GDLK Operations

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Super Chief
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Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by Super Chief »

501 last night at CP Park southbound at 4:30 pm in a snow squall. Had 7 centerbeams of lumber for CR17 customer. Shift must be 3 to 11 pm last night or they had a very long day. 303 was communicating with the Amtrak dispatcher about backing into the plant to get to Gearhart yard so downtown was plugged or nobody noticed.

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AARR
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Re: GDLK Operations

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Thanks for your reports, SC. Who is the lumber customer at CR17?
Super Chief wrote:501 last night at CP Park southbound at 4:30 pm in a snow squall. Had 7 centerbeams of lumber for CR17 customer.
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Re: GDLK Operations

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Ben Higdon wrote:I wonder how much money NS could get for the GR&I ROW from BO down to Gibson. Bell's could expand westward, isn't the old Emporium site on the other side of the tracks just a vacant lot now? They wouldn't get a huge amount of money for the linear parcels but I would think in combination with city and/or state funds it could be a wash as far as NS is concerned to build a new connection at BO. Of course NS doesn't have an incentive to get involved in a project they have nothing to gain on.
The old Emporium site is a Bell's pay to park lot now. If the GR&I were pulled up it would be a natural fit for Bell's to expand their lot to the east and connect their properties. The Water St. Coffee could pick up some parking. Same south of Michigan Ave at the old GR&I depot. South of that is a chunk of property that would gain access to Pitcher St. It would have to be a publicly funded project. NS as you say hasn't any incentive to fund it but none to block it either. GDLK hasn't the revenue to fund a major project. The city has an opportunity to pitch less congestion, eliminating 10 grade crossing, improving parking for development east of downtown.
Saturnalia wrote:
PatAzo wrote:They could also have someone amble out and handle the Gibson switch for 303 when it comes south to save a few minutes.
I don't think this would save any time, since the conductor already has to be on the ground there for the shove move.

But you're right, the final solution is a NE connector and further consolidation of trackage. It'll have to be a combined effort and MDOT's Office of Rail would probably have a significant stake.

Thankfully for Kzoo, this is a fairly infrequent event. Yeah the trains block for awhile, but it's usually moving at least. Plymouth has it much, much worse.


If 303's conductor had a truck (like 302) to pick up a third man or was met at Plainwell by a third man when they finish USG, they could line the switches at both Gerhart and Gibson ahead of 303. AT Gibson one climbs on the train and the third takes the truck back to Gerhart. 303 would get into the yard faster.

Super Chief
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Re: GDLK Operations

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Is the real issue boots on the ground conductors or arrival times and Amtrak dispatching? Does Amtrak accomidate the Elk in a timely manner or should the Elk's 303 wait north of town until all players in this move have been notified that there is a plan?

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Saturnalia
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Re: GDLK Operations

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Super Chief wrote:Is the real issue boots on the ground conductors or arrival times and Amtrak dispatching? Does Amtrak accomidate the Elk in a timely manner or should the Elk's 303 wait north of town until all players in this move have been notified that there is a plan?
Neither of those impacts the downtown crossing blockages. It’s sinply a factor of a mile long train going 10 mph...twice.
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Super Chief
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Re: GDLK Operations

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501 hit a car in Three Rivers yesterday at 2pm. Minor injuries but driver ticketed for disregarding RR signal at Hoffman St. Impact threw car into signal cabinet on south side. Crew was still sitting there at 4pm. so another long day for them.

Super Chief
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Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by Super Chief »

Was wondering how the trackage agreement in GR is working out for the Elk, MQT RR and GRE with CSX? Has it increased any movements between them?

Plannerdad
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Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by Plannerdad »

More traffic for King in Lowell is going NS/Grand Elk; the sand trans-load seems active, looks like a line a short (loaded) hoppers went south today.

Super Chief
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Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by Super Chief »

Thanks for the news. Does MQT interchange cars with Elk? Seems their boxcars are hit and miss thru Three Rivers.

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Re: GDLK Operations

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Super Chief wrote:Thanks for the news. Does MQT interchange cars with Elk? Seems their boxcars are hit and miss thru Three Rivers.
All thru CSX Wyoming Yard per the CSX / MQT lease agreement. The GDLK - GR traffic went thru CSX during the loss of trackage rights, just had to pay the $300 / car rate vs the prior $105 / car rate and deliver direct.

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Re: GDLK Operations

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THIS SCHOOL BUS STOPS AT ALL RR CROSSINGS - Well almost, a Plainwell School bus driver is on administrative leave after running a RR crossing with activated signal lights in front of 303 . Both channel 3 & 8 TV showed bus running the crossing in front of the train with red lights active. 303 can be seen approaching the rear of the bus in the video.

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DaveO
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Re: GDLK Operations

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Removed by user. Too far off-topic. I'd rather talk trains.
Last edited by DaveO on Sun Jan 21, 2018 9:33 am, edited 1 time in total.

railrod1949
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Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by railrod1949 »

DaveO wrote:
Super Chief wrote:THIS SCHOOL BUS STOPS AT ALL RR CROSSINGS - Well almost, a Plainwell School bus driver is on administrative leave after running a RR crossing with activated signal lights in front of 303 . Both channel 3 & 8 TV showed bus running the crossing in front of the train with red lights active. 303 can be seen approaching the rear of the bus in the video.
That was the Otsego Paper spur. Accounts state the driver did the mandatory stop at the crossing. The pictures don't show the exact moment of the bus being stopped.
And that is important because if the crossing wasn't activated yet and the driver didn't see or hear the train and started across, the driver did nothing wrong. If it starts to activate after you have started to proceed across, the rule is, and the safe thing to do is, continue across according to the law.

I have been in that situation. On Woodward in Pontiac after I had started across, the grade signals activated for Amtrak. I did what the rules and training state. I continued across at low speed until clearing the crossing. I'm sure it looked bad to anyone that was actually paying attention.

Don't get me started about that crossing because it also has(maybe had) a traffic signal which makes it exempt. But it's not a real good crossing for school bus drivers having to deal with. I never complained to the State Police because years of dealing with the rules their experts have come up with proved to me they had no clue what a school bus driver actually deals with in the real world. Oops, looks like I kind of got started :shock:


N. Main Street in Plainwell was part of old US-131 and the Otsego Paper spur was part of the old LS&MS railroad line that ran between Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids via Plainwell, Otsego and Allegan. All in Allegan County. GDLK train 303 was delivering a boxcar to the Otsego Paper in Otsego. There's a passing siding between Hill Road and E. River Road just east of Otsego for 303's powers to run around and shove it into that paper plant (mill). That aforementioned school bus driver is employing by the Plainwell Community Schools district.

David Lang
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Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by David Lang »

Since we are talking about Plainwell, has anyone ever been to the Old Mill Brewpub and Grill right there next to the track in Plainwell?

WOW What a place! Really old floors and a lot of original things to look at inside when it was a mill many years ago. The food is EXCELLENT, I MEAN EXCELLENT, and it is literally right next to the track. The right time to go is when you know a train is coming by of course - sit right next to the window, and enjoy the train and food! Doesn't get much better than that. Then for dessert you could stay there or go down the street a few steps to the Plainwell Ice Cream shop! If you guys get a chance to do this, you will not be disappointed (even if there is no train, the food is so good and a very cool place to go)!!!!

David Lang

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justalurker66
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Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by justalurker66 »

I saw the stills from the person who just happened to be driving by at the time. I'd love to see a video of the entire incident to put it in context. Hopefully there is video on the bus that shows when the bus stopped, when the lights activated and the movement of both the bus and the train. A still photo can be misleading.

Super Chief
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Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by Super Chief »

Same goes for HopCat in Kazoo, had lunch in there while 303 did its crosstown moves on Tuesday. Food, horns and vibrations plus good amosphere and beer. PeeCan Porter and french dip sub, crack fries and 303 doing the noonhour shuffle. Whats not to like?

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tsinoms
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Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by tsinoms »

justalurker66 wrote:I saw the stills from the person who just happened to be driving by at the time. I'd love to see a video of the entire incident to put it in context. Hopefully there is video on the bus that shows when the bus stopped, when the lights activated and the movement of both the bus and the train. A still photo can be misleading.
Knowing who the person that was that got the pics and knowing the engineer of the train they were going when the bus stopped and proceeded.
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justalurker66
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Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by justalurker66 »

tsinoms wrote:
justalurker66 wrote:I saw the stills from the person who just happened to be driving by at the time. I'd love to see a video of the entire incident to put it in context. Hopefully there is video on the bus that shows when the bus stopped, when the lights activated and the movement of both the bus and the train. A still photo can be misleading.
Knowing who the person that was that got the pics and knowing the engineer of the train they were going when the bus stopped and proceeded.
The geography of the crossing puts the train behind the passenger side of the bus at an angle (this is not a 90 degree crossing) where it would not be easy to see. I have not seen a picture of the bus stopped before crossing the tracks - but assuming "stop and proceed" the questions of when the crossing activated and what the driver saw are not answered in the stills I have seen. I'd also like to see if there was other traffic in the area.

If the lights were activated before the bus started over the crossing the bus should not have attempted to cross. But if the bus stopped and proceeded before the activation it would have been dangerous for the bus to stop and reverse. (I believe that drivers are not supposed to change gears until they are clear of the crossing once they have started to cross. Once rolling, keep rolling.)

A complete video would be better than stills ... especially stills with a motion blur that makes it appear that the bus never stopped at all. So I'd still like to see a video. Especially one from the bus.

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redcrumbox
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Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by redcrumbox »

Yeah the money shot, crooked and a time stamp. SMH.
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DaveO
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Re: GDLK Operations

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Removed by user. Too far off-topic. I'd rather talk trains.
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