Railfanning Monroe

[carrman]

Folks, I'm heading to Michigan from Oregon Friday, and wanted to do some railfanning after my reunion. I'm familiar with the CSX line from Toledo as I grew up with it in my back yard, but I was wondering what train frequency is like on the former DT&SL, as I'd like to see some CN stuff for once. Also, how much goes through on the former DT&I at Diann, and how often does the Annie go through?

[Ben Higdon]

Do you live in Portland? I was there four years, great place for rail action!

[Fred]

I railfanned Oregon the last 2 years while visiting my son in Albany - he was a grad student at OSU The Columbia River Gorge area great, did some shortlines too. Great state to railfan
Now on the former D&TSL the CN "normally" operates 2 NB frts (#383 & #391) & 2 SB frts (#382 & # 506) daily. The line also sees some unit coal trains for 2 Detroit Edison plants.
The former NYC-PC-CR mains run right thru Monroe and on an average day runs about 10 trains each way. Tracks are split - the SB #1 track runs right along Kentucky Ave is close to being "street running" while the NB #2 track lies close to the ex Shoreline mains.
Diann sees 2 daily CN frts operating from Flat Rock to the NS in Bellvue. Common that train could have either NS or CN power.
The Indiana & Ohio shows up maybe twice a week running Delta, Ohio to Flat Rock and turn back shortly after its arrival.
The Ann Arbor operates 1 train from Toledo To the Ann Arbor area probably 5 days a week - usually late afternoon north and returning before sun up. It is fairly common the see a unit grain train on the AA on either sat or sun.
You will see a lot more trains in Monroe than you will at Diann ( serious trespassing involved to get down to the diamond)
Hope you have a good day !

[atrainguy60]

Now on the former D&TSL the CN "normally" operates 2 NB frts (#383 & #391) & 2 SB frts (#382 & # 506) daily.

Does 502 no longer go to Toledo?

[blueheron13]

Now on the former D&TSL the CN "normally" operates 2 NB frts (#383 & #391) & 2 SB frts (#382 & # 506) daily.

Does 502 no longer go to Toledo?

I'm curious about this also. From what I've read here during the past year or so, I thought that 502 is the train goes south to Toledo most days and that 506 is a local that, if it still exists, runs between Toledo and Flat Rock on the Shoreline Sub.

Also, I've read somewhere on here that the local that runs from Flat Rock to Toledo and back again via Diann and the Ann Arbor is now called L585.

[atrainguy60]

Now on the former D&TSL the CN "normally" operates 2 NB frts (#383 & #391) & 2 SB frts (#382 & # 506) daily.

Does 502 no longer go to Toledo?

I'm curious about this also. From what I've read here during the past year or so, I thought that 502 is the train goes south to Toledo most days and that 506 is a local that, if it still exists, runs between Toledo and Flat Rock on the Shoreline Sub.

Also, I've read somewhere on here that the local that runs from Flat Rock to Toledo and back again via Diann and the Ann Arbor is now called L585.

Yep, 502 is (was?) a Battle Creek to Toledo train. It's still running based off of me still hearing a southbound going through Linden late afternoon and going by the updates lately, I'm just wondering if it's going to Flat Rock now instead.

[hoborich]

Move up to Trenton or Wyandotte, and catch a few more CN trains in and out of Flat Rock on the Shoreline, to and from the north.

[ConrailDetr​oit]

I railfanned Oregon the last 2 years while visiting my son in Albany - he was a grad student at OSU The Columbia River Gorge area great, did some shortlines too. Great state to railfan
Now on the former D&TSL the CN "normally" operates 2 NB frts (#383 & #391) & 2 SB frts (#382 & # 506) daily. The line also sees some unit coal trains for 2 Detroit Edison plants.
The former NYC-PC-CR mains run right thru Monroe and on an average day runs about 10 trains each way. Tracks are split - the SB #1 track runs right along Kentucky Ave is close to being "street running" while the NB #2 track lies close to the ex Shoreline mains.
Diann sees 2 daily CN frts operating from Flat Rock to the NS in Bellvue. Common that train could have either NS or CN power.
The Indiana & Ohio shows up maybe twice a week running Delta, Ohio to Flat Rock and turn back shortly after its arrival.
The Ann Arbor operates 1 train from Toledo To the Ann Arbor area probably 5 days a week - usually late afternoon north and returning before sun up. It is fairly common the see a unit grain train on the AA on either sat or sun.
You will see a lot more trains in Monroe than you will at Diann ( serious trespassing involved to get down to the diamond)
Hope you have a good day !

The Coal Trains are now all NS.

506 has not ran in a while unless something recently changed.

The I&O runs to Flatrock on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

NS has a local, B20 that works out of Monroe with a Caboose.

CN trains are 382, 383, 391 and 502.

Sometimes a 901 (Toledo Lang Yard job) will run north to Monroe to switch industry.

[AARR]

Sometimes a 901 (Toledo Lang Yard job) will run north to Monroe to switch industry.

Would you happen to know who are CN's Monroe customers?

[jimnorthwood]

I wouldn't post this separately because it isn't especially noteworthy, but because there is an active Monroe thread I thought I would add that there has been a string of autoracks sitting on the former Ford spur that passes under I-75 for a couple of weeks. Earlier this year there were some gondolas there.

[ConrailDetr​oit]

All of the customers would be on the Power Plant Spur. The Thomson McCully Asphalt transload is switched by NS and CN within the Port of Monroe.

Gerdau Steel and the Wind Turbine unloading may be CN also if not NS

Currently, CN has a cut of autoracks stored on the old Ford Plant lead

[penn central]

Years ago in 2004 and in 2007 i spent two nights in my car railfanning Monroe. Between all three railroads those two nights where pretty active. Got lucky and got pictures of a loaded NS coal train going into the power plant from public property.

[AARR]

I didn't know the asphalt or steel plant shipped by rail. I haven't seen a car at either place in years. I must just be unlucky when I drive by

All of the customers would be on the Power Plant Spur. The Thomson McCully Asphalt transload is switched by NS and CN within the Port of Monroe.

Gerdau Steel and the Wind Turbine unloading may be CN also if not NS

Currently, CN has a cut of autoracks stored on the old Ford Plant lead

[blueheron13]

Besides coal trains and the local, what other NS trains run on the Detroit Line?

[ConrailDetr​oit]

NB

332
288
Empty Autorack trains for Conrail, Oakwood or Wayne. At least one per day for Conrail.
38E
20N

SB

14T
331
39E
31M
21N


Coke 420/421 for Zug Island and 414/415 for Severstal and Coal for Monroe, Trenton, and Rouge. There is at least one or two of these per day. Grain runs as needed. Steel trains for Wayne twice a week at least.

[blueheron13]

Wow, had no idea the Detroit Line was so heavily used!

[AARR]

That's about half of what it was in the CR days

Wow, had no idea the Detroit Line was so heavily used!

[hoborich]

17J out of Sterling is gone. 69T, the steel train out of River Rouge is gone.

[jggilmore7]

[quote="AARR"]That's about half of what it was in the CR days

Uh, no. For decades during CR, the Detroit Line saw about 20 trains a day, usually 12-16 manifests (depending on the economy) and the rest unit trains of various types.

So, if they're only running 10 trains a day now then what you say is true. But it isn't true because they run more than 10 trains a day. In fact, when NS first took over the Detroit Line they ran more than CR did, but now it's roughly about the same.

JG

[AARR]

My excuse is I was an English major who failed Math

That's about half of what it was in the CR days

Uh, no. For decades during CR, the Detroit Line saw about 20 trains a day, usually 12-16 manifests (depending on the economy) and the rest unit trains of various types.

So, if they're only running 10 trains a day now then what you say is true. But it isn't true because they run more than 10 trains a day. In fact, when NS first took over the Detroit Line they ran more than CR did, but now it's roughly about the same.

JG