Didn't see a whole lot today. Went over about 1:30 or so, I think. Coming into town, I heard a train while waiting for the light at Harrison and Main to change, didn't see the locomotives. Had some interesting cars in it though, looked like some new Union Pacific cars, covered hoppers and what I think were aggregate gons or something. All of 'em were lettered CMO with the UP herald on 'em.
Just after the unknown train came in, the [NS] 5522 and a couple boxes and centerbeams went east toward Bristol and points east/north. I think I catch that one train more than any other when I'm over there. The first train entered the yard on Main 1, the 5522 was waiting on Main 2, and a string of hoppers behind CR 3398 and NS ?955 were on the track that runs into Main 2 (I refer to it as 3 track, 'cause I can't remember what it's actually called).
After the 5522 left, NS 8880 and NS 9491 came in from the east pulling intermodal equipment (stacks, TOFC, etc). About 2:30-2:45 or so, a NS highrailer parked next to the base of the signal bridge. About this time traffic died off. Figuring that some sort of signal work was gonna happen and that the trains were gonna stop moving, I decided to wait around a few more minutes, then head out.
I'm glad I did, as NS 9069 and NS 2684 left the yard EB on the Marian Sub tracks, Main 4(?). This was the last train I saw as I left after 15 more minutes of no trains and no suggestion of movement. However, the truck had left about 20 minutes or so after it arrived, so I doubt that it had an impact on the traffic at that time.
Didn't write down any times persay, so its hard to tell when I saw what. I do know that it pretty much died about ten to three or so, and that I headed over the the E&W and noticed that the 911 was the only locomotive around there. That observation inspired a chase of the line out to Cassopolis Ave (SR19); thought I saw a headlight out by the gravel pit on the west side of SR19, tried to find it, didn't; wound up going back to the yard.
Driving back toward the yard, I noticed the first train that had entered town parked on the briges over SR19. Turns out that it was a CP Rail train with CP 9850 and CP 9574 elephant style. It was on the outside track at the fuel pad, though not quite to the point of being in front of the fuel racks. On the next track were BNSF 5528 and BNSF 4971 also elephant style on a WB double stack train. It appeard that both trains were changing crews. Following some of the logic expressed on the shortline board recently (and taken VERY MUCH out of context), BNSF is now running trains over the NS as well, as there was nary a NS locomotive in sight at that fuel pad, only CP and BNSF locomotives.
Having taken shots of the CP and BNSF locomotives at the fuel pad, I headed on west, taking the newly opened Capital Avenue from Licolnway all the way up to SR23 which took me into Granger, where I was hoping to see something moving on the CN. A trip beyond Granger to Edwardsburg revealed nothing until my return trip through Granger took me down Currant road as my end destination was near Penn High School, on Bittersweet Rd a couple miles south of Granger. When I crossed the tracks on Currant, I could see a headlight coming south/west. Intending to turn around and be at the gates when the train passed, I misjudged distance and time and didn't get a good shot at all of the CN cowl cab units on the point of the train. Saw some interesting rolling stock before turning around (second time on that road- I think people thought I was nuts) and going on my way, mainly 'cause I'd screwed up my chances of getting any kind of a decent shot.
All in all, about 5 trains in two hours. Not that bad, I guess. Problem was, the clouds never cleared up, so the pictures didn't come out all the decent. Oh well.
Charles W.