GDLK Operations

[Super Chief]

Elk has 10 centerbeams of lumber at GM siding in Three Rivers this morning. Bristol has been a good destination for these loads since they got them off the CN at Edwardsburg.

[1TrackMind]

Noticed some MOW activity on the Hastings branch the other day

[SD80MAC]

Noticed some MOW activity on the Hastings branch the other day

Curious as to what could be happening down there. I'll have to drive by one of these days and check it out.

[MQT1223]

According to a post on FB, the rumored drywall customer got its first load today.

[Raildudes dad]

L&W Supply apparently bought Great Lakes Gypsum & Supply on Roger B Chaffee Blvd.The siding was put in for them probably just before or early in the housing crash. They may have gotten a car or two back then. The warehouse was previously Jobbers Warehouse and the UPS Grand Rapids Terminal before that. History tidbit, UPS was located before that in the MDOT Special Services building, 2nd building on Front north of Leonard. Hard to believe the operated out of either location.

[dave989]

I have seen signal maintainers at the 32nd and 36th street area in Wyoming to see the signals functioning.
I have not seen any other sign of life on the old Hastings branch yet.

[Plannerdad]

I'm impressed! Next it will be a tourist attraction for the Grand Rapids Whitewater project.

[MQT1223]

**HEADS UP**

Grand Elk will be picking up the empty car from the new industry on the Hastings Lead that was delivered yesterday. Not sure on the time, but hopefully someone can catch the move.

[~Z~]

As of 11:30am on 6/5/18, empty centerbeam parked there. Car number TTZX 861262
Workers had already unloaded and were working to move the product from the ground to trucks.


Line will surely need some weed spraying if the new customer continues.

Thanks for the info guys on the movement. Rode my bike down 36th St last night and went past a rare sight for sure. Glad to get to see it today.
edit: as of 3:30pm, empty car is still there.

[MQT1223]

Car is still there as of 5:00

[railrod1949]

As of 11:30am on 6/5/18, empty centerbeam parked there. Car number TTZX 861262
Workers had already unloaded and were working to move the product from the ground to trucks.


Line will surely need some weed spraying if the new customer continues.

Thanks for the info guys on the movement. Rode my bike down 36th St last night and went past a rare sight for sure. Glad to get to see it today.
edit: as of 3:30pm, empty car is still there.

Bottom shot is Madison Avenue, SE looking north. Top two shots is the L&W Supply on Roger Chaffee Memorial Blvd., Correct?

[GAP]

Along the Grand Elk tracks beside Shaver Road in Portage there are many bundles of new ties, even longer ones for the switch into the lumber yard. They weren't there yesterday.

[1TrackMind]

GDLK has been running work trains lately. Looked like tie loads headed south on 501 today.

[MQT1223]

Tie work in Hugart is keeping the Elk off the Hastings Lead until at least Friday. The Centerbeam will remain until then.

[Jim_c]

Lots of ties next to the tracks north of Mosel Ave. this morning

[~Z~]

Tie work in Hugart is keeping the Elk off the Hastings Lead until at least Friday. The Centerbeam will remain until then.

Rodney, correct, that's where L&W Supply is located and correct on the shot locations.
Empty car still there as of 10:11pm Thurs night. Hope L&W Supply doesn't think "hm, railroad can't pickup our first car for days due to tie replacements...what if that happens when we need a car delivered?" Not good timing on the tie replacement whatever the case.

[MQT1223]

Tie work in Hugart is keeping the Elk off the Hastings Lead until at least Friday. The Centerbeam will remain until then.

Rodney, correct, that's where L&W Supply is located and correct on the shot locations.
Empty car still there as of 10:11pm Thurs night. Hope L&W Supply doesn't think "hm, railroad can't pickup our first car for days due to tie replacements...what if that happens when we need a car delivered?" Not good timing on the tie replacement whatever the case.

Sounds like the railroad will pick up the car tomorrow. Keep your headphones off Sofa King!

[Super Chief]

darn near had a catastrophic event in TR last night. Hundreds of people next to Grand Elk tracks at water festival with carnival rides all along GDLK tracks. Fireworks just get over and people scurrying to get home. Worst night mare 101 comes around the curve with 80 cars blasting horn and proceeds thru area at 25mph. Wham train stops for 4th street red signal. People start to go over, under and around cars as train starts again. Still no green signal. Noticed since 4124 and 4189 are running lhf no ditch lights on 4124 long end when he came thru. Engineer moves train 3 times 10 feet forward and stops finally. He keys radio for 10 minutes to get Kansas dispatcher to no avail, now how many trains would Watco have out at 11:30pm on a Saturday night? Having 2 radios one on Elks freq. one on police freq. I go up to cab of 4124 not in it beside it and advise engineer of conditions around train. All he says is I can't raise the dispatcher. So I radio the police to put their reserve officers about every 10 cars to clear the idiots, morons and whatevers away. I tell the engineer to sound 2 blasts on horns 1 minute before he responds to green signal. Go back to carnival area and at 11:40 he blasts the horns and a minute later train proceeds to Elkhart. We check the ROW and no bodies. Why would they not have the route lined up? Stupid CTC. It raises a lot of iaaues with all parties. Elk , city, cops and stupid people all need to sharpen their acts. Happy Fathers Day.

[NSSD60M]

darn near had a catastrophic event in TR last night. Hundreds of people next to Grand Elk tracks at water festival with carnival rides all along GDLK tracks. Fireworks just get over and people scurrying to get home. Worst night mare 101 comes around the curve with 80 cars blasting horn and proceeds thru area at 25mph. Wham train stops for 4th street red signal. People start to go over, under and around cars as train starts again. Still no green signal. Noticed since 4124 and 4189 are running lhf no ditch lights on 4124 long end when he came thru. Engineer moves train 3 times 10 feet forward and stops finally. He keys radio for 10 minutes to get Kansas dispatcher to no avail, now how many trains would Watco have out at 11:30pm on a Saturday night? Having 2 radios one on Elks freq. one on police freq. I go up to cab of 4124 not in it beside it and advise engineer of conditions around train. All he says is I can't raise the dispatcher. So I radio the police to put their reserve officers about every 10 cars to clear the idiots, morons and whatevers away. I tell the engineer to sound 3 blasts on horns 1 minute before he responds to green signal. Go back to carnival area and at 11:40 he blasts the horns and a minute later train proceeds to Elkhart. We check the ROW and no bodies. Why would they not have the route lined up? Stupid CTC. It raises a lot of iaaues with all parties. Elk , city, cops and stupid people all need to sharpen their acts. Happy Fathers Day.

Sounds like you saved the day (or night.) And not that the general public knows any difference, but wouldn't 3 horn blasts before moving signify a reverse move?

[Super Chief]

Yeah, but both locos were long hood southbound, with the lead unit with no ditch lights. Your right though a backward forward movement.