The Ford Hauler Remembered

Рет қаралды 22,350

7 ай бұрын

The Twin Cities was once the home of the Ford Ranger, and the large Twin Cities Assembly Plant. This ended in December of 2011 when production ceased, and so did the daily trains which served it. This concluded decades of service by the Milwaukee Road, Soo Line, and lastly Canadian Pacific Railway.
After the last trains traversed the line in Nov of 2013, the rails have sat in silence...waiting, wanting, and hoping for a train that will never come again. We'll trace the Ford Line from Fordson Jct, to the former Ford Plant, while comparing how it looks now, and how it was during its operation. There are MANY then and now views, and provides a stark contrast showing what once was.
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#train #diesel #railway ‪@ford‬ ‪@CPKCrail‬
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Copyright 2023 Douglas Hildebrandt, all rights reserved.

Пікірлер: 104

@williamflowersrailfannerpr3808 7 ай бұрын

Ford plant will never forgotten

@SD457500 6 ай бұрын

Agreed! It would have been nice if they had saved part of the plant, and integrated it into the redevelopment.

@BNSF1458 7 ай бұрын

Wow, that's just sad. The Ford Ranger was such a great little truck too. How the times have changed...

@RailPreserver2K 7 ай бұрын

I have one and its still the best truck :)

@abpsd73 6 ай бұрын

I have a couple of them. Now that I know the plant no longer exists, I'll try to preserve the Twin Cities plant sticker on the back window of the one I'm rebuilding.

@SD457500 6 ай бұрын

That it is! If you look at the rear driver side window, you can see the Twin Cities Assembly Plant sticker. Thanks for watching!

@CoasterFan2105 Ай бұрын

Fantastic presentation of a really interesting operation! The before and after shots make it easy to see just how much has changed in the last 10 years. It's a shame to see it go.

@SD457500 Ай бұрын

This was one of my favorite recent videos to make. It amazes me just how fast nature can take things back over. Glad to hear you enjoyed the video, and thank you for watching!

@marklynn3994 6 ай бұрын

Those Afternoon Ford jobs were great to work especially if you had an engineer that knew how to manage the slack

@25mfd 6 ай бұрын

could you give us a rundown on the types of jobs and how they worked

@SCDRROHVA 6 ай бұрын

I cannot fathom the amount of time and effort you put into the production of this video. Both the videography and narration throughout were extraordinary! Astounding work!

@VincesArtDesigns 7 ай бұрын

Wow, this is a throwback! I miss this so much it’s a by gone era! Use to watch them all the time growing up!

@leakyjeep5.9 7 ай бұрын

This line was at its peak in the 80s. So much stuff going on. Pearsons was even getting tank car deliveries.

@SD457500 6 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed the video! It is such a shame how this once was, and how it now sits. Thank you for watching!

@SD457500 6 ай бұрын

I thought Pearson's once got rail service!

@leakyjeep5.9 6 ай бұрын

@@SD457500 Yes! The siding started right off Rankin St. You can somehow still see evidence from it on Google Maps. Only one time in 84, I saw a long black tank car parked on this siding near the switch.

@rimodeler7963 7 ай бұрын

Nice documentary on the Ford Hauler ..... very well done! Showing the current state of the line and action shots from past operations makes for a great historical story. Top notch video! Mike

@SD457500 6 ай бұрын

Thank you very much! This was a fun, and sobering video, to make. Lots of neat memories, and things to see on the route.

@user-TheDieselOfTheProletariat 7 ай бұрын

I am surprised no one has thought of converting this line into a railway museum.

@beeble2003 6 ай бұрын

The trestle needs replaced, and all that running through people's back yards would probably make insurance expensive.

@SD457500 6 ай бұрын

While it would be neat, the bridge is a gating factor, and ALL of the grade crossings would be an operational nightmare for a museum. Thanks for watching!

@user-TheDieselOfTheProletariat 6 ай бұрын

@@SD457500 Perhaps we can create an organization dedicated to doing that.

@clintfroke9353 3 ай бұрын

Love it. What a fascinating look at past and present...and how quickly things can change.

@SD457500 3 ай бұрын

Thank you for the kind words about the video! I used to spend so much time on this line, and its amazing how fast things change.

@bcoldgoalie 4 ай бұрын

The irony of an EMD(GM) locomotive serving a Ford plant. 😅

@SD457500 3 ай бұрын

You make a good point there! ha ha ha! Thanks for the comment, and watching!

@rich_rich90 12 күн бұрын

That old trestle is still an impressive structure!

@VincesArtDesigns 6 ай бұрын

Love the past mixed with present day! Shows just one line that has been forgotten out of the thousands!

@GladyMeCreativity 6 ай бұрын

Excellent production…story, audio, video, editing…seamless…really nice work!

@jeffbranch8072 6 ай бұрын

I used Amtrak to travel for business to the Ford KCAP and TCAP plants in the 2006-2008 timeframe. TCAP was my favorite destination to travel to. Once I arrived as a **Pepto Bismol PINK** Ranger came off the line, and as I looked up the line I saw others in this same color sprinkled along the line. What in the actual heck? So I went into the office to ask my plant contact about this. It was a periodic special order from the State of Idaho Parks & Recreation Dept., each time for a batch of 60 trucks, and always in PINK. The reason for this? They figured nobody would steal them. I can't argue with that logic. 😆😆😆

@bearfoxtrot_101 7 ай бұрын

Really well done Hilddie. Loved how you matched up the framing from past to present.

@SD457500 6 ай бұрын

Thank you very much, and I appreciate the kind words! Lining up the shots was the most difficult part; lots of shooting, reshooting, and edits to make it all work. In the end, all well worth it!

@animenut69 7 ай бұрын

Used to be numerous auto plants in my area now they're all gone. Remember seeing a lot of those parts boxcars / flat cars on the ns

@abpsd73 6 ай бұрын

Interesting to see where my Ranger trucks started their lives. Sad to see Ford didn't repurpose the plant after Ranger production ceased.

@oldgoat142 5 ай бұрын

I want to take a moment to thank you and all other videographers who have preserved on video the histories of so many now defunct lines and companies. Those of us who grew up and love trains are often heartbroken by seeing once active lines fall into disrepair. At least this way, we can go back in time to enjoy once again the things we've come to love. Thank you very much for all you've done, especially this video.

@ejd715 7 ай бұрын

Very nice video. Growing up in Rockford, IL, There was a fmr MLW (then SOO, now CP) line that ran from Davis Junction IL to Janesville, WI. Janesville had a very large GM truck plant. Many childhood memories watching those "frame trains" rock violently side to side on poorly maintained trackage. Some of those same number 4400 series SOO's I saw on that line back in the late 80s/early 90s. Its terrible what the rail industry has become due to closures such as automotive plants like these.

@rossrossier935 7 ай бұрын

Great video, reminds me of when GBW had some of this business and handed it off to the MILW at Winona!

@steventurner820 7 ай бұрын

It's crazy to see all of the trees coming up, I know of a few lines around where you can tell where the tracks are simply because the trees mark the right of ways

@SD457500 6 ай бұрын

It is amazing how fast those trees are growing between the rails! It really didn't take off until the last two years too; crazy growth. Thanks for watching!

@coastalbendrailfan2544 6 ай бұрын

This is a really neat video! Great work!

@SD457500 6 ай бұрын

Thank you very much, and glad you enjoyed it!

@AMPProductionsVideo 7 ай бұрын

Very nice video! 👍

@SD457500 6 ай бұрын

Thank you very much; glad you enjoyed the video!

@captainmorgan757 4 ай бұрын

I use to switch out this industry, when the regular engineer would lay off. We called it "the Ford crawler". It was one of the better job to work.

@fakecumberland 7 ай бұрын

Nature reclaims things quickly.

@SD457500 6 ай бұрын

It really does, and FAST! Just a few years ago, maybe three, there was very little growth. Things have really taken off a lot in the last few years. Thanks for watching, and the comment!

@lexpo181 7 ай бұрын

Holy s... This is a far cry contrast then and now! And this is so sad to see those places today... Anyways your video was excellent and amazing, I'm loving it Doug ;)

@SD457500 6 ай бұрын

Thank you very much, and glad you enjoyed it! Even though I saw this line when it was in operation, it is stunning to see how much nature is slowly taking over. Thanks for watching!

@blainenodes8182 4 ай бұрын

railfanin stpaul 1949,9 r.r.served msp...live 100 ft from davern st...45 yrs...hopped freight line into dntn stpaul on 10 mph track,took bus home,sat in pick up trk boxes...so so happy you did this history/ post 👍👍

@SD457500 4 ай бұрын

I bet you've got some good memories of this line when it was in service! Thank you for watching, and the comment.

@beeble2003 6 ай бұрын

6:35 Wow, rebuilt GP40X. Crazy rare!

@SD457500 6 ай бұрын

Yeah, it was a neat locomotive to see! It was a normal unit around here until just a few years ago. Last I checked, I think its working in Canada now.

@johnfisherjr.5911 6 ай бұрын

Great video, love the past and present scenes!

@SD457500 6 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it! This was a fun one to make, and the differences in the then and now scenes was mind blowing in spots.

@jhardman4534 6 ай бұрын

What a shame. Today big business will call this PROGRESS. Jim Hatboro, PA

@jeffktown Ай бұрын

I remember these scenes from the CP Ford Hauler video by C Vision Productions

@SD457500 Ай бұрын

They used a lot of these for the video back then. :D Thanks for watching!

@struck2soon 6 ай бұрын

Superb editing, the “then & now” footage is fascinating. Astonishing how quickly nature reclaims the territory.

@SD457500 6 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it, and I appreciate the kind words. Its amazing how fast nature is creeping back into places.

@kkoch666 6 ай бұрын

More of this!!..

@SD457500 6 ай бұрын

Will do! Lots of neat things in the pipeline for 2024. Thanks for watching!

@Bob.W. 7 ай бұрын

Thanks. I will have to find Fordson Jct. My mom worked at Ford there during WW2, building hydraulic assemblies for B-24s.

@SD457500 6 ай бұрын

Very neat family history tied to the Ford Plant! Fordson is just west of Chestnut St, by about a mile or so.

@kenzieska9148 6 ай бұрын

What a great video, capturing this history. I never realized how impressive that bridge was.

@Socoolds455 7 ай бұрын

Great video, I missed the Ford Line by about 2 years when I hired out up here. Congrats on 60K subs BTW!

@SD457500 6 ай бұрын

Oh sad day; so close to being able to operate on it. :/ Thank you; hopefully 70k, and eventually 100K next!

@averageguy7136 6 ай бұрын

Excellent video. I enjoyed very much. You’ve preserved the history of this now abandoned branch line for future railfans.

@SantaFe19484 4 ай бұрын

Nice video!

@SD457500 4 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching.

@IFLYBELL 6 ай бұрын

I spent many hours working that job.

@dennisarmes3473 6 ай бұрын

excellent video and commentary, sd45700 !! we don't see soo here in western ny state ( right on lake erie) but we see a ton of cp... i do remember seeing soo sd 60's on the ns southern tier line but they were stenciled for cefx. again, great work and merry christmas !!!

@sernajrlouis 6 ай бұрын

Great video

@Kampfmesser89 6 ай бұрын

Cool random thing to pop up in my feed. I worked right next to where this line crossed west 7th during this time.

@mattberg916 6 ай бұрын

Excellent comparisons! A shame to lose all the jobs, the history and the backyard railroad. I'd love to have that close up and personal in my neighborhood

@tannerrobinson5110 7 ай бұрын

There is a small glimmer of hope for the right of way, although not in the form of heavy rail. It is being considered for the "Riverview Line," a proposed light-rail/streetcar line, that would split from the Metro Transit Blue line at fort Snelling, and then head to downtown St. Paul. However, that project is still in very early planning stages, and reusing part of the route (likely from the crossing of Highway 5 to Toronto Street), is one of the many potential route options that is being considered by Ramsey County, who is heading the project at the moment.

@SD457500 6 ай бұрын

That would be interesting to see how it shakes out, long term. I know that there are many ideas floating behind the scenes for this. I'd rather see some type of rail come back to this, vs it being torn out. Thank you for watching!

@marcus_rrp_productions2648 6 ай бұрын

That was interesting

@frankgeurts3912 5 ай бұрын

We had such trains in Belgium/Germany/Netherlands all ceased in 2015

@SD457500 5 ай бұрын

I bet that was a sad day when that happened. :/ What type of vehicles were made there which used rail to ship items?

@frankgeurts3912 5 ай бұрын

@@SD457500 ford focus, Fiesta,station cars

@frankgeurts3912 5 ай бұрын

@@SD457500 the cars now come from Romania,on open trains

@SD457500 5 ай бұрын

@@frankgeurts3912 That's no fun :/

@frankgeurts3912 5 ай бұрын

@@SD457500 same happened with Opel,a huge plant in Antwerp,3 trains daly.the production went to Poland

@BradFalck-mn3pc 6 ай бұрын

It's the same thing CN did to BC Rail, they don't preserve it they bought it to shut it down 😢

@boydwalker161 6 ай бұрын

I assumed that Ford Motor Company owned the land that the rail yard was on. Too bad another business didn’t build on that property. I drove there on the last day of Ranger production in my 2009 Ranger. My 2004, 2009 and 2011 Rangers were all built there. My 2011 in November 2011 so it was possibly there the day of my visit. I didn’t buy it until Summer 2015.

@coryhoover01 6 ай бұрын

Kinda odd that the trestle caught fire after the rail cars were gone?

@beeble2003 6 ай бұрын

The local vandals probably heard the line had closed, so figured they could get away with it.

@coryhoover01 6 ай бұрын

Could be, but we can't prove that the rr did it so they wouldn't have to use it

@beeble2003 6 ай бұрын

@@coryhoover01 If you want to make wild accusations like "the railroad did it so they wouldn't have to use it", those accusations need to be supported by evidence. You don't get to say "Well, I can't prove they didn't do it, so I guess they did", just like the police don't get to throw you in jail for murder every time somebody dies, because they can't prove you didn't kill them.

@coryhoover01 6 ай бұрын

@@beeble2003 nobody can prove they did just like no one can prove they didn’t. I find it odd it happened after ALL rail cars were removed. Sounds fishy. Btw the 1st amendment gives me the freedom of speech. I am entitled to my opinion and never said they did.

@beeble2003 6 ай бұрын

@@coryhoover01 Yes, you are entitled to your completely baseless opinion, and you're also entitled to share it with everybody to show how smart you are. Enjoy your freedom. I hope you do something productive with it, some day.

@ericoxner326 6 ай бұрын

Damn shame.And no other industries have thought to move in?

@SD457500 6 ай бұрын

Nothing yet. :/ Nearly all of the Ford Plant is being turned into condos/apartments. It would be nice IF a new industry came in, but nothing has yet.

@1208bug 5 ай бұрын

Please reveal info on Johnson Bros.

@SD457500 5 ай бұрын

What sort of information are you seeking about them?

@mow4ncry 6 ай бұрын

Well the rails are still there love to salvage them, or theoretically parts of it could still be reactivated even a couple signals are still there

@Steelers2841 7 ай бұрын

Ford did same when shift the Ford Rangers from it Metuchen Plant in Northern New Jersey they close in 1997 the Metuchen Plant is along Amtrak Northeast Corridor the plant is long gone but when Conrail back in the Day own that line now it own by Conrail Shared Assets of North Jersey (NS/CSX)

@SD457500 6 ай бұрын

I heard about that plant, and it closing! Sad days... :/ Thank you for watching, and the comment.