Marquette Rail

[Saturnalia]

MQT Locomotive Update 4-27-12:

Upgraded:
#2046 (GP40X-3): New MQT Paint. Now out of storage

Next up for the shop crews: a GP35 rebuild program!

[Saturnalia]

We have a grain train of 140 cars bound for the GR&P departing Wyoming Currently. Power is MQT 6003, 8025, 8034 and 2034.
Clear Signal @ Godfrey at 2236 EDT

[Saturnalia]

hmmm....
a startup river cruise company wants to go upstream on the thornapple river. Well, there is a bridge in the way. So what did they ask? "Could you make the bridge higher so we can get under...we need 30ft" WELL NO. We will double track that at some point, but 30FT????!!!!?!?!?!? That road bridge next to the railroad bridge was recently rebuild to 32ft at normal water.

Well, we gave them the following offer: 35 ft clearance for $30,000,000. Go get grants, donations, ect...as long as we get paid.

[Saturnalia]

We have a grain train of 140 cars bound for the GR&P departing Wyoming Currently. Power is MQT 6003, 8025, 8034 and 2034.
Clear Signal @ Godfrey at 2236 EDT

Ended up at Ensel last night due to issues with the 8025. Lite power composed of 8026 and 8035 departing Wyoming currently to make sure they crest Ann Pere even with 8025, which will be DIT.
Lite Pwer East by Godfrey at 17:07

[atrainguy60]

The OC&M plans on building it's own large hump yard eventually. Since Stanley Yard was ripped out, you can use it once it's built.

[Saturnalia]

The OC&M plans on building it's own large hump yard eventually. Since Stanley Yard was ripped out, you can use it once it's built.

I just want to know where I interchange in Toledo.

Wyoming is probably going to become a hump yard, albeit a rather small one.

[atrainguy60]

You can interchange at Walbridge until the yard has been built. And then, if you want, you can use the new yard. NS will be interchanging with the OC&M there, and there is talks with CSX going on right now for possible interchange.

[DT&I]

He was joking about Stanley being ripped up and the condos.

[Saturnalia]

crossing malfunction at CP Annoyance...this should be fun.

the cause: a semi (you can guess the rest)....

[Jochs]

Track-laying crews have the second main up to Milepost 128 today.

Also, prep work is beginning for replacement of the St. Joseph Swing Bridge. The current bridge cannot be made fit for two tracks, so it will be taken out and barged to Manistee to replace the bridge there. The New St. Joseph bridge will have two tracks, and will go from closed to open in just 40 seconds.

The bridge will be replaced sometime in late summer. The bridge will be out for nearly a week while crews demolish the old pilings and set in new ones. A temporary bridge will be erected on there, single track. Then, a week or two later, the swing bridge will be floated in and set atop the new foundation. The new bridge will be patched in a few days later, so traffic will once again be halted for a few days.

The New bridge will also be longer, and a few of the approach spans will be demolished.

The coast guard will not allow the river to be blocked that long during the summer. The harbor closes on Dec. 1st and reopens on March 1st. During that time the river can be blocked as boats must give bridges 24 hour notice before arriving. The boats have the right of way after March 1st and the river must remain unblocked unless there is a train coming, and can be blocked no longer than 15 minutes after each train.

[Saturnalia]

Track-laying crews have the second main up to Milepost 128 today.

Also, prep work is beginning for replacement of the St. Joseph Swing Bridge. The current bridge cannot be made fit for two tracks, so it will be taken out and barged to Manistee to replace the bridge there. The New St. Joseph bridge will have two tracks, and will go from closed to open in just 40 seconds.

The bridge will be replaced sometime in late summer. The bridge will be out for nearly a week while crews demolish the old pilings and set in new ones. A temporary bridge will be erected on there, single track. Then, a week or two later, the swing bridge will be floated in and set atop the new foundation. The new bridge will be patched in a few days later, so traffic will once again be halted for a few days.

The New bridge will also be longer, and a few of the approach spans will be demolished.

The coast guard will not allow the river to be blocked that long during the summer. The harbor closes on Dec. 1st and reopens on March 1st. During that time the river can be blocked as boats must give bridges 24 hour notice before arriving. The boats have the right of way after March 1st and the river must remain unblocked unless there is a train coming, and can be blocked no longer than 15 minutes after each train.

Thanks for the detailed info.

The temporary bridge goes over half to the old swing area. Over the second swing area the temporary section will be removable by one of the on-site cranes.

[Jochs]

The bridge was installed Feb-Mar 1904.

Any heavy maintenance that is to be done on the bridge is normally not done during boating season.

[Saturnalia]

we cannot do the nessesary work on the foundation in winter when the water is freezing

[Ypsi]

we cannot do the nessesary work on the foundation in winter when the water is freezing

Why not?

[Saturnalia]

we cannot do the nessesary work on the foundation in winter when the water is freezing

Why not?

Uhh.....divers to the bottom of the river....any volunteers?

[Ypsi]

Uhh.....divers to the bottom of the river....any volunteers?

probably been done before

[atrainguy60]

I'm not sure, but aren't there kinds of machinery that can be used for that kind of problem in the river, especially if the bridge has been fixed in the winter before?

[Saturnalia]

I'm not sure, but aren't there kinds of machinery that can be used for that kind of problem in the river, especially if the bridge has been fixed in the winter before?

I doubt that bridge's piles have been yanked from the bottom, piled on barges, and new ones sunk in the winter. Too much diving for crews that can only go down for no more than 20 minutes.

And most of the "heavy maintenance" that bridge has gotton before is likely motor replacemets, control re-wiring, all of which can basically be doen without too much trouble any time of year. I don' t think they've completly removed and replaced its foundation

[Saturnalia]

MQT is considering the possibility of putting in diamonds to reach the Porter Branch at Porter Jct. It would just be 1 track across and could be used in the event we need to detour off of NS

[Saturnalia]

Late report, but the Porter-M. City segment of double track was sucessfully patched in Yesterday Morning.