Most viewed - Kalamazoo Area 2004-2008
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BO Tower265 viewsWith the first major snow of the year, I ventured out to capture a night photo of BO Tower in Kalamazoo. My aim was to get the beam from the lights of the signal next to the tower to reflect off the falling snowflakes, but then when the signals lit up, the snow stopped. Anyways, you can still see the glow of green-over-red-over-red on the corner of BO, and Amtrak 355 streaking into the photo from the right side on track 1. December 2006.GP30M4216
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BO Interlocking265 viewsAll red signals in Kalamazoo... or at least that's what we'd make you think! Even the cars on parallel Willard Street much "Stop" before passing BO Tower. This view looks due west from the Harrison Street crossing toward the signals, diamonds, and tower at BO. Normally, only the dwarf signals on the MC line are constant lit, but NS 39J was waiting for their Form D's behind me on the #1 track so the mast signals lit up too. The mast signals date from the New York Central era, and the finial on the close mast signal recently disappeared. Once upon a time, there was an additional diamond with the CK&S just in front of the D-143 milepost, long since removed. January 31, 2007.GP30M4216
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NS 39J at BO Tower263 viewsThe engines powering train 39J back down into Botsford Yard to make an unusually long pickup. In such a case, the train will stay on the MC mainline at BO Tower rather then risking a derailment on the wye to the BO Secondary. April 2005.GP30M4216
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NS D40-9CW #9075261 viewsNorfolk Southern D40-9CW leads an 8-40C and 77 cars worth of train 37E, southbound from Grand Rapids to Elkhart, IN. They are shown here at the Vine St. crossing, passing the approach semphore for BO interlocking. This semaphore is mounted in the approach position and the lamp is approach lit from either direction. October 4, 2005.GP30M4216
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Conrail GP40-2 #3070 with the Artrain261 viewsConrail GP40-2s #3070 and #3066 have a special charge this snowy Wednesday morning: Deliver the Artrain from Kalamazoo to Dowagiac Station where it will be on display during the upcoming weekend. They are using local symbol B1G for this train, which is comprised of four passenger cars and a waycar (caboose in old NYC-talk) on the rear. The train is shown accellerating past BO Tower in Kalamazoo on February 17, 2006.GP30M4216
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NS train 39J at BO Tower259 viewsNS #9636 shoves with a BNSF C44-9W, NREX SD50, and another NS D9-40CW back past BO Tower into Botsford Yard as they make their pickup as part of train 39J (Jackson-Elkhart). When the pickup from Kalamazoo in more than about 40 cars, they will frequently move straight on MC main #2 and then shove back into the yard rather then go around the wye at the interlocking and risk a derailment on the curve. The pickup this day was over 50 cars. April 2005GP30M4216
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Amtrak P42DC #35 at BO Tower259 viewsLooking south along the old LS&MS branchline to North Yard, we see Genesis #35 zip past BO tower with Amtrak train 364, the eastbound Blue Water. The southbound home signal on the branch is in the foreground. Trains use this branchline north of BO every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to switch North Yard and up to Parchment. South of the tower it is used daily by multiple trains going from Botsford Yard to the Southside, and by manifests 38J and 39J. 4/8/06GP30M4216
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CN GP9R #4635256 viewsOne of only two of the GP9Rs which was painted into CN colors upon rebuild, number 4635 is the power for this day's CN921, the Kalamazoo Switch Run. They operate into Kalamazoo Sunday-Thursday from Battle Creek Yard, and lately have been switching in town through the lunch hour. On this day, they are setting off one boxcar at Arvco Containers, and will be picking up three. They also have in tow GTW caboose 79046, which leads the train through town on the long backup move. 3/20/2006.GP30M4216
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BO Tower256 viewsWith the first major snow of the year, I ventured out to capture a night photo of BO Tower in Kalamazoo. My aim was to get the beam from the lights of the signal next to the tower to reflect off the falling snowflakes, but then when the signals lit up, the snow stopped. Anyways, you can still see the glow of green-over-red-over-red on the corner of BO, and the crossings just activating for the passage of Amtrak 355. December 2006.GP30M4216
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BO Tower255 viewsBO Tower continues to guard the diamonds in downtown Kalamazoo, one of only four interlocking towers which remain in operation in Michigan. This tower governs the movements of about 20 trains a day on weekdays through the interlocking. It is located at the diamonds of the former Michigan Central mainline and the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern. Just a block away is the MC diamond with the former PRR, which today is also under the control of the BO tower operator. November 24, 2000 photo.GP30M4216
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NS D8-32B #3546254 viewsNorthbound manifest 36E is about to hit the diamonds at BO Tower in Kalamazoo, MI, as it makes its way toward Grand Rapids up the former PRR trackage known today as the Kalamazoo Branch. D8-32B locomotives have been standard power on this run for the past two years and more; today, #3546 is joined by high hood GP50 #7073. February 21, 2008. GP30M4216
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Amtrak P42DC #29253 viewsAmtrak train number 353, the afternoon Lake Cities, is led west past the venerable BO Tower behind P42 Genesis #29. The train was a swelled five coach plus one cafe car consist of solid Horixon equipment. BO Tower is the last active interlocking tower in Michigan outside of the Detroit area, and is located at Kalamazoo, MI. October 8, 2007.GP30M4216
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GTW GP38-2 #4920249 viewsThe Sunday edition of CN921, the Kalamazoo Switch Run, is shown on August 13, 2006 heading south on the NS Upjohn Industrial, the old PRR line south of town. They have just pulled the three CN boxcars from Arvco Containers, and spotted two more on their spur. Familiar caboose #47046 brings up the rear. Power this day is provided by clean GT GP38-2 #4920, although power is often provided by one of Grand Trunk's GP9R rebuilds. They are shown at the Walnut St. Crossing, heading for Kilgore Yard and eventually their home base at Battle Creek. What a nice birthday photo!GP30M4216
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BO Tower248 viewsBO Tower sits at the junction of the former Michigan Central mainline (today, Norfolk Southern and Amtrak's Michigan Line), and the former Lake Shore and Michigan Southern line from Elkhart to Grand Rapids, today the NS BO Secondary. The tower also controls and wye connecting these two lines, the diamond with the MC and GR&I/PRR 1 block west, and the crossovers at Harris and View, east of the tower. The operator also much drive about a half mile south to manually throw the switches at Gibson. 4/2005GP30M4216
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NS D9-40CW #9688 with 38J246 viewsA late NS 38J makes the wye from the BO Secondary onto the NS Michigan Line at BO Tower in Kalamazoo, MI. Power for the 56 car train is provided by NS D9-40CW #9688, Conrail SD60I #6724, NS D9-40CW #9649, and BNSF B40-8W #588 in Heritage II paint. This view can only be accomplished with a strong zoom lense from the Harrison St. crossing. The dwarf home signal for BO on the #2 track is in the forground, and the mast home signal for track #1 is just out of view to the right. 12/14/2006.GP30M4216
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