee. CSX is still running these lines as far a s I know. The latest rumors are the startup will be next month. Rumors also are floating around that Alco’s have been seen coming into Grand Rapids and heading north. Lake State is all Alco by the way.
As for everything else CSX has, there are rumors that they are looking to sell everything west of Plymouth (northwest Detroit) and that Ed Burkhardt has been looking into it. Nothing more than rumors though. CSX employees aren’t saying anything either so who knows.
Now that the CP has moved their bridge traffic to the NS route through Ohio and Indiana, they don’t have much left local business to make such an operation worthwhile. My dad, who works for the CSX in Grand Rapids, told me that there are definite plans to sell or lease that line in the next year or so. No word on who any of the interested or potentially interested parties may be at this point.
First off, CSX has not sold the lines. They have leased the lines. Facts are very far and few between among CSX front-line employees right now.
The Grand Rapids - Ludington - Manistee line went to Marquette Rail LLC, a consortium of Lake State Railway, Farmrail and Progressive Rail - http://www.MarquetteRail.com/
Thanx for the info. I don’t know how good trainorders.com is. The link he provided also had a post on BNSF wanting to wave bye to the BN side.Go figure,rumors.