Run Through Power for AA/GLC

cfriedri · Unread post by **cfriedri** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 2:22 am

Was informed this evening that there would be some interesting action happening on the Ann Arbor Railroad tonight and being that it's my first time back to Michigan in a while, I decided to head out to look for a supposed grain extra. Turns out that there were two NS six-axle units on the head end of an empty unit grain train headed north to be filled at points on the GLC. NS 9584 and 1031 were the power. The train had a crew change to a GLC crew at Osmer around 01:30. Wouldn't this be the first time the northern end (meaning north of Milan) of the Ann Arbor Railroad has had six-axle units since the 1980s? Last time would have been on the PC coal trains if I'm not mistaken.

SD80MAC · Unread post by **SD80MAC** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 3:36 am

Supposedly the power is supposed to stay with the train all the way to the MMRR.

Unread post by **AARR** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 5:48 am

I believe most of the coal trains were powered by four axle units. Usually four or five of them. BL-2 will know, he tracked every coal train on AA.

IIRC in the 80's or 90's the Owosso shops repaired a SD40-2 and took it for a test afterwards. It did some damage to the tracks. But these newer six-axle units have wheels that rotate with the tracks so perhaps they won't be as hard on the rails.

cfriedri wrote:Wouldn't this be the first time the northern end (meaning north of Milan) of the Ann Arbor Railroad has had six-axle units since the 1980s? Last time would have been on the PC coal trains if I'm not mistaken.

TrainWatcher · Unread post by **TrainWatcher** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 5:59 am

Awesome. Let's hope for a southbound daylight run back south. I have a great shot in mind.

SD80MAC · Unread post by **SD80MAC** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 8:12 am

Not sure about the AA but the TSBY/GLC has seen six axles in more recent years. They did work on LSRC SD40 5921 in Owosso a few years ago, and there were a few grain trains off CSX in the early 2000's that ran north of Owosso with run through CSX 6 axles.

Ypsi · Unread post by **Ypsi** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 8:42 am

TrainWatcher wrote:Awesome. Let's hope for a southbound daylight run back south. I have a great shot in mind.

Rumors is look for it on Monday, or early this week. Are these NB empty a SB loads as per the usual? I guess there is supposed to be a batch of over a half dozen of these trains, or so I've heard.

kckorienek · Unread post by **kckorienek** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 1:35 pm

Pics or it didn't happen? It did, just in case anyone was doubting it...

Doktor No · Unread post by **Doktor No** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 2:27 pm

Excellent pic Kyle. Well held!

hoborich · Unread post by **hoborich** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 7:11 pm

Eeeeeeeaaaaauuuuuu. Snooooooooooooooow!

J T · Unread post by **J T** » Mon Nov 23, 2015 9:33 am

TrainWatcher wrote:Awesome. Let's hope for a southbound daylight run back south. I have a great shot in mind.

Unfortunately for you, Kyle had a much greater shot in mind.

Ypsi · Unread post by **Ypsi** » Mon Nov 23, 2015 6:19 pm

Into Osmer at 3:15pm today, over the Huron River 4:15pm.

Strange Power on the Ann Arbor by Michigan Central Lines, on Flickr

NS 1031 on the Ann Arbor Railroad Bridge by Michigan Central Lines, on Flickr

GP-35 · Unread post by **GP-35** » Mon Nov 23, 2015 9:37 pm

How maney cars did they have?

ConrailMan5 · Unread post by **ConrailMan5** » Mon Nov 23, 2015 9:51 pm

GP-35 wrote:How maney cars did they have?

90 IIRC

Ypsi · Unread post by **Ypsi** » Mon Nov 23, 2015 10:37 pm

87 cars is the good count, very close to 90

J T · Unread post by **J T** » Mon Nov 23, 2015 11:11 pm

Ypsi wrote: NS 1031 on the Ann Arbor Railroad Bridge by Michigan Central Lines, on Flickr

Nice perspective from the Phantom!

ConrailMan5 · Unread post by **ConrailMan5** » Mon Nov 23, 2015 11:19 pm

J T wrote:
Ypsi wrote: NS 1031 on the Ann Arbor Railroad Bridge by Michigan Central Lines, on Flickr
Nice perspective from the Phantom!

No no no, you see that is not a drone shot, It is a 200 foot tripod

MQT1223 · Unread post by **MQT1223** » Mon Nov 23, 2015 11:26 pm

Never thought that their would be a chance of seeing an SD70ACe or a Gevo going up rails where GP35's and 38's reign supreme. Its like back in the old days when the Wabash would send power up to supplement the AA.

ConrailMan5 · Unread post by **ConrailMan5** » Mon Nov 23, 2015 11:35 pm

MQT1223 wrote:Never thought that their would be a chance of seeing an SD70ACe or a Gevo going up rails where GP35's and 38's reign supreme. Its like back in the old days when the Wabash would send power up to supplement the AA.

Not that I don't believe you, but in my studies of the AA i have never come across a statment or photo suggesting that the Wabash and AA swapped power frequently. The DT&I did as I understand. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

Unread post by **AARR** » Tue Nov 24, 2015 5:26 am

I'm not aware of AA and WAB using each others power like AA and DT&I did. It's possible it happened, though.

There are pictures of AA power on CR pulling unit sand trains from Toledo to Cleveland. This probably occurred during the one year CR operated AA (1976-1977).

ConrailMan5 wrote:
MQT1223 wrote:Never thought that their would be a chance of seeing an SD70ACe or a Gevo going up rails where GP35's and 38's reign supreme. Its like back in the old days when the Wabash would send power up to supplement the AA.
Not that I don't believe you, but in my studies of the AA i have never come across a statment or photo suggesting that the Wabash and AA swapped power frequently. The DT&I did as I understand. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

chapmaja · Unread post by **chapmaja** » Tue Nov 24, 2015 7:36 am

I don't know is any Wabash power ever made it up the AA (I'm sure some did at some point), but I think the Century units from an eastern railroad were sent up the railroad at one time for a few trial runs. It was some sort of power swap between the Lehigh Valley and the DT&I (or maybe Wabash). The owner of the AA got some units as part of a temporary trade while one railroad evaluated the other. Whichever railroad owned the AA at the time got some Alco C units in return. Since the AA crews had experience with the Alco's they were used on the AA rather than be used by a generally EMD railroad. I'm not sure which Century units they were, but I thought some were 6 axel units.

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