Daily Uploads

[David Collins]

The Virginian by David R. Collins, on Flickr

A very clean NS 1069 (Virginian Heritage Unit) leads NS 11N into Sterling Heights. Here they are stopped at 16 mile road as a conductor throws switches into the yard.

[David Collins]

Cool crew, Cool locomotive by David R. Collins, on Flickr

The conductor on 11N with the 1069 leading throws a peace sign out the window and calls out to my friend while NS 1069 coasts north by Chicago Road.

[SD80MAC]

70s North by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Puffy clouds paint the sky as a trio of SD70s lead CN A407 north on the former Illinois Central mainline. 7/6/2024

Twelve Twenty Three by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Pere Marquette N1 2-8-4 #1223 proudly welcomes visitors to Grand Haven, MI, being the first thing you see when driving into "downtown" or to the beach. The engine and its small train are displayed at the site of the former Grand trunk Western yard, the coal tower being about all that remains of this once busy car ferry port and its associated infrastructure. While the PM did go through Grand Haven (the line is today operated by G&W's Michigan Shore), the 1200s never went up there due to their massive weight being too much for the line's bridges. 7/27/2024

Tip Up by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

With a long train in tow, TP&W's HL2 lead by GP50 #5015 does some switching at the CN interchange in Gilman, just before sunset. 7/5/2024

Ice Ice Baby by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Iowa, Chicago & Eastern SD40-2s #6420 and #6427 head west through Bensenville with MCCHU on January 4, 2008. Apparently I did not want to include anything else in the frame! 1/4/2008

Brand New Gevo by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

A brand new Union Pacific ES44AC leads a C40-8 and an SD9043MAC west through Elmhurst in May of 2006. 5/6/2006

Autumn in Saginaw by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

A beautiful late October day finds Huron & Eastern's 702 crossing the Saginaw River bridge, heading for Durand. Once regularly hauled by the HESR's fleet of older GEs, "The Rocket" on this day was powered by one their newly acquired SD40M-2s, the New England Central GP38 and one of the HESR's own GP38-2s. 10/25/2012

Returning From Sappi by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Mid Michigan GP9 #180 is headed back to North Yard after switching out Sappi Fine Paper Co on the South Horn Branch. Once a very busy branch for predecessors Pere Marquette and C&O, by this point Sappi was the only customer left on the branch. It would cease operation a few years later and today is completely gone, as is the South Horn Branch. #180 would also meet its fate a few years later as well; after suffering some irreparable freeze damage, it was scrapped. 7/4/2007

[David Collins]

Good enough by David R. Collins, on Flickr

After bailing on a two hour long line to see UP 4014 at Global 3 yard, me and my dad went to take a look at this gem. BNSF SD40-2 #1706 (Ex BN #6802).

While it has a lot of absolutely hideous white overspray on the roof and it has a nose headlight, it's still my first shot of a Cascade Green locomotive with a BN logo on it. It drew a lot of railfans from the 4014 event out after since it was literally right next to a parking lot. I got the drone up and snapped probably about 30 photos of the unit, this one probably being the best out of the 30 or so that I shot.

[SD80MAC]

Freight Comes First by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

As SP #4449 neared the end of its journey to Owosso, there was one last stop at Oak St in Durand as BNSF coal empties C767 left town to head for Chicago. Crossing over from #2 to #1, the train had just backed out of the yard in Durand. Once the coal train clears, #4449 and its train will pull up to the depot and pause for a bit while the Amtrak P42 is removed from the train and the GS-4 gets a much needed drink. 7/19/2009

Glub Glub Glub by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

There is nothing quite like the sound of an old 4 stroke GE FDL engine as it spools up to its maximum RPMs. On this day, I was treated to some nice triple FDL action as Huron & Eastern's 701 climbed the hill out of Durand behind U23B #8903, B30-7 #5492, and C30-7 #5175. Time was short for the #8903, as it would be out of service for good the following year. 3/26/2010

HLX1 by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Bumping across the CN diamond at 10 mph, TP&W's HLX1 lumbers its way east through Gilman behind a quartet of EMDs from various G&W properties. 7/6/2024

Marne Rounaround by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Coopersville & Marne train 101 is halfway through its one hour and twenty minute round trip as SW9 #7014 runs around the train in Marne. After a quick brake test, the train will depart back west for Coopersville. 8/3/2013

Grain Train Power by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Running engines light, a CSX CW44AC, an RLCX B39-8E, and a GCFX SD40-2 are rolling through the siding at Fox. About 10 minutes later, an eastern coal train would also roll into the siding behind the light power, as both trains waited for a west-bound CP train. It's Fall 2005, and you can see anything and everything on CSX! 11/11/2005

Famous Berkshire by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

With Pere Marquette #1225 down for maintenance, Nickel Plate #765 visited the Steam Railroading Institute in the Fall of 2011 for some excursions. With a 10 car train in tow, the #765 is heading north on the Great Lakes Central mainline near Elsie. 10/15/2011

Ex Cons by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

A former Conrail SD60I and C40-8W are headed west at Fox with a 5 car Q327 in the Spring of 2010. 4/4/2010

Discussing The Plan by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

The Grand Rapids Eastern crew talks with the crew of CSX's Y597 as they figure out a game plan for their interchange. Y597 has a few cars of miscellaneous freight plus 50 empty coal gons for the GRE. It was decided that the CSX crew would first deposit the freight at the west end of Fuller yard, then pull the train of coal gons west until clear of the interchange switch. #24 would then tie on and head east. The CSX crew would actually push them a little ways east of the diamond and cut off on the fly. The only time I've ever witnessed helper service on the GRE! 6/25/2009

Big Engines, Little Train by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Still wearing YN1 paint, SD40-2 #8048 leads an HLCX SD40M-2, an AC4400, and another SD40-2 along with 6 cars of freight on Q326 at Fox. In the distance, C&O searchlights still protect the west end of the siding. 12/2/2006

An Infrequent Visitor by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Burbling away in "Jog" at the GR Amtrak station is P32-8HW #518. The crew has just secured the train for the night in Grand Rapids after turning on the wye. Recently the fleet of Midwest Chargers has been rendered mostly OOS due to failures and the current inability to get parts from Siemens. As a result the Dash 8s, which hardly ever leave the yard anymore, have been called upon to keep the trains running. Amtrak management was a little nervous sending out #518 (500, 504, 517, 518, and 519 are the Chicago Dash 8s), as it always seems to have issues when it leaves the yard, but the locomotive performed well. This was #518's 4th trip on the Pere Marquette in recent weeks, and the first time I had personally shot a Dash 8 on the PM in over 10 years! 7/25/2024

B&O to C&O by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Autorack train L290 (normally Q290, CSX was on their typical "let's call it something different so it won't look like its late" BS) is taking the connection from the B&O to the C&O at Fostoria. This train would head up the C&O to Walbridge and ultimately head on towards Detroit, IIRC. Leading was a former SCL SD40-2. 9/18/2010

Giving A Push by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Consecutively numbered NS SD40-2s #3338 and #3339 push on the rear of a freight as they head up the mountain from Altoona. 7/23/2006

[David Collins]

Home Sweet Heritage by David R. Collins, on Flickr

CN's Grand Trunk Western heritage unit leads CN E251 on home rails by Davisburg, Michigan

[AARR]

Nice picture David

Home Sweet Heritage by David R. Collins,

[David Collins]

Vibes of Canada in Michigan by David R. Collins, on Flickr

CN Q116 rumbles down the hill through Shiawassee Basin Preserve Park with a solo CN ES44AC doing the honors. This scene in my eyes looks like the woods of British Columbia or Alberta and the CN locomotive only adds to it.

[GP30M4216]

And now for a brief master class on some of the Grand Elk's more interesting power in and around Grand Rapids:

Adding a blast of color to any Grand Elk consist it joins, 4190 is clearly a former Wisconsin & Southern SD40-2 transplanted across Lake Michigan. In 2022, it often held down the Grand Elk-CSX interchange job, where it is seen inbound through the Plaster Creek plant on October 21, 2022.

Great Lakes Central isn't the only GP35 show in the lower peninsula! Grand Elk currently rosters a pair of them and in recent times they are typically kept together holding down Grand Rapids interchange and local operations. 3534, of CNW heritage, leads Z439 back toward home Elk rails at Oakland Avenue on April 22, 2024.

The other half of the GP35 duo, 3531 was one of the original units assigned to the Grand Elk at start up and continues to work the local territory. Originally bearing the blue and yellow bonnet of Santa Fe, today it is one of the few units on Grand Elk that still sports its original long hood logo. Worth a catch every time! Here it is passing the recently rehabbed American Box Board Company Building at Godfrey, May 8, 2024.

[SD80MAC]

ORPTB by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

A loaded coke train has just about reached the end of this part of its journey as it arrives in Superior behind a trio of UP GEs. 6/10/2023

HESR C30-7 #5086 by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Time was almost up for the Huron & Eastern’s fleet of old General Electric units when I visited in December of 2012. As far as I can tell, #5086 was the last one active and on this day was only being used by the 740 crew due to no other engines being available. Built in 1980 for the Burlington Northern, 5086 was one of over 150 GE C30-7s built for the BN. It spent 20 years hauling coal for the BN, running untold tens of millions of miles. In 2000 it was sold, along with 2 other C30-7s and a B30-7, to the Central Michigan Railway. It then became property of Rail America’s Huron & Eastern in 2004 when they purchased the CM. Old, but still a good unit, it was retired at the time of the Genesee & Wyoming takeover of the Rail America properties. It was scrapped unceremoniously the following spring, still in good working order. 11/30/2012

Storage Move by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

All three of West Michigan’s operable units are on deck tonight as the crew prepares to move over 70 storage cars from the end of the line in order to dig a few out that are going back into service. 9/12/2024

Decatur by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Decatur & Eastern Illinois Geeps take the afternoon off on a quiet Saturday in Decatur. The old Wabash (?) coaling tower looms in the background. WAMX #3896 began life as a Southern high-nosed unit, while the #3947 was originally a Delaware & Hudson engine. 7/6/2024

South McGrew by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

After switching Barrette Custom Molding Services, LSRC's X103 is headed back north to McGrew Yard behind GP38-3 #4201. The signals and track arrangement here still adhere to the Pere Marquette practice of always placing the signals on the engineer's side, even looping the mainline around the signals in some cases. South McGrew likely once contained a few crossovers, but now is just a switch-less control point still guarded by classic C&O searchlights. Per C&O rules, the bottom light on a 3-headed signal is not required to be lit if the indication does not call for all 3 lights. 9/22/2024

Just In Time by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Thinking we had time to shoot an east and a west-bound meeting at East Durand and *then* move over to the Holly Sub to shoot E251, that's what Mr. Hall and I did. 251 ended up showing up a lot faster than anticipated, and it was looking like we weren't going to be able to catch up to them. Thankfully they had to slow to meet another east-bound, and with some spirited driving, we were able to get them near Vernon. #8952 was the whole reason for this mess. 9/22/2024

Y101 by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

One of Lake State's newest purchases, ex Union Pacific SD70M #6435, shoves on the rear of Y101 as the train heads west on the CN to interchange at Bristol Yard. 9/22/2024

Endangered Species by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Port Huron-based local L533 rolls into Flint with a short train headed by SD75I #5688. With CN's SD75ACC rebuild program underway, it won't be long until these staples of CN motive power are history. Thankfully, the rebuilds retain the overall same look. 9/22/2024

[GP30M4216]

Let's look at some recent logo shots! As cars are ever more graffitied I always keep a lookout for interesting railroad logos. Here's a few:

A few of the original Grand Elk locomotives still have their original logos now 15 years after the start of Kalamazoo Branch operations. 3531 doesn't have the best one (I think 4125 has been touched up), but it came along slowly on a Z439 run and was worth the photo. It's too bad WATCO gave up putting logos on most equipment.

Strange to think, but RailBox is 50 years old this year, which means the "Next Load, Any Road" logo is also half a century old. The old 50' standard boxes are slowly being replaced by high-cube FBOX and TBOX cars, including this recent example.

Not many CNW cars were painted with the ball and bar "Employee Owned" logo (1971-1982), but a large class of P-S hoppers built in 1981 did. Here, a former CNW car now owned by NOKL is sighted with two stacked logos - the original Employee Owned version, and the later "System" logo in use until 1995. The car also started in the dark green paint but later got the Zito Yellow treatment. It was fun to see this one up close on a local industry spur.

[SD80MAC]

Dooooorand by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Oil train U713 passes by some of the attendees of the 2024 Michigan Railfans & Railroadfan.com meet up at the depot as the rain clouds roll in. 9/22/2024

EAS Grandville by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Passing the EAS at Grandville, as well as milepost 6, Q326 swings onto Main #1. C&O searchlights, code line, and plenty of Spartan Cab EMD leaders are still the name of the game on the Grand Rapids Sub on this October 2008 morning. 10/18/2008

Swinging Around by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Q116 is taking the Chicago Wye from the Flint Sub to the Holly Sub on an overcast Fall day in Durand. 9/22/2024

Heading East by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Y106 is doing every bit of 40 mph as the short train rounds the sweeping curve just west of Breton Ave. 9/25/2024

Pre-PTC by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Great Lakes Central's OSTN is north-bound on CN's Holly Subdivision, passing Durand Union Station. In this pre-PTC view, the diamond was protected by this dwarf for south-bound trains coming out of Durand Yard. When the entire Durand interlocking was rebuilt a few years back, there is now an electric split-rail derail here, along with a mast signal. 4/13/2012

Fresh Rebuild by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

A newly-minted CN AC44C6M and an ES44AC leads A492 east in the single track at Duffield. 9/22/2024

Beginning Of The End by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

The 2010s saw lots of changes come to the US railroad scene. Two of the biggest were Genesee & Wyoming swallowing Rail America (and several other independent shortlines), and the government-mandated switch to Positive Train Control. The latter unfortunately prompted the Class 1s to begin a wholesale signal replacement, and many classic signal installations that harkened back to railroading's golden age were removed.

So here is a juxtaposition of two subjects that coexisted very briefly: G&W Orange and the C&O cantilever at Godfrey. The Marquette Rail's original trio of SD40-2s (now #3389, #3390, and #3391) were making one of their first runs into Grand Rapids all together in their fresh G&W paint. The Godfrey signals were on borrowed time, only having a few months yet to live. 10/23/2013

[SD80MAC]

Been a minute! Here we go:

Heritage Meet by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

CN's Grand Trunk Western heritage SD70M-2 is leading west-bound E251, which is seen meeting M302 in the double track between Bancroft and Vernon. 9/22/2024

Q327 @ Fox by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

One of CSX's SD40-2s rebuilt circa 1990 by Morrison Knudsen leads a short Q327 down the hill at Fox. #8443 was originally Union Pacific SD40 #3058. MKM rebuilt over 150 of these units for power-short CSX in the late 1980s and early 1990s. CSX sent many former C&O, B&O, WM, L&N, and Clinchfield SD40s off to Boise, along with a smattering of ex UP SD40s and even some former SP, CR, and CNW SD45s, for remanufacturing. The rebuilds were thoroughly overhauled, upgraded to Dash 2 specs, and received a fresh coat of CSX paint. Many have since been retired or rebuilt once again into SD40-3s. 5/22/2009

Early Fall by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

A mighty fine October afternoon finds Grand Rapids-Detroit freight L303 crossing the Thornapple River behind a spiffy SD70MAC. 10/3/2024

Tri-Lights by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Not really "classic" GTW tri-lights, but tri-lights all the same. Chicago-bound CN freight M397 is accelerating its way out of the Battle Creek yards behind a C44-9W/GP38-2/SD70M-2 trio, all online and working hard. The train is about to enter the shared section of trackage with what was, at the time, Norfolk Southern's Michigan Line. 8/5/2012

Winter Evening by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Sunset in December of 2012 finds CSX yard job Y290 (left) holding in the clear in E02 track, while Marquette Rail Z151 (right) crosses over from W01 to the Even Lead for departure. Wyoming Yard could still be a very busy place on 2nd shift back then, with 3 yard jobs working most days, Q334 and Q327 departing departing every evening, and random visits from Z151, Z739, and D700. 12/14/2012

CXRG GP40 #631 by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

A nicely painted former Western Pacific GP40, CXRG #631, is working the Antonito Turn in Antonito on the new Colorado Pacific Rio Grande Railroad. This ex Rio Grande trackage was most recently operated by Iowa Pacific’s San Luis & Rio Grande, and was acquired by Soloviev Group following IP’s bankruptcy. This was taken right in front of the B&B we stayed at, The Indiana Jones Bed & Breakfast (the house is featured in The Last Crusade). 10/14/2024

Steam in Golden by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Rio Grande Southern 4-6-0 #20 was steamed up for the Colorado Railroad Museum's Saturday train rides and is seen here passing their water tower. Originally built in 1899, I first saw #20 way back in 2006 when it was just a boiler on a frame undergoing restoration at the Strasburg RR in Pennsylvania. 10/20/2024

Fresh MACs by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Colorado Pacific Rio Grande SD70MACs 209 and 303 roll into Alamosa with a short freight in tow. Rolling through town on our way back to Colorado Springs from Antonito, I had intended just to shoot whatever was sitting around their shop. I was pleasantly surprised to see an approaching headlight in the distance. This pair of freshly-repainted ex BNSF MACs were the cherry on top. 10/14/2024

Devil's Gate by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Georgetown Loop Railroad #40, a 2-8-0 built in 1920 by Baldwin, chuffs slowly across the Devil's Gate high bridge over Clear Creek on a crisp October morning. The little narrow gauge 2-8-0 was originally built for the International Railways of Central America, later working for the White Pass & Yukon before coming to the Loop in the 1970s. 10/19/2024

Working Durand Yard by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

"Pink 'n Blue" GTW #4918 and a pair of UP units depart the yard on the Port Huron wye after about an hour of picking up and setting out. Most trains still worked Durand yard back then, but that would change soon enough. 3/25/2006

Tight Spaces by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Colorado Railroad Museum features a narrow gauge loop of track that they run their restored equipment on during several weekends throughout the year. There aren't many spots accessible to the general public that were conducive to photography with a favorable sun angle that morning, so I was trying to improvise. Thankfully, the museum was running their train around the loop approximately 7-8 times per hour, which offered several opportunities. Restored Rio Grande Southern Ten Wheeler #20, the only operable RGS steam locomotive left, was doing the honors this October morning. 10/20/2024

East Doorand by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

L508 is moving onto the double track at East Durand behind an SD75I-SD70M-2 pair. In a couple of miles, they will take the High Wye to head down the Holly Subdivision. 9/22/2024

Rio Grande Ks by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

The difference in size between the larger, newer K-36 and the smaller, older K-27 classes is very apparent as #488 backs into the engine house while #463 looks on. #488 will have its fire cleaned and banked for the night, as well as an inspection after its 64 mile run from Chama to Antonito. #463 was staged in town for a photo charter that would take place later that week. A former UTLX tank car is present as well, now apparently used to store used oil for oil burners #487 and #489. 10/13/2024

Cascade Creek Trestle by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

The tallest bridge on the Cumbres & Toltec is the large trestle over Cascade Creek. Having conquered the 4% ruling grade from Chama to the summit at Cumbres, K-36 #488 is now drifting easily downhill with the train. In a short while we will arrive in Osier, where we will meet the Chama Limited and the train from Antonito, as well as break for lunch. 10/13/2024

The Last Time by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

A Huron & Eastern grain train for Auburn (770) is rolling north on former NYC rails south of Bay City on a gray winter day. Leading the train are the three remaining Central Michigan black units left on the HESR in 2013: GP38ACs #8804 and #8802, along with GP40-2W #9712. G&W had taken over a few months prior and soon changes would sweep over the HESR just like every other road they consume. This would be the final time I saw a "pure CMGN" consist. Today only #8804 remains on the roster, now the HESR #2026. 2/11/2013

[David Collins]

A man and his train by David R. Collins, on Flickr

Amtrak Engineer Greg Papcun has finished his final checks on his locomotive, a battle hardened P42DC, and is waiting for the command from his conductor to reverse into the Pontiac, Michigan Amtrak station with Wolverine train 355.

Greg and his crew are going to take train 355 to Battle Creek, Michigan, where a new crew will take over to Chicago. Him and his crew will lay over for about an hour, then they will run train 354 back to Pontiac, getting him and his conductors back to their originating point after midnight.

I’m so incredibly fortunate to have met so many hard working railroaders over the years, some that I have become quite close with, and while these hard working men and women may have different personalities, they share one thing, they work their butts off to keep freight and people moving 24/7/365.

Train crews are always under pressure to get freight and people moved in a quick, yet safe way to their destinations, and they are called upon for this task no matter what the weather is, if it’s a holiday, the time of day, you name it…and they do a darn good job at it.

To my friends in the railroad industry, no matter what you do, hats off to you and keep kicking ass, keeping the world moving.

[SD80MAC]

Mudhen by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

The second-smallest steam locomotive rostered by the Cumbres & Toltec (the smallest being Ten Wheeler #168), K-27 "Mudhen" #463, sits outside of the Antonito engine house on a pleasant October afternoon. The smallest and most numerous class of narrow gauge Mikados on the DRGW, the Mudhens were originally built as Vulcan compounds before being simpled a few years later. Of the original 15, #463 and #464 are the only survivors. #463 is fully operational for the C&TS but on this day was sitting cold outside. With the season almost over, it was not needed to cover the 3 trains that were running that day. 10/13/2024

Slippery Rock by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Not long after sunrise, southbound CN ore train U702 rumbles under the signal bridge near Branchton on the old Bessemer & Lake Erie. A pair of SD70M-2s up front and one more on the rear have the train moving along at a good clip. 8/13/2022

Seymour Butz by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

L303 is about to knock down the Medium Clear indication as it moves from the Grand Rapids Terminal to the Plymouth Sub at Seymour. 9/28/2024

Lobato Trestle by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Staccato exhaust is echoing through the valley as Cumbres & Toltec K-36 #488 works its way east over Cumbres Pass. Lobato Trestle carries the former D&RGW rails over Wolf Creek. At this elevation, many of the Aspens still had most of their leaves, but as we climbed higher that wasn't the case. 10/13/2024

Now That's A Lash by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Q334 begins to double up their train behind a FURX SD40-2, a Montana Rail Link SD45 of all things, and a CSX GP40-2. All three units were online and once they left (after dark), it was a great show watching them grind their way east out of GR. At the time I had no idea why there was an MRL unit in Grand Rapids, but years later I would learn that Norfolk Southern had actually leased a handful of them at the time. 5/27/2006

All Done by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

After a good hour of switching, LSRC's X103 is finally done switching at Barrette Custom Molding Services. The crew will tie onto their short train of empties and shortly head north back to McGrew Yard. GP38-3 #4201 is the former GP40M-3 #1179. 9/22/2024

Swanton Memories by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

A now-extinct NS C40-9 leads an east-bound freight past the old Conrail tri-lights in Swanton in April of 2011. 3/25/2011

Sleeping Giants by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Two of the largest standard gauge pieces in the Colorado Railroad Museum's collection are Rio Grande GP30 #3011 and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 4-8-4 #5629. The GP30 was recently restored with a fresh coat of paint and looks fantastic. 10/20/2024

Trunk Depot by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

A brace of ES44ACs (including two former CITI units) leads E251 west on the main past the former Grand Trunk Western depot in Lansing. The nicely-kept building currently houses administration for the Lansing Board of Water & Light. 11/10/2024

Antonito Turn by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

With the eastern terminus of the Cumbres & Toltec narrow gauge located on the west side of town, getting a photo of a train in Antonito is relatively trivial. Getting a photo of a standard gauge train in town, however, requires a bit more effort and a lot more luck. The latter was definitely on my side on this morning, as Colorado Pacific Rio Grande's local from Alamosa trundled into town around 9 am. After finishing breakfast at our B&B and packing the car, I was able to snap off a few photos of their nicely painted GP40 as it switched the perlite plant on the very southern end of the remnant of the line to Santa Fe. The train is seen here crossing the Rio San Antonio River. 10/14/2024

Mountain Steam by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Georgetown Loop #40 eases ahead after the conductor has lined the switch for the runaround at the station in Georgetown. The little 2-8-0 is an outside frame engine like so many narrow gauge steamers. #40 was built in 1920 by Baldwin for a railroad in Central America. 10/19/2024

Harbor Geeps by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Indiana Harbor Belt's newish pair of former Conrail GP38-2s are working the 115 job, doing a bit of switching at Michigan Ave Yard. 4/21/2024

EJ&E SDM #804 by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

EJ&E #804 seemed to be a fixture at Kirk Yard for many years. Built as an SD9 for the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range, the unit was overhauled into an SDM (chopped nose, 645 power assemblies, refurbished electricals) in the 1980s. Both roads being owned by US Steel, "The J" and the DMIR swapped locomotives around on ocassion. In the 90s, a few SDMs migrated to The J when the DMIR received rebuilt SD40-3s. #804 was never repainted and continued to work for The J in its attractive Missabe Arrowhead paint scheme.

Upon CN's purchase of the EJ&E in 2009, the SDMs, along with pretty much everything else The J had that was powered by a 567, were almost immediately retired and put up for sale. #804 was sold to Indiana Boxcar Corp, which employed it on the Chesapeake & Indiana. When MB Rail purchased most of IBC's railroad assets in 2020, #804 was unfortunately retired and scrapped in 2021. In better times, the #804 is seen waiting at the east end of Pine Yard for an NS local to finish their switching. Once the way is clear, the crew will take the vintage round-top EMD into the yard, grab a long cut of coil cars, and drag them back over to Kirk. This unit still retained its awesome DMIR old cast Nathan P5 at the time, too. 7/14/2006

[AARR]

Thank you for the background on the unique SDM

EJ&E SDM #804 by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

EJ&E #804 seemed to be a fixture at Kirk Yard for many years. Built as an SD9 for the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range, the unit was overhauled into an SDM (chopped nose, 645 power assemblies, refurbished electricals) in the 1980s. Both roads being owned by US Steel, "The J" and the DMIR swapped locomotives around on ocassion. In the 90s, a few SDMs migrated to The J when the DMIR received rebuilt SD40-3s. #804 was never repainted and continued to work for The J in its attractive Missabe Arrowhead paint scheme.

Upon CN's purchase of the EJ&E in 2009, the SDMs, along with pretty much everything else The J had that was powered by a 567, were almost immediately retired and put up for sale. #804 was sold to Indiana Boxcar Corp, which employed it on the Chesapeake & Indiana. When MB Rail purchased most of IBC's railroad assets in 2020, #804 was unfortunately retired and scrapped in 2021. In better times, the #804 is seen waiting at the east end of Pine Yard for an NS local to finish their switching. Once the way is clear, the crew will take the vintage round-top EMD into the yard, grab a long cut of coil cars, and drag them back over to Kirk. This unit still retained its awesome DMIR old cast Nathan P5 at the time, too. 7/14/2006

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Geep Fifteen On The Runner by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

NS #1447, an ex Conrail GP15-1 still wearing its blue with Conrail Quality and Operation Lifesaver markings, leads the B49 back onto home rails at Pleasant St. The train has finished interchanging with CSX and is almost back to Hughart. Mr. Hall and myself cannot remember if he took this photo or if I did, as we shared a lot of photos back then. So I will present this as either a Jon Hall or Jonathon Leese photo from August 2006! 8/23/2006

Double Empties by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Clawing their way up from Colorado Springs was this doubled-up set of coal empties seen from my perch in Palmer Lake. With 8 units distributed throughout the the 260 car train, even a train like this had to work decently hard headed up the hill. 10/17/2024

Michigan Blub-Blubs by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

I wish I could say that I never took shooting A-B-A sets of Dash 7s for granted, but at the time they were the rule on Huron & Eastern's 701 and 702 trains. C30-7 #5086, B30-7AB #2001, and C30-7 #5175 have just arrived in Durand from Bay City and are now shoving back into the yard. All 3 were acquired from the BNSF in 2000-2001. 11/25/2006

Sunday Extra by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

A rare Sunday extra job out of Lansing, running as U305, is departing Ensel Yard. The crew will take their pair of SD40-3s and 70+ cars east to Howell, where the train will be left for the Great Lakes Central to pick up. The old bracket mast on the right held a searchlight, once upon a time. 11/10/2024

Glad I Was There by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

My one and only picture of the Grand Rapids Eastern in Saranac. The crew was on their way back west after picking up one of the last fertilizer empties from the dealer in Ionia. A few months later, they would make one more round trip, and that would be the end of rail service on this portion of the ex GTW Grand Rapids sub. The rails were removed here in 2009. Now the real question is, why didn't I go for a wider angle here and include the nicely restored GTW depot, which is just out of the frame to the left!? 11/2/2007

Lunch @ Osier by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Cumbres & Toltec K-36 #484 pauses at Osier while the passengers and crew break for lunch. The burly little 2-8-2 has slogged it out all the way from Antonito and while have a much easier time descending the grade of Cumbres Pass the rest of the way to Chama. 10/13/2024

WC Forty-Five by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

One of the only times I ever caught a Wisconsin Central SD45 leading a train. CN had only purchased the WC a few years prior, and they were still quite plentiful, roaming the CN system. I have no idea what this train was, but it was an intermodal and this WC 45 and a Trunk GP38-2 were the only power. The fallen flag duo is seen taking the Chicago Wye from the Holly sub to the Flint sub. 12/3/2005

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Epic picture

Michigan Blub-Blubs by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

I wish I could say that I never took shooting A-B-A sets of Dash 7s for granted, but at the time they were the rule on Huron & Eastern's 701 and 702 trains. C30-7 #5086, B30-7AB #2001, and C30-7 #5175 have just arrived in Durand from Bay City and are now shoving back into the yard. All 3 were acquired from the BNSF in 2000-2001. 11/25/2006

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Autumn In Alamosa by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

A pair of Colorado Pacific Rio Grande SD70MACs are rolling back into town with a short train. At right is what appears to be SDCX #6922, a former CN F9B, still on the property after the Iowa Pacific bankruptcy. 10/14/2024

Company Pride by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Freshly-repainted and waxed GLLX #3001, spotless down to it's polished bronze bell (and the fuzzy dice hanging in the front window!), leads the second annual Marquette Rail Santa Train into the planned stop at Newaygo as the snow flies. The public has flocked out in considerable numbers to see the smart little train. This was when the MQT was still employee owned, and this train was a great source of pride for the employees. It was discontinued shortly after the G&W takeover, and #3001 (now MQT #3389) has been retired pending shipment overseas. 12/15/2007

BISW by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Iowa Interstate's BISW is shoving down off the Rock Island district and onto the Indiana Harbor Belt's mainline at Blue Island. The train will then proceed to wait for hours while the IHB runs everything around them. 4/21/2024

Blue Hour, Blue Geep by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Great Lakes Central GP35 #385 sits on the "main" at the fairgrounds in Chesaning, having followed PM #1225 and the North Pole Express north from Owosso. After the festivities have concluded and the passengers have re-boarded the train, #385 will back onto the train and lead it back south on the former New York Central. My friends and I had the opportunity to ride in #385 for both legs of this trip, which was pretty darn awesome for 17 year old me.

#385 is one of the fabled Ann Arbor GP35s, built new for the railroad in 1964. Riding on AAR Type B trucks provided by EMD as trade-in credit for the old Alco FAs and a handful of Wabash F7s, at this time #385 looked much as it did when it was built (other than the paint job, the loss of the Gyra light and the addition of ditch lights). A few years later, #385 would do battle with a road commission truck north of Cadillac and would subsequently be rebuilt with a new, headlight-less nose. I prefer this look, personally. 12/8/2007

M326 by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

A pair of ES44AHs are east-bound on the Barr Subdivision with Chicago-Grand Rapids freight M326. In a few moments, the train will take the connection at East Curtis to hop on the NS for the run to Porter, where they will regain home rails. 4/21/2024

CMGN B30-7AB #2001 by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

B unit #2001 is one of the three B30-7ABs purchased by the Central Michigan from the BNSF in 2000. #2001 and #2002 were repainted into the then-current CMGN scheme of gray and white, while #4065 remained BN green. A familiar sight on the 701 and 702 trains to and from Durand, these units were retired circa 2011 by the Huron & Eastern and sold to a railroad in Mexico where they received cabs. They continue to work down there, from what I understand. 9/16/2006

Lap 3 by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

The train rides at the Colorado Railroad Museum are not anything close to long distance, but they make the most of the space they have. The narrow gauge loop around their property is a nice little trip, featuring a short but steep grade. The trains usually make 4 circuits around the loop at a time. RGS #20 is seen looping around the back of the museum on lap 3. 10/20/2024

Switching In Lowell by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Mid Michigan #24 shoves its train through the King Milling complex in Lowell. On the head end is a gondola of wire for the now-defunct Michigan Wire Co. After spotting these loads, the crew will gather up the empties and make their way back toward Grand Rapids. 7/14/2008

Trunk Nine by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

For me, the locomotive that will always be synonymous with the Grand Trunk Western will be their distinctive GP9Rs. In the late 1980s, the GTW decided to rebuild a portion of its aging GP9 fleet, which even then was the backbone of the Trunk's fleet, into modern GP9-equivalents. Original GTW units, along with some that had been reassigned from the Central Vermont and Grand Trunk Railways, were selected to be rebuilt. It is not known if there was any criteria for selecting which units would be rebuilt and which would not, or if they were simply chosen at random. The work would be done at the GTW's own shop in Battle Creek, MI, which would prove to be the last major project the shop would undertake before closing in the mid 1990s. The original cabs and noses were cut off the selected units, and new cabs and noses fabricated by VMV in Paducah, KY were installed. The units also had a complete rewire along with an engine overhaul, receiving EMD 645 power assemblies for their existing 567 engines. In addition, any incoming GP9s that had older 24 schedule air brakes were upgraded to the more modern 26 schedule. The first few units were completed in 1989, and GTW continued rebuilding them at a steady pace until 36 were completed by the end of 1993. The GTW wanted to get another 20 years out of them, and some of the fleet still runs for CN as of 2024, a testament to the work done by Battle Creek!

GP9R #4624 is seen leading what was probably L500 from Flint around the High Wye at Durand back in 2006. Today it works for the Carolina Coastal Railway. 9/16/2006

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Excellent photos and information SD80MAC!