Schoolcraft Michigan trains.

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matt76
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Schoolcraft Michigan trains.

Unread post by matt76 »

I'm going to railfan this area in a week and was wondering if either line here is very busy. I'd imagine the Grand Elk isn't but I would hope CN is. Thanks for any info.

PatAzo
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Re: Schoolcraft Michigan trains.

Unread post by PatAzo »

It depends on how you define busy. CN maybe 15-20 trains in a day. Can't say that I've ever made a count. I have decent luck in the morning and in the evening with a handful of trains.. Grand Elk you'd see the road train to Elkhart (302) followed by the local (501) in the morning.. They are hit and miss returning. Maybe late afternoon and maybe middle of the night.
Last edited by PatAzo on Mon Jan 29, 2018 9:54 am, edited 1 time in total.

NSSD70ACe
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Re: Schoolcraft Michigan trains.

Unread post by NSSD70ACe »

I’ve been down there a few times, and it can be hit or miss depending on when you go. As Pat said, mornings and evenings are your best choices.

If you have a scanner, bring it with you. There is a detector on the west side of Schoolcraft that should give you a decent heads-up for any eastbounds.

Good hunting.
:roll:

the contents of the above post are my opinion and mine alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.

PatAzo
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Re: Schoolcraft Michigan trains.

Unread post by PatAzo »

There are detectors around MP146 and MP155 (Schoolcraft is roughly MP147). Neither broadcasts with much power. In Schoolcraft I get MP146 but not 155. East of Schoolcraft I get MP155 but rarely 146. Tom Bowers had a ATCS monitor feed based in Marcellus but I haven't seen any data from it in quite a while.

Morning and evening CN will often have 2-3 trains in a row.

The Elk crosses on a flange bearing diamond with a 10MPH limit. So they are easy to catch if they sneak up on you.

At the end of S Cedar St. you can park and see both east and west. The guy who lives at the end of S Cedar got tired of trash and people in his yard so stay on the public right of way but leave room for the fuel dealers trucks to get in and out. A nice spot to wait on the CN is east of Schoolcraft on S 18th St.

NSSD70ACe
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Re: Schoolcraft Michigan trains.

Unread post by NSSD70ACe »

PatAzo wrote:There are detectors around MP146 and MP155 (Schoolcraft is roughly MP147). Neither broadcasts with much power. In Schoolcraft I get MP146 but not 155. East of Schoolcraft I get MP155 but rarely 146. Tom Bowers had a ATCS monitor feed based in Marcellus but I haven't seen any data from it in quite a while.
Yeah, 146 is what I was referring to. In order to pick up 155, you need to be out closer to Pavilion. S Ave. is a decent spot, good views, the yard is right there, and 155 transmits decently.

I was never able to find any ATCS stuff for the South Bend Sub. I know that the custodian for the Flint Sub is trying to set up a feed in BC but it's a long ways off.
:roll:

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GTW
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Re: Schoolcraft Michigan trains.

Unread post by GTW »

The ATCS file you are looking for in the Schoolcraft area is CNElsdon/South Bend sub. The latest version covers most of the South Bend Sub. with a few areas that are spotty. HBD's are 142.9 and 155.6 in the Schoolcraft area. Marcellus has been updated with LED signals and are lit all the time. Major PTC work this summer on the South Bend Sub. along with tie replacement on the Penn to Schoolcraft section.Upgrades to Schoolcraft,Stillwell,Valpo and Sedley too. Hope this helps.

NSSD70ACe
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Re: Schoolcraft Michigan trains.

Unread post by NSSD70ACe »

GTW wrote:The ATCS file you are looking for in the Schoolcraft area is CNElsdon/South Bend sub. The latest version covers most of the South Bend Sub. with a few areas that are spotty. HBD's are 142.9 and 155.6 in the Schoolcraft area. Marcellus has been updated with LED signals and are lit all the time. Major PTC work this summer on the South Bend Sub. along with tie replacement on the Penn to Schoolcraft section.Upgrades to Schoolcraft,Stillwell,Valpo and Sedley too. Hope this helps.
Thanks for the filename. I installed it and starting running the program and noticed that all is quiet. I'm not receiving data from any CPs. Have the providers backed out, or would it be something on my end?
:roll:

the contents of the above post are my opinion and mine alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.

PatAzo
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Re: Schoolcraft Michigan trains.

Unread post by PatAzo »

NSSD70ACe wrote:
GTW wrote:The ATCS file you are looking for in the Schoolcraft area is CNElsdon/South Bend sub. The latest version covers most of the South Bend Sub. with a few areas that are spotty. HBD's are 142.9 and 155.6 in the Schoolcraft area. Marcellus has been updated with LED signals and are lit all the time. Major PTC work this summer on the South Bend Sub. along with tie replacement on the Penn to Schoolcraft section.Upgrades to Schoolcraft,Stillwell,Valpo and Sedley too. Hope this helps.
Thanks for the filename. I installed it and starting running the program and noticed that all is quiet. I'm not receiving data from any CPs. Have the providers backed out, or would it be something on my end?
I'd guess your end. Tom Bowers feed between Penn and Schoolcraft went quiet but I still get Griffith on the CN and other places.

GP30M4216
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Re: Schoolcraft Michigan trains.

Unread post by GP30M4216 »

It's been a while since I've spent any real time waiting for trains in Schoolcraft, but I used to do it two-three times a year when I was living in Kzoo and going to Western (almost 10 years ago, wow). I found that the diamond area was very cluttered for photos and at that time it wasn't exactly clear where was public property and where was not, so I would generally hang out a couple miles east of town on the CN, usually at 18th Street, sometimes 16th. If the idea of the pancake-flat landscape with not many a tree in sight appeals to you (Illinois, anyone?), then this is a great spot - they don't call it the Prairie Ronde for nothin'! Search for Schoolcraft on the photo gallery section of this site to see a variety of angles.

Image

Since the CN main goes from doubletrack to single at Schoolcraft, at least at that time, CN would often "fleet" trains through, often with 2-3 in the same direction passing by in a fairly short period of time. Also, being on the double-track but near the single track segment meant this was often the location of meets, often rolling so no one crossing would be blocked forever. I recall a few different occasions of lengthy CN trains where the power would pass right in front of me at 18th Street. At that time, there was a decent variety of power on the head of CN trains. No ATCS to follow back then, I would usually just bring a good book and leave the window cracked open. The Vicksburg area and further east at Pavilion also present some good photo opportunities, but you are farther away from the GDLK here.

The low-speed OWLS diamond was installed after I left Kalamazoo but from talking with others in the area, with some of GDLK's monster trains, it's not hard to get ahead of them via 131 or backroads. Southbounds will be common in the daylight, northbounds may be.

PatAzo
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Re: Schoolcraft Michigan trains.

Unread post by PatAzo »

PatAzo wrote: Tom Bowers feed between Penn and Schoolcraft went quiet but I still get Griffith on the CN and other places.
There was a new file posted for the Southbend sub. Marcellus is back and I've got almost everything to Griffith.

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