Alexis, Oh traffic question

[chapmaja]

I know this is the Michigan board, but the question pertains to traffic coming through Alexis to Michigan, which is why I posted it here.

At Alexis there is a wye track that runs from the northern NS track around the west side of the diamond and connects to the AA track. How often does this track still get use? I don't think NS still runs trains over the AA from Milan do they?

Would this be used by a CN train? Doesn't CN run a train from Flat Rock to Toledo or Bellevue via the AA on a daily basis?

Also, it appears that there are a set of crossovers from the AA to the CSX tracks at this location. How often do trains use these crossovers? The CSX line appears to be a single track and the crossover from the AA to CSX is actually the beginning of the double track CSX line into Michigan. Other than if interchanging cars between CSX and the AA, is there any other reason that this would be in place between the railroads at this location?

[trainjunkie47]

It gets used daily by the 384/385 freights. NS also sometimes interchanges cuts of auto racks for the Jeep plant on that connector. I've seen the NS stop just south and cut off twice in the last couple of months. Once AA pulled it through the interchange and backed it all the way to Ottawa Yard. The second time they shoved it around the connection, then pulled it into Ottawa Yard.

[chapmaja]

It gets used daily by the 384/385 freights. NS also sometimes interchanges cuts of auto racks for the Jeep plant on that connector. I've seen the NS stop just south and cut off twice in the last couple of months. Once AA pulled it through the interchange and backed it all the way to Ottawa Yard. The second time they shoved it around the connection, then pulled it into Ottawa Yard.

Which trains are 384/385? Are these the CN trains from Flat Rock to Toledo and onto Bellevue?

I'm a little surprised NS would use this connector as the interchange between them and the AA for autoracks. I would have through they would have simply run the cars over the TT line to Ottawa Yard, or done a "live" interchange with the AA on the TT line. I wonder if the capacity constraints with Ottawa Yard have anything to do with this.

Every time I see Ottawa Yard and the surrounding areas it seems PACKED. Does the AA have a size constraint issue which makes it difficult for them to actually interchange in Ottawa Yard?

[trainjunkie47]

Which trains are 384/385? Are these the CN trains from Flat Rock to Toledo and onto Bellevue?

I'm a little surprised NS would use this connector as the interchange between them and the AA for autoracks. I would have through they would have simply run the cars over the TT line to Ottawa Yard, or done a "live" interchange with the AA on the TT line. I wonder if the capacity constraints with Ottawa Yard have anything to do with this.

Every time I see Ottawa Yard and the surrounding areas it seems PACKED. Does the AA have a size constraint issue which makes it difficult for them to actually interchange in Ottawa Yard?

384/385 are the CN trains handed off to NS to/from Bellevue.

I can imagine several reasons for the the use of that particular connector, as opposed to the TT line. First off, a long string would not fit without blocking Stickney Avenue. About the most you can get is a half of a mile of cars, or maybe 30, give or take a couple. Lavoy Road, running east/west in Michigan has sat blocked for a half hour or more many times before. Not sure if the authorities care, as they would in an industrial area of Toledo? With the bridge over the AA on Telegraph Road, the AA has over a mile and a half, almost two miles, between the control point at Detroit Avenue, and the Crabb Road crossing.