West Michigan Train Location Update 03-16-2008

Daily whereabouts of train locations along with sightings for heads ups to other railfans.
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cnw8835
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Unread post by cnw8835 »

mikekmac wrote:Can someone point me to a message thread or other resource which would tell me the normal routing and schedule for some of these trains?

http://groups.msn.com/chessiechapter/pl ... rains.msnw

covers most of them, but there are a few exceptions: E949, D802, Q321 in this batch.

-Mike
E949 is coal empties from West Olive to BNSF in Chicago.
D802 is one of the turn trains out of the Grand Rapids crew base along with D801, D803 and rare higher numbers such as D805 and D806. These symbols would be used for a recrewed coal train, helpers for Saugatuck Hill and for pushing N956's out of Grand Rapids heading east just as a few examples.
Q321 is the counterpart to Q322, running southward Flint to Toledo.

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J T
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Unread post by J T »

mikekmac wrote:Can someone point me to a message thread or other resource which would tell me the normal routing and schedule for some of these trains?

http://groups.msn.com/chessiechapter/pl ... rains.msnw

covers most of them, but there are a few exceptions: E949, D802, Q321 in this batch.

-Mike
Jon already answered it, but you can find info on there about D802:
D800 Series CSX (Grand Rapids - Grand Junction - West Olive - return)
Western coal loads coming from west of Chicago on the BNSF use symbol N903 or N910 until they reach Grand Junction, MI. They will then change symbol to D801-D803 to continue on to West Olive, then will go to Grand Rapids lite engines with that symbol for servicing. Returning, the lite engines carry a D801-D803 symbol until they pick up their empties at West Olive, then will regain their N900 number. This power is normally from the BNSF. Usually, one coal run to West Olive and back a day will operate.
It's listed under Grand Rapids Terminal Trains. And as far as "regaining their N900 number," they actually turn into E949 as they head south/west (either directly from the plant or usually a crew change in Holland at the depot).

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