GDLK Operations

Anything pertaining to railfanning in Michigan.
User avatar
MQT1223
O Scale Railfanner
Posts: 4028
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 1:46 pm
Location: Grandville, Michigan
Contact:

Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by MQT1223 »

justalurker66 wrote:
kd_1014 wrote:Where exactly are the fixed semaphores? Are there any pictures of them??
GDLK538n-Google.jpg
GDLK559s-190105.jpg
The northern semaphore is now easier to view since brush cutting commenced on the right of way a few weeks ago.
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996. :)

PatAzo
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1368
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2013 9:20 pm

Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by PatAzo »

MQT1223 wrote:The northern semaphore is now easier to view since brush cutting commenced on the right of way a few weeks ago.
It's a semaphore in spirit. It's made from a grade crossing light with a yellow lens and a blade cut from plywood.

PatAzo
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1368
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2013 9:20 pm

Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by PatAzo »

justalurker66 wrote:Dark and rainy on Saturday ... have any changes been made at "White Pigeon Jct"? I didn't see anything obvious.
Not GDLK operations but as you pass White Pigeon Junction...

Up to the NYC rehabilitating the Airline between Jackson and Three Rivers, the Kalamazoo Branch had been diverging route and trains moved at speed on the Old Road. Part of the project included a new switch at White Pigeon to allow track speed onto the Kalamazoo Branch. For a time after it was installed the normal position of the switch remained to the Old Road with a 15MPH limit. In November 1957 an eastbound passenger train was diverted off the mainline to the Old Road. The engineer unaware of the restriction maintained 50MPH+/- and the train derailed at the switch. The conductor realizing they hadn't slowed was headed to dump the air when the derailment occurred. I can across the ICC report once (can't find it now) that retraced the sequence of events. If I recall they attributed the cause to the engineer not receiving the bulletin with the speed restriction or the NYC not ensuring it was reviewed before he departed.

http://www.gendisasters.com/michigan/20 ... C-nov-1957

GAP
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 239
Joined: Tue Mar 14, 2006 9:06 pm
Location: Portage MI

Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by GAP »

About 2:30 this afternoon I saw the thru freight pass southbound thru Portage. Because of the six-axle engines and also several coiled steel cars I knew it was the thru freight. The puzzle is that it also had 4 or 5 loaded centerbeams. I understand loaded centerbeams northbound or southbound on the local but why loaded ones on the southbound thru freight? I thought they took everything to Elkhart so where were they going and where did they come from? Part of the fun of railfanning is trying to figure things out but this one has me baffled.

Super Chief
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1191
Joined: Sat May 26, 2012 9:53 am
Location: Three Rivers, Mi.--Indian Rocks Beach,Fl.

Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by Super Chief »

I think operations have been turned topsy turvy, with different crew numbers and start times. 503 seems to be the 1st local now then 501 bats clean-up. Theres been 102 crews on various assignments with road trains. It will all be good.

Super Chief
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1191
Joined: Sat May 26, 2012 9:53 am
Location: Three Rivers, Mi.--Indian Rocks Beach,Fl.

Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by Super Chief »

Southbound road train thru Schoolcraft now will encounter WMAX 4189 LHF with HERZOG railtrain at CP Park on main. Don't know destination of rail though? Somebody is upgrading infastructure. Super Chief crew 333 out.

GP30M4216
Saver of all History
Posts: 4800
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2004 10:35 pm
Location: Feel the Zeel, MI
Contact:

Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by GP30M4216 »

As of 4pm today, south of Schoolcraft:

1 covered hopper visible at J Rettenmaier.
2 covered hoppers at Van Beek Nutrition
At least a dozen tankcars at Wilbur Ellis

GMTX 2204, and 4009(?) were running but uncrewed at CP-Park on the siding, with approx 40 cars. It's great, and rare to see a train in the modern age that is mostly boxcars. The entire consist was boxcars of various sizes and reporting marks with a few empty centerbeams and tankcars at the end. Is this the 501 job?

PatAzo
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1368
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2013 9:20 pm

Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by PatAzo »

Super Chief wrote:Southbound road train thru Schoolcraft now will encounter WMAX 4189 LHF with HERZOG railtrain at CP Park on main. Don't know destination of rail though? Somebody is upgrading infastructure. Super Chief crew 333 out.
I'm going to speculate Amtrak/MDOT. They have been replacing rail on the Michigan line. Some of what they run on is re-laid rail that's 60+ years old.

User avatar
NS3322
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1255
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2015 12:08 pm
Location: CP-LEVITT

Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by NS3322 »

PatAzo wrote:
Super Chief wrote:Southbound road train thru Schoolcraft now will encounter WMAX 4189 LHF with HERZOG railtrain at CP Park on main. Don't know destination of rail though? Somebody is upgrading infastructure. Super Chief crew 333 out.
I'm going to speculate Amtrak/MDOT. They have been replacing rail on the Michigan line. Some of what they run on is re-laid rail that's 60+ years old.
Recently they have been doing a lot of work between Kalamazoo and Augusta. I regularly see trucks unloading ties in front of Galesburg-Augusta High School.

User avatar
justalurker66
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1964
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2011 2:51 am

Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by justalurker66 »

CP 14 - No signals in service. Note new four light dwarf.
CP 14 - No signals in service. Note new four light dwarf.
CP 16 - Signals not yet in service.
CP 16 - Signals not yet in service.
MSO Connection - No change noted.
MSO Connection - No change noted.

Super Chief
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1191
Joined: Sat May 26, 2012 9:53 am
Location: Three Rivers, Mi.--Indian Rocks Beach,Fl.

Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by Super Chief »

The new dwarf at CP 14 will be Red,Amber,Green & Flashing Red top to bottom. I see the ole searchlight heads are off the taller mast already.

User avatar
kd_1014
Mike
Posts: 1043
Joined: Sat Feb 24, 2018 3:29 pm
Location: Creston, Grand Rapids

Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by kd_1014 »

Who dispatches the signals on GDLK? Do they have their own in one of the yards or does NS do it for them?

Super Chief
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1191
Joined: Sat May 26, 2012 9:53 am
Location: Three Rivers, Mi.--Indian Rocks Beach,Fl.

Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by Super Chief »

Pittsburg Kansas dispatches the Elk. Watco dispatchers.

PatAzo
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1368
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2013 9:20 pm

Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by PatAzo »

Solid train of empty two bay hoppers went south this afternoon. They must have cleared out all the NS hoppers in GR. I wondered if NS wanted them back or GDLK cleared space for more store cars.

Super Chief
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1191
Joined: Sat May 26, 2012 9:53 am
Location: Three Rivers, Mi.--Indian Rocks Beach,Fl.

Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by Super Chief »

NS wanted them back to be stored in Toledo.

NSSD60M
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 142
Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2012 7:57 pm

Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by NSSD60M »

PatAzo wrote:Solid train of empty two bay hoppers went south this afternoon. They must have cleared out all the NS hoppers in GR. I wondered if NS wanted them back or GDLK cleared space for more store cars.
Did it run straight into Elkhart or tie down somewhere?

PatAzo
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1368
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2013 9:20 pm

Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by PatAzo »

NSSD60M wrote:
PatAzo wrote:Solid train of empty two bay hoppers went south this afternoon. They must have cleared out all the NS hoppers in GR. I wondered if NS wanted them back or GDLK cleared space for more store cars.
Did it run straight into Elkhart or tie down somewhere?
The CN had two eastbounds close so I didn't follow them. They had the the 4009 trailing a couple six axles. It looked like it was dead. I wondered if it was departing.

Super Chief
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1191
Joined: Sat May 26, 2012 9:53 am
Location: Three Rivers, Mi.--Indian Rocks Beach,Fl.

Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by Super Chief »

4009 was leading the Grand Rapids train yesterday with 4125. Gearhart had NS 3452, 3015 & 3462 on the engine servicing lead. Also 4 other NS units in the yard, 2 on the Jackson train and 2 on the Battle Creek train down on the east end. 3015 is a GP-40-2m slug master. So the Michigan Line hosts all kinds of different NS units. GP60s on the Burns Harbor turn and all these eastern side units. 3452 has a cool long short hood on it. Wonder if the ITCS equipment is inside it as the PTC stuff is on the roof of the cab.

Buster Manning
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 674
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2009 10:16 pm

Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by Buster Manning »

from what I heard, NS got a waiver somehow from the ITCS on the east end of da rayrhode; hence why you see all sorts of various NS units coming outta Jackson and Battle Creek

User avatar
Ypsi
The Bestest Railroadfan... fan
Posts: 5510
Joined: Sun Feb 07, 2010 2:13 pm

Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by Ypsi »

Yet the scuttle butt was they wanted GDLK to have PTC for trackage rights into Elkhart..
"Ann Arbor 2373 Calling... Milkshake. Over"

All Aboard Amtrak: Northbound, Southbound, and My Hometown

Post Reply