In April 2009 Norfolk Southern leased their line from Elkhart to Grand Rapids to a WATCO subsidiary called the Grand Elk Railroad. Startup was smooth. The new railroad runs all their trains out of Botsford Yard, Kalamazoo. Plainwell is switched by a local (KZ 503) that goes as far north as Wayland. KZ 303 runs through Plainwell on its way to Grand Rapids.
