Howell and Brighton Locals - Jun 15th 2023

[amessmann]

An account of the train action between Howell and Brighton, MI on the CSX Plymouth Sub. Linked is a video to go along with this post, I suggest giving this a full read before watching the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlqOJrpv4nI

Both L303-15 and L305-15 held in Fowlerville during what was hyped up as the worst summer storm we have gotten, though I didn't experience any 60mph winds, just small hail and lightning. After the storm cleared up, L305 was first, approaching Howell.

I made it to the west end of Brighton at Bauer Rd. and was greeted to all reds eastbound. I decided to go to Ann Pere as it sounded like L305 was just beginning their work, hearing "good for 50" over the scanner. When I arrived, L305 had traffic blocked at Lucy Rd. with 8199 and 8619 pushing a cut of cars east out of the siding (the power was on the west end of the cut). Once the power had cleared the crossing and traffic had cleared up, I parked in the dirt lot across from PADNOS. I saw there was still a cut in the siding, meaning the crew had sandwiched the power between the cut to take west, and the cut taken east.

Upon clearing the diamond at Ann Pere, L305 called dispatch asking for permission to head west. Just after getting up to speed, they slammed on the brakes, I had thought they went into emergency. Looking east, the main track signal across the diamond was showing a clear aspect (G/R) with them still in the adjacent block. They were on their way again shortly before their EOT began blinking. I'll bet they stopped to pull the EOT from the eastbound cut, disarmed it, and armed their new EOT.

I ventured back to WE Brighton to find an approach aspect (Y/R) on the eastbound signal. With L302-15 approaching South Lyon, it seemed they had a meet planned, this was confirmed by the medium advance approach aspect (R/Y/Y) at EE Brighton. I waited in the parking lot hoping to get a shot of WAS EE Brighton switching from R/Y/Y to R/R as the head end passed.

Pedestrian traffic at Main St. was very polite, standing well clear of the tracks as the head end passed, slow going into the siding. As L302's power, CSX engines 984 and 549, passed the signal, the bottom aspect went dark and the middle head switched to red, all crisply captured on video as I have done many times at the west end. After 52 cars came the tail end, passing Main St, me, the signal, then the switch. Shortly after, L302 called "all stop in the siding at west end Brighton."

I sat at Refrigeration Research for a good while, keeping off the main property, sitting at the very edge of the parking lot. I decided to head back to the west end, pulling into Willowbrook as the power was parked next to the lot. 984 was hardly idling, running the compressor on and off. 549 seemed DIT with no engine sounds or visible exhaust. 549, despite being in fading YN2 paint, had a DPU sticker on the front, this also seemed to be in YN2 colors.

I too waited for L303 as the crew had been doing so patiently. All reds for them at the west end. Presumably, who was the conductor departed the locomotive, just as soon, the Challis Rd. crossing activated. I was hoping to get a "surprise shot" capturing L303 and panning the camera to L302, but the compressor noise would've given away L302's presence. As L303 came into view, 984 quieted down, nearly inaudible above background noise.

L303-15 with CSX engines 7240 and 3394 held the main, passing the head end of L302 at track speed. Their 88 car consist passing much quicker than L302's 52 cars had taken getting into the siding, which has a 10mph restriction. As the conductor boarded the locomotive, I took off to Bauer Rd. The stop sign at Challis and Bauer, notorious for backing up traffic well past the crossing, held me until such time as L302's head end was blowing for Challis Rd.

984 and 549 could be heard chugging out of the siding well before coming around the corner. The smooth rumble of newer GE power contrasted the audible chug of the AC4400, exhaust clearly visible from both locomotives. Now on the conductors' side, I could see 549's X in CSX was manually painted on, sticking out from their logo. Again, slow going out of the siding. Walking around, I observed moss growing on the hood of the bottom aspect on EAS WE Brighton, these are some of the searchlights in better shape on the line.

Minutes after their tail end cleared, the switch relined and I decided to head home.

Resources:
https://signals.jovet.net/rules/CSX%20S ... 0Rules.pdf
http://www.multimodalways.org/docs/rail ... 1-2005.pdf

Just for clarification, the EAS and WAS acronyms are counterintuitive. These stand for "eastbound absolute signal" and "westbound absolute signal". Keep in mind the "eastbound" and "westbound", these are referring to the train direction, not which side the signal is on. The EAS is on the west side and the WAS is on the east side of the control point.

[AARR]

Thank you for your detailed post. It is an enjoyable read.

[KVERBERK]

Nice Video, I like when you show the signal indications and more than just a close up of the train passing.