RailRoadFan.com

Does anyone remember the gasoline tanker getting hit at Centre St back in the 80's probably? ELGR I think it was struck a loaded gas tanker turning onto Center St across the track. I worked off Shaver Rd and was headed north as the train approached. The traffic light at Centre turned yellow and I almost stopped to watch the train. But I was late so I went through the yellow and kept going. Chris (a guy I worked) with was behind me and he stopped for the light. He came in the shop a minute after me hands shaking and said the train hit a tanker. The trailer had split open and "green stuff" started pouring onto the road. The tractor was pulled loose from the trailer and skidded across Shave hitting the car behind Chris injuring the driver. That would be the fickle finger of fate. If I had stopped to watch the train the tractor would have hit Chris's car. As the story goes the conductor saw the tanker starting to turn, jumped up started and opening switches on the electrical panel at the back of the cab. It dumped thousands of gallons of fuel on the road with no fire. Bruce McGee told me that afternoon sent a crew went out to retrieve the locomotives. They found gasoline laying in the compartment under the cab where the air brake piping is.

justalurker66 wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 22, 2023 8:52 pm

Go therefore and do likewise.

Parable of the Good Samaritan. Luke Chapter 10. “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’ Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go therefore and do likewise.”

That is where the quote comes from. I assume were talking about fire fighters who are ready at a moments notice to come rescue people they don't know.

I was referring to the bigger picture of doing the right thing. Which would include immediately calling the railroad when there is an emergency on a railroad track (something first responders also did). Assuming that the engineer will see the blinky lights and that physics will allow a train to be stopped (even if the engineer interpreted the blinky lights as a sign to stop) is not the right thing.

Did the driver of the Jeep survive?
Prayers to all those involved.

That wreck in the 80s was JJ Mann from Marcellus who was engineer with 2 brand new SD50s. His comments were to the effect, I'm glad there wasn't a spark.

If this is in the wrong thread, moderator, feel free to move it.

So I was leaving work in White Pigeon, MI. Fire/police/mdot trucks have US12 blocked off at the GDLK tracks on both sides of the road. Between Mc D's and the Country Table. Looks like the train is stopped and the last box car is setting just past the south side of US12. Couldn't see what happened. Just thought I would give a heads-up. Doesn't look like anything on the ground from what I could see.

501 hit a car at the US-12 crossing today. Sounds like there was at least one fatality.

SD80MAC wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 07, 2023 2:18 pm

501 hit a car at the US-12 crossing today. Sounds like there was at least one fatality.

Oh man, sorry to hear about the fatality if that is indeed the case.

Rode on the Portage Bikeway by Builders FirstSource in Portage today and noticed the spur had the rails dug up and cleared. Are they expecting a car soon?

Also is Tekmodo in Three Rivers now using rail?

NS3322 wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 01, 2023 6:27 pm

Rode on the Portage Bikeway by Builders FirstSource in Portage today and noticed the spur had the rails dug up and cleared. Are they expecting a car soon?

Also is Tekmodo in Three Rivers now using rail?

Firstsource gets a car maybe once a month.

Haven't seen anything new in Three Rivers.

1TrackMind wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 12, 2022 5:00 pm

Graphic traffic is supposed to pick up in the next week or so. Expect 105 to make more trips up there per week.

I’ve seen a couple of Michigan-bound Elk trains passing the Elkhart railfan camera recently with healthy cuts of the Thiele tank cars which typically go to Graphic Packaging in Kalamazoo. Now that their expanded mill operation is up and running, has there been an increase of railcar shipments into or out of this plant? Does the #6 mill building on the east side of North Yard still get scrap paperboard delivered by boxcar?

I can’t get to Kzoo these days but would appreciate any updates on what’s cooking with this.

GDLK Hughart Yard in Grands Rapids have been getting more cars recently

Was the Kalamazoo Yard recently renamed back to Botsford? I see the signage has changed on the yard office.

NS3322 wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 24, 2024 9:03 pm

Was the Kalamazoo Yard recently renamed back to Botsford? I see the signage has changed on the yard office.

Clearly the NS has decided to terminate the lease and take over operations again, just before they sell the whole thing plus their rights on the Michigan Line to the CP.

NSSD70ACe wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 25, 2024 3:45 pm

…just before they sell the whole thing plus their rights on the Michigan Line to the CP.

NSSD70ACe wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 25, 2024 3:45 pm

NS3322 wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 24, 2024 9:03 pm

Was the Kalamazoo Yard recently renamed back to Botsford? I see the signage has changed on the yard office.

Clearly the NS has decided to terminate the lease and take over operations again, just before they sell the whole thing plus their rights on the Michigan Line to the CP.

Super helpful response, thank you! More trash posts is just what this site needs...

I was simply wondering why they reverted the name from Gearhart back to Botsford...
It was renamed to Gearhart Yard after a former Conrail/NS track inspector named Carl Gearhart around 2012.

NS3322 wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 25, 2024 6:04 pm

NSSD70ACe wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 25, 2024 3:45 pm

NS3322 wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 24, 2024 9:03 pm

Was the Kalamazoo Yard recently renamed back to Botsford? I see the signage has changed on the yard office.

Clearly the NS has decided to terminate the lease and take over operations again, just before they sell the whole thing plus their rights on the Michigan Line to the CP.

Super helpful response, thank you! More trash posts is just what this site needs...

I was simply wondering why they reverted the name from Gearhart back to Botsford...
It was renamed to Gearhart Yard after a former Conrail/NS track inspector named Carl Gearhart around 2015/2016.

I have no knowledge of the situation, but would ask a simple question. Was this a single sign that indicates a possible name change, or are there multiple signs reverting the name back. If its a single sign, would it have been possible the railroad simple attached a new sign over the old sign and that sign broke, fell off or otherwise exposed the previous sign which had been covered up?

chapmaja wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 25, 2024 7:49 pm

I have no knowledge of the situation, but would ask a simple question. Was this a single sign that indicates a possible name change, or are there multiple signs reverting the name back. If its a single sign, would it have been possible the railroad simple attached a new sign over the old sign and that sign broke, fell off or otherwise exposed the previous sign which had been covered up?

It is a brand new Watco sign, not a temporary or simple replacement. Here is a bad photo of it from Sunday. Here is the old Gearhart sign (2019 Google Streetview):

NS3322 wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 25, 2024 8:21 pm

chapmaja wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 25, 2024 7:49 pm

I have no knowledge of the situation, but would ask a simple question. Was this a single sign that indicates a possible name change, or are there multiple signs reverting the name back. If its a single sign, would it have been possible the railroad simple attached a new sign over the old sign and that sign broke, fell off or otherwise exposed the previous sign which had been covered up?

It is a brand new Watco sign, not a temporary or simple replacement. Here is a bad photo of it from Sunday.
Botsford.JPG

Here is the old Gearhart sign (2019 Google Streetview):
Gearhart.JPG

That is a new sign. Interesting they changed the name, or someone in the sign making department never got the memo they had changed the name of the yard previously and was using an old name.

NS3322 wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 25, 2024 6:04 pm

NSSD70ACe wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 25, 2024 3:45 pm

NS3322 wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 24, 2024 9:03 pm

Was the Kalamazoo Yard recently renamed back to Botsford? I see the signage has changed on the yard office.

Clearly the NS has decided to terminate the lease and take over operations again, just before they sell the whole thing plus their rights on the Michigan Line to the CP.

Super helpful response, thank you! More trash posts is just what this site needs...

I was simply wondering why they reverted the name from Gearhart back to Botsford...
It was renamed to Gearhart Yard after a former Conrail/NS track inspector named Carl Gearhart around 2012.

Since when does humor = trash? Good lord, lighten up.

In today’s world, it could very well be that something about Mr. Gearhart’s past made it inappropriate to continue to have the yard named after him. I hope that is NOT the case, but it could be one explanation. Or, more likely, Watco’s B&B guys screwed up.

NSSD70ACe wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 27, 2024 12:41 pm

In today’s world, it could very well be that something about Mr. Gearhart’s past made it inappropriate to continue to have the yard named after him.

This may not sound relevant, but hear me out:

Ferris State University has a building called the David L Eisler center (for the many FSU alumni on this site, this was built within the last 5 years). Many students, myself included, and teachers call it the UC because Dave Eisler (a former head honcho at Ferris) treated his staff like crap, in fact, there was a vote of no confidence held, 239 out of 270 votes were votes of no confidence. They still named the building after him and aren’t going to change the name.

Unless Mr. Gearhart did something really wrong that I maybe missing. I doubt they’ll change the name just under those circumstances.