Marquette Rail

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Saturnalia
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Re: Marquette Rail

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atrainguy60 wrote:Ok, they'll stay in the D&M paint until they look horrible, and then it's to the shops for new paint.
They are in what the shop workers have been calling "half and half". AKA: the units are in half rust, half paint.
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Re: Marquette Rail

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Press Release:

Marquette Rail and the Cities of Alpena, East Tawas, and Bay City have announced a plan to retire and display some of MQT's older diesel Power. The plan calls for Marquette rail to clean up and repaint RS2u #981, and RS3Ms #1081 and #1181. #981 will go to Alpena for display, #1081 will go to Bay City, and #1181 will go to East Tawas.

Marquette Rail Plans to do one locomotive per week, installing the units at the desired location on Saturday. The dates are:

#981 in Alpena: Saturday, April 21st
#1081 in Bay City: Saturday, April 28th
#1181 in East Tawas: Saturday, May 5th
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Re: Marquette Rail

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if I get this onnetor in place this summer could we have trackage rights from grayling to Mackinaw?
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Re: Marquette Rail

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YpsiAmtrakBoy wrote:if I get this onnetor in place this summer could we have trackage rights from grayling to Mackinaw?
I'd prefer if MQT crews could take the train from Grayling. Also, the track has just been rebuilt from Gaylord to Mackinac, so its good for 60-65 MPH. However, some upgrades need to be done from Grayling to Gaylord to make the route good for 60 (it is currently 35 MPH). All of our crews are busy with the GR sub, but if your crews could do the work on that line, we'd chip in
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Re: Marquette Rail

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MQT3001 wrote:NS reports a drunk driver took out the crossing signal bungalow at Porter. This single bungalow controls the 4 westernmost crossings in Porter EAST of the Jct. ALL TRAINS ARE TO STOP AND FLAG. crews on the way to replace it, but it could be midnight before its ready to go back online. NS is sending crews out also to flag for trains, so the trains can go by at 10 MPH.
UPDATE: NS now has people out flagging, and the Chesterton Police are assisting. NS has been unable to reach the signal bungalow because the car was still on top and the police are still investigating. They expect to be able to start work by 20:00, but they expect to be done no earlier than 4:00 EDT.
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Re: Marquette Rail

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MQT3001 wrote:The old section of the MQT mainline has been removed, and the new switch is going in. The switch is on the ground, and the crews are busy welding all the joints. Once these joints are done, then train will quickly head for Michigan City until 17:30 so some hotshot trains can go through. Then, its back to work finishing the GR&P main. Once the train has cleared the main, trains will continue to run at 20 mph past the work site until the crews finish up, hopefully by 9 tonight. The train will then go into the New Buffalo yard to tie down.
All the track is currently in place, they are ballasting the area now. Crews on the passing trains report no signal malfunctions, so it looks like the Jct will be fully operable within the next few hours.

EDIT: Ballast train done, pushing their train up to Michigan City currently.
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Re: Marquette Rail

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Heads up tomorrow morning near Saginaw, Flint, Plymouth, all the way to GR, the stone train (extra rock Lafarge isn't using so we'll use it as ballast), out of Alpena at 17:00 this evening has 125 loaded 40ft ex D&M hoppers. 5 GP40-3s leading
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Re: Marquette Rail

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MQT3001 wrote:
YpsiAmtrakBoy wrote:if I get this onnetor in place this summer could we have trackage rights from grayling to Mackinaw?
I'd prefer if MQT crews could take the train from Grayling. Also, the track has just been rebuilt from Gaylord to Mackinac, so its good for 60-65 MPH. However, some upgrades need to be done from Grayling to Gaylord to make the route good for 60 (it is currently 35 MPH). All of our crews are busy with the GR sub, but if your crews could do the work on that line, we'd chip in
I want to keep it simple, out engines and crews on your line. It would be 2 trains a day, and the goal is non stop (except for meets) since at 65 mph we can make it in just under 5 and a half hours.
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Re: Marquette Rail

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I'd prefer if MQT crews could take the train from Grayling.
I can't remember, that's called haulage rights, right?

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Re: Marquette Rail

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YpsiAmtrakBoy wrote:
MQT3001 wrote:
YpsiAmtrakBoy wrote:if I get this onnetor in place this summer could we have trackage rights from grayling to Mackinaw?
I'd prefer if MQT crews could take the train from Grayling. Also, the track has just been rebuilt from Gaylord to Mackinac, so its good for 60-65 MPH. However, some upgrades need to be done from Grayling to Gaylord to make the route good for 60 (it is currently 35 MPH). All of our crews are busy with the GR sub, but if your crews could do the work on that line, we'd chip in
I want to keep it simple, out engines and crews on your line. It would be 2 trains a day, and the goal is non stop (except for meets) since at 65 mph we can make it in just under 5 and a half hours.
Okay, but we want 25% of the profit. You own roughly half the track, but do the whole crew run. We also would own the terminal in Mackinac. In essence, we own 25% of the capital, so we want 25% of the profit
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Re: Marquette Rail

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MQT3001 wrote: Okay, but we want 25% of the profit. You own roughly half the track, but do the whole crew run. We also would own the terminal in Mackinac. In essence, we own 25% of the capital, so we want 25% of the profit
Sounds fine, but trains have to be top priority on MQT too. and we can interchange other traffic in Grayling as well
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Re: Marquette Rail

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YpsiAmtrakBoy wrote:
MQT3001 wrote: Okay, but we want 25% of the profit. You own roughly half the track, but do the whole crew run. We also would own the terminal in Mackinac. In essence, we own 25% of the capital, so we want 25% of the profit
Sounds fine, but trains have to be top priority on MQT too. and we can interchange other traffic in Grayling as well
Sounds like a plan
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Re: Marquette Rail

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MQT3001 wrote:
MQT3001 wrote:The old section of the MQT mainline has been removed, and the new switch is going in. The switch is on the ground, and the crews are busy welding all the joints. Once these joints are done, then train will quickly head for Michigan City until 17:30 so some hotshot trains can go through. Then, its back to work finishing the GR&P main. Once the train has cleared the main, trains will continue to run at 20 mph past the work site until the crews finish up, hopefully by 9 tonight. The train will then go into the New Buffalo yard to tie down.
All the track is currently in place, they are ballasting the area now. Crews on the passing trains report no signal malfunctions, so it looks like the Jct will be fully operable within the next few hours.

EDIT: Ballast train done, pushing their train up to Michigan City currently.
The work train is tied down on tracks 1 and 2 in the New Buffalo Yard.
THE CONNECTION TO THE GR&P IS FINISHED! First train just took the turn, crew reports that all seemed well. All GR&P crews have MQT employees inside the cab until the GR&P crews can pass our test to be certified.
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Re: Marquette Rail

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MQT Locomotive Update 4-16-12

Sold:
#681-M420W to GR&P. Hereby is no longer in storage.
#781-M420W to GR&P. Hereby is no longer in storage.
#881-M420W to GR&P. Hereby is no longer in storage.

Retired:
#981-RS2u (D&M Heritage). Will be repainted and displayed in Alpena, MI***
#1081-RS3M (D&M Heitage). Will be repainted and displayed in Bay City, MI***
#1181-RS3M (D&M Heritage). Will be repainted and displayed in East Tawas, MI***
***Units will be givin a new coat of paint in D&M livery. Will remain under MQT ownership, should the need ever arise to restore them and return them to service***

Upgraded:
#2035 (GP40-3): Sheet meatal replaced where needed, reapinted into MQT colors. Will be the leader on the train to Flint tonight, and is hereby out of storage.

New Storage:
#2036 (GP40-3): In Wyomig for Paint.

Currently Stored on MQT:
#2036 (GP40-3) in Wyoming for new paint.
#981 (RS2u) in Wyoming for display prep.
#1081 (RS3M) in Wyoming for display prep.
#1181 (RS3M) in Wyoming for display prep.

There are currently 4 Units Stored on MQT
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Re: Marquette Rail

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Track Laying crews finished laying track on the Trowbridge-Ensel segment today, will work Porter-M. City segment tomorrow.
Grading crews worked the Michigan City siding (has been torn up to make way for the new main).
Signalling crews are busy on the Trowbridge-Ensel segment today.

Trowbridge-Ensel Segment ue to be patched in on April 22nd, between midnight and 4:00.
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Re: Marquette Rail

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Sometime in the next few weeks, the mileposts on the GR sub will be re done. The Numbers will stay the same on the ex Plymouth Sub, the only difference is that the number system will continue onto the old GR sub, instead of starting over. The ex GR sub mileposts will in short be 150 miles higher, giving the last milepost at Porter, CG 136, the new number of Milepost 286. Do exact date set yet, it will likely be when another section of track is patched in and there are enough crews available to change all 136 mileposts.
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Re: Marquette Rail

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Image

we rolled out the first one fast, will be delivered in this scheme on the 25th
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Re: Marquette Rail

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YpsiAmtrakBoy wrote:Image

we rolled out the first one fast, will be delivered in this scheme on the 25th
Yay! I didn't know I'd get a picture too! I'm still hoping for the other eventually.
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Re: Marquette Rail

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MQT Locomotive Update 4-17-12

Upgraded:
#2002 (GP9): Upgraded to GP9-3 Status. New traction motors, electrical cabinet, new prime mover, refurbished generator, sheet metal replaced where needed. Unit meets Tier 3. New MQT Paint. Unit is equipped for remote control operations.
#2036 (GP40-3): New MQT Paint

New Storage:
#2037 (GP40-3): In Wyoming for new Paint
#2 (50-Tonner): In Wyoming for general Maintenance and New Paint

There are currently 7 Units stored on MQT
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Re: Marquette Rail

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MQT Locomotive Update: 4-18-12

Upgraded:
#2 (50-Tonner): New MQT Paint, Equipped fpr remote control operations. Hereby out of storage.
#2037 (GP40-3): New MQT Paint. Is hereby out of storage, going east to Flint tonight.

New Storage:
#3 (SW9): In Wyoming for paint and will be equipped for remote control operations.
#2038 (GP40-3): In Wyoming Yard for Paint.
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