Great Lakes Central Updates July 2017

Daily whereabouts of train locations along with sightings for heads ups to other railfans.
csx801
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Re: Great Lakes Central Updates July 2017

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Great Lakes Central north through Mount Pleasant at 11:20 with 392, 396 and 36 hoppers for Rosebush

MiRailProductions
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Re: Great Lakes Central Updates July 2017

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Todd_F wrote:
AANscaleRunner wrote:Heard them move from Selma Yard to North Yard shortly before 0900. Expecting northbound out of Cadillac this morning.
If you don't mind me asking, what's their morning routine when heading to Clare or TC? Do they run lite from North Yard down to Selma Yard where they collect/build their train? That's pretty much how they do it in Owosso.

I'm looking to document the Cadillac to Clare run this summer, and, if I get real lucky, the TC run.

Thank you for any insight/knowledge you can share!
They also head out to Petoskey/Elmira once a week. That is an interesting train to chase as well. From what I've noticed, it really depends on where they left their consist the day before or if they transferred any cars out to North Yard. The best thing to do is to show up to the engine sheds at about 8:00 - 8;15, that's when they start moving. If they do the Clare run they usually take cars from both North and Selma Yards, and they may switch around for up to a couple of hours. When going north, sometimes the consist is in Selma, and more often than not the consist is stored in North Yard. It seems that TC day is usually Thursday or Friday, and CNTN (Elmira/Petoskey) day is usually Tuesday, with a once in a while exception, like this week. CSTN almost always runs 3 times per week; almost always on Monday, most times on Wednesday (this week being an exception to that rule), and either Thursday or Friday, depending onwhen ONTN brings the TC load north. I know this is a lot of information, and sometimes there are exceptions, but these are my observations. Hope it helps!
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Todd_F
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Re: Great Lakes Central Updates July 2017

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MiRailProductions wrote:
Todd_F wrote:
AANscaleRunner wrote:Heard them move from Selma Yard to North Yard shortly before 0900. Expecting northbound out of Cadillac this morning.
If you don't mind me asking, what's their morning routine when heading to Clare or TC? Do they run lite from North Yard down to Selma Yard where they collect/build their train? That's pretty much how they do it in Owosso.

I'm looking to document the Cadillac to Clare run this summer, and, if I get real lucky, the TC run.

Thank you for any insight/knowledge you can share!
They also head out to Petoskey/Elmira once a week. That is an interesting train to chase as well. From what I've noticed, it really depends on where they left their consist the day before or if they transferred any cars out to North Yard. The best thing to do is to show up to the engine sheds at about 8:00 - 8;15, that's when they start moving. If they do the Clare run they usually take cars from both North and Selma Yards, and they may switch around for up to a couple of hours. When going north, sometimes the consist is in Selma, and more often than not the consist is stored in North Yard. It seems that TC day is usually Thursday or Friday, and CNTN (Elmira/Petoskey) day is usually Tuesday, with a once in a while exception, like this week. CSTN almost always runs 3 times per week; almost always on Monday, most times on Wednesday (this week being an exception to that rule), and either Thursday or Friday, depending onwhen ONTN brings the TC load north. I know this is a lot of information, and sometimes there are exceptions, but these are my observations. Hope it helps!
THANK YOU for that info!! It is so good to know for sure.

The On-duty time for crews (8am) is the same in Owosso - you can practically set your watch to the locomotives leaving the facility. Like CSTN, ONTN runs to Clare on most Mon, Wed, and Fri and often performs other runs (Rosebush, Middleton, Osmer) on Tues and Thurs.

Can't wait to get to Cadillac and shoot them a few times!!

Thanks again!
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AANscaleRunner
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Re: Great Lakes Central Updates July 2017

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Todd_F wrote:
AANscaleRunner wrote:Heard them move from Selma Yard to North Yard shortly before 0900. Expecting northbound out of Cadillac this morning.
If you don't mind me asking, what's their morning routine when heading to Clare or TC? Do they run lite from North Yard down to Selma Yard where they collect/build their train? That's pretty much how they do it in Owosso.

I'm looking to document the Cadillac to Clare run this summer, and, if I get real lucky, the TC run.

Thank you for any insight/knowledge you can share!

You will have plenty of good vantage points to catch the action around Cadillac. As previously stated, start your day at 0800 and follow the locos. The feed facility at the former Delta Truss site and the lp facility in the North Yard are switched as needed. McBain is also a good place to catch them switching. Seeley Rd and Lucas are good spots to catch them at speed on the way to McBain. And if you see a letter carrier watching the train, stop by and say "Hi."

AANscaleRunner
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Re: Great Lakes Central Updates July 2017

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Here is the train leaving Cadillac at 1000.




And returning at 1630. Traverse City folks check out the last four cars.

Last edited by AANscaleRunner on Thu Jul 06, 2017 9:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Todd_F
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Re: Great Lakes Central Updates July 2017

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Thanks for the great info and vids AANscaleRunner!! I will definitely hit those locations on the way to McBain. Who's getting the centerbeams?
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AARR
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Re: Great Lakes Central Updates July 2017

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I like your video's, AANR :D

I don't think the four cars of logs are for McBain since the treatment plant there receives poles, not logs. Last time it was checked Beiber (with a mill in McBain that loads wood chips and some lumber) was occasionally loading wood logs in Cadillac too. For example, on the return trip the two bulkhead flats have poles on them vs. the logs in the departure video.
AANscaleRunner wrote:Here is this the train leaving Cadillac at 1000.
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AARR
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Re: Great Lakes Central Updates July 2017

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The lumber yard, Amerhart, east of Traverse City in Bates (before Williamsburg).
Todd_F wrote:Thanks for the great info and vids AANscaleRunner!! I will definitely hit those locations on the way to McBain. Who's getting the centerbeams?
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...

MiRailProductions
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Re: Great Lakes Central Updates July 2017

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AARR wrote:The lumber yard, Amerhart, east of Traverse City in Bates (before Williamsburg).
Todd_F wrote:Thanks for the great info and vids AANscaleRunner!! I will definitely hit those locations on the way to McBain. Who's getting the centerbeams?
Wow! The TC train is going to be decent sized for once! 4 cars instead of 1 or 2!
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AANscaleRunner
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Re: Great Lakes Central Updates July 2017

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AARR wrote:I like your video's, AANR :D
Thank you. Not bad videos from my ancient phone. Sometimes putting them online gives them a bit of distortion though. :D

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Re: Great Lakes Central Updates July 2017

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Do they run to becon every Monday? And run to grawn? I just want to know if there's a schedule.

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Re: Great Lakes Central Updates July 2017

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TC railman wrote:Do they run to becon every Monday? And run to grawn? I just want to know if there's a schedule.
First, it's important that everyone please calm down, and keep your hands and feet in the ride at all times. This is not the first time GLC has brought up 4+ cars at once for Amerhart (I have a photo from a few years ago with 4 center beams and a BNSF box car).

While AAAR and others have stated that they generally go to TC on certain days of the week, I've seen them up here on any day of the week. Sometime twice in a week. It depends on when they have cars to take up here and/or cars to come up and retrieve, as well as their priorities with other areas they serve. That being said, I'm willing to bet they will be in TC today, as Beacon has a load to go out, there are those 4 loads to go to Amerhart, and an empty from earlier this week to retrieve.

I will also point out that Amerhart recently bought land adjacent to their property to give them much more yard space. So, maybe 4 cars won't be so uncommon in the future...

TC Railman- there is no SET schedule with GLC, as you'll see by searching these threads (use the "search" feature at the top right- works just like Google, but searches this forum).
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Re: Great Lakes Central Updates July 2017

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Northbound out of Cadillac at 0850.

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AARR
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Re: Great Lakes Central Updates July 2017

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I don't recall saying which days of the week GLC goes north of Cadillac or to Clare either. :?
TC Man wrote:While AAAR and others have stated that they generally go to TC on certain days of the week...
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Re: Great Lakes Central Updates July 2017

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TC Man wrote:
First, it's important that everyone please calm down, and keep your hands and feet in the ride at all times. This is not the first time GLC has brought up 4+ cars at once for Amerhart (I have a photo from a few years ago with 4 center beams and a BNSF box car).

While AAAR and others have stated that they generally go to TC on certain days of the week, I've seen them up here on any day of the week. Sometime twice in a week. It depends on when they have cars to take up here and/or cars to come up and retrieve, as well as their priorities with other areas they serve. That being said, I'm willing to bet they will be in TC today, as Beacon has a load to go out, there are those 4 loads to go to Amerhart, and an empty from earlier this week to retrieve.

I will also point out that Amerhart recently bought land adjacent to their property to give them much more yard space. So, maybe 4 cars won't be so uncommon in the future...

TC Railman- there is no SET schedule with GLC, as you'll see by searching these threads (use the "search" feature at the top right- works just like Google, but searches this forum).
Okay. I didn't know that they have shipped that much up to Amerhart before, and I didn't know about the expansion. The post I wrote about where the GLC usually goes on certain days was based off of observations over a few months, and it was generalized. I noted in that post that there are exceptions to those days, based on what ONTN brings up from Owosso to Clare.
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Re: Great Lakes Central Updates July 2017

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KC wrote:
Southbound at Mancelona:

2 mty plastic hoppers (petoskey plastics)
2 mty tanks (magnam)
14 mty cement (buzzi)

may of did a pick up at the gas plant in kalkaska

Kelly
What is magnam? I think it was told to me before, but I can't remember.
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Re: Great Lakes Central Updates July 2017

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MiRailProductions wrote:
KC wrote:
Southbound at Mancelona:

2 mty plastic hoppers (petoskey plastics)
2 mty tanks (magnam)
14 mty cement (buzzi)

may of did a pick up at the gas plant in kalkaska

Kelly
What is magnam? I think it was told to me before, but I can't remember.
Its a transload operation in Kalkaska (tank cars).

FYI, GLC is in Traverse City currently.
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James Sofonia
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Re: Great Lakes Central Updates July 2017

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Big action by TC standards. I was told by another railfan they came thru Traverse City about the usual time of 1200. I scooted out to Williamsburg just in time to see them push four loaded centerbeams into Amerhart's siding with an empty centerbeam on the front of the 398 engine. They had used a fork lift truch to push the empty car onto the main and clear the siding. They left Amerhart back to TC about 1245. I'm going to try and catch them on the Grawn branch next.

UPDATE: I didn't get over to Beacon scrap till 1415 and the gon was gone. I caught with them at Airport rd. headed for Cadillac. I'll post some video a little later today, check back here.

GLC at Amerhart today


I caught up with the return trip to Cadillac. Here is 398, an empty centerbeam, and a loaded gon of scrap from Beacon passing under the Keystone Rd. tunnel.
Last edited by James Sofonia on Fri Jul 07, 2017 8:49 pm, edited 4 times in total.

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AARR
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Re: Great Lakes Central Updates July 2017

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Magnam Fluids transloads drilling acid (methanol?) at Kalkaska. They started out at Gaylord around 2006 but transferred to Kalkaska around 2009 (after LSRC filed to abandon the last four miles of the Gaylord branch from Sallings to downtown Gaylord...but were denied)
TC Man wrote:
MiRailProductions wrote:
KC wrote: 2 mty tanks (magnam)
What is magnam? I think it was told to me before, but I can't remember.
Its a transload operation in Kalkaska (tank cars).

FYI, GLC is in Traverse City currently.
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...

MiRailProductions
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Re: Great Lakes Central Updates July 2017

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AARR wrote:Magnam Fluids transloads drilling acid (methanol?) at Kalkaska. They started out at Gaylord around 2006 but transferred to Kalkaska around 2009 (after LSRC filed to abandon the last four miles of the Gaylord branch from Sallings to downtown Gaylord...but were denied)
TC Man wrote:
KC wrote: 2 mty tanks (magnam)
Its a transload operation in Kalkaska (tank cars).

FYI, GLC is in Traverse City currently.
Thanks, both of you. Interesting to know that LSRC tried to abandon the line in Gaylord.
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