RailRoadFan.com

4077 was setting in Gerhart Sunday mu'ed with 4076 so it must be healed up too. The 4124 was still setting in Grand Rapids. But with a lot of the store cars shipped out and more track in service at Gerhart they are in better shape than last year for winter. The 503 crew as I'm told is a relief job that goes where they are needed.

So is 303 an up one day back down the next job? When I visited GDLK territory in September, I never did catch any activity north of Kalamazoo...except the circus train.

David P. Jordan
Dunlap, Illinois

David, yes. The crew will go on duty in Kzoo, take the train north, then the next day will taxi back up to GR and take the train south.

The 303 worked north one day south the next for a time earlier in the year. They are generally on a round trip routine at the moment, though there is talk of splitting the job again. They often go dead before getting back to Kalamazoo. The crew goes on duty at 10:00AM. Depending on what is going on in Kalamazoo they get headed north around noon. Northbound they can spend quite a bit of time in Wayland at Bay Valley Foods. They get headed south late afternoon-early evening. They usually switch in Moline and USG in Otsego.

Anybody heard anymore on the NS/GDLK Jackson turn to Kazoo?

Super Chief wrote:Anybody heard anymore on the NS/GDLK Jackson turn to Kazoo?

I was wondering the same thing. Ever since the supposed beginning of negotiations there has been very little news. Hopefully we'll hear something in the not too distant future.

Sounds like the NS overhead traffic is not going to happen anytime soon they seem to have issues moving their own traffic they keep growing like they are they will be out of room at a lot of locations. Wait till CHS in Wayland starts up thats going to be a giant operation so will the new sand location at the old Alpine GM yard sand loading will quit at the location by 28th street and 131 when the new location opens.
This winter will be interesting for sure.

Thanks for the updates.4206 blows a lot of blue smoke on those sand trains now. Saw 501 with a 4 person crew yesterday 2 in the cab, 2 in a white SUV. What are the small poles with hooks on them the crew hang on the ladders of the cars when there not in use? Some sort of crossing protection is coming for Broadway St. In TR as the signal box as been there since NS days per the crew.

Nofoam4me wrote:Sounds like the NS overhead traffic is not going to happen anytime soon they seem to have issues moving their own traffic they keep growing like they are they will be out of room at a lot of locations. Wait till CHS in Wayland starts up thats going to be a giant operation so will the new sand location at the old Alpine GM yard sand loading will quit at the location by 28th street and 131 when the new location opens.
This winter will be interesting for sure.

So sand loading will continue at Green Valley Ag in Moline as well?

I understand CHS at Wayland is going to add dry fertilizer storage and a 98-car rail loop as Phase 2 and a grain loading operation as Phase 3. I'd bet GDLK will be running unit phosphate (or potash) and grain trains when all of this is done.

I was told the sand being loaded at Green Valley is the stuff that will be shifted to Fuller.

Starting Monday January 4th the 303 will work out of Grand Rapids with a 6:00 call.

Thanks for the information on #303 is that am. or pm.

GTW wrote:Thanks for the information on #303 is that am. or pm.

06:00...AM for us civilians.

Thanks for the update, PatAzo. Where was 303's home terminal prior to the change? Do you know why it was changed? Thanks!

PatAzo wrote:Starting Monday January 4th the 303 will work out of Grand Rapids with a 6:00 call.

AARR wrote:Where was 303's home terminal prior to the change? Do you know why it was changed?

303 worked out of Kalamazoo. It frequently could not make the it back to Kalamazoo before the crew died on time. The switch to GR is an attempt to make the round trip. I don't know how that is any quicker but that's what they plan.

PatAzo wrote:Starting Monday January 4th the 303 will work out of Grand Rapids with a 6:00 call.

Thanks for the update! Will 303 be running Monday/Wednesday/Friday, or???

303 has been Monday through Friday for the past year or so.

302's schedule appears to have changed also. I just saw them going north through Portage around 12:50.

Might be a little less congestion in GR allowing #303 to depart with less delay. Kazoo between the NS & Amtrak the #303 could face more delay trying to back out of the yard & then go north.

Train that appeared to belong to the Elk was heading north across Cork Street earlier this afternoon between 2:30 and 3. I think it was the train that interchanges with CN (pretty sure the other track goes to Pfizer).


Who does the Elk serve in that area in terms of customers? I think Fabri-Kal is on that particular line, and the train was considerably long for an interchange job.