CSX on the west side of Michigan

[David Collins]

I’m probably going to be making several trips down to the CSX in like the Grand Rapids area throughout the years while I’m at Ferris State, I’m willing to go as far south as Saugatuck.

I’ve railfanned the GR Subdivision twice, both of which I got super lucky and managed to catch trains by either dumb luck or watching the forums on this very website


Does anyone have any interesting photo/video locations between Saugatuck and GR that I should give a go? I also have a drone if that’s relevant, so I feel like that may expand my options.

[chapmaja]

If you like yard action, the east end of Wyoming Yard is as good as CSX gets in West Michigan (not saying all that much anymore).

[Jim_c]

Don't write off the MQT. They have decent size trains. There are a bunch of places you can get shots, and its a lot closer than Saugatuck. Think about running up to Manistee and getting some shots of the MQT crossing the drawbridge before they reroute the track and most likely decommission (or remove) the drawbridge.

[Talk]

I’m probably going to be making several trips down to the CSX in like the Grand Rapids area throughout the years while I’m at Ferris State, I’m willing to go as far south as Saugatuck.

I’ve railfanned the GR Subdivision twice, both of which I got super lucky and managed to catch trains by either dumb luck or watching the forums on this very website


Does anyone have any interesting photo/video locations between Saugatuck and GR that I should give a go? I also have a drone if that’s relevant, so I feel like that may expand my options.

Not My Best Photos but they help you understand the spots

West End Saugatuck (Peak of Saugatuck Hill) facing south
Cresting The Ruling Grade by Charlie Ohlendorf, on Flickr

West End Saugatuck facing north
A True Land-Barge by Charlie Ohlendorf, on Flickr

East End Saugatuck
You'd Swear We Weren't In West Michigan by Charlie Ohlendorf, on Flickr

West End Waverly Yard (From the holland energy park bike path)
Pulling Out Of Waverly by Charlie Ohlendorf, on Flickr

West End Waverly Yard (From Windmill Island)
Clinchfield by Charlie Ohlendorf, on Flickr

East End Waverly Yard (facing west)
Waverly Yard by Charlie Ohlendorf, on Flickr

East End Waverly Yard (facing east)
Consolidated in the Past by Charlie Ohlendorf, on Flickr

Between Holland & Zeeland
Past a Family Farm by Charlie Ohlendorf, on Flickr

Grandville, MI
2 Unicorns in Downtown Grandville by Charlie Ohlendorf, on Flickr

Grand Rapids, MI (Fuller Junction)
Fuller Junction by Charlie Ohlendorf, on Flickr

Grand Rapids, MI (Wyoming West)
Troubled Start by Charlie Ohlendorf, on Flickr

Grand Rapids, MI (Judd Ave facing west)
Wyoming Yard Operations by Charlie Ohlendorf, on Flickr

Grand Rapids, MI (Judd Ave facing east)
Sisters Are Annoying by Charlie Ohlendorf, on Flickr

[Talk]

are you interested in going north from holland towards West Olive? How about East of GR?

[Andy24]

I’m probably going to be making several trips down to the CSX in like the Grand Rapids area throughout the years while I’m at Ferris State, I’m willing to go as far south as Saugatuck.

I’ve railfanned the GR Subdivision twice, both of which I got super lucky and managed to catch trains by either dumb luck or watching the forums on this very website

Does anyone have any interesting photo/video locations between Saugatuck and GR that I should give a go? I also have a drone if that’s relevant, so I feel like that may expand my options.

I will post some locations that I have been at:

Grand Rapids Sub mp 0.0 to mp 33.3
- Ivanrest if you want to see M327/Amtrak departing very early in the morning hours
- Grandville by the water tower (Ottawa Ave and Chicago Ave)
- Grandville (underneath 28th St) (curve action
- Jenison (Main St in the dead-end circle) (curve action)
- Hudsonville (straight double tracks)
- Port Sheldon St/Chicago Drive by the twin lakes
- Holland Depot (varies by train)

Grand Rapids Terminal Area (Amtrak Station area)
- By the US 131 overpass, a curve near Amtrak Station in GR
- Godfrey (signals/switching/trains coming n going)
- Freeman Ave (far east side of the yard/drone action possible)
- Judd St (possible drone action if permitted)

ATARP out, the majority of my videos are in those locations too

[David Collins]

are you interested in going north from holland towards West Olive? How about East of GR?

I’m coming from the north (Big Rapids), and I’d be willing to try east of GR but not too far.

[Talk]

are you interested in going north from holland towards West Olive? How about East of GR?

I’m coming from the north (Big Rapids), and I’d be willing to try east of GR but not too far.

East of GR you have the thornapple river bridge also

[Rick Burn]

Yard job in Holland going out to Heinz Foods has great shots in Kollen Park. Michigan Shore is easy to pace along US 31. Do not forget the 2 pm to 9 pm slide and photo show in Durand Michigan at the Police Station. Good chance to meet other railfans.

[GP30M4216]

First of all, congratulations on heading off to Ferris. You’ll be living near the shadow of the old PRR and Michigan Northern and while there are no longer any active rail lines in that immediate area, you are centrally located for several choices. I hope you’ll have a free weekday in your schedule!

Weekday mornings at Judd Street and east of there at Godfrey between about 9am and noon are busy and see a variety of trains at Wyoming Yard. Two interchange jobs come to Wyoming, Z439 (Grand Elk) and Z151 (Marquette). Both will come in, drop their inbounds, pick up their outbound, and return to home rails. Also in the mix weekday mornings on this stretch are Y197 which switches local industries around Judd on the Service Track and on the nearby City Market spur, and Y106, which is the Grand Rapids east local that switches at Godfrey (Beacon Recycling) before heading east to Alto. Finally, L303, the road train from GR to Detroit, usually fires up in the late morning, builds their train and then heads east around lunchtime. During this period L301 also departs west from the west end of the yard for Holland and beyond, so if the east end of the yard is slow you can always head over that way.

You can stick around and watch all of these, or pick one and chase them as they depart Wyoming. I like Jim C’s suggestion about the Marquette. They are a pretty reliable weekday (and sometimes Sundays) operation. Lots of variety in their consists and lots of great scenery as they head from metro GR through the fruit orchards up into the north woods. Almost straight west from Big Rapids there are great bridge shots at Newaygo and White Cloud and numerous other scenic locations to the south and west of Baldwin. Marquette trains swap blocks at Baldwin. You can’t really get to the yard west of town but you can watch their northbound come up from GR and then head back south a little bit later. The former PM depot and coal tower at Baldwin are great photo props. To the west further there’s good scenery along Wingleton Road and then both toward Ludington and around Manistee, including more bridge shots around Manistee Lake. I don’t think any regular MQT jobs operate at Ludington or Manistee on the weekends.

You’ll also be not that far from Cadillac and the north end operations of the GLC. There’s a small yard in Cadillac where the north end crews are based. A night train runs from Cadillac to Clare and back, but the Cadillac day job switches the yard there and then goes north either toward Kalkaska and Petoskey or hooks a left turn at Walton Junction Wye and heads for metro Traverse City. Others on this forum can share more details about these operations.

You mentioned going as far as Saugatuck. Holland is a reasonable center for railroad activity which is just 15 short minutes from Saugatuck Hill. Holland has a weekday csx local (Y121) that switches all the local industries and Waverly Yard. You’ll also see the Amtrak Pere Marquette, a pair of csx road freights (M326/327), Grand Rapids west local train L301 passing through heading for SW Michigan, BNSF coal trains and empties heading for the Fremont Sub, and the Michigan Shore interchange job coming down from Muskegon to Waverly Yard and back again. It’s a reasonable amount of activity, but there is no one single spot in town that every single train passes, so you need to be a little mobile. But, lots of variety and some good scenery to be had.

Good luck and be sure to let us know what you see!

[J T]

If you're going to go to East Saugatuck, continue on down to New Richmond just a few miles south. It's the most scenic area on the line. Lots of good photo ops at the bridge, and at least 3-4 crossings in the area, especially with a drone.

[Muskegonrailfan89]

If you living in Big Rapids you should check out the Marquette RR in Baldwin that line runs from GR north to Manistee and serves some 19 industries along the way...

[J T]

If you living in Big Rapids you should check out the Marquette RR in Baldwin that line runs from GR north to Manistee and serves some 19 industries along the way...

Agreed, since he's only about 20 miles or so from MQT where the tracks run along M-37.

4 miles south of Brohman, just south of 5 Mile Rd.:

MQT3390-9984 by Jim Thias, on Flickr

[Chip]

If you living in Big Rapids you should check out the Marquette RR in Baldwin that line runs from GR north to Manistee and serves some 19 industries along the way...

Agreed, since he's only about 20 miles or so from MQT where the tracks run along M-37.

4 miles south of Brohman, just south of 5 Mile Rd.:

MQT3390-9984 by Jim Thias, on Flickr

My cousin has a place near there we hunt on. I’ve been dying to see a train roll through there for years but they rarely run that way on weekends during hunting season apparently

[GP30M4216]

Our family’s lake cottage is about 20 minutes north of this roller coaster and this is the only time in over 30 years I’ve seen a train right there.

These shots taken 10 years and 1 month ago today, actually. I like the color in JT’s shots better!

[J T]

Our family’s lake cottage is about 20 minutes north of this roller coaster and this is the only time in over 30 years I’ve seen a train right there.

These shots taken 10 years and 1 month ago today, actually. I like the color in JT’s shots better!

Nice! I have more.

[J T]

Also one in heavy snow.

[MQT1223]

Keep an eye on the CSX and Shortline Updates... those are mostly out this way.

[CSXT8390]

All of the locations posted are good ones.

But just a quick FYI - we (train crews) have been told multiple times to report drones flying near the tracks. They are a security concern, so I wouldn't fly close enough for us to see them. Some crews care more than others, but the chance of getting reported is there. Also - NEVER fly a drone into or above any of the CSX yards, especially Ensel yard in Lansing, or anywhere near Consumers Energy in West Olive. You will 100% get reported in those areas to CSX Police and/or local authorities as those are listed as FAA No Fly Zones. The only drones authorized to fly on CSX property are the drones used by management to monitor crews and trains and even they can't fly at Lansing or Consumers because of federal restricted air space laws.

[chapmaja]

All of the locations posted are good ones.

But just a quick FYI - we (train crews) have been told multiple times to report drones flying near the tracks. They are a security concern, so I wouldn't fly close enough for us to see them. Some crews care more than others, but the chance of getting reported is there. Also - NEVER fly a drone into or above any of the CSX yards, especially Ensel yard in Lansing, or anywhere near Consumers Energy in West Olive. You will 100% get reported in those areas to CSX Police and/or local authorities as those are listed as FAA No Fly Zones. The only drones authorized to fly on CSX property are the drones used by management to monitor crews and trains and even they can't fly at Lansing or Consumers because of federal restricted air space laws.

Just wondering, but I think I know the answers.

Why is Ensel considered a now fly zone. My guess is proximity to the airport in Lansing. For West Olive I would guess it is considered as "critical infrastructure". Am I correct?