Chesterton tracks

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heypal6878
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Chesterton tracks

Unread post by heypal6878 »

Looking at the tracks when it snows it appears that the track closer to Riley's Roadhouse gets most of the train traffic. Reason being the snow is off that rail quicker than the other rail. Of course the sun angle might play a part as well but I noticed there are far more trains that run on the rail closer to the roadhouse. Maybe over the course of the day the traffic evens out on both rails. What is the MPH speed on those tracks. Some trains appear to be going at least 45 mph while others appear to be going far slower.

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justalurker66
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Re: Chesterton tracks

Unread post by justalurker66 »

CP 482 to CP 479 past Riley's is generally westbounds on Track 1 and eastbounds on Track 2 (closer to the cameras). Even when a train crosses over to go westbound on Track 2 at CP 482 or to CSX Porter Branch at CP 482 NS dispatchers tend to do the crossover in the east end of the CP 482 plant instead of at CP 479 (which would put a westbound on Track 2 at Riley's).

Maximum operating speed for was 70 passenger, 60 TV and 50 freight the last I saw.

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Saturnalia
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Re: Chesterton tracks

Unread post by Saturnalia »

Probably either just a quirk of viewing or that EBs tend to be faster since so many WBs slow or STOP due to Porter Traffic. Shouldn't be much of a difference between the two mains in train counts.
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heypal6878
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Re: Chesterton tracks

Unread post by heypal6878 »

Got it thanks! Speeds there vary as I have seen some trains moving quicker and others moving rather slowly. Mostly flat on the rails there for miles no uphills.

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Saturnalia
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Re: Chesterton tracks

Unread post by Saturnalia »

heypal6878 wrote:Got it thanks! Speeds there vary as I have seen some trains moving quicker and others moving rather slowly. Mostly flat on the rails there for miles no uphills.
Right. It has nothing to do with grades but rather congestion from all of the action at Porter Jct.
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heypal6878
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Re: Chesterton tracks

Unread post by heypal6878 »

I will be taking a road trip later this summer will head up to Riley's Roadhouse for a few days. I never checked out the Porter tracks before. If there is plenty of rail traffic there maybe I will go up that way where they intersect. Looks like there is a good viewing area up that way at the split of the tracks. Guess it would be okay to park there and take pictures?

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Jetlink
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Re: Chesterton tracks

Unread post by Jetlink »

There are good views from the sidewalks and streets at the actual junction. Just don't go in the little triangle that is there I am told. I've not found a great place just to loiter there though other than the sidewalks.
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northstar16
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Re: Chesterton tracks

Unread post by northstar16 »

Is the triangle part of the railroad property? That is where I was looking on Google Earth. Is that part of town okay to park my car in. Looks kind of run down.

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Jetlink
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Re: Chesterton tracks

Unread post by Jetlink »

I think the town is fine. I've left my car there with no problems. Lots of small businesses and a decent little downtown area. Safe & quiet except for the trains as far as I'm concerned. Some say the triangle is railroad property but I'm not sure. Most likely a large part of it is based on normal ROW sizes. There also used to be a tower there somewhere too. I'm not exactly sure where in relation to the triangle but obviously the tower site was and still is railroad property. Some people say they have been run out of there and others say no problems. Just be smart. Myself, I don't feel the need to go in there and potentially look for trouble when I'm 100 miles away from home; usually with a couple of my kids.
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Saturnalia
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Re: Chesterton tracks

Unread post by Saturnalia »

Stay out of the triangle at Wagner. You can park on the south side of the tracks at 15th St, on the east side of he road. That is the accepted place to park on RR property. Respect distance to the track and the NS crews will accept your presence.
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justalurker66
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Re: Chesterton tracks

Unread post by justalurker66 »

The triangle is POSTED as No Trespassing ... sure, the sign says "Consolidated Rail Corporation" but it would be extra foolish to trespass on posted property.

I have not tried the 15th St location. I normally park on the north side of the Amtrak tracks on Lincoln St and stay on the sidewalks (where present). But I do not spend a lot of time in Porter.

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Re: Chesterton tracks

Unread post by northstar16 »

Got it will stay out of the triangle for sure don't need to get arrested just for watching trains. So since the tracks merger from Porter to the Chesterton tracks is it even worth going up that far or would it be best to stay at Riley's and just set up there? There are plenty of spots to watch trains by the Roadhouse and at the park.

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justin_gram
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Re: Chesterton tracks

Unread post by justin_gram »

If you stay at Riley's, you would miss the Michigan Amtrak trains coming from the Amtrak and CSX Grand Rapids Sub, and maybe some coal going east or west from the CSX Grand Rapids Sub.

So if you don't care to see the Amtrak trains or the few freights from CSX, then go to Riley's :)

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justalurker66
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Re: Chesterton tracks

Unread post by justalurker66 »

Go to Porter when Michigan Amtrak is present. Go to Riley's for times when they are not present.

northstar16
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Re: Chesterton tracks

Unread post by northstar16 »

The last time my buddy was up in Chesterton he said that there were like two Amtrak trains that ran past Riley's. One like in the afternoon and one a like 7:45 in the evening. Is that still the case?

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justin_gram
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Re: Chesterton tracks

Unread post by justin_gram »

Amtrak's Lakeshore Limited and Capital Limited each have a round trip passing Riley's daily. The 2 westbounds go by in morning and the 2 eastbounds in evening.

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Re: Chesterton tracks

Unread post by northstar16 »

Thanks

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