GDLK Operations

[tryake]

303 goes on duty at 10:00. If they make it back it's early evening. If not there is a relief crew that comes on duty at 18:00. It depends on how much switching they have in route.

Where does 303 start its day, Kalamazoo or GR? I caught them heading to Otsego to switch the paper mill around 15:30 this afternoon. They then went on north around 16:30. I just now at 22:00 heard a train headed south through Plainwell. Is this 303 returning to Kalamazoo???

[SD80MAC]

Yes, but likely with the relief crew as 303's original crew has expired by this point.

[PatAzo]

Where does 303 start its day, Kalamazoo or GR? I caught them heading to Otsego to switch the paper mill around 15:30 this afternoon. They then went on north around 16:30. I just now at 22:00 heard a train headed south through Plainwell. Is this 303 returning to Kalamazoo???

303 starts in Kalamazoo. I'll speculate what you saw was a 303 that made a late start north. On occasion they get tasked to switch in Gerhart before heading north.

[PatAzo]

303 was late out of Gerhart again today. On duty at 10:00. Northbound at Wayland around 17:30.

[David Lang]

There is talk on GDLK that the property east of Gerhart has been purchased by a company that will receive stone by rail. They are said to have a contract to supply stone to someone. The stone would arrive in 80 car trains coming off the NS. I was curious who in the Kalamazoo area would be using that quantity of stone.

Drive by there today on the North and South sides. No sign of development activity. Many trees growing up through the old Paper Mill site, but the old concrete base still very visible.

I hope the talk is true and development happens with rail service. Time will tell.

David Lang

[Super Chief]

Road trip to GR yesterday. Wilbur-Ellis had 8 covered hoppers and 3 tanks. 501 had 5 center-beams for Bristol and 2 cottonseed cars for White Pigeon. Hughart had the 7030, 3531 & 3534. No road power in while there. GLLX 4433 & 4 at Wayland. A lot of sand cars were being filled at 3 locations. 302 had just cleared Schoolcraft when a CN eastbound followed with a lot of oil pipe on TTX flats. CSX & GRE were quite. As Paul Harvey would say Good Day.

[Waddy]

Any more construction being done at the north end of Hughart yard?

[dave989]

Not much sign of any new Hughart construction right now. Looks as though the
G.R. gp-35 #3531 has been swapped for gp-35 #3534. I saw #3534 taking the
CSX Wyoming yard transfer this afternoon. Not sure what happened to #3531.

[dave989]

Gp-35's 3534 and 3531 were swapped today. 3534 was headed south
on the Kazoo train at 11:30 today. (yes it ran today no foolin)

[Super Chief]

The stone place on the east end of Gearhart is suppose to be up and running by July.

[NS3322]

Caught them switching the east end of the yard today with 4124 and 4206. Do they normally work on Sunday?

[Super Chief]

As of late yes. 501 went down sb thru Three Rivers 9:30 Saturday night. Caught it last week going nb at Midnight.

[tsinoms]

Noticed the GMTX geep is up in GR today. No sign of the WSOR GP...

[dave989]

I also caught the GMTX gp-38 with gp-35#3531 on the CSX
Wyoming yard transfer with a very large block of cars.

[NSSD70ACe]

The Kalamazoo River is in flood stage currently, with the entirety of Homer Stryker Field (the actual field, not the stands) underwater. Does anyone know how bad Gearhart was affected by this, if at all? The aerial photo taken by the Kzoo Growlers showed some ties underwater and the water encroaching on the yard tracks.

[Super Chief]

With B-44 not working in Jackson anymore Gearhart is plugged. 302 left 92 cars in Three Rivers on the siding the other day. Took the power lite to Kazoo. That hasn't happened in a while.

[NSSD60M]

Does GDLK 303 run south bound today from GR, or is there not an established pattern anymore?

[dave989]

I think it has something to do with crew availability on Friday nights.I have seen it run some Saturdays

[NSSD60M]

I think it has something to do with crew availability on Friday nights.I have seen it run some Saturdays

Thanks. Would be a nice day to track a southbound through some rural countryside!

[penn central]

My job takes me to northern Indiana, Three Rivers, Kalamazoo, and Grand Rapids several times a week 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.