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They receive (at least used to) 700-800 cars annually. The coal would arrive in a unit train outside Pfizers property, dumped into piles, then reloaded into Pfizer owned hoppers a few a day and dumped into the boiler pit. Last time I checked there was still a sizable coal pile there.

penn central wrote:I haven't noticed the coal for Pfizer like i used to, Maybe its just me being at the wrong place at the wrong time? Or has coal shipments decreased? Just wondering.

AARR wrote:They receive (at least used to) 700-800 cars annually. The coal would arrive in a unit train outside Pfizers property, dumped into piles, then reloaded into Pfizer owned hoppers a few a day and dumped into the boiler pit. Last time I checked there was still a sizable coal pile there.

penn central wrote:I haven't noticed the coal for Pfizer like i used to, Maybe its just me being at the wrong place at the wrong time? Or has coal shipments decreased? Just wondering.

Oh okay thanks Don.

4209,4190,4225,NS 7141 & 3015 sitting at Park with 134 cars. TR Chris reports quite a few sand cars on the rear. With the work at CP421 going on all summer this will be the parking lot of choice for the Elk.

Are the sand cars from the Brink's transload on the north side of Grand Rapids?

Super Chief wrote:TR Chris reports quite a few sand cars on the rear.

No. They still cannot go up there. I was down there yesterday. Nothing happening except the bums have found newer shelter. And they have a Porta-John too.

Where exactly does the GDLK end in Grand Rapids and the Marquette Railroad start?

Waddy wrote:Where exactly does the GDLK end in Grand Rapids and the Marquette Railroad start?

Grand Elk track ends at the end of the Hugart Runner track at Pleasant St, where the line connects to CSX. Marquette begins/ends about 4 miles north of there at Turner street on the old CSX Baldwin sub.

Does anyone know if there is a problem with the GDLK crossing near Loy Norrix? I've seen a CDL subcontractor working in/around the signal shed there 6 different times over the last month. Does that particular signal shed house anything other than the crossing equipment?

Thanks,

-NS

Super Chief wrote:With the work at CP421 going on all summer this will be the parking lot of choice for the Elk.

Grand Elk should still be able to make it through CP 421 during construction. As long as the switch on Track 2 and the diamond on Track 1 remain in place they will have access to the NS Chicago Line (I do not expect that pair to be removed until the end of the project). Even if NS removes the North Freight to Track 2 connection normally used to get GDLK trains from the two Freight tracks through CP 421 GDLK has trackage rights all the way to CP 426. They can enter the yard at CP 423.

It makes sense to limit GDLK traffic through CP421. And if GDLK can make (or save) some money storing cars at PARK that makes sense as well.

NSSD70ACe wrote:Does anyone know if there is a problem with the GDLK crossing near Loy Norrix? I've seen a CDL subcontractor working in/around the signal shed there 6 different times over the last month. Does that particular signal shed house anything other than the crossing equipment?

Thanks,

-NS

Number One, I'm not sure which crossing your referring to.

Number Two, depending on the scope of the work he could be upgrading the equipment inside the crossing from mechanical to digital. There is quite a bit of work in doing that, but it is the route railroads are taking anymore.

Don't seem to see very many GDLK videos. Here is one chasing a southbound to Kzoo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja-t0QaBMy0

Do you know the location of the first set out?

Waddy wrote:Don't seem to see very many GDLK videos. Here is one chasing a southbound to Kzoo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja-t0QaBMy0

AARR wrote:Do you know the location of the first set out?

Waddy wrote:Don't seem to see very many GDLK videos. Here is one chasing a southbound to Kzoo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja-t0QaBMy0

Looks like its at Green Valley, in Moline. I've heard they load sand there as well as unload ag products.

Thanks Waddy

Waddy wrote:

AARR wrote:Do you know the location of the first set out?

Waddy wrote:Don't seem to see very many GDLK videos. Here is one chasing a southbound to Kzoo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja-t0QaBMy0

Looks like its at Green Valley, in Moline. I've heard they load sand there as well as unload ag products.

Just heard a "Grand Elk 503" calling the AML director in Chicago..according to the wiki, the symbol is not in use. Would this be a 501 extra or would it be the Industrial job on the north side of Kalamazoo?

There has been all kinds of extras lately. Remember there train symbols are crew numbers not train numbers. There have been multiple 302s,501s etc. A 503 would be an extra crew called. Right now with CSX having extra trains running now most guys that jumped ship to the Elk are now getting called back by CSX. Elk is short on crews and they are about a day behind on movements. CP Park had a train in siding at 3:30 pm today waiting for the local which usually shows up at 5. He finally got moving north at 6:30pm. This has happen multiple times of late. They are really hard to predict right now.

Super Chief wrote:There has been all kinds of extras lately. Remember there train symbols are crew numbers not train numbers. There have been multiple 302s,501s etc. A 503 would be an extra crew called. Right now with CSX having extra trains running now most guys that jumped ship to the Elk are now getting called back by CSX. Elk is short on crews and they are about a day behind on movements. CP Park had a train in siding at 3:30 pm today waiting for the local which usually shows up at 5. He finally got moving north at 6:30pm. This has happen multiple times of late. They are really hard to predict right now.

So what would this mean in the long run for the Elk? More bottlenecks because of the lack of crews?

Super Chief wrote:GLLX 4433 & 4 at Wayland.

I know this comment is from a while back...
But are these two locos easy to see from Reno Drive, or is there a fence obstructing the view?
Thanks

Last I knew 4433 is on the north side of the loop track, 4 is in the SE corner of the track. Don't know about visibility now that the leaves are on.

How much of the loop track does CHS use? I noticed a pile of gravel in front of GLLX #4.