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TC Man wrote:

MiRailProductions wrote:

AANscaleRunner wrote:398 and 399 return to Cadillac at 1710 with 1 tank, 1 cement hopper, 1 passenger car, 19 cement hoppers, 1 loaded centerbeam, 4 covered hoppers (feed) and 4 empty pulpwood flats. Any ideas on the passenger car?

Was the passenger car one of the BiLevels, or was it in GLC paint? It could be one of those tests they're doing for the commuter rail they plan to put in, or it could be an OCS or a private excursion.

It would not be for a test as it was in Cadillac. No commuter rail up there.

I wonder who it was in TC in the red car taking pics or video of GLC?

Notice how I said that they PLAN to put one in, not that there is one. If there was a commuter rail, the tracks would be in much better shape. The project is in phase 1 right now, just inspecting tracks and figuring out the feasibility of a train from Ann Arbor to Traverse.

Haven't they "studied" this before multiple times?

MiRailProductions wrote:Notice how I said that they PLAN to put one in, not that there is one. If there was a commuter rail, the tracks would be in much better shape. The project is in phase 1 right now, just inspecting tracks and figuring out the feasibility of a train from Ann Arbor to Traverse.

MiRailProductions wrote:

AANscaleRunner wrote:398 and 399 return to Cadillac at 1710 with 1 tank, 1 cement hopper, 1 passenger car, 19 cement hoppers, 1 loaded centerbeam, 4 covered hoppers (feed) and 4 empty pulpwood flats. Any ideas on the passenger car?

Was the passenger car one of the BiLevels, or was it in GLC paint? It could be one of those tests they're doing for the commuter rail they plan to put in, or it could be an OCS or a private excursion.

Passenger looked like a plain coach car from my vantage point. It was sitting by the engine house Friday morning as I was leaving town.

[/quote]

Notice how I said that they PLAN to put one in, not that there is one. If there was a commuter rail, the tracks would be in much better shape. The project is in phase 1 right now, just inspecting tracks and figuring out the feasibility of a train from Ann Arbor to Traverse.[/quote]


The "plan" for commuter rail was on the south end (Howell area to AA area). No "commuter" rail planned to TC or anywhere north. You may be thinking about the "plan" aka "dream" of a AA to TC weekend train to ship tourists up here. That's been talked about since the early 2000's, and every few years they do a new "study" to keep the guys that do studies in business. Aside from maybe an occasional tourist train (like a fall color train), I doubt I'll see regularly scheduled (even regular weekend service) trains to TC. Nice dream, but not going to happen anytime in the next 10 years at least. So, nom the passenger car is not to "test" the tracks.

MI Rail Productions- was that you in the red car with the camera/tripod?

The passenger car (GLC-5447) is a generator equipped car moved up there to give some dignitaries a ride.

Left Cadillac for Clare at 1100.

TC Man wrote:

Notice how I said that they PLAN to put one in, not that there is one. If there was a commuter rail, the tracks would be in much better shape. The project is in phase 1 right now, just inspecting tracks and figuring out the feasibility of a train from Ann Arbor to Traverse.[/quote]


The "plan" for commuter rail was on the south end (Howell area to AA area). No "commuter" rail planned to TC or anywhere north. You may be thinking about the "plan" aka "dream" of a AA to TC weekend train to ship tourists up here. That's been talked about since the early 2000's, and every few years they do a new "study" to keep the guys that do studies in business. Aside from maybe an occasional tourist train (like a fall color train), I doubt I'll see regularly scheduled (even regular weekend service) trains to TC. Nice dream, but not going to happen anytime in the next 10 years at least. So, nom the passenger car is not to "test" the tracks.

MI Rail Productions- was that you in the red car with the camera/tripod?[/quote]

No, it was not. I was in a White Toyota.
http://www.groundworkcenter.org/projects/a2tc/ this is the website for A2TC. Look around the site for more info. I think the project could be dead, since they haven't posted for nearly a year, however apparently there are "feasibility tests" going on right now (according to their time line). I was just thinking it could be for that, but after later descriptions of the car it looks like it's just for GLC officials.

AARR wrote:Haven't they "studied" this before multiple times?

MiRailProductions wrote:Notice how I said that they PLAN to put one in, not that there is one. If there was a commuter rail, the tracks would be in much better shape. The project is in phase 1 right now, just inspecting tracks and figuring out the feasibility of a train from Ann Arbor to Traverse.

I'm sure they have, it just seems that they are actually trying to get somewhere this time. Those MiRail Cars will most likely be the consist on these trains, however I'm not sure. Here is their website. http://www.groundworkcenter.org/projects/a2tc/ . Look around on it for more info.

Great Lakes Central and RJ Corman crews are out in Mount Pleasant repairing washouts. The worst appears to be at the Chippewa river where they have dumped several truckloads of boulders and fill. I tried to get photos of the work, but most of Nelson park is still under water, and is not accessible. South of down town, they did a lot of ballast work fixing minor washouts.

I plan on trying to get out to get photos later this evening.

On a different note, the 10 TFOX gons have been pulled from the siding in Mount P and have been replaced with 15 loaded CSXT gons (old ties). The NKLX hoppers are still there.

As I type this, I hear RJ Corman crews headed south.

5:10 edit: RJ Corman Crews back north with a loaded dump truck of ballast. It appears they are using the south end of Central Michigan University's Commuter lot to load ballast.

398 and 399 return to Cadillac at 1620 running light.

Northbound out of Cadillac at 0935.

AAN, nice catch of the passenger car, I couldn't quite see if there were passengers on board. I was going to go to town to see if the North run would come up here, but didn't look like any cars for TC. Saved me a trip. Thanks for the posting.

Pixl is correct, that's a Petoskey bound train. I wonder where the passenger car is going

Pixl wrote:AAN, nice catch of the passenger car, I couldn't quite see if there were passengers on board. I was going to go to town to see if the North run would come up here, but didn't look like any cars for TC. Saved me a trip. Thanks for the posting.

AARR wrote:Pixl is correct, that's a Petoskey bound train. I wonder where the passenger car is going

Pixl wrote:AAN, nice catch of the passenger car, I couldn't quite see if there were passengers on board. I was going to go to town to see if the North run would come up here, but didn't look like any cars for TC. Saved me a trip. Thanks for the posting.

Is Petoskey where the first few 4 bay centerflow hoppers are going? I knew that the 2 bays went to Elmira, but I've questioned for a while where those 4 bays go. I know this is somewhat of a noob question, but I don't know the northern division all too well.

RJ Corman still working hard on repairing washouts in Mount Pleasant today. No other rail activity to report.

MiRailProductions wrote:

AARR wrote:Pixl is correct, that's a Petoskey bound train. I wonder where the passenger car is going

Pixl wrote:AAN, nice catch of the passenger car, I couldn't quite see if there were passengers on board. I was going to go to town to see if the North run would come up here, but didn't look like any cars for TC. Saved me a trip. Thanks for the posting.

Is Petoskey where the first few 4 bay centerflow hoppers are going? I knew that the 2 bays went to Elmira, but I've questioned for a while where those 4 bays go. I know this is somewhat of a noob question, but I don't know the northern division all too well.

4 bay centerflows go to Petoskey (plastics). They usually run up there once a week. North of Cadillac, there are 5 customers I can think of. In TC they have Beacon, and Amerhart (Williamsburg). They have Petoskey plastics in Petoskey, Buzzi Unicem in Elmira, and one other customer that I believe loads butane near Kalkaska.

AARR wrote:Pixl is correct, that's a Petoskey bound train. I wonder where the passenger car is going

Looked like there was 3 or 4 passengers aboard.

They also unload methanol in Kalkaska, East Jordan Plastics receives a carload or two of plastic per month from the team track in Mancelona, and every once in a great while logs will be shipped from Manton.

csx801 wrote:

MiRailProductions wrote:Pixl is correct, that's a Petoskey bound train. I wonder where the passenger car is going

Pixl wrote:AAN, nice catch of the passenger car, I couldn't quite see if there were passengers on board. I was going to go to town to see if the North run would come up here, but didn't look like any cars for TC. Saved me a trip. Thanks for the posting.

Is Petoskey where the first few 4 bay centerflow hoppers are going? I knew that the 2 bays went to Elmira, but I've questioned for a while where those 4 bays go. I know this is somewhat of a noob question, but I don't know the northern division all too well.

4 bay centerflows go to Petoskey (plastics). They usually run up there once a week. North of Cadillac, there are 5 customers I can think of. In TC they have Beacon, and Amerhart (Williamsburg). They have Petoskey plastics in Petoskey, Buzzi Unicem in Elmira, and one other customer that I believe loads butane near Kalkaska.

csx801 wrote:Great Lakes Central and RJ Corman crews are out in Mount Pleasant repairing washouts. The worst appears to be at the Chippewa river where they have dumped several truckloads of boulders and fill.

So is the line closed keeping loads from coming North. Have they got it repaired yet?

Pixl wrote:

csx801 wrote:Great Lakes Central and RJ Corman crews are out in Mount Pleasant repairing washouts. The worst appears to be at the Chippewa river where they have dumped several truckloads of boulders and fill.

So is the line closed keeping loads from coming North. Have they got it repaired yet?

Until today, I have seen no rail activity in Mount Pleasant other than RJ Corman crews, and GLC track crews.

First GLC train since the flooding last Thursday moving very slowly north through Mount Pleasant 13:20.

GLC 393 leading
GLC 396

3 tanks (From Ashley)
10 Plastics hoppers
1 tank
1 coke hopper
1 Loaded Centerbeam
2 empty woodchip hoppers
4 cement hoppers
3 tie loads
1 cement hopper
2 tie loads
2 plastics
1 pole load
4 tie loads
2 feed hoppers

37 total

I could still hear RJ corman crews working North of town this morning. I will try and get out and get photos later today if I can.