Kalamazoo this morning (3/31/06)

Give us a run down of what you saw, post pictures if you'd like...any info is welcome.
GP30M4216
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Kalamazoo this morning (3/31/06)

Unread post by GP30M4216 »

Kalamazoo really put on a show this morning, with four trains passing through BO interlocking in less than a half hour. The city can still be a busy place (even during the day!) if you catch it at the right time. Lately, manifest freights 36E and 39J have been running during the daylight morning, and that was exactly what happened today.

To begin with, around 9:15AM, 39J informed BO tower that they had completed their pickup and air test at Botsford Yard and were ready to head south for Elkhart. The towerman replied that they had just cleared 36E for Grand Rapids at CP-Park (Three Rivers), so 39J would be waiting a while for them to come through town. 39J waited just east of the Harris Crossover for another hour while 36E steadly made their way north. At last, their approaching horn could be heard, and I caught them at BO at 10:10AM.

GMTX GP38-3 2616
NS SD40 1627 High Hood (ex N&W)
38 Cars

At least half of these cars were 86' auto parts boxcars. Mixed in were 3 MMRR covered hoppers and a variety of gondolas, tankcars, and other boxcars. The leading locomotive looks just like Marquette Rail 2635. It was interesting to note that just as the locomotives were hitting the diamonds of the MC line, the tail end of this train was clearing Gibson Switch, as the BO operator was down there to set it back for 39J.

After returning to the Tower, 39J was issued their Form D from the Kankakee Dispatcher to go south on the Kalamazoo Secondary and the towerman gave them permission on the BO Secondary from BO to Gibson, at 10:17AM. They received a restricting signal on track 2 from the tower, and at 10:20, the locomotives were coming around the wye at the tower.

BNSF C44-9W 621 (ATSF Warbonnet still looking great!)
NS SD70M-2 2676 (nearly new)
CR GP40-2 3004 (from Jackson)
87 Cars

I would guess about the first 30 were part of the Kalamazoo pickup. An additional 30 cars or so were coil cars, all together and probably coming from Holt. The remainder was a variety of mixed freight, including a lot of empty lumber cars scattered throughout. They cleared the interlocking at 10:28.

As 39J was coming around the wye, a late Amtrak 365 was coming through the diamonds toward Chicago. They had Genesis 35, 4 cars, and 126 on the rear. (10:22AM)

Just a few minutes after 39J cleared BO and 365 had highballed west from Kalamazoo Station, Amtrak 351 was given a restricting signal to proceed west into the depot. They had Genesis 32, 6 cars, and NPCU Cab 90222. This was at 10:35.

At the same time, B1G with CR 3070 was moving around in the yard. By the time I got over there, 3070 had disappeared, probably to Augusta. Conrail 3065 was idling by itself at the west end next to the yard office, while CR 3066 and NS 3069 idled away on one of the roundhouse leads.

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