NS Milan Locals B70/B71 Updates

[Ypsi]

For those who have noticed, there are now a pair of locals operating out of Milan Michigan on the NS. They operate under the symbols B70 and B71. Their work seems to be interchangeable as in either could do whatever needs to be done on a given day. What they do depends on what needs to be done and the order it is done. It is basically one long local run that cannot be done by one crew anymore, so a second crew and symbol is used now. Here is what I know about the local that has been in question:

-The symbols are B70 for the 7-8am start, and B71 which is the 6-7pm start.
-They use the same locomotive, and there is only one locomotive based in Milan for NS
-They Switch Milan
-They get the ADBF interchange from Adrian
-Autoracks are handled to Oakwood from the AA interchange
-The morning crew basically works right up until the evening crew goes on duty
-The evening crew generally works until around 6am or so

This is all subject to the day, and of course change and are my personal observations from watching them down at Milan. But in general this can give you an idea of what goes on now. It seems like I said they will do what they need based on need, so one day B70 may head west to Adrian, and others they may go east to Oakwood, while the other start picks up whatever else needs to be done.

[AARR]

On weekends, especially on Sundays, Milan Yard is often full (NS doesn't operate on weekends). So AA will run the NS interchange cars east to the nearest passing siding and set out the block there. Although AA may have proceeded all the way to Oakwood once or twice that is not the normal arrangement for now.

[Ypsi]

B70 generally operates Monday-Saturday. Generally with the new rack agreement, the yard fills up after Sunday or on Monday. That's when we were getting AA operating to Arkona siding. (Which I believe has not happened in a bit). I am not sure if B71 operates 6 days a week.

[Ben Higdon]

I usually see the local on the random occasion I go to Romulus on a Saturday morning.

Is there an eastbound and/or westbound road train pickup for outbound local traffic at Milan?

If the local is regularly taking auto racks to Oakwood, and ADBF interchange traffic is handled by the Milan local, wouldn't that routing negate one of the main reasons for restoring the line from Riga to Sylvania (since ADBF traffic no longer needs to go west before heading east)?

[AARR]

IIRC One of the "selling points" of restoring the line between Riga and Ottawa Lake is it reduces transit time of east and south movements by 1-3 days. I'm not taking sides just passing along what I believe what was written.

If the local is regularly taking auto racks to Oakwood, and ADBF interchange traffic is handled by the Milan local, wouldn't that routing negate one of the main reasons for restoring the line from Riga to Sylvania (since ADBF traffic no longer needs to go west before heading east)?

[Ben Higdon]

IIRC One of the "selling points" of restoring the line between Riga and Ottawa Lake is it reduces transit time of east and south movements by 1-3 days. I'm not taking sides just passing along what I believe what was written.

If the local is regularly taking auto racks to Oakwood, and ADBF interchange traffic is handled by the Milan local, wouldn't that routing negate one of the main reasons for restoring the line from Riga to Sylvania (since ADBF traffic no longer needs to go west before heading east)?

That's what I was referring to. I thought the issue was that ADBF traffic went all the way west to Elkhart before heading east.

[Ypsi]

another update, it does not seem B71 works weekends.

NS was having an autorack train pick up racks at Arkona siding during the winter on nights where B70 or the AA left racks there, but now I believe most of the racks make it all the way to Oakwood. There is no other road train that picks up at Milan, so all cars will end up at Oakwood when going to the NS.

[Waddy]

NS local no longer goes to Adrian from Milan. (Least not regularly...Extra board)

[Ypsi]

NS local no longer goes to Adrian from Milan. (Least not regularly...Extra board)

Is this saying B71 has been eliminated? Where would the ADBF interchange go to

[Ben Higdon]

I saw what appeared to be a local from Milan passing through Romulus eastbound with a handful of auto racks on a Saturday morning about a month ago

[Ypsi]

That would have been B70, they take tacks either to Arkona siding or Oakwood yard for 121 to pick up.

[Waddy]

NS local no longer goes to Adrian from Milan. (Least not regularly...Extra board)

Is this saying B71 has been eliminated? Where would the ADBF interchange go to

Handled by extra board crews. NS decided it no longer needed a regular assignment.

[AARR]

How often does ADBF get switched these days?

NS local no longer goes to Adrian from Milan. (Least not regularly...Extra board)

Is this saying B71 has been eliminated? Where would the ADBF interchange go to

Handled by extra board crews. NS decided it no longer needed a regular assignment.

[Avnx]

I happened to be in Milan this morning, and I noticed a string of loaded intermodal cars in the siding on the north side of the NS main line, west of the diamond. Any ideas as to what they're doing there? Did they come up on the AA and are waiting pickup by an NS road train?

[cfriedri]

I happened to be in Milan this morning, and I noticed a string of loaded intermodal cars in the siding on the north side of the NS main line, west of the diamond. Any ideas as to what they're doing there? Did they come up on the AA and are waiting pickup by an NS road train?

I had heard that the containers were set out to be checked by customs before heading any further west. Came in from Canada by way of the new/rerouted trains CP is running on the Wabash Line.

[Joshua Niederkohr]

I usually see the local on the random occasion I go to Romulus on a Saturday morning.

Is there an eastbound and/or westbound road train pickup for outbound local traffic at Milan?

If the local is regularly taking auto racks to Oakwood, and ADBF interchange traffic is handled by the Milan local, wouldn't that routing negate one of the main reasons for restoring the line from Riga to Sylvania (since ADBF traffic no longer needs to go west before heading east)?

It's actually Riga to Ottawa Lake. Ottawa Lake dead ends at Sterns Road, Riga dead ends at Tagsold Highway.

[NYCMan]

The Milan Local is "fed" from Detroit-Oakwood Yard. It makes as much sense for ADBF traffic to go north to Detroit, just as much sense as it does for ADBF traffic to go west to Fort Wayne, all before the traffic gets to go east. So, the idea of going directly east from Riga to Ottawa Lake to get to Toledo, seems to make a lot more sense. But, what makes sense and what is actually done are often times mutually exclusive.

Kind of like flying a jetliner from Detroit to Seattle via Miami.