Search found 241 matches

by C&O Dispatcher
Tue Mar 26, 2024 4:58 pm
Forum: Chit Chat Babble Room
Topic: Baltimore Maryland Bridge Collapse
Replies: 1
Views: 233

Re: Baltimore Maryland Bridge Collapse

I worked on a swing bridge over the Mississippi River between Rock Island, IL and Davenport, IA for about 5 years for BNSF (formerly DRI Line). If interested, you can Google "Crescent Bridge Rock Island" and there are some photos. https://youtu.be/9V0kuXKsJLA?si=581af_fnHe3d5WAg Although there were ...
by C&O Dispatcher
Fri Mar 22, 2024 12:05 pm
Forum: Michigan Talk
Topic: AA Train Symbols
Replies: 13
Views: 921

Re: AA Train Symbols

The train I saw most often was the FT-4 on duty Boat Landing around 9 AM and through Ashley in the late afternoon. Agent Bill Collins often referred to this train as the "hot shot." The GTW Greenville Local (returning as #542) would often follow FT-4 to Owosso Jct. FWIW, the GTW dispatched the Green...
by C&O Dispatcher
Thu Mar 21, 2024 5:49 pm
Forum: Michigan Talk
Topic: AA Train Symbols
Replies: 13
Views: 921

Re: AA Train Symbols

No problem; it was a good memory exercise for me! On the AA symbols, I can only speak to the early 60's when I would hang out with the agent at Ashley. This would have been during the Alco era. I remember two Toledo-Frankfort trains each way, TF-1, TF-3, FT-2, FT-4. They also ran an Owosso-Cadillac ...
by C&O Dispatcher
Thu Mar 21, 2024 5:21 pm
Forum: Michigan Talk
Topic: AA Train Symbols
Replies: 13
Views: 921

Re: AA Train Symbols

OK. I see now you changed it to Ann Arbor symbols! Disregard above, I guess.
by C&O Dispatcher
Thu Mar 21, 2024 5:18 pm
Forum: Michigan Talk
Topic: AA Train Symbols
Replies: 13
Views: 921

Re: DTI Train Symbols

I worked Carleton Tower 1971-74 and can give you what I remember from that period. Keep in mind, that was awhile ago! I believe there were two Flat Rock-Cincy (via Springfield) round trips DC-1, DC-3, CD-2, CD-4. At least one or two Flat Rock-Springfield round trips DJ-1, JD-2 (J=Junction, their yar...
by C&O Dispatcher
Wed Mar 20, 2024 3:29 pm
Forum: Historical Q & A
Topic: Abandoned Rails in the Flint Area
Replies: 12
Views: 4397

Re: Abandoned Rails in the Flint Area

I worked at Kearsley Tower off and on from 1970-1972 (before going to Carleton and eventually to Saginaw.) Here's a photo of the tower taken summer of 1970.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zx84olg3cmevt ... 1.jpg?dl=0
by C&O Dispatcher
Thu Jan 20, 2022 10:58 am
Forum: Michigan Talk
Topic: BO (Botsford) Tower Demolition
Replies: 67
Views: 43846

Re: BO (Botsford) Tower Demolition

PatAzo wrote: "Before they single tracked the mainline the OS for unmanned stations were a mircophone along the track in Parma and automatic OS in Albion and Marshall. The dispatcher could turn them on to follow a trains progress. When they passed Parma you would hear the train. At Albion and Marsha...
by C&O Dispatcher
Sat Jan 15, 2022 1:38 pm
Forum: Chit Chat Babble Room
Topic: Where Is It?
Replies: 11189
Views: 1862472

Re: Where Is It?

Kearney St in Port Huron off the former GTW branch to the paper place. Your hint to an open drawbridge did it for me! https://www.google.com/maps/@42.9861744,-82.4380943,3a,75y,180h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sW2IxgyvWFaYtEf0TktgbGA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3...
by C&O Dispatcher
Wed Jan 12, 2022 7:09 pm
Forum: Model Railroading
Topic: Walthers proto GP30 Chessie/CSX patch
Replies: 5
Views: 6353

Re: Walthers proto GP30 Chessie/CSX patch

Nice job on the weathering! I have that GP30 in the C&O blue/yellow. As a dispatcher and a Chessie employee, I hated when CSX came in and renumbered everything so as not to conflict with their Seaboard stuff. Sorry, but the 4263 SHOULD BE a GP40!!! :lol:
by C&O Dispatcher
Wed Jan 12, 2022 3:29 pm
Forum: Michigan Talk
Topic: Focusing on what we have now
Replies: 25
Views: 10433

Re: Focusing on what we have now

Pleasant Ridge was also a shelter.
by C&O Dispatcher
Wed Jan 12, 2022 12:43 pm
Forum: Michigan Talk
Topic: Focusing on what we have now
Replies: 25
Views: 10433

Re: Focusing on what we have now

I will probably need to observe a day of mourning when Carleton tower is demolished! Bring out the sackcloth and ashes! While still in high school, I started visiting the tower in 1966, and worked 3rd shift there for C&O from 1970-1974 before going to Saginaw. I'm surprised it has lasted this long! ...
by C&O Dispatcher
Wed Jan 05, 2022 8:02 am
Forum: Historical Q & A
Topic: Holly Diamond
Replies: 19
Views: 9313

Re: Holly Diamond

This is a paper schematic of how Holly appeared on our CTC panel in Saginaw. Obviously different than "real life." The signals labeled as "2" and "3" were controlled "hold out" signals at North Holly and South Holly. The other photo is from a C&O northbound waiting at the diamond for a southbound GT...
by C&O Dispatcher
Wed Jan 05, 2022 7:37 am
Forum: Historical Q & A
Topic: Holly Diamond
Replies: 19
Views: 9313

Re: Holly Diamond

Presume an OWLS diamond is more suitable at a crossing with the "right angle!" Regarding the closing of the tower, further timetable investigation shows the tower still open in my October 1960 timetable, but no longer open in my October 1961 timetable. Guess that pretty much narrows it down! It's po...
by C&O Dispatcher
Tue Jan 04, 2022 9:32 pm
Forum: Historical Q & A
Topic: Holly Diamond
Replies: 19
Views: 9313

Re: Holly Diamond

I have many of the same questions you pose regarding the interlocking tower at Holly. Unfortunately, I've never been able to find any information regarding its operation, nor any photos from the time it was still "manned." I did confirm that the operators were GTW employees. I presume the operator j...
by C&O Dispatcher
Mon Jan 03, 2022 8:02 am
Forum: Chit Chat Babble Room
Topic: Where Is It?
Replies: 11189
Views: 1862472

Re: Where Is It?

If interested, I editied my comments about W. Pontiac (above) by adding a photo of how I remember it. I didn't want to add the photo here since we have already moved on to a different 'Where Is it." You can see the small shanty which was painted in the old GTW maroon and cream paint. This is back wh...
by C&O Dispatcher
Sun Jan 02, 2022 8:21 pm
Forum: Historical Q & A
Topic: Holly Diamond
Replies: 19
Views: 9313

Re: Holly Diamond

This is Holly the way I remember it. This is looking south down the GTW. The track on the far right is the "south side" where C&O delivered cars to the GTW. Up ahead you can see the interlocked switch to the connecting track to the C&O. The HW&M and Vinegar tracks are out of the photo behind the cab...
by C&O Dispatcher
Sun Jan 02, 2022 4:07 pm
Forum: Chit Chat Babble Room
Topic: Where Is It?
Replies: 11189
Views: 1862472

Re: Where Is It?

I used to hang out there at West Pontiac back in the 60's. Didn't recognize it -- seems to be a lot more vegetation there now. There used to be a small shanty there right near the switch, the boarded-up relic of a long ago train order office. Mostly I hung out up at Hatchery Road where the Drayton P...
by C&O Dispatcher
Sun Jan 02, 2022 7:29 am
Forum: Chit Chat Babble Room
Topic: Where Is It?
Replies: 11189
Views: 1862472

Re: Where Is It?

Thanks for the tip about the Google guy! After the last clue was given, I thought of the Katy trail right away and then pulled up some maps and information and found that bridge over another trail. I did find a couple of photos on a trail website, but not from the same angle. Figured, how many locat...
by C&O Dispatcher
Sun Jan 02, 2022 2:12 am
Forum: Chit Chat Babble Room
Topic: Where Is It?
Replies: 11189
Views: 1862472

Re: Where Is It?

Junction where the Katy trail goes over the Rock Island trail near Windsor, Missouri?? Not finding any street view of that location, though.
by C&O Dispatcher
Sat Jan 01, 2022 7:58 am
Forum: Historical Q & A
Topic: Holly Diamond
Replies: 19
Views: 9313

Re: Holly Diamond

Nice write-up on trains CRCN/FLFL. I remember those trains, but by 1985 I was holding a job that dispatched the Ludington Sub and all the train order branches, so I wasn't working the south end job. I seem to recall that at Wayne a back-up move was required to/from Conrail because they had to use th...