RailRoadFan.com

Super Chief wrote:Yeah, but both locos were long hood southbound, with the lead unit with no ditch lights. Your tight though a backward forward movement.

Not arguing the orientation of the engines. I've always operated in relation to the direction of the train, and the orientation of the units is arbitrary. Anything other than the continued movement in the direction on which end the engjnes are located is reverse.
GCOR designations.
But like I said the general public just hears a train horn, it means nothing to them. It's more for ground crew members.

Heard CTC was down, that was the cause for the stop indication at 4th street.

Suppose to replace all the code wire next month per CDL guys. Hopefully that will keep it more reliable. The entire stretch from CP33 to CP95.

Heads up...

The next car or cars for L&W Supply, have been brought up to Hugart Yard on the Grand Elk, and are expected to be delivered sometime either tomorrow or Thursday. Highest probability is around Noon or anytime after into the evening. Keep a good listen for a horn on the Hastings Lead tomorrow or Thursday.

Super Chief wrote:Suppose to replace all the code wire next month per CDL guys. Hopefully that will keep it more reliable. The entire stretch from CP33 to CP95.

CP 95 was resigned CP 1 when it was rebuilt last year as part of the NS CP 421 rebuild. CP 1 is set up as the division point between NS and GDLK with separate power meters for each railroad.

Personally I would not mind seeing GDLK convert to radio code line instead of physical wires.

Super Chief wrote:Suppose to replace all the code wire next month per CDL guys. Hopefully that will keep it more reliable. The entire stretch from CP33 to CP95.

Considering a short line has limited resources that for the small number of trains working at any one time, could be better spent on a safety system elsewhere on the railroad.

I agree but if the FRA says its gotta stay, then it has to be maintained.

Super Chief wrote:I agree but if the FRA says its gotta stay, then it has to be maintained.

True. GDLK filed for discontinuance of the signals but they were denied. CTC lives.

As per a report from an hour ago, Grand Elk went down the Hastings Lead with one Centerbeam for L&W Supply.

NB from Plainwell at 19:30 after switching Otsego. Only 24 cars. Nice to see some MQT boxes, though.

Drove down East Michigan along Gearhart yard yesterday and saw lots of activity at the stone yard area. Lots of trucks and people. Grade for ROW almost goes to Sprinkle road on south side of Amtrak. Met the chief signal engineer at Gearhart from Pittsburgh Ks. for CDL. He's here for the code line project mentioned before.

15 cars derailed in Kalamazoo on the wye at BO tower. Totally turned on their sides off their trucks. This has just happened and news crews just showed videos of the mess. Traffic being rerouted on streets. Kalamazoo Ave. is reported to be closed and this will surely be an all day affair. Assume it was 302 southbound. Don't know if Amtrak tracks are blocked.

Is Amtrak blocked?

KenB wrote:Is Amtrak blocked?

I don’t think so. The way the cars are turned in some of the photos suggests that they all fell away from the second main. Additionally, Amtrak’s MOW crews are working in the same area by campus, on the same track no less. I think 351 will get through today.

Comsumers Power is securing the overhead transmission lines as one car tipped on a pole and other property has been damaged. The buildings are close there. Locomotives are NS and 4206, rear of train still is intact to Gearhart and so Amtrak south main is blocked by that. RJCORMAN is enroute but from where I don't know? Amtrak signal crews are in evidence but don't know if there signals were taken out by wreck. The signals at Harrison St. are pretty close there also. 501 is annulled today so no local customers will be served.

Pictures seem to indicate the train stringlined. Brakes didn't get released at the the rear of the train?

RJCORMAN was the clean-up contractor using 2 side boom CATS. Didn't need bulldozers or other equipment. Supposedly according to crewmembers on 302 the train had just backed into Gearhart with front half of train to pick up rear half. Supposedly pumped up air and guage on EOT showed air OK on engine. My personal observation when 501pulled the back half of the train back into Gearhart after wreck were the 20 or so Omni gondolas loaded over the top with steel scrap. The train make-up also made for a stringline tip in the middle for empty covered hoppers for that wye if even one cars brakes were set up. So there are multiple things to look at.

11 cars not 15
RJ corman had a bulldozer there too
143 signal flattened
Building struck
Amtrak delayed not blocked
And now you know the rest of the story...

The grain cars were the Andersons coming back from Albion empty. They go up loaded to the ethenol plant. With 6000 hp on the front and 20 loaded Omni scrap gondolas on the rear going around a 110 degree curve which has 10 mph speed restrictions any little mechanical issue like brakes etc. would be like the tug dragging the anchor over the pipeline in the straits. Something is going to happen.

Super Chief wrote:The grain cars were the Andersons coming back from Albion empty. They go up loaded to the ethenol plant. With 6000 hp on the front and 20 loaded Omni scrap gondolas on the rear going around a 110 degree curve which has 10 mph speed restrictions any little mechanical issue like brakes etc. would be like the tug dragging the anchor over the pipeline in the straits. Something is going to happen.

No, they were wheat cars from Lowell. And they have 10,000 hp on the head end