Daily Uploads

Questions on editing, camera settings, equipment, critiques, how to upload photos, etc....
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David Collins
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Re: Daily Uploads

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ImageThird time's NOT the charm by David R. Collins, on Flickr

I was out doordashing (a sidehustle that I like to do) when all of a sudden I got a call from a friend of mine saying "if you're near Opdyke, head on over". I inquired why, and his awnser had me surprised.

Q116 had gone through two emergency stops between Durand and Pontiac. One in Durand proper and one in Waterford, both due to an airhose snapping. Then they went into emergency again just south of Pontiac, which led to their headend sitting on the Opdyke and Kensington Road railroad crossing in Bloomfield Hills, and at the worst possible time of the day.

During rush hour, this crossing sees a ton of vehicle traffic, and when things go sideways with a long northbound train battling up the hill or the crossing being blocked, it resonates for miles, especially with the I-75 north on-ramp at Square Lake being closed at the time.

Anyway, I pulled up, and setup for a few shots of the train while it was stopped (I only had my phone with me, so these are iPhone photos). I was pleasantly surprised to see that the second unit was a GE Tier 4 demonstrator locomotive. Later, L513 would pull up next to the stopped 116 with an SD40-2W leader, they had picked up 116's conductor from the parted airhoses and took him to the head end. 116 in the end made it to Flat Rock with basically none of their 12 hours left.
Leave the gun, take the cannoli.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/184885804@N08/

GP30M4216
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Re: Daily Uploads

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The wind is howling and the snow is flying so let's enjoy some snow scenes from the winter of 2022-2023 along the CSX:

000650500012 CC4003 L305 North Lansing 02-01-2023.jpg
CSX Lansing East local L305 gets underway at CP-North Lansing, heading for work at industries in Fowlerville, Howell and the GLC.

000650500013 CC2785 Y121 Holland Waverly 01-27-2023 C.jpg
Holland local Y121 goes about its day clearing the snow from the rails with three boxcars for Stow on the Fremont Branch. I got my shot all set up as the train was slowly coming down from the yard and neglected to consider where the gate would drop, but I don't mind it. A former Conrail GP38-2 leads the way.

000650500017 CC8181 L301 55th Street Saugatuck Hill 12-28-2022 B.jpg
This former Seaboard System SD40-2 leads a spongebob -3 and a long L301 around the curve at the famous 55th Street crossing as they coast down Saugatuck Hill toward the rail business of destinations of southwest Michigan.

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David Collins
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Re: Daily Uploads

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ImageOne after another by David R. Collins, on Flickr

Westbound NS intermodal train 29P is blasting off west out of Chesterton, Indiana after waiting for CSX M327 to get off the Grand Rapids Subdivision at CP 482, about a mile down the tracks from where I was standing.

To my surprise, as I zoomed in on the 29P...I saw another train, NS 23G, literally right on the 29P's markers. 23G would do the same thing the 29P before, rolling to a stop just east of the S. Calumet Rd crossing, waiting for a signal to head west.

29P and 23G would turn out be two of the six trains we saw in a whopping 60 minute window in Chesterton. Not bad.
Leave the gun, take the cannoli.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/184885804@N08/

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SD80MAC
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Re: Daily Uploads

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ImageRock Me Mamma Like A Wagon Wheel by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Rolling along the undulating terrain of CSX's Plymouth Subdivision is E945, a train of 130 empty coal gons from Consumer's power plant in Essexville. Pairs of SD70MACs like #9456 and is companion were the rule on these trains for years, but they would soon be pushed aside by hundreds of new ES44ACs and SD70ACes. The last Essexville coal trains ran via the Plymouth Sub in 2014, and Consumer's shut down the coal plant at Essexville in 2023. 3/10/2007

ImageSilver Plume by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Georgetown Loop #40 has reached the summit of the railroad at Silver Plume and is now taking on water. Soon the little Consolidation will run around to the other end of its train and take the consist back down to Georgetown for another trip up winding little railroad. 10/19/2024

ImageMichigan Ave by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

With it's work at Ensel yard complete, L303 heads east past the former Pere Marquette and New York Central Lansing depot at Michigan Ave (known simply as "MA" on CSX). The depot, which for many years housed Clara's restaurant, has recently been renovated and now hosts a Starbucks and Bobcat Bonnie's. Diners at Bonnie's have the option to dine in a vintage heavyweight with a trackside view, too.

The excavator to right of this vintage pair of CW44ACs is evidence of CSX's on-going project to replace all of the signals on the Plymouth Subdivision. Even the newer signals in this stretch from MA to North Lansing, installed in the early 2000s after the Conrail merger and subsequent single-tracking of this portion of the line, are not immune to progress. 11/10/2024

ImageBerk @ Night by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Pere Marquette #1225 poses on the former PM New Buffalo turntable at the Steam Railroading Institute in Owosso. The photo shoot was put on for members of the Pere Marquette Historical Society, the 1225 was posed in a number of different spots around their property. The engine was dressed as it would've appeared late in life on the C&O: visored headlight, flying number boards, and large font letters and numbers. The white running boards have also been repainted black, though there is some debate among PM historians as to whether any of the 1200s actually had their white trim painted over, or if they just got so dirty that they appeared black. Since so few color photos of these engines in revenue service exist, it is difficult to say.

While very similar in appearance to the rest of the AMC Berkshires, the PM 1200s posses some unique characteristics that set them apart. Most notable are the jacketed smoke box and fire box, along with the boiler tube pilot. Unlike the Nickel Plate's Berks, the PM engines were equipped with plain bearings on all axles, the PM being far too frugal for roller bearings. The PM engines also used slightly larger cylinders than their NKP cousins, allowing them to make a bit more horsepower and tractive effort. While some PM 1200s were equipped with trailing truck booster engines, none of the N1 class (of which 1225 is member of) was.

The former New Buffalo turntable was brought to SRI in the early 2000s. As built, it was 90 feet long and was actually too small to turn the 1200s, requiring temporary extensions whenever one was turned. The table was permanently lengthened when it was installed in Owosso. 7/25/2008

Image"Mop Twin" by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Mid Michigan #180 trundles south through Holton with a pair of hoppers from the Co-Op in Fremont on a muggy summer afternoon. GP9s #179 and #180 were referred to as the "Mop Twins" by crews and fans alike, because the way their blue paint was weathering made them look like they were painted with a mop. Built for Cartier by GMD with factory low noses, #179 and #180 were usually seen doing the local work on the Michigan Shore (along with SW1200 #73), while their pair of GP38s handled the Cannonball to CSX in Holland. #180 would be repainted the following year into a nice red and white scheme reminiscent of the MS's Railtex era paint scheme. Unfortunately it would only run a few months in its new garb before its engine suffered freeze damage on a cold night and it was deemed too expensive to fix. It was cut up for scrap in 2009.

The line up to Fremont is mostly dormant these days, the Co-Op now being owned by a company that also owns a much newer elevator on Marquette Rail in White Cloud. Consequently, they moved all of their rail business over there, another blow to the Michigan Shore. 7/24/2007

ImageKRR GP38M #3805 by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Kiamichi GP38M #3805 sits outside of the Grand Rapids Eastern engine house in Grand Rapids along with Mid Michigan GP9 #24. When #24 failed, G&W sent over #3805 to replace it, but it only made a few runs before it too was sidelined with mechanical issues. G&W finally put an end to these 567-powered shenanigans and reassigned CF&E GP38-2 #3885 to the GRE, where it has remained ever since.

#3805 was originally a Texas & Pacific GP35, which the MoPac rebuilt and de-turboed in the 1970s, creating the "GP38M". #3805 would later be reassigned to neighboring Marquette Rail, who would fix it and use it for a couple of years before it would suffer a major failure. The locomotive was deemed a total loss and shipped out to be scrapped. 4/25/2015

ImageSanta Crosses The Muskegon by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Marquette Rail’s second annual Santa Express, featuring freshly-painted SD40-2 #3001 and caboose #3158, makes its way across the impressive bridge over the Muskegon River in Newaygo. The train stopped at several towns along the Marquette system, allowing Santa to see all of the children. In later years, I believe they also collected toys and food for Toys for Tots. 12/15/2007

ImageElkhart Pumpkins by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Two sets of what were, at one time, the most numerous models on BNSF's roster, the C44-9W and the SD70MAC. Immediately following the BNSF merger, the railroad placed orders for hundreds of both models, with the SD70MACs being primarily for coal train service and the Dash 9s working everything else. An NS intermodal with a pair of the DC GEs waits for a light outside of the yard in Elkhart while a loaded coal train grinds its way past on Main #2. 11/1/2008

ImageWelcome To Decatur by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Kansas City-Bellevue freight 148 arrives in Decatur behind a quartet of black GEs. 7/6/2024

ImageWyoming Yard Circa-1950 by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Not really, but the equipment present certainly added to the illusion. Pere Marquette #1225 and caboose #A909 are in position for the night photo session that will shortly commence for members of the Pere Marquette Historical Society. #1225 is "blacked out" (no white trim) and appears as it did nearing the end of its service life on the C&O. By 1950 it and its sisters were true C&O locomotives, but the N1s and N2s were never re-lettered due to the rules surrounding their equipment trusts. #1225 was retired by the end of 1951 and sent to the deadline in New Buffalo, C&O having fully dieselized the PM. 7/25/2008

ImageWyoming Yard by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Eastern coal loads N904 are rolling down E02 track with a train of 90 Bethgons for the JH Campbell generating plant in West Olive. There's not a GE in sight as the coal train's pair of SD70MACs pass inbound Q335's pair of SD40-2s, which were tied down after cutting away from their train in E06 due to their crew being short on HOS. The tracks here are, from right to left: the NYC Transfer (since removed), Service, Main, E02, E04, E06, and E08. E02 was the perfect parking spot for these eastern coal trains waiting to head to the plant, being able to just hold a pair of engines and 90 cars. 11/3/2007
"Remember, 4 mph is a couple, 5's a collision!"
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Erroneous Monk
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Re: Daily Uploads

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SD80MAC wrote:
Wed Dec 18, 2024 9:56 am
Eastern coal loads N904 are rolling down E02 track with a train of 90 Bethgons for the JH Campbell generating plant in West Olive. There's not a GE in sight as the coal train's pair of SD70MACs pass inbound Q335's pair of SD40-2s, which were tied down after cutting away from their train in E06 due to their crew being short on HOS. The tracks here are, from right to left: the NYC Transfer (since removed), Service, Main, E02, E04, E06, and E08. E02 was the perfect parking spot for these eastern coal trains waiting to head to the plant, being able to just hold a pair of engines and 90 cars. 11/3/2007
Very cool
When did eastern coal stop getting shipped into Campbell?

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SD80MAC
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Re: Daily Uploads

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Erroneous Monk wrote:
Thu Dec 19, 2024 12:34 pm
SD80MAC wrote:
Wed Dec 18, 2024 9:56 am
Eastern coal loads N904 are rolling down E02 track with a train of 90 Bethgons for the JH Campbell generating plant in West Olive. There's not a GE in sight as the coal train's pair of SD70MACs pass inbound Q335's pair of SD40-2s, which were tied down after cutting away from their train in E06 due to their crew being short on HOS. The tracks here are, from right to left: the NYC Transfer (since removed), Service, Main, E02, E04, E06, and E08. E02 was the perfect parking spot for these eastern coal trains waiting to head to the plant, being able to just hold a pair of engines and 90 cars. 11/3/2007
Very cool
When did eastern coal stop getting shipped into Campbell?
The last train was in very early 2015 IIRC.
"Remember, 4 mph is a couple, 5's a collision!"
http://flickriver.com/photos/conrail680 ... teresting/
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SD80MAC
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Re: Daily Uploads

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ImageThe First One by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

What had started as a bar conversation earlier that year eventually turned into Marquette Rail's 1st Annual Santa Express. The railroad had leased a slew of GATX GP38-2s a few months prior and the best looking one, GMTX 2635 in fresh GATX paint, had its lettering nicely modified and MQT logos added. Along with their freshly-repainted former Chessie widevision caboose, the little train spent the day touring the entirety of Marquette Rail, stopping at most of the towns along the way so the kids could see Santa. A rousing success, the train ran every year until the G&W takeover. This would be the only time the 2635 would pull the train, as in subsequent years it was powered by either SD40-2 #3001 or GP38-2 #2005. The first train is seen here arriving in Kent City. 12/16/2006

ImageThe Coolest GEs by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Huron & Eastern's fleet of former Central Michigan GEs was one of the most eclectic fleets of pre-Dash 8 units anywhere. Rostering a pair of U23Bs, a pair of C30-7s, a B30-7, and 3 of the unique B30-7A B units, these old blub-blubs actually outnumbered the Central Michigan's EMDs at one point. Well-liked by the railroad's crews, time eventually caught up to them, with the C30-7s being the last units retired in early 2013. In happier times, the 702 is seen arriving in Durand behind both C30-7s, one of the GP38ACs, a B30-7A, and the B30-7. (5175, 5086, 8804, 4065, and 5492, for those keeping score) 10/22/2005

ImageQ287 by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

C40-8 #7577 and SD50-2 #8530 rumble their way north on the Saginaw Sub through Carleton with 39 autoracks. In a few miles they will stop at TDSI in New Boston and drop most of the racks before finishing the remainder of their trip to Rougemere Yard. 1/18/2011

Image420 BLAZE IT by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

MP36 #420 shoves an in-bound commute under the former Pennsy signal bridge at CP Morgan. This area has changed considerably in the last few years, the most notable change being the closing of the last freight customer served out this way and the subsequent severing of the south-most two tracks. 4/21/2024

ImageHZRX SDM #858 by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Horizon Rail #858 sits in its usual spot on the Stone Co spur on Lansing's west side. This vintage EMD was built as a Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range SD18 #191. It was rebuilt by the Missabe into an SDM in the 80s and by the early 2000s had been transferred to sister US Steel railroad Bessemer & Lake Erie. Retired upon the CN takeover, the unit was sold to Larry's Truck & Electric, who later sold it to Horizon Rail. This unit recently replaced the clapped-out former Norfolk Southern B32-8 that Stone Co had previously leased for their Lansing location. 11/10/2024

ImageAll Memories Now by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

After turning their power on the wye at McGrew, CSX's E927 is now rolling south on the Saginaw Sub behind a CW60AH/CW44AH duo. Now operated by Lake State Railway, the second main has been removed through here, and the AC6000s are long gone from CSX's active roster. It seems that we are also fast approaching the day where even the YN2 paint scheme will be nothing but a memory. 12/3/2010

ImageTrunk Geeps by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

A pair of former Missouri Pacific GP38-2s work Durand Yard off the Holly Subdivision. 35 of these Geeps were purchased from Helm Leasing in 1987 and were numbered GTW 5700-5734. They were moved to the 4900 series in the late 1990s to avoid number conflicts with CN's new SD75Is. 7/22/2006

ImageLOUD & NASTY by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

After waiting around the corner for L301 to clear the single track, L303 is now roaring east onto the Plymouth Sub behind L&N Mullet unit #1850 and an AC4400 at Seymour. 12/26/2024

ImageForeigners In The Snow by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

For a brief period in early 2011, CSX did away with its pair of freights between Barr Yard and Detroit via Grand Rapids, Q326 and Q327, and tried something else. The pair of trains running between Grand Rapids and Stanley Yard in Toledo, Q334 and Q335, were extended west to the BRC's Clearing Yard in Chicago. This arrangement lead to a lot of interesting foreign power, as well as rail cars, on the trains through GR. Illustrating this on a bright and sunny winter day were BNSF C44-9W #740 and NS SD70 #2531, rolling west through Jenison with Chicago-bound Q335. This arrangement apparently was not to CSX's liking, and eventually Q334/335 would be cut back to their usual GR-Toledo routing, and Q326/327 would be reinstated between GR and Barr Yard.

BNSF #740 is notable as being the very first BNSF locomotive delivered in the "Heritage II" paint scheme. 2/12/2011
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David Collins
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Re: Daily Uploads

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ImageDwarfed by aloneinbigrapids, on Flickr

NS train 333 is sitting short of the dwarf signal at Control Point YD in River Rouge on the southwest side of Detroit, once the conductor gets on, the crew will take the turn off the connection track onto the Conrail Detroit line. The dwarf signal looks tiny next to the big ES44AC leading the 333, alongside 5 other units.

ImageFrom a by-gone era by aloneinbigrapids, on Flickr

While on one of my several MQT chases back in 2023, I snagged this photo of Marquette Rail SD40-2 #3391’s cab roof. The 3391 still sports its Canadian style classification lights and cab mounted style bell. Unfortunately the 3391 has seen its last days of service on the MQT, and is in the process of being readied to be sent overseas to another G&W operation.

ImageStranded by aloneinbigrapids, on Flickr

This photo has a story, and an interesting one, for better or for worse. You be the judge.

My dad and I were stranded in Altoona after the turbos on our 6.4 powerchoke powered F450 decided to bite the dust, and as a result we had to leave our fifth wheel camper behind at the campground south of Altoona (I can’t recall the name of the town it was in).

Once we learned how screwed we were with the status of the truck (it wasn’t going anywhere for a month), we decided to book two tickets in Business class on Amtrak’s Pennsylvanian between Altoona and Pittsburgh to get a rental car. I did some foaming up on the pedestrian bridge above the station in Altoona just to kill some time, and this was one of the catches. There were still about 150 thoroughbred painted Dash 9’s around at the time, but after seeing from the air how many of them were lined up for rebuild in Altoona, I knew that I had start shooting as many of them as I could. I managed to shoot this 9400 series unit leading westbound intermodal 27G, which was retired not long after this photo was taken, and was rebuilt to a ubiquitous AC44C6M.

Anyway, back to the sh*tshow, I was all over this idea of riding the pennsylvanian, I had always wanted to ride a train around horseshoe curve, we had gone there a few days prior just to see the darn place and shoot trains.

We picked up the car, but then decided to drive back allll the way to the campground near Altoona (2 1/2 hours) in order to get our stuff from the camper, which the campground would put into storage for us after we left. It wasn’t too bad since we had a brand new (only 62 miles on the dash) Jeep Wrangler with heated and ventilated seats.

We then made the 8 hour drive home from Altoona next the day back to the D, getting back at around 4pm. If that wasn’t enough on my platter, I was up at 0430 the next morning heading down to Toledo for NTD festivities.

We still have that truck to this day, and after dealing with the new turbo install, and a DPF delete, that thing runs pretty darn well.
Leave the gun, take the cannoli.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/184885804@N08/

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~Z~
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Re: Daily Uploads

Unread post by ~Z~ »

Some new ones to contribute to this thread:

ImageWAMX 4189 leading GDLK 303 south by ~Z ~, on Flickr
Grand Elk heads south nearing Moline MI. Train slowly made its way through Byron Center, saw we had some decent sunlight this morning, so headed down to the county line at 108th St, just west of US-131 for this shot of them rounding the corner here. 07/21/23

ImageRed and silver by the dump by ~Z ~, on Flickr
Grand Elk heads out of Byron Center MI, passing part of the Kent County landfill, running long hood forward with WAMX 4190 and 4189 pulling south. 11/30/23

ImageWAMX 4017 and WAMX 4190 in Moline by ~Z ~, on Flickr
Grand Elk Job 303 stops to work Nutrien Ag Solutions in Moline MI. Conductor unhooking from his train to pull clear of the switch, and reverse to pickup their empties. 2/9/24

ImageSunny winter day in West Michigan by ~Z ~, on Flickr
Grand Elk 303 south through Byron Center MI, crossing 104th St. WAMX 4206 leading Wisconsin Southern painted WAMX 4190 on 2/19/24.

ImageNS Roadrailers - Fostoria by ~Z ~, on Flickr
NS 9948 leads a pack of roadrailers east through Fostoria Ohio on 9/20/14 in the morning hours. Was down with large group from railroadfan.com for the day before heading to Deshler for the evening.

ImageGDLK 303 - Byron Center by ~Z ~, on Flickr
Grand Elk south by 104th Ave on the south side of Byron Center at 2:18pm on 3/30/23. WAMX 4189, WAMX 4125, and 31 cars.

ImageBig Frank in Deshler by ~Z ~, on Flickr
At a RailRoadFan.com meetup in Deshler Ohio, Big Frank provided his typical comic relief, much to the annoyance of the videographers in front of him. 06/11/22
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GP30M4216
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Re: Daily Uploads

Unread post by GP30M4216 »

I see Z man's nice GDLK photos and raise you this shot of job 501 southbound at Three Rivers on October 28, 2024.
000169130009.jpg

You can find a few more photos and a trip report here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=40097

----
David Collins wrote:
Fri Jan 10, 2025 1:08 am
This photo has a story, and an interesting one, for better or for worse. You be the judge.

Anyway, back to the sh*tshow, I was all over this idea of riding the pennsylvanian, I had always wanted to ride a train around horseshoe curve, we had gone there a few days prior just to see the darn place and shoot trains.
So, we heard the whole story but you neglected to mention anything about actually riding the Pennsylvanian! How was it? I've been around the curve on Amtrak but only the eastbound run, not westbound.

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SD80MAC
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Re: Daily Uploads

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ImageMAC Blizzard by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Grand Rapids-Detroit freight L303 creates a ground blizzard as it rolls east by milepost 146. A newly-rebuilt SD70AC leads the way. 12/21/2024

ImageMQT Grainer by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

With class lights lit white to denote its "Extra" status, a rare Saturday Z151 rolls at Casnovia south behind a GP38-2 and a trio of SD40s with half of loaded grain train from Newaygo. Lake Effect snow adds some action to this frigid scene. 1/4/2025

ImageWeaving Through Town by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Delaware Lackawanna's PT98 is meandering its way through East Stroudsburg as the freight makes its way towards the Norfolk Southern interchange at Portland. The old DL&W mainline through town shifts from the old track #2 to the old track #1 alignment and then back again. 10/1/2016

ImageComstock Park by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Marquette Rail's Z151 rolls down the hill into Comstock Park with 2042-3408-3345-3413 leading half of a loaded grain train and a few cars of mixed freight. Only a few miles remain until the crew will copy an EC-1 and head south onto CSX rails for interchange. The building at the right, once part of a fish hatchery, now houses a model railroad club. 1/4/2025

ImageOver The Grand by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

With 105 cars in tow, MQT #3413 leads a quartet of EMD products across CSX's impressive bridge over the Grand River in Grand Rapids. Despite being repainted into G&W colors with Marquette logos in 2014, the lead unit worked on the Chicago, Fort Wayne & Eastern for 10 years before finally coming "home" to the MQT in mid 2024. #3413 was built as Onieda & Western #9952 in 1979. 1/4/2025

ImageMore Than Meets The Eye by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Under the typical January-in-Michigan permacloud, S988 rolls off the final miles of the Plymouth Sub behind ES40DC #5289. The special train is carrying a new transformer for the D.C. Cook nuclear power plant near Stevensville, MI, which will be delivered the following Tuesday. 1/3/2025

ImageWNYP RS3M #406 by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Burbling away between switching moves in Olean was then-recently rebuilt RS3M #406. Originally built for the Delaware & Hudson in 1952, the D&H chopped its nose sometime in the 1970s. Unwanted by Guilford, the locomotive was sold to the Tioga Central in the late 1980s and was later purchased by the Livonia, Avon & Lakeville in 2014. LA&L sent the locomotive to sister property Western New York & Pennsylvania, who thoroughly rebuilt the unit at their shop in Olean. It emerged as WNYP #406, complete with LED headlights and ditch lights, remote control equipment, and a spiffy paint job. The little Alco could then usually be seen switching the yard in Olean. With WNYP's recent shift to EMD power, their once vast Alco fleet has been whittled down in recent years. #406 was sold to the Arcade & Attica RR, where it operates today as their largest locomotive. 9/30/2016

ImageFine Day For A Math Test by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

For what seems to be becoming a yearly tradition, CSX's W003 Geometry Train arrived in Grand Rapids the week before Christmas. #9969 was taken off the train and sent to Cumberland for servicing, while the train itself was placed in the old GR Car Shop for storage. Last week, #9969 returned to Grand Rapids on M326, and on Tuesday the locomotive was reunited with its train and went east to Detroit. Two days later, it returned west to Grand Rapids, and tested every siding on the Plymouth Sub. Nearing the end of its journey, W003 is seen rounding the sweeping curve between East Paris and 36th streets in Kentwood on a sunny (but very cold) January afternoon. 1/9/2025

ImageSevered by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Marquette Rail's Z151 has completed its interchange at CSX's Wyoming Yard and is now navigating the plant at Plaster Creek as the crew heads back north with 105 cars. The track in the foreground is what's left of the now-removed Maggie's Lead, and its dwarf still guards the plant. Though the east end of Maggie's had been severed for decades, in recent times it was used as a headroom track for switching moves at the east end of the yard to keep the Main and Sunnyside leads clear. It also hosted many EHBO cars as they awaited their date with the gas wrench. It was removed, along with several other lightly used tracks in Wyoming, during CSX's scrap blitz of the early 2020s. 1/4/2025

ImageDurand Happenings by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

On a cool and cloudy June day, Huron & Eastern 701 is seen heading up the old Grand Trunk Western Bay City branch behind the usual C30-7 pair. Meanwhile, the 765 Durand yard job works with CORP GP38AC #3838. I definitely miss this colorful era of the HESR, as you never truly knew what you might see! 6/1/2012

ImageCummins Critter by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Southern Indiana's repowered Alco S2M #103 shoves its short train into the CSX interchange at Jeffersonville. The SIND was a unique little shortline comprised almost entirely of former interurban trackage. They pretty much existed to switch one customer, the large Heidelberg cement plant in Speed, IN. Operations changed, and the Louisville & Indiana now serves the plant, making the SIND essentially redundant. The railroad has since shut down and its pair of Alcos are for sale, last I heard. 5/1/2019

ImageTurner Street by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Z151 is about to regain home rails as the train rolls off the last few hundred feet of CSX's Grand Rapids Terminal Subdivision. At right is the north end of the Grand Elk's transload operation, built on the ROW of the old Pennsy (Grand Rapids & Indiana). The PM and PRR paralleled each other for about 5 total miles, before crossing each other a little north of here at Comstock Park. The Pennsy was last operated by the Michigan Northern, who would interchange with Conrail at the yard that once occupied this spot. 1/4/2025
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David Collins
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GP30M4216 wrote:
Fri Jan 10, 2025 9:28 pm
So, we heard the whole story but you neglected to mention anything about actually riding the Pennsylvanian! How was it? I've been around the curve on Amtrak but only the eastbound run, not westbound.
It was 4:30am and I hadn't slept when I made that post :lol:

It was great, the lighting was PERFECT for any railfans that were out when we went around curve and passed the surrounding towns (Gallitzin, Cresson, Derry, Latrobe, etc). It was also probably the last time I'm going to be able to ride behind a P42 :(
Leave the gun, take the cannoli.

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Since my girlfriend passed and now my grandma passing two days ago, I've been grinding flickr posts to keep myself busy...bear with me, some of them have long captions:

ImagePops of color by aloneinbigrapids, on Flickr

A UP SD70AH and BNSF ES44 lead a westbound van train by Vickers Junction just outside of Toledo on a gloomy National Train Day 2023.

ImageAlways shoot what’s in front of you by aloneinbigrapids, on Flickr

…was a phrase that was taught to me by the great Jim Fetchero, who I met while I lived in North Carolina.

Allow me to tell a story.

That phrase Jim said was his response to a 12 year old me asking “why do you have so many photos?”. Jim has THOUSANDS of pictures dating back to the 1970’s and newer of southern railway operations down south and railroads all over, and he said, “I always shoot what’s in front of me, because it WILL, not might, WILL be gone one day”.

Soon enough that day, a pair of NS SD70M-2’s showed up on an intermodal train. The M-2’s would soon be retired or put into long term storage, eventually making a short return, only to be put back into storage.

I started following that philosophy, and I still do to this day. Back in 2023, I shot this already rare baretable train on the chicagoline at Vickers during NTD2023. Making it noteworthy too was this thoroughbred Dash 9 leader having at it solo.

As mentioned in my “stranded” post, these Dash 9’s (particularly thoroughbreds) are becoming rarer and rarer by the day, but at the time, people weren’t giving too much of a care in the world shooting them, nowadays, most railfans go out of their way to shoot these old GE’s.

A lot of railfans I know are sort of scrambling to get their shots of these relics before they’re gone, since they originally tossed it since “it’s just a Trash 9”, but I’ve shot so many of them that it’s not a big deal, and I’m always adding more shots to my collection…why? Because I’m always shooting what’s in front of me, because one day it WILL, not might, WILL be gone.

ImageUp the belt by aloneinbigrapids, on Flickr

CN job L513 with Ex Grand Trunk GP38-2 #5853 is pictured pulling their pickup from Ferrous Processing back to Pontiac Yard on a beautiful June evening back in 2023 on CN’s Pontiac Beltline. In a matter of seconds, the train will take the connection track pictured back to Pontiac Yard and cross over the sizable Walton Blvd crossing

The trackage the 513 is running on is the former Grand Trunk Western Cass City subdivision. Nowadays known by the local foam as the “Lake Orion branch”, since the line continued north to the General Motors Orion plant in Lake Orion. Most of my friends at CN refer to it at as “the beltline” or “the belt”.

The line north of Ferrous was cut and placed OOS in 2017, since the only user of the line (since GM Orion stopped shipping by rail in 2007) was the Ringling Brothers circus train, and that ceased to exist in 2017.

Two customers still see rail traffic on the beltline, Ferrous Processing (where L513 is returning from), and Bolyard Lumber transload, about 200 yards north of where I shot this photo. CN runs the beltline up to three times weekly over to Ferrous and Bolyard.

However, GM Orion is expected to start shipping out by rail sometime in the next few years, and a complete rehab of the line from Collier Road (just north of where Ferrous is) all the way up to GM Orion is currently underway.

ImageOff the beaten path by aloneinbigrapids, on Flickr

CSX B631 is pictured heading east through Cumberland, Maryland. 631 is a Chicago-Tampa unit tank train for Tampa’s Hookers point fuel terminal. Normally this train turns south at Deshler, Ohio and heads south via Cincinnati, but for some reason, it ran clear across the CSX system to the A-line, and took it all the way down to Florida.

Of note is the cab mounted bell attachment on the CSX AC44 leading, my autism and ADHD did NOT like the fact it was off center. Not sure how it got on the engine given that CSX doesn’t use cab mounted bells.

ImageHOT on the brakes by aloneinbigrapids, on Flickr

Loaded NS coal train 594 is smoking up a storm as it heads into downtown Altoona with a whopping 8 units. Two units leading, two units serving as Mid DP, and four SD70ACU’s serving as helpers on the bottom.

Even with all of the dynamic braking available with the 8 units, the crew was still giving the brakes on the whole train a workout as they descended into town.

The lighting unfortunately was not to my advantage as it was extremely hazy and backlit, but I felt that the effect of the smoke coming off the cars made up for it.

ImageA much more complicated time by aloneinbigrapids, on Flickr

During Covid lockdowns (before I had my drivers license), my dad and I would “run for the border” and make a once weekly trip down to Millbury, Ohio on the Chicagoline. Gas was quite cheap back in the spring and summer of 2020, and we took advantage of it.

I was not very serious about photography back then, so my photos were absolutely horrendous. This was one of the lucky shots that were somewhat salvageable with lightroom’s help.

Hotshot intermodal train 206 is seen blitzing past Millbury on a brutally hot and humid August afternoon in Millbury. 206 used to be one of the hottest trains on the chicagoline, it now runs as 28B.

ImageThe hidden gem of the motor city by aloneinbigrapids, on Flickr

There aren’t very many places you could go on the NS system to shoot these former Norfolk and Western high hood SD40-2’s. As most have either been sold off, rebuilt with an admiral cab and then sold, or scrapped.

In Detroit, however, we are very lucky to have a yard (NS’ Oakwood Yard) that operates with the majority of the remaining high hood SD40’s left on the thoroughbred of transportation. They are mainly assigned to captive RCO service and yard switching at Oakwood. However some will occasionally venture out onto the boat line in Detroit on the BD-27 job.

Of course, whenever I try to shoot the ‘27, they’re running it with road power in order to spin the power for outbound trains, or a high hood GP38 borrowed from the CSAO, which I won’t complain about.

NS 1629 (pictured) is not one of those units that runs the boat line as it’s been pretty much always kept in captive RCO yard service, it only leaves the yard for repairs and/or it’s 92 day inspections. I can’t say I’ve seen a photo of the 1629 doing something other than kicking cars in the yard and MAYBE picking up cars at Oakwood Junction from the CN, which is not much more than a mile away and still pretty much in the Oakwood yard limits.

Oakwood used to be the N&W’s expansive yard in Detroit, and to me, it’s likely that the 1629 and it’s fellow SD40 high hood comrades have ran through these yard limits before on merchandise trains for points all over the N&W system.

With that being said, here’s NS 1629 shuffling some cars at Oakwood yard in Detroit. Pictures don’t do this photo justice with the heavenly 645 prime mover sounds the 1629 was making as it passed us about 20 times switching cars around Oakwood.

ImageTranscon Turbine by aloneinbigrapids, on Flickr

During spring break 2021 and my four state rampage with my dad, we ended up in La Plata, Missouri. One of the trains we saw was this empty eastbound wind turbine train. I can’t say I’ve seen one of these empties before until I shot this, I’ve seen plenty of loads though.

ImageZippy Z by aloneinbigrapids, on Flickr

BNSF’s LA to Chicago platinum priority intermodal, Z-LACNYC, is seen racing east by La Plata at 70mph with a quartet of gevo’s and a SD70ACe leading the way. I’ve heard AC powered GEVO’s and the roaring noise they make, but these units at 70mph weren’t roaring, they were screaming. I could hear them from almost a mile away as they flew through the Missouri country side.

ImageWrong track running by aloneinbigrapids, on Flickr

Westbound NS train W7V (extra 17V) is seen heading west by Chesterton, Indiana with a pair of C6M’s leading.

Normally westbounds run on track one, this one and the other trains before it running both directions were running on track 2 due to MoW work on M1 at Porter Junction.


I'll add some more tomorrow.
Leave the gun, take the cannoli.

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Decided to run up to Big Rapids to decompress and have found myself with nothing to do, here goes:

ImageSD70 oddity by aloneinbigrapids, on Flickr

First, you may have noticed I put a watermark on this photo. I gotta go through all 1k+ photos in my backlog and start adding it. Greaaaat. People have been stealing my work apparently, you gotta do what you gotta do I guess.

Anyway, here’s a westbound NS intermodal (27G?) passing Altoona whilst racing a empty combined coal train.

The lead unit, NS SD70ACe #1000 was the first SD70ACe that NS received. This unit also served as a testbed for the series of HTCR bogeys used on the Tier 4 SD70. They’re still on the engine and make it look kinda different compared to all other units from that particular generation of SD70ACe.

Also of note is the stacked up piggyback trailers on TOFC cars behind the power.


ImageCanadians and Conrail by aloneinbigrapids, on Flickr

CN manifest train M382 is pictured trundling north by control point YD in River Rouge, Michigan on the southwest side of Detroit.

The YD interlocking plant used to host at least three railroads. I believe they were New York Central (now Conrail Shared Assets), the Detroit, Toledo & Shoreline, which the Grand Trunk gobbled up and breaks off of the line about 200 yards south at CN “Coolidge”…and the GTW (now the CN).

YD is nowhere as busy as it used to be with the advent of PSR, but over a dozen trains pass the interlocking per day from railroads such as Conrail Shared Assets (from their Rouge Yard pictured in the background), NS and CN.

Conrail always adds a little spice to the operations at YD, as they often utilize high hood geeps for the US Gypsum local as well as the RR-40 job that runs to NS’ Oakwood Yard. RR-40, fun fact, using a pair of high hoods actually can be seen in the background getting ready to head to Oakwood.


ImageSnowy 75i by aloneinbigrapids, on Flickr

I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing that I’m just getting around to shooting photos of trains in 2025, and we’re pretty much already a full month in…but as the de-facto chairman of the rat pack, Frank Sinatra, once said “That’s life, and I can’t deny it”. Maybe the snow will get me out more, it’s just a matter of getting motivated enough to go out and shoot. Said motivation has been hard to come by since Katie passed, however.

Anyway, enough of me dumping my feelings. I managed to shoot two trains today in Bloomfield Hills (tomorrow’s post is the train I was out for). This one however being the first of them. A container-less Q116, rippin’ down the hill in Bloomfield Hills as they were heading south toward Flat Rock. This was also my first time shooting an SD75i in a number series higher than the 5770 series. These engines are going to start getting hard to come by in the future, per my sources at CN, and no, it’s not due to the IACC rebuild program.

I’ve spent so much time out of state and/or at other spots in Michigan that I’ve kinda forgotten about the place that sparked my obsession about trains, that being the crossing at Opdyke Road in Bloomfield Hills, and needing to find something to cheer me up in one of my depressive mood swings, going back to my OG happy place was right up the pike.


ImageMonday Mornin’ Rail by aloneinbigrapids, on Flickr


This post is a bit symbolic and a bit emotional, bear with me

After shooting the 116 in Bloomfield Hills (yesterday’s post), I stuck around for the reason why I was out, yesterday’s E251 had a pair of Ex Illinois Central SD70’s up front, one being in CN paint and the other being in IC’s “deathstar” livery.

This was sort of a redemption catch for me, I had shot the pair (deathstar leading) when they came down south on 116 the day before, only for my photos to get corrupted while transferring them over to my PC. Things were looking bleak in my head after that.

I decided, screw it, let’s try it again on 251 the next day even with me knowing darn well that the deathstar was gonna trail and that there wasn’t gonna be any sun. These SD70’s aren’t up here often, you take what you get.

I went out, got the 116 from yesterday’s post, got this 251, then went home and had a bomb dropped on me later that evening right after I had posted the 116 photo. My grandma had passed away while I was gone. She had been dealing with a lot of health problems and the final four years of her life proved to be extremely painful for her. At least she’s up there no longer in pain.

The stars, for better or for worse, aligned on this one. Her favorite song was The City of New Orleans by Arlo Guthrie. She and I would frequently get into arguments where I tried proving my case that the Willie Nelson version was better. She disagreed but we all got a good laugh doing it.

If you’ve never heard of the song The City Of New Orleans, Arlo or Willie or whomevers version you’re listening to (hell, I think even Jerry Reed did a version of it) is talking about the famous Illinois Central train called “The City of New Orleans” that ran between Chicago and, you guessed it, New Orleans.


Image1st gen meets 2nd gen by aloneinbigrapids, on Flickr

While at Michigan Tech Railcamp waaaay back in 2021, we toured the Eagle Mills mine as well as the Mineral Range Railroad up in the U.P. of Michigan. One of the things they let us do was hop in the cabs of their two geeps, and pictures were welcome.

In this photo, we’re inside the cab of leased ILSX GP10 #1345. A fourth hand 1st generation EMD handed down from the BNSF, BN and the Great Northern.

Sometime (probably during its later BN or early BNSF days), it got the chop job done making it a short hood unit, and had some modern electronics installed, including this somewhat modern 2nd generation control stand. It’s seen a lot of wear and tear, but it almost seems out of place for a 70 year old locomotive.

The MRR has since removed the 1345 and it’s sister GP9 from service, as they’re being replaced by a pair of former NS SD40-2’s.


ImageFostoria 40E by aloneinbigrapids, on Flickr

An NS SD40E and an admiral cab SD40-2 lead local job L70 west out of Fostoria. This shot was during one of me and my dads peak covid time “border runs”.
Leave the gun, take the cannoli.

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SD80MAC
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ImageDockside by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Toledo-Grand Rapids freight Q335 glides across the calm Thornapple River on a late-Summer afternoon. A pair of classic YN2 CW40-8s lead a Mother/Slug duo. I had just started my Senior year of high school and was taking a photography class, and one of our first assignments was to incorporate "reflections". So naturally, I used it as an excuse to go railfanning. 9/18/2008

ImageSeward Ave by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Marquette Rail's Z151 rolls through Grand Rapids with half of a loaded grain train from Newaygo and a handful of miscellaneous freight on the bottom. Seward Ave, the street in the foreground, occupies the right of way of what was once the Pennsylvania RR's mainline to Mackinaw City. The line was removed through most of Grand Rapids' west side in the early 1980s as part of a large track consolidation between Conrail, C&O, and GTW. 1/4/2025

ImageKeep Pushin' by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

An SD70ACe and an ES44AC are the bottom two units on a massive 260 car empty coal train, seen leaning into the curve at Palmer Creek. PSR Special! 10/17/2024

ImageFinishing Up by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

After depositing their out-bounds on the CSX interchange, the Grand Rapids Eastern crew unloads their gear at the yard office before parking #2104 in the barn. The CSX RN dispatcher has given them a clear for headroom across the diamond, which they will need to get the engine put away. 1/15/2025

ImageCanadian Classics by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

On a trip to Ontario to shoot the OSR, my friends and I made a brief stop in Sarnia once we had crossed the boarder. As luck would have it, a CN local was shoving down the spur to the old car float docks with a grain train for the elevator on the St Clair River. The power for this job was a nice pair of GP9RMs bracketing a slug. While I had seen many of CN's former GTW GP9Rs working in the States, this was my first time encountering the unique GP9RM. 5/2/2013

Image8 Mile by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Didn't see Marshall Mathers, but I did see Marquette Rail rolling south with half a grain train from Newaygo in tow. 1/4/2025

ImageWindmill Empties by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

SD60I #8741 and leased HLCX SD40R #6337 roll west through Grandville past the C&O searchlights with K283, an empty windmill train from Marquette Rail. In a moment, the train will diverge onto the single track of the Grand Rapids Subdivision. Grandville was one of handful of spots in Michigan where timetable special instructions permitted getting a "Clear" on a dwarf. A storm had recently drenched the area with rain, and another round was just about to start as the train rolled by.

CSXT #8741 was sold to Larry's Truck & Electric in 2019 and has presumably been scrapped. HLCX #6337 was most recently leased to the Wisconsin & Southern, and I'm not sure of its current whereabouts. 7/13/2012

ImageAlco Heaven by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

The engineer of the OL-3 has just fired up C430 #431 and is performing his inspection at the Western New York & Pennsylvania shops in Olean. There are only 5 C430s still in existence, and the WNYP/LA&L family owns 4 of them. Standing by are RS3M #406 and various M636s, along with the railroad's lone C630M and M630. With no train over the mountain to the NS interchange that day, we had to settle for OL-1 and OL-3. Scenes like this will soon be a memory as the WNYP converts to EMD power. Many of the 6 axle units, and the RS3M, have already been sold off. 9/30/2016

ImageAlpena Night-Crawler by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Lake State Railway's train 327 rolls into Alpena after sunset behind newly-rebuilt slug set #303 and #4303. The train consists entirely of cement and fly ash hoppers for the Lafarge plant in town. The line from Tawas City to Alpena was still all 10 mph at the time, making for a slow and boring trip for this single-person crew. In recent years, LSRC has poured a ton of money into the former D&M in the form of ties, ballast and continuous welded rail. It is expected the entire line will be up to at least 25 mph (and planned for higher) quite soon.

This was pushing the limits of my 70D's low-light capabilities, with most of the usable light gone. I think it cleaned up decent enough. 6/28/2015

ImageTesting, Testing, One Two Three by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

CN's track inspection RDC #1501 rolls north past the venerable old signal guarding the south end of the former Detroit, Toledo & Ironton's crossing of the former Pere Marquette in Carleton. This signal, which was old in its own right, replaced an even older signal that was on a remnant of a concrete arch, leftover from DT&I's short-lived experiment with electrification. During this era (early 2010s), CN was still running a pair of trains between Flatrock and Toledo via this line and the Ann Arbor RR at Dianne. Presently, CN runs no trains south of Flatrock on the DT&I, with only Indiana & Ohio's thrice-weekly interchange train from Lima polishing the rails. 9/16/2011

ImageWinter Citrus by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

As much as I don't love the G&W paint scheme, it certainly does pop on a gray winter day. Grand Rapids Eastern #2104 makes its way slowly along the former GTW through town, passing the remains of the east end of a small yard. 1/15/2025

ImagePioneer Geeps by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Elkhart & Western power parked in Argos typifies the preferred motive power of Pioneer Lines at the time: first generation Geeps. GP20 #2045 and GP16 #1600 rest between assignments on the old Nickel Plate Michigan City branch. 4/30/2019

ImageClassic Harbor 38s by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Indiana Harbor Belt's 115 job has just left Burns Harbor and is headed for home rails at CP 502. Power for the train was, at the time, the Harbor's only GP38-2s, #3802 and #3801. IHB has since acquired 3 more. 7/21/2013

ImageNo More Maggie by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

L303 departs Wyoming Yard on the Old Even. Here at the Plaster Creek interlocker, the train will swing right onto the Sunnyside Lead and again once more to reach the Main. The severed track in front of me is all that remains of the Maggie's Lead, which in recent years was a long, stub-ended track that served as head room for switching and car storage. It was removed during CSX's "Tear-Up-Everything-That-Is-Not-Absolutely-Essential" blitz in the early 2020s. Local folklore says that "Maggie" ran a brothel that once sat along the lead. 1/4/2025

ImageMQT Yellows by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

MQT #2008 and #2007 lead GLLX #3001 west on the main at Godfrey, about to duck under the old interurban bridge. During this era, it was fairly unusual to see 2 Geeps on the Z151. This view looks very different today, with the old C&O cantilever long gone, and the space at the right now occupied by Beacon Recycling. 4/6/2012

ImageStately Mohawk by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

New York Central L3a 4-8-2 "Mohawk" #3001 poses during a night photo session at the National New York Central RR Museum, back in January of 2011. Some friends and I spent most of the afternoon rigging the scene lighting as well as a fog machine and box fan inside the smokebox to make #3001 look a little more "alive". The locomotive has since had its elephant ears re-installed and more recently has been sold to the Fort Wayne RR Historical Society. It will take time and money, but the plan is for this stately old gray hound to run again.

The L3a class were the first of the dual-service Mohawks to arrive on the Central. NYC rostered more 4-8-2s than other railroad, with a fleet of 600 of them. The freight L1s and L2s were basically the SD40s of their era: go anywhere, do anything. The L3as (and the even more modern L4s that followed) were an improvement of the earlier design, with better cross-balancing and weight distribution for higher-speed running. They joined the Central's famous Hudsons in passenger and express service all across the system, from Mackinaw City, MI to St. Louis, MO, and everywhere in between. While other railroads would adopt 2-8-4s and 4-8-4s for fast freight service, the Mohawks were plenty powerful for the mostly flat NYC. The 4-8-4 Niagaras would come much later. While they were dual-service engines, most worked primarily in passenger service until very late in their careers. The NYC was not kind to preservation, and today #3001 is one of just six remaining NYC steamers. 1/22/2011

ImageThe Climb by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Marquette Rail's Z151 is starting into the stiff grade that the old Pere Marquette main encounters headed north from Grand Rapids. A trio of SD40s and a GP38 are pulling hard as they cross Lamoreaux Ave with 103 cars. 1/4/2025

ImageSunshine & Gevos by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

L303 heads east along the Plymouth Sub on a rare sunny Michigan-in-November afternoon. 11/12/2024

ImageThe Destination by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

The Grand Rapids Eastern crew is nearly done for the day after setting their out-bounds on the CSX interchange. After dropping their grips at the yard office, the engineer will park #2104 in the barn. 1/15/2025

ImageOld-School 106 by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

Y106 crests the grade at Fox on a cold but snow-less December day in 2006. GP38-2 #2689 was one of the last YN1 units left on the system at that point, and was one of very few that went directly from YN1 to YN3 paint. 12/27/2006
"Remember, 4 mph is a couple, 5's a collision!"
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ImagePre-PSR magic by aloneinbigrapids, on Flickr

In my opinion, 2018 was the best year to be a railfan in the 2010’s. There was so much diversity amongst the railroads in terms of power, NS hadn’t yet adopted PSR, leasers were everywhere, etc. The lashup pictured in this photo is no exception.

Please note, the quality of this photo is quite bad from the sh*tbox camera I was using back then. I tried my best with editing.

Pictured before you is NS train 172 on March 30th, 2018 in Spencer, NC, passing the Spencer control point…where the line to Oyama, Hickory and Asheville splits off the Charlotte District.

This train had an insane lashup that is likely to never be recreated again, with a now retired (7292 has since been scrapped to be knowledge) NS SD70ACU leading, a now retired and scrapped whiteface painted NS SD70M trailing, and (I don’t know how) a now WSOR owned UP triclops SD60M 3rd out, back then owned by UP, in UP paint and running.

I’ve got more pre-PSR photos that I found while digging through some old photography folders, I’ll see what’s useable and post it accordingly.

Imagealone in spencer by aloneinbigrapids, on Flickr

I’ve learned recently to not trust any people that claim to be your “friends”, former Amtrak F40PHR #307 seems to be in good company though surrounded by VRE bi-level commuter cars and a N&W caboose shoved in front of it at the North Carolina Transportation Museum.

The NCTM purchased the unit from Amtrak for $1 sometime in the 90’s for preservation, they ended up parking it in the museum’s back yard, where it has sat untouched ever since.

It’s kind of sad to see an F40 in this condition…maybe someone at NCTM will step up and save this historic piece of passenger railroading in the future. I bet it looks worse now, given that this photo was taken back in 2017.

ImageWoodward Heights by aloneinbigrapids, on Flickr


Amtrak 355 is pictured heading south by Woodward Heights in Ferndale, Michigan with an average wolverine consist and Buster at the controls.

ImageGets the job done by aloneinbigrapids, on Flickr

I won’t say much to avoid someone from getting in trouble…but here’s the cab of battle hardened Amtrak P42 #56. This engine is nearing 30 years old and is definitely showing that age. Crews tend to call these old soldiers junk, but they “get the job done”.

Photo posted with permission from an anonymous employee.
Leave the gun, take the cannoli.

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SD80MAC wrote:
Tue Feb 04, 2025 11:55 am
ImageStately Mohawk by Jonathon Leese, on Flickr

New York Central L3a 4-8-2 "Mohawk" #3001 poses during a night photo session at the National New York Central RR Museum, back in January of 2011. Some friends and I spent most of the afternoon rigging the scene lighting as well as a fog machine and box fan inside the smokebox to make #3001 look a little more "alive". The locomotive has since had its elephant ears re-installed and more recently has been sold to the Fort Wayne RR Historical Society. It will take time and money, but the plan is for this stately old gray hound to run again.

The L3a class were the first of the dual-service Mohawks to arrive on the Central. NYC rostered more 4-8-2s than other railroad, with a fleet of 600 of them. The freight L1s and L2s were basically the SD40s of their era: go anywhere, do anything. The L3as (and the even more modern L4s that followed) were an improvement of the earlier design, with better cross-balancing and weight distribution for higher-speed running. They joined the Central's famous Hudsons in passenger and express service all across the system, from Mackinaw City, MI to St. Louis, MO, and everywhere in between. While other railroads would adopt 2-8-4s and 4-8-4s for fast freight service, the Mohawks were plenty powerful for the mostly flat NYC. The 4-8-4 Niagaras would come much later. While they were dual-service engines, most worked primarily in passenger service until very late in their careers. The NYC was not kind to preservation, and today #3001 is one of just six remaining NYC steamers. 1/22/2011
This is an awesome shot. I don't know what it is about a steam engine in the snow, but there's a little magic to it. Unfortunately, snow on a boiler means that boiler is definitely not alive, but it looks good all the same.

The Fort Wayne Group announced that there will be a work day on the 3001 tomorrow, February 8 to swap in an air compressor, this is the first work day on the locomotive.

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David Collins
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ImageStopped at Fayetteville by aloneinbigrapids, on Flickr

Now that I’m back in Big Rapids…time to get back to posting, Amtrak P089, the southbound palmetto, is pictured loading passengers at the station at Fayetteville, NC. Other than local F736 and P089, that 7 hour outing on the A-line was DEAD. Oh well. It is what it is.

Fun fact, the 138 is now in the new-fangled Phase 7 livery.

ImageBig time by aloneinbigrapids, on Flickr

Ethan brings Amtrak 355 down the hill at Birmingham, Michigan approaching their stop at the Troy Transit Center.

Normally playing a tune on a charger is pretty difficult due to the horn valve configuration, but some engineers still do find a way to show off :)
Leave the gun, take the cannoli.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/184885804@N08/

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