Night Moves by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrNYSW SD40-2 #3018 pauses between moves at the east end of the Susquehanna's yard in Binghamton while the conductor climbs back aboard. #3018 was originally built as a high nosed unit for the Southern, and was sold to Big Dog Lines in the early 2000s before being chopped and sold to the Susquehanna. It is one of just two SD40-2s rostered by the railroad. 9/30/2016
2012 Santa Train by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrCanadian National used to run a very classy Santa Train every December, stopping at most of the major yards in the US so employees could bring their kids to meet the big guy. For many years, the locomotives used for this train were their sleek pair of Illinois Central E9s. Painted in an attractive silver and black paint scheme, these classic “E Units” were built in 1949 and were the epitome of the Art-Deco era of streamlining. The Santa Train is seen here at River Rouge, splitting the signals after having just crossed the Rouge River. 12/1/2012
Bluewater Blizzard by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrAmtrak's Bluewater is running a little bit late as it emerges from a "Fluffy White Death" squall at the west end of CN's "Fluffy White Death" Yard in Millet. The train would meet Q122 around the corner at CP Mill. 2/2/2025
North Park by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrMarquette Rail's Z151 enters the Grand Rapids Yard Limits at North Park on a very hot July day in 2013. Conductor Mike has #3001's air conditioner set to "high cool". 7/14/2013
Leaser Era GLC by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrGreat Lakes Central departs CN rails for the former Ann Arbor mainline at Pitt, just south of Durand. The Annie once paralleled the GTW north here to the depot, where they crossed the Holly Sub and the Flint Sub. This mostly redundant trackage and its associated diamonds were removed in the 70s and the Annie was granted trackage rights on the GTW from here to Owosso. Leased GMTX GP38-2s #2663 and #2675 were well-liked by the railroad, which would purchase 5 of their own GP38-2s within the next couple of years to supplement the aging GP35s. 10/3/2010
Stacks On The Pere Marquette by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrFor about a 6 month period in late 2010-early 2011, the Grand Rapids and Plymouth subdivisions hosted a pair of Chicago-Detroit intermodal trains. These trains, which ran as Q195 and Q196, operated to and from CSX's facilities at 59th St and Livernois, as I recall. On some days they were very short, and on others they would be quite long. A short Q196 is seen here rolling off the miles west of Hudsonville along Chicago Drive. The opening of CSX's new North Baltimore facility in Ohio subsequently saw these trains shifted south to the B&O. They were neat while they lasted! 2/18/2011
Q122 by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrAfter meeting the Bluewater at CP Mill, Q122 gets moving east-bound on the Flint Sub behind a pair of CN EMDs as the "Fluffy White Death" flies. 2/2/2025
Pick A Model, Any Model by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrThe Huron & Eastern "Rocket", train 702, has just arrived in Durand and is pulling around the Port Huron wye for headroom before backing into the yard. Though the Central Michigan had ceased to exist about a year prior, the railroad continued to operate and look much the same as it had for the previous two decades. An all-CMGN consist of both C30-7s, a GP38AC, a B30-7A B unit, and the lone B30-7 provides the power for the long train on this day. 10/22/2005
Waiting @ Plaster by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrMarquette Rail Z151 and CSX N956 both wait at Plaster Creek for a light into the yard. N956 had just gotten their power from the house and was getting ready to back down the main to their train. GLLX #3003 and a pair of GP38-2s wait on the Sunnyside Lead. In the foreground are the now-removed Maggie's Lead and switch to the old piggy back ramps. 3/16/2013
Hogsmeade by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrWhile not a train in the conventional sense, the Hogwarts Express at Universal Studios in Orlando is technically flanged wheel on steel rail. I suppose the oddest part is that the “wheels” on the locomotive don’t move when the train is moving. Either way, this is a cool way to travel between parks at Universal. 2/18/2025
Buchannan by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrThe two locomotive models that changed railroading forever, the AC4400CW and the SD70MAC, lead L303 out of Grand Rapids along Buchannan Ave. 12/28/2024
Kent City Run Around by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrMarquette Rail's Z151 is running around a few cars after doing some industry work between Kent City and Sparta. The rest of the train can be seen sitting north of town in the distance. In order to provide the best service to their customers, the railroad would routinely work customers that would normally be only worked north-bound, south-bound, and vice versa. This was the only time I can remember seeing them use the short run around in Kent City. 1/3/2009
Smoking In Ingersoll by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrOntario Southland RS18u #182 has finished its switching in Ingersoll and is now leaving town for points west. Unfortunately, it sounds like the Alco/MLW era on the OSR might be coming to an end here in the near future. 5/3/2013
Near The End by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrThe old Fisher Body plant in Wyoming was still going strong in this April 2008 view. The plant was busy enough for NS to have 1st and 2nd shift yard jobs who exclusively pulled and spotted boxcars. The writing was on the wall, though, and GM would shut the plant down in 2009. That was also NS's excuse to pull the plug on the Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo branches, leasing them out to Watco's Grand Elk in early 2009. In busier times, GP40-2 #3040 is shut down for the weekend with a string of auto parts boxes ready to go come 1st shift Monday morning. While this trackage is all still here as of early 2025, the plant was demolished several years ago. 4/4/2008
Re-Routed Coal Loads by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrIn what was a very odd move, a pair of BNSF SD70MACs, still in BN "Executive" colors, lead loaded CSX coal train N910 up the grade at Fox. This train of Powder River coal, which was destined for Consumer's JH Campbell plant in West Olive, would normally run up the Grand Rapids sub to Holland and continue north to West Olive. The details are fuzzy to me now, but I believe the train was re-routed "the long way" via Toledo and Plymouth because of a derailment on the NS near Porter, IN where the GR sub connects to the NS Chicago district. I want to say this was the only time I ever saw this happen. Also, I absolutely loved those cream and green MACs with the classic BNSF logo on the nose! 12/22/2007
Classic GRE by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrTechnically late-Spring but feeling very much like Summer, its a hot and humid afternoon as the Grand Rapids Eastern heads west towards its namesake. The crew only had work for Amway in Ada on this day, it appears. Good 'ole GP9 #24 was still the only power on the GRE back then. 6/7/2011
"Even For 2 Track" by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrMarquette's Z151 is on CSX rails as they roll through the Plaster Creek interlocker and into Wyoming Yard. Using the Even lead, they will yard their train on 2 and 6 tracks, then pick up their outbound in tracks 8 and 10. In the foreground is the now seldom-used engine house lead. 1/4/2025
Grinding & Climbing by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrAfter shooting the 11:00 crude loads, we booked it south to a location near "Railfan Rock". After climbing a hill, we were surprised to hear the sound of another train, working up-hill from the east. With an SD40-2 in notch 8 on both ends, a tailings train slowly ground past us, on its way up to the Northshore's Tailings Pond. I couldn't tell you the last time I saw Difco side dump cars! 6/10/2023
SD60s by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrA pair of CSX's original 10 SD60s, #8705 and #8700, are working hard with Q334 through the fresh powder on Grand Rapids' east side. 2/12/2011
L500 by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrIt's almost April, but there is still a bit of "Fluffy White Death" on the ground as L500 backs into Durand Yard with a cut of cars for the Huron & Eastern. Venerable GP9R #4619 was a regular on the Flint-based locals in the 2009-2012 era. As far as I know, it is one of the few GP9Rs still on CN's roster as of 2025. 3/26/2011
Smyrna by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrAfter meeting a north-bound grain empty, a pair of CW44ACs continue south toward Atlanta with a rack train. 9/14/2013
Casnovia by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrOn one of its last trips south before being repainted into G&W's "Heritage" scheme, MQT #2042 and a trio of SD40s lead the Z train south at Casnovia on a bitterly cold January day. 1/4/2025
North @ Fuller by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrMarquette Rail's Z151 knocks down the signal for Fuller diamond as the train crosses Indian Mill Creek. During this era, MQT had 5 GP38-2s leased from GATX, but it was pretty unusual to see the Z train running with just a pair of them. GMTX #2676 was a former Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines unit that was built with an extended cab to accommodate dual control stands. 3/15/2008
8 & Sand by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrAn SD70AC-ES40DC pair are pulling as hard as they can as they lift a heavy L303 out of the Thornapple River valley at "Fluffy White Death" Ave. Lead unit #4735 is a very recent Huntington rebuild that was still so clean that you could've ate off of it. 3/14/2025
Morning @ North Yard by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrWith a Geep on each end of the train, Michigan Shore's day job prepares to leave North Yard. They will be working Webb Chemical on the old GTW line, which has a track arrangement necessitating having a unit on the front and rear. Wished #3839 had been facing south, but oh well.
At right is the former Pere Marquette/Chesapeake & Ohio engine house. Long-since devoid of locomotives, today it houses MOW equipment for the MS. 12/14/2012
Teardrop Leader by Jonathon Leese, on FlickrNewly-rebuilt SD70AC #4704 leads a short 40 car L303 east out of Grand Rapids on a sunny March day. 3/13/2025
