Aunt Jane's has been gone for a long time. I think it was sold to Dean Foods in the late '90's (again, David would know better when that took place). Up until the fertilizer plant on the south side of M-90 went in, the sugar plant was the only customer south of Deckerville, possibly since the elevators in Carsonville or Applegate stopped shipping. The track into the plant looks rough, but they don't move very quickly into/out of the plant.
I seem to recall seeing reports that the train went on the ground more than once while switching the plant in the past several years. But at a slow speed, they're not doing much damage when they do go on the ground. And traffic to/from the plant tends to be seasonal- when the beet supply runs out, they're done for the year.
For what it's worth, I'm pretty sure the siding in downtown Croswell is still intact. It gives them somewhere to run around the train at before heading north. I have observed maintenance equipment on that siding in the past as well.
Charles W.
Message Thread
« Back to index