The Virtual Interchange and Shipping Office

[twcenterprises]

Our brew and wines are generally shipped in glass bottles (the beers are a German/Alpine flavored variety), so our suppliers prefer to stick with German tradition and use the glass. However, steel cans would be useful to Nora Mill for their new product "Canned Bread, the best thing since sliced."

We are not set up for Pullman servicing on our shortline, they would have to stop at Gainesville and board the local headed to Helen.

Grain arriving inbound is sent to the mill and shipped out on the same car (whenever possible). Nora Mill grinds to order, so any grain sent in can custom ground to your specs.

1 carload of wine & brew is now awaiting pickup on the interchange track.

Pulpwood (logs and chips) is available for pickup whenever anyone needs it.

We have available over 800 55 ton open hoppers for coal, gold, and copper ore shipments. Gold shipments are escorted by our armored Pullman until picked up by interchange crew. The armored Pullman is available for lease, but security staffing is not provided.

Our antique car supplier also provides scrap metal and crushed cars, Heaven only knows what he's got backed up in the woods.

We have 2 loads of expanded foam insulation awaiting orders and more piling up, this can be cut to size by shipper prior to shipment. Useful for dock floats, building, warehouse, or cooler insulation, or soundproofing material.

We also have an asbestos mine on line, they are awaiting any orders. A steam locomotive rebuilder on our sister line is currently their biggest customer.

Kubota has tractors and mowers piling up, about 50 carloads per week. We are setting up a drop shipping system of distribution for them, we anticipate heavy traffic and would like to ship either direct to dealers or offer team track service to other dealers.

BTW, as a side note, Nora Mill is a real location, just south of Helen, GA, still in business to this day. The GNW ran right past it on the opposite side of the river. The RR went under in the '30's, but in my version of history, the Southern Railway bought up the shortline and kept it going.

Brad

[inch53]

early morn to all

SIERRARR ; I can use a box car of dried mollasas a week, an can ship livestock or pet feed back

BUKWRM ; i'll ship you the livestock. Was wondering if KAHN can ship me 2 box cars of dried proccessed meat scrap a week and 2 box cars of bone meal a month

NOAH ; i've got 2 hoppers of recycled plastic pellets a week if you want them.

CW ; could you use 2 coal hoppers of 3/4 white rock for drive ways on their return

SUNBEACHERY ; i could use 2 box car loads of dried fish scraps a week. And ship feed on the return

STILL NEED some soy bean meal

laters all
mike

[Anonymous]

Bukwrm -

QUOTE: Originally posted by bukwrmYou just gave me a reason to run a 20 car unit train every day. You would need it pulverized in covered hoppers?

No, open-top hoppers work just as well, if you got 'em - the same type that carry coal.

GDRMCO - There are plenty of auto racks on the Iron Belt to handle incoming shipments of your automobiles. I can send you all the "finished metal" (coiled steel) your customers need.

[Anonymous]

Good Morning.

twcenterprises - We had a chat with Honest Sam and he agreed to accept 1 carload of restorable antic vehicles.

Mike - I'll be glad to take a load of bulk feed for the return. Local farmer are interested.

bukwrm - Confirming your order for:
Kroger would like 2 car loads of sager in 5 and 10 pound bags.
National Biscuit Company would like 3 car loads per week in bulk.
First shipment on Tuesday

Fergie - could the MESS assists with that shipment to bukwrm?

Happy MRRing

[Anonymous]

Bailey Steel needs the following::
Iron Ore - 20 cars per day
Coke - 7 cars per day
Limestone - 3 cars per day
Steel Scrap - 22 cars per day
Coal - 4 cars per day

We are selling Steel Products ( All shapes and sizes), Casting and Forgings.
Slag for use in the concrete industry as aggregate - 18 cars daily

[JPowell]

Afternoon Gents -
Being the President and CEO of the CNY Railway Corp, I have a great working relationship with some of the local compaines that my railroad serves. My road also does alot of switching and moves for the local Class 1 (CSX) at their DeWitt NY Yard. I do know that I can offer any of you surcharge-free switching and handling within my area and possibly further (providing that my trackage agreements come back completed) from NYS&W and FGLK. We also take care of inbound and outbound cars in co-operation with CN via the Montreal Secondary that runs from Syracuse to Montreal via Watertown and Massena NY.
Being a Sunday, I can't get you any requests for inbound goods as my crew did not get any this past week due to the holiday. As for outbound goods from my customers, give me a few days as all customers are closed till tomorrow morning.
Any questions, please let me know.
Thanks!
John Powell
Pres. and CEO of CNY Railway Corp (fictional)

[JPowell]

Ya know, I think I need to draw up a spreadsheet for my use so I can keep track of things!

Fergie -
Glad to see ya friend! Great idea you had here as it seems to have really taken off. Stop by the CS later and get a cold one on my tab!
JP

[Fergmiester]

Guys Any chance, without invading peoples privacy, of getting at the very least a geographical location such as State, Province or something along the lines of the nearest major junction?

Just a thought

Sierrarr: I can provide the following:

Coal 4 loads/day
Iron Ore 10/day

Luct : consider it done

Bukwrm: The Maple Syrop is yours but this years shipment maybe already fermenting as it's been in the sun all summer, are you still interested? Will confirm specific gravity and other specs prior to drawing up manifest.


Sunset Beacery: I have a local boat builder who maybe interested in supplying hulls. What size are we talking?
Fergie

[rtraincollector]

Inch we can handle that on the rum but if your interested we also have just been contacted by J.D. farms they say there having an overload of fresh eggs , milk products ( including cream, eggnog, milk, and cheese) if you all need anything like that they say they can produce 1,000,000 dozen eggs a week (boy thats a lot of laying) cheese (mainly American and swiss) up to 500,000 lbs a week, eggnog aprox 3 tank cars a week till mid jan then they cut back as the need drops to almost nile but if ordered will produce but need at least 9 day notice.

We now have a need for one cover hopper of ground or two boxcar of stick type cinnamon a week as we have developed a need for it. .

We also found out for those interested

We can ship out baked goods in refrigerated cars
cakes
pies
breads
partial baked items also like
breads
doughnuts
were looking into some other items here while we at it

we need
Flour
sugar
special size boxes
wax covered milk type cartons


Will inform of other needs also in near future

RT

[Noah Hofrichter]

For all of you busy shippers, the ARK is located in Wisconsin, near Green Bay.

Counterweight,
You have two gravel loads per week on contract. They will be shipped in 50’ gondolas, hopefully starting Monday, as soon as the quarry opens back up from the Holiday.

I also appreciate the Newsprint. 2 cars a week sounds fine.

Paul,
I appreciate the DS&SE’s offer. If we can get Fergie to ship the coal to ports, and then we can ship the coal down from Duluth to Green Bay. I’ll have it picked up at the Green Bay and Western interchange in Appleton as soon as the shipments arrive. Remember, three cars a week. Two on Monday, one on Wednesday. And not to cut into your Business either Paul, but if you want to send the Load of Ore for Ken via the ARK, we can have it delivered within about three days. Let me know what you think.

A note to all, if anyone needs a connection to the Lake Superior Docks of Paul’s Duluth, Superior & South Eastern, the ARK and WSOR are here to bridge Traffic from Chicago to Duluth, via the SOO.

Also, I realized that I forgot to mention the Grain Shipper on the ARK, shiping out about 5 cars a week in summer, and around 10 a week around harvest time. If anyone needs Wisconsin grown Corn or Soybeans, let me know.

Inch. I’ll take you up the covered hopper/recycled plastic pellet deal. The WSOR has a couple of covered hoppers dedicated for this service, we will send two of them down to be filled every week, and you can send them back up.

Wow, I’ve got to go start a spread sheet to remember what I’m shipping!

Noah

[Anonymous]

Let me take some time to process the latest on this thread and develop a war sheet on the railroad.

Fergie raised a good idea to indicate geographical coverage of the virtual interchanges.

Here is mine:

All traffic to and from the west coast via Wheeling Wva
All traffic to and from Great Lakes via Harrisburg PA
All traffic to and from the south (Fla to Tx) via Manassas VA

East coast ports and NE to Maine including Ontario Canada is via Frederick Md Sub that connects with the B&O

My headquarters and majority of industries can be considered to be centered near what is Hagerstown Md in real life.

Hope this helps

I'll submit a post tonight for tomorrow's traffic which will include some shipping offers that has generated over the weekend. Hopefully I will be able to fill a 5 day work week with everyone here.

I wonder which railroad can access my interchanges for purposes of traffic planning?

If we understood who interchanges with who and where I think all involved will have a much easier time with this project.

[inch53]

after noon all

FERGIE ; glad you brought up locations of every body
I'm in east central ILL. along I-70. The YSL is a short line connecting to , the PENNSY, NYG, and IC. There is also trackage rights to the Milwaukee Road on our line. Most shipments north will be on the IC or MRR. east or west will be Pennsy or NYG to other lines
Should give ya'll an idea of where i be.

LUCT ; The feed will be ship out next day after arrivial of the beet pulp. Email me as to what your interested in [cattle, hog and ect.].

NOAH ; the plastic yours. If you have a soy bean processor in your area. You might check on soy bean meal for the trip down. Save an emtpy trip and i could use it. Course we'll have to clean the cars out good both ways

RT ; I think i can get rid of of some swiss cheese and eggs through a grocery warehouse, have to let you know tomorrow.
Setting good on Rum right now, but could use a tanker of eggnog a week, cow are getting tired here. I don't have any thing food grade for the return though. May also need some milk to help give the cows a break.

[Anonymous]

Here is my summary of Falls Valley Business closing this week of November 26th (Pages 1 and 2 of this thread)

I see a need for other railroads to join this thread to bridge my traffic around the nation to those who are not located near my area.

My interchanges are:

All traffic to and from the west coast via Wheeling Wva
All traffic to and from Great Lakes via Harrisburg PA (This includes all Canada Traffic by way of either Detroit MI or Buffalo NY
All traffic to and from the south (Fla to Tx) via Manassas VA

East coast ports and NE to Maine is via Frederick Md Sub that connects with the B&O

There are some offers to each railroad involved in interchange with me.
There are some offers being made to each railroad in interchange with me.
I tried best to determine geographical location to enable interchange but need better information.
I will consider new railroads and thier business as they come on line in this topic.

If there is some way of keeping everyone straight, I have each account on a notepad file on my computer and so far I think I have everyone, if I forgot someone, let me know and we will get the business correct.

Ok, My outbound means going TO YOUR railroad, my inbound means COMING FROM your railroad.

Ok First off:

GDRMCo Where are your railroad located? I need to find a Port
*****
Fergie Where are your railroad located? I need to find a Port
*****

sierrarr
(Interchanges with me at Wheeling Wva)

Need a connecting railroad to bridge this all across the USA?

Inbound

8 loads produce
One load Paint
One load Clothing
5 Tank cars of Petrochemicals return loads

Outbound?

5 8,000 gallon tank cars for loading

I would like to offer you a variety of loads useful to your part of the USA. Either by bridge or direct shipping.

*****
Ken (Interchanges with me on Frederick Md Sub)

I see that you are located in Baltimore. Does this mean you are to my "East" and have access to shipping by Port?

Will you consider Imports from Fergie and GDRMCo as Bridge traffic both ways?
Do you have Spices either as a Mc Cormick supplier or import on your railroad?
Do you have a source of sugar?

I offer traffic to and from bay packing houses due to demand outstripping truck traffic. Are you able to accept the additional traffic? I dont know exactly how many cars yet but should by Monday night.

Outbound

I offer you 5 loads of Fire Brick per week.
Can you use any of my generated commodities?

Inbound

Do you have?

4 Steel Coil
2 Slag
1 Tar
1 Benzoil

*****

Noah Hofrichter (Interchanges with me at Harrisburg PA for great lakes)

Inbound

2 Carloads week Gravel on gondolas

Outbound

3 Carloads of Coal
2 Boxcars of paper (News print)

*****

rttraincollector (Virginia? Interchanges with me at Manssas)

Will you be willing to bridge my traffic to Georgia? It will include a special train with a military escort for a Armored Pullman on lease.

Outbound

1 Car load each of Vodka and Gin
1 Carload each of Flour
I can offer 2 Boxcars of Boxes to your specs.
2 carloads of Wax covered milk cartons

Inbound

Wants eggs
Wants Cheese
Wants Pies
Wants bread
Wants Cakes

Asking two carloads of each (Specify reefer or Box etc so I can determine icing needs)

*****

Bukwrm (Cinicinatti Interchanges with me at Wheeling)

Outbound

One Express
Two LCL
One load Seafood
4 Produce a week
2 Coal
2 chemical
2 steel coil
2 shipping consumeables to tug works in Boxcars

Inbound

I would like:

2 Shoes
2 pallets
2 can
2 biscuts

Accepted 2 Pork Loads and 4 Beef Loads
Accepted 4 Production machinery in flats or boxcars

*****

Twocenterprises Georgia (Interchanges with me at Manassas Va)

Thinking Georgia is one railroad away, who can bridge this gap?

Outbound

Two loads of empty glass bottles
Two loads of Steel cans

Inbound

Wants 2 cotton loads
Wants 4 coal loads
Wants to lease Pullman, Own military will provide security with a special train.

I figure that Gold is going to go somewhere and become useful.. Electronic parts? Coin? Hmm.. I gotta figure out who wants the resulting commodity.

*****

Luct Canada (Interchanges with me at Harrisburg PA)

Outbound

2 Carloads of Lumber
4 Carloads of Coal

Wonders what traffic I can bring in from your railroad?

*****

Inch 53 (Interchanges with me at Wheeling WVa)

Inbound:

2 Carloads of Scrap
2 Carloads of Marine chargers in boxcars
2 Carloads of Lumber
1 Hopper Ag Lime

Outbound:

2 carloads of electronics parts
2 Carloads of Pallets
2 Carloads of Bottled Rum
2 carloads of Coal
1 Hopper Milled corn
1 Mixed Load Liquor
1 Load brick

Two Carloads of 3/4 inch white brick accepted

*****

Masonjar (Interchanges with me at Harrisburg PA)

Southern Ontario "Marlpost Sub"

Outbound:

Coal 2 carloads Week
Ice One Carload Week

Inbound:

4 Grain Loads Week

What additional business can I offer?

I see a potential for LCL and express to all parties...

************************************
************************************

This closes Falls Valley Railroad's work for the pages 1, 2 of this thread. Any additional resulting business contracts will be processed this week for next week's traffic.

Also:

Interchange traffic is handled on a specific day of week.. example:

Wheeling WVa is set out and ready by Midnight of Sunday of every week, expects to have inbounds by Noon Monday

Harrisburg PA is set out and ready by Midnight Monday of every week, expects to have inbounds by Noon Tuesday

Manassas Va is set out and ready by Midnight Tuesday of every week, Expects to have inbounds by Noon Wedensday

Frederick Md Sub is serviced every day with set outs by Midnight and expects inbounds by Noon following day.

Confused yet???

Once I get skill in managing virtual trains I will be staggering interchanges with own trains daily.. but first things first....


Please post any corrections this upcoming week in following pages so I may address them on a case by case basis.

I think and HOPE my format is acceptable to all... it is very difficult to produce a traffic report in this particular situation but can learn if others have a better method.

[Anonymous]

RT - Spreckles Sugar can supply you with what ever you need. Do you wnat granulatd, liquid or molasses sugar?

Counterweight - We have the slag which can be used for gravel. How much do you need?
I am shipping the produce, paint,clothin and petrochemicals. Will take the seafood. Do you want Dungeness crabs shiped back to you?

Bukwm - Do you have any limestone available?.

Will add other needs and products later.

Ira

Fergmeister - I'll take the coal and iron ore.

[Anonymous]

sierrarr

I am near steel producers and am loaded down with slag. =) So in that case Im not able to handle them.

I did send you 5 empty tank cars for loading with petrochemicals. I am not sure if you needed anything in those cars.

[railroadyoshi]

The B&M Fitchburg Line MP 25-31 Switcher Service recieves certain goods:

2 Cars Animal Feed a Week
2 Cars Perishables daily
2 Cars Fuel Gasoline Daily
Occasional Automobile Drop
1 Car bidaily Winter Sand Drops
Occasional Gravel Drops
3 Cars Lumber Weekly
Occasional Team Track Drops

There are no outgoing commodities

The Maynard Branch, under Jursidiction of the MP 25-31 switcher, recieves the following:
2 Cars for Maynard Business Union loaded with various manufactured goods weekly.

Unlike the mainline recievers who produce nothing but empty cars, the Maynard branch produces 4 cars a day of textile goods from the Maynard Mills.

I'm going to continue to read over and see whom I will buy these commodities from! Yippee!

[railroadyoshi]

Counterweight, I will be happy to take loads of lumber, dairy products, and your produce, maple syrup etc. Glad to do business, waiting for your reply if you'll provide
I'll need the latter two two be interchanged through Frederick, MD, as they are needed daily. The lumber can be sent through whichever yard is geographically best.
Which railroads will you be directly interchanging to?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by railroadyoshi

Counterweight, I will be happy to take loads of lumber, dairy products, and your produce, maple syrup etc. Glad to do business, waiting for your reply if you'll provide
I'll need the latter two two be interchanged through Frederick, MD, as they are needed daily. The lumber can be sent through whichever yard is geographically best.
Which railroads will you be directly interchanging to?

I am hoping Ken will answer to affirmative on my Frederick Md Interchange as I THINK he is next to mine.

Regarding the Maple Sryup, I think that is Fergies commodity, I have not yet resolved precisely which interchange to use because I dont yet know where he is located LOL.

Produce I can provide about 2 car loads thru Frederick at this time pending additional orders.

Dairy I can do one load per day. I might be able to scrap ... err... make other loads availible but cows can only be miked so fast. And boxes, jugs and schools drink my dairy dry pretty fast.

Lumber I will give you two boxcars worth daily. I think that is sustainable given the plentiful trees in the region.

Would you want nails and hardware for your lumber customers? I think I can manufacture about 2 boxcars worth a week.

I would like to ask for Two carloads of your textiles a week. I could bridge them to other railroads who might be able to provide bigger orders in the South or West of the USA.

[railroadyoshi]

Thank you very much. ISorry about the MS mix up! The hardware order is very small, it will probably need to be loaded into a general boxcar for various goods bound for the team track. Dairy I need less than a car a day, no problem there. Along with the Perishables (Produce, Milk) i'll definitley be needing apple cider.

To get the goods up here, some how they will need to make it as far as Selkirk, or New London Ct, for transfer directly to B&M/Big G or to PW, which will transport from New London to Gardner MA, and transfer to B&M. Thanks

[Anonymous]

Ill add one load of bottled Cider in boxcars. You want glass bottles in one gallon size? That oughta throw a operational wrench into train handling LOL. All them dar bottles jingling down the track.

And one boxcar of team track freight with Nails and tools.

Is that acceptable?

[railroadyoshi]

yah, that'd be wonderful, thanks

[inch53]

Heres what i have down for this week

CW ;
2 loads of coal --------with 2 loads of 3/4 white rock back
2 loads of ele.parts--with 2 marine chargers back
2 loads lumber-------with 2 pallets back
1 mixed load booze-with ????
1 load brick------------with ?????
the last 2 where i lost track

BURWRM ;
2 car loads livestock returned empty
if you would check with Kahn on dried meat scraps bagged 2 car loads per week. I can ship livestock or dog and cat feed back if you have a market

RT ; Go ahead and ship a car load 1/2 swiss cheese, 1/2 eggs, i will have a warehouser for it when it arrives. Can ship you a load of cat food back, think you might need it at home. Also send a tank car load of eggnog, the cows can't keep up, I have nothing food grade for the return on it

LUCT I have you for a load of beet pulp every week and at least 1 load of bulk feed for now on the return

NOAH 2 cars of plastic pellets

still waiting to hear from SIERRARR on bagged dry mollasas. and SUNBEACHERY on dried fish scraps

I think ???/ thats right. later all, i have a headache
mike

[Anonymous]

Counterweight - Here's my replies, in order:

QUOTE: Originally posted by Counter Weight
Ken(Interchanges with me on Frederick Md Sub)
I see that you are located in Baltimore. Does this mean you are to my "East" and have access to shipping by Port?

Affirmative

QUOTE:
Will you consider Imports from Fergie and GDRMCo as Bridge traffic both ways?

Double Affirmative

QUOTE:
Do you have Spices either as a McCormick supplier or import on your railroad?

I'll have to check into that one...

QUOTE:
Do you have a source of sugar?

I can get interchange traffic from the Domino plant in downtown Bal'mer...

QUOTE:
I offer traffic to and from bay packing houses due to demand outstripping truck traffic. Are you able to accept the additional traffic? I dont know exactly how many cars yet but should by Monday night.

I have some older power in reserve to handle extra tonnage, send it in!

QUOTE:
Outbound
I offer you 5 loads of Fire Brick per week.

2 carloads of firebrick should suffice, until business picks up again.

QUOTE:
Can you use any of my generated commodities?

YES!! I need at least 20 gons of scrap steel per week.

QUOTE:
Inbound
Do you have?

4 Steel Coil
2 Slag
1 Tar
1 Benzoil

Comin' at ya, per your request! You should have these by Tuesday...

[inch53]

YOSHI ; The YSL can handle the 2 loads animal feed. just need to know bagged or bulk and what kind

mike

[Anonymous]

Thanks Ken! Let's see... shuffles freight orders hunting for Fergie and GDRMCo

Once I understand that Fergie and GDRMCo are indeed shipping via your port I can set up the bridge traffic very quickly.

If we find out that one or both Fergie and GDRMCo are inland USA I can adjust the traffic to the appropriate interchange.

Further.. are you able to bridge freight towards the NE?

I will hunt up as much scrap as you can handle.. if I have to get it in from other railroads, I'll do it.

We will add to the traffic both ways as the week progresses. I should know more by tomorrow evening on the precise traffic situation going your way.

[Anonymous]

Inch53,

I think you can either send those two boxcars back empty or load em something. If you want to go and send them out to someone else with a load somewhere where they could load it towards my home rails.

Gonna have to create a category for orphan cars. Whew!

Sierrarr,

How many loads of those crabs can you send? Are they in reefers? I probably can bridge them to Ken's large city... less a few loads for my area =)

[inch53]

CW ;
if YOSHI takes bagged feed, i can ship them to him and then back to you with textiles or something

mike

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by inch53


CW ;
if YOSHI takes bagged feed, i can ship them to him and then back to you with textiles or something

mike

Done!

[twcenterprises]

Counter Weight:

Cotton and Coal is on the interchange track awaiting pickup by the Southern Railway. I figure the gold to be useful for any jewelry manufacturers, US Mint, electronics, or Bullion headed to Ft.Knox.

Awaiting Sou Ry to deliver the incoming shipments on the interchange track

luct:

1 auto rack with restorable vehicles is on the interchange track. I hope excess height cars will clear on your line and that Honest Sam has a ramp to unload a tri-level rack. Tell Sam that the titles to said vehicles will be sent VIA certified mail.

We are a short line in Northeast Georgia running from Gainesville, GA with connections to:
Brookton
Clermont (line splits here, one leg goes to:)
Dahlonega (home of the first US Gold Rush, and our source of Gold, Copper ore and Coal)
(The other leg goes to:)
Cleveland
Asbestos
Sautee Nacoochee
Nora Mills
Helen
Robertstown (end of the line, source of our lumber, pulp, etc.)
Approx track miles: 55
Connecting RR's: Southern Ry.
Motive Power: Sou. Ry. lease (diesels) or Gainesville Midland lease (steam). NGMC has their own F7 diesel.

Online Customers:
North Georgia Mining Company (has one F7 diesel): Ships coal, copper ore, and gold
Brookton Warehouse: Ships cotton, tobacco, and various goods
Clermont Warehouse: Ships cotton, tobacco, and various goods
Insulaire: Receives plastic pellets, Ships expanded foam insulation.
Asbestos Mining Company: Ships asbestos
Sautee Nacoochee Winery: Ships wine
Nora Mill: Receives various grains, Ships flour and processed grains. Also ships fish
Robertstown Lumber Company: Ships lumber, pulpwood and wood chips
Helen Co-op: A collective venture between all the microbreweries to ship German/Alpine flavored beer.
Mount Vernon Mills: Ships Textiles
Kubota: Receives steel parts and tires, Ships tractors
Mossy Creek Campground: Receives and Ships tourists (first week of September)
City of Helen: Receives and Ships tourists (all year, heaviest during Octoberfest)
Cleveland Recyclers: Buys junk from the locals, Ships antique autos and scrap metal.

Brad

[GDRMCo]

Hey guys.
Counter Weight
GDRCo is located in Townsville (not fictional), Queensland, Australia. We can increase the export of our locally made (fictional) autos, plus we can take in more finished steel to construct the auto's with thus producing more autos and so on.
Ken Larsen
Same as above.

TTYL
Mitchell