Trip to Twin Cities..Pt1

[Railnut]

It all started at around 4:45 am, sunday April 2nd, In Port Huron.
Myself and my good biddue, Andrew,are getting ready to board the Blue Water. I had just gotten my luggage out of the car, when a CN westbound came in, lead by CN SD75I 5750, and CN C40-8M 2437.
The power for the Blue Water: 126 (east end)..30 (west end).
We departed Port Huron on time..and were going along nice,and even got into Lapeer on time..thats when the"you know what "hit tha fan".
I noticed that we left the depot awful slow..and then..I noticed I was hearing the wonderful sound of jointed rail..we were on the siding!
We ended up sitting at the west end of the Lapeer passing siding for 20 minutes. The trains we were waiting for, 398 & 392..hardly high priority trains.
We soon got moving again..only to be stoped in Flint to wait out conjestion in the yard..we were sitting right next to where the Flint GTW depot was...but we were on the "service track"..not the main....following 149 west out of town....thanks CN!
On a bright note, there was a GTW GP9R, and GTW GP38-2 # 4914 switching the yard by the truck plant in Flint. There was a train sitting on the main, facing east, with CN SD75I # 5648, and BNSF (?) 8072. Ian, our conductor (Whom we had the pleasure of chatting with for a short while) called that train a few times trying to get the train number for his delay report, dunno if he got it.
All in all..the Blue Water left Flint an hour late....
We passed and BN at East Durand, with 3 CN and 2 UP units..a few minutes later (after Durand)..we passed a parked westbouns..with 5 CN's and a BNSF!
We then, after picking up 100+people in Lansing (most being them kids from MooU), met a CN BN at Belvue..with a CN and BNSF unit on the point.
We then passed 149,just east of Battle Creek,it had CN 2503, CN 2XXX, and CN 5767.
In Battle Creek:
GTW 5936 and a WC unit switching the west end..a WB CN rack train with CN C44-9w's 2646 & 2671, a Herzog Ballast train with an NS unit on the point(6250?)..I could be WAY off on that one though. Also, GTW GP9R 4632 was switching the east end.
After Battle Creek. things got quiet..we did meet another Amtrak east of Kzoo.
There were over a dozen trains we met between Porter and the Union Station in Chi-town..and even a DMIR SD9 switching in one of the yards!
I have some coments about the layout of Chicago Union..But I will divulge later.
The trip north on the Empire Bulder was a fun one (as an added note..the Blue Water was 8 seats short of a sell out..the builder was a sellout).
Someplace north of Glenview Ill..was a yellow RSSX switcher and a Soo cab parked on a siding. e soon passed a southbound Hiawatha..and a Northbound CP train with a single CP GE on the point.
We met the hour late Southbound Empire Builder at Millwaukee,it had P42's 82 & 155. Also in Millwauke was a CP GP38X.
While going north wa passed a Sb Grain and intermodal, and met a SB bare table just south of Portage. Also south, we met another SB with a GEFX GE on the point.
In Portage:
Soo 4435 (GP38-2)
Soo 4402 (GP38-2)
CP 4616 (GP40)
CP 4507 (GP38-2)
CP GE's 9595 & 8620 with a SB freight
Soo 4614 switching the yard
CP 4523 (GP38X)
CP 4608 (GP40)
As well as a set of snow plows by the depot.

We met some Loram equipment north of Wisconsin Dells, and NB CP with 3 units parked north of Tomah. South of Winona..we passed 3 SB CP's,and passed another SB at Winona.
I was half asleep when I noticed the dozens of Soo engines at the old Soo "Pig's Eye Yard"..I got the number off 1..a switcher..# 1637(IIRC).
The Builder came into St Paul..31 mins early!!!!!!
Thats all for part 1..part 2 later.
Dave C