Highway construction at Trowbridge

[Dan Cluley]

If you haven't been to East Lansing recently, MDOT has been busy starting the project to reconfigure the northbound exit ramp to Trowbridge Road. At this point you can access Trowbridge from 496 eastbound but not 127 & none of the ramps to the freeways are open.

[MiddleMI]

Thanks for the pics.

I am not sure where the EB signal is, but, yes, I imagine it's work for the US-127 reconstruction. At Trowbridge, they are moving the ramp back, considerably, to offer a smoother turn:

Screenshot 2024-02-07 at 15-18-09 I-496_US-127 Public Meeting Presentation - I496-US127-Public-Mtg-Presentation.pdf.png

Edit: Was just out on this section (though not on Trowbridge), and they've got the heavy construction equipment at some of the interchanges ready to go. They've also expanded the shoulder on the southbound lanes for when they which northbound traffic over to that side of the freeway. The local news just had a story saying work starts on the freeway reconstruction early next month. Anyway, yeah, the new Trowbridge exit is going to cross both the CN and CSX tracks instead of just the latter as the current ramp does.

The new ramp is going to travel over both the CN and CSX tracks, now, which will increase the speed you can access it as the current ramp is a very sudden turn and would not be allowed under or rated for current MDOT/Federal standards.



The northbound US-127 and westbound I-496 Trowbridge ramps are also going to be moved westward to straighten that curve, too, and they also noted rated for the current speed limits allowed through them.

[pudgy]

Good to see this happening. Those bridges and supports were in rough shape.

[CSXBOY]

Wondering if the construction will make CSX and CN crawl through East Lansing with slow orders. I think track speed on both lines is 40 mph. I'm willing to bet money CN and CSX will be moving through at 25 mph or less through the construction zone. Although, thank the lord that it's getting fixed, I've gone to Lansing a few times to visit people, look at trains and those bridges/ramps near the US 127/496 interchange got so bad.

[Saturnalia]

Wondering if the construction will make CSX and CN crawl through East Lansing with slow orders. I think track speed on both lines is 40 mph. I'm willing to bet money CN and CSX will be moving through at 25 mph or less through the construction zone. But thank the lord that is getting fixed, Ive gone to Lansing a few times to visit people and look at trains and those bridges/ramps near the US 127/496 interchange got so bad.

They’re probably running work zones while contractors are actually on site. Depending on the phases and how close men and equipment are, there may or may not be slow speeds given to trains passing by the employee in charge. Pretty typical to give 30s when men are around but not super close to the track.

[Erroneous Monk]

They’re probably running work zones while contractors are actually on site. Depending on the phases and how close men and equipment are, there may or may not be slow speeds given to trains passing by the employee in charge. Pretty typical to give 30s when men are around but not super close to the track.

Do railroads ever send out a representative to monitor work sites? This project in Lansing is probably not a good example but what about on busier/close proximity sites or near high volume lines such as whenever they get to demolishing the Central Warehouse in Buffalo, which is very close to Amtrak's busy corridor route?

https://www.news10.com/news/albany-coun ... ing-issue/

[NSSD70ACe]

They’re probably running work zones while contractors are actually on site. Depending on the phases and how close men and equipment are, there may or may not be slow speeds given to trains passing by the employee in charge. Pretty typical to give 30s when men are around but not super close to the track.

Do railroads ever send out a representative to monitor work sites? This project in Lansing is probably not a good example but what about on busier/close proximity sites or near high volume lines such as whenever they get to demolishing the Central Warehouse in Buffalo, which is very close to Amtrak's busy corridor route?

https://www.news10.com/news/albany-coun ... ing-issue/

Yes. Flagmen usually on my road who are considered the “Employee in Charge” in areas such as this. All movements are required to contact the EIC before entering their limits. Would imagine that most roads have a similar setup.

[CSXBOY]

Wondering if the construction will make CSX and CN crawl through East Lansing with slow orders. I think track speed on both lines is 40 mph. I'm willing to bet money CN and CSX will be moving through at 25 mph or less through the construction zone. But thank the lord that is getting fixed, Ive gone to Lansing a few times to visit people and look at trains and those bridges/ramps near the US 127/496 interchange got so bad.

They’re probably running work zones while contractors are actually on site. Depending on the phases and how close men and equipment are, there may or may not be slow speeds given to trains passing by the employee in charge. Pretty typical to give 30s when men are around but not super close to the track.

Thank you for this information.

[Saturnalia]

Fwiw the requirement for a flagman/EIC typically is triggered if the contractor will have “the potential to foul” the track, which is usually around the 25’ mark from the nearest track for a contractor. So if they’re driving anything, lifting anything or otherwise working within that zone, you’ll see a work zone and flagman/EIC. Cranes can be positioned much further from the track, but if any of their lifts are getting within or near that zone, that’ll trigger it up.

Sometimes contractors will also request and be granted train curfews for major lifts or any need to otherwise foul the track for an extended period. Setting bridge beams over the track would certainly typically qualify, especially if the track will be impassable for more than an hour or two. But this depends on the traffic level of the line for sure. You’re gonna need a curfew to do just about anything like that on the Chicago Line, whereas on the Plymouth Sub you might not even need one. Some railroads are really angsty about granting those windows, others work fairly well with contractors. Sometimes it even varies by region. So, it is always possible during critical phases that train traffic could be delayed for a stretch by simply not calling crews in to run if need be.

[LansingRailFan]

I've seen a CN and a CSX pickup truck parked at or near the diamond the few times I've driven by it since they've started working down there. I assumed it was company flag peeps.

Isn't that a biddable job for T/E or is it a MOW gig?

[pudgy]

I've seen a CN and a CSX pickup truck parked at or near the diamond the few times I've driven by it since they've started working down there. I assumed it was company flag peeps.

Isn't that a biddable job for T/E or is it a MOW gig?

For CSX, used to be covered by T&E, usually conductors. Has since become a track dept job.

[~Z~]

For CSX, used to be covered by T&E, usually conductors. Has since become a track dept job.

I remember visiting with a CSX conductor quite some time ago. He was stationed as the flagman for a bridge project over CSX in Grand Rapids. NS used to stage a conductor I knew back when 44th St was getting reworked. Seemed like a good job to get
http://railroadfan.com/gallery/displayimage-201.html

[pudgy]

For CSX, used to be covered by T&E, usually conductors. Has since become a track dept job.

I remember visiting with a CSX conductor quite some time ago. He was stationed as the flagman for a bridge project over CSX in Grand Rapids. NS used to stage a conductor I knew back when 44th St was getting reworked. Seemed like a good job to get
http://railroadfan.com/gallery/displayimage-201.html

Some of the best jobs I heard. If you had to drive a ways, claimed mileage too.

[SD80MAC]

They were awesome jobs. No trains coming? Cool, I’m running home.

[Buster Manning]

Hasn't been any speed restrictions on the CN yet....the flagman has been making sure that the work stops before a train comes thru before giving the train permission thru the work zone....helps with the train velocity (some class 1's measure that in their statistics)

[Dan Cluley]

Caught 149 passing through the carnage on Monday Morning.

They were moving quite slowly approaching the diamond and then picked up speed once the head end was through the construction area. On the other hand they had just made a meet with an eastbound, and the JAIL had just gone north at Cedar, so the speed may have been signal related rather than the construction zone.