I spent about 6 hours in the Elkhart area today, watching trains from about 8:15AM to 2:15PM. The Chicago Line did not disappoint, either. I would guess nearly 25-30 trains went through during that time. I spent most of my day at the Amtrak Depot in town, and also ventured east (southeast) to Goshen and west to the Yard. I didn't take down the most detailed notes, but here are some highlights I remember.
As I entered town, I spotted E&W GP whatever it is #911 idling away with a boxcar near the Jackson Ave, crossing. A neat feature was the operating "gumball" rotating roof beacon, which was sort of neat. Upon my arrival at the depot at 8:15, I found a eastbound CP Rail intermodal train waiting in front of the station. A CEFX AC engine (I remember 1048 but it may have been 1018) and CP AC4400 led the way. Inside, I was delighted to find nearly a dozen or so passengers waiting for westbound Amtraks 29 (Capitol Limited) and 49 (Lake Shore Limited), both running behind schedule. The depot looks pretty good on the inside. The schedule racks were filled with timetables, and the bulletin boards were covered with much Amtrak information. A table has even been set up with visitor information and brocheurs, and Amtrak national timetables, Amtrak America booklets, and Amtrak Chicago information is also available here. Great job to the NYC Museum volunteers and others who keep the place looking so good. Elkhart has seen a nice rise in ridership over the past few years (6,062 in 2003 to 7,378 in 2004 to 11,265 in 2005), which can be partially attributed I'm sure to the better care and information provided here over these past couple years. Later in the day, a WSBT-TV22 truck pulled up and a cameraman shot about 15 seconds worth of footage. I went to their website this afternoon and found this video news link about a possible refit of the depot, which is very interesting: http://www.wsbt.com/news/local/2231221.html . Certainly good news!
After my arrival, about 4 NS trains went past with the usual armament of D9-40CW lashups for power (though one train did have a new SD70M-2 as the second unit in consist), and the CP train took off eastbound. As another NS freight came by the depot going west into the yard, Amtrak 29, the Capitol Limited shows up at 8:57:
Genesis 64 and 85, Baggage 1160 in phase III, 7 Superliners (3 Sleepers, Diner, Sighteer Lounge, 2 coaches) and an ExpressTrak Reefer. The entire crowd in the depot got on the train for Chicago, and a few people got off.
After another 2 or so NS trains, Amtrak 49, the Lake Shore Limited, showed up at 9:33:
Genesis 203 and another, baggage 1267(?), 2 Viewliners, Diner 8527, Amlounge New York Club, three coaches, and 2 ExpressTrak cars on the rear. A few people got off this train at Elkhart. Is this train no longer running with a Heritage Crew Dorm car? Last couple times I've seen it I don't remember one now. Guess we're stuck with a train that's one car shorter....
After the passage of another CP Rail train, (westbound, with a CP AC unit, CEFX AC4400, and Soo Line SD60M 6062 in Candy Apple Red), I drove south toward Goshen. The first train I met was a WB intermodal with a Conrail SD50 and NS Dash-9 leading the way. I caught a lengthy northbound freight coming off the Marion Secondary, with BNSF ES44DC #7751 in Swoosh livery leading an NS D9-40CW, NS Dash8-40C, former LMS Widecab, and a NS GP38-2. As they were creeping along through Goshen, they were overtaken by a short westbound mixed freight with a NS "ghost" leader, another NS unit, a Union Pacific SD40-2, another NS engine, and another BNSF Swoosh. I chased this train all the was back to Elkhart to get good roster photos of the UP and BNSF engines, and in the process passed an eastbound train with two NS engines splitting a KCS GE (wish I could have had photos of this, it was nice and clean).
Having gotten my photos back in downtown Elkhart, I then went west to see what was at the yard. At the east end, the Goshen local with an NS GP38-2, Conrail Bay Window caboose #21283, and 5 covered hoppers was preparing to go east. A lone BNSF C44-9W in Heritage II was with a lengthy eastbound intermodal at the fuel rack. At the west end, another pair of BNSF C44-9Ws had a westboudn train ready to go. Far back toward the west end was Conrail GP15-1 #1447 still in CR Operation Lifeaver paint, and CR 3408, an SD40-2 yard switcher. A number of the usual bad order and MofW cars were stored at the far west end. As I headed back for the depot, a westbound container train led by a pair of NS engines rolled west, not stopping at the yard.
Back at the depot, I was greeted by the sun (for a while) and a westbound GECX empty coal train, led by a BNSF SD70MAC and C44-9W, both in Heritage II colors. From the west, an eastbound mixed freight approached from the yard. After waiting for the previously mentioned coal train to go west on Main #1, this train got a clear signal and proceeded east... onto the Kalamazoo Secondary - it was 36-E for Grand Rapids. Leading the small 24 car mixed freight was Wisconsin Central SD45 #6605, and NS GP15-1 #1407. Nice to see some variety other than new GEs! Their time of passing the depot was 12:15.
I went to grab some lunch and ended up back at the depot around 1PM. As I arrived, what should finally come past the depot into the yard but the short mixed freight from Goshen, with the Swoosh BNSF leader and four other engines? As they came through (then stopped blocking crossings in town, then started again oh-so-slow), a short mixed freight came from the yard, and also crossed onto the Kalamazoo Secondary. This was local B-17, with 16 cars for Bristol, White Pigeon, and Three Rivers. Not sure if there were any cars for Schoolcraft. A brief while of dead time passed... and then a light to the west. A CP Rail empty rack train was coming east on Main #1. While I chatted with a couple other railfans at the depot, they came nearly right in front of us to a stop. After 15 minutes, a van arrived, and there was a crew change. Power was a single CP Rail GEVO, #8701, with exceptionally clean paint and snowplow, and a nice sounding horn. I'm not sure which train this is... or would have been on CSX. X747 was rachs westbound, but this was an eastbound train. Right as the last car was coming by the depot, a mixed freight on Main #2 was catching up, with an NS GEVO (7561?) Ghost on the front and two other NS engines. By then, it was 2 Oclock, and time for me to head back to Kalamazoo.
Overall, it was a great day with a nice variety from the usual NS Dash-9s. The other railfans I spoke too had earlier spoken to a CP Rail crew, who confirmed no one was happy with the NS routing and significant delays. The depot is looking great, and as I did more research on the depot grant, I turned up this article from today's Elkhart Truth: http://www.etruth.com/News/Content.aspx?ID=366138&page=
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