After waiting about 5 minutes there, drove around to the other side at Fishermans Landing, when I saw MMRR 179 start to pull. Headed down near Western Ave and the new shoreline Dr and caught this picture:
Realizing it's really quite easy to railfan, headed up to the next crossing at what i believe was Morris Ave(google maps doesn't have this new road listed yet) and fired this one off.
Saw someone I thought i knew(was it Claude from House of Hobbies?) pacing the train...got ahead of them up at 7th St(hertiage landing) and took these of them.
They slowed down and the last tank car blocked the crossing while they were throwing the switch to head over to Sappi. They then pulled forward; I headed down to the YMCA where they stopped again to reline the switch. Stupid poles(cropped out), but got some good late afternoon light here. Amazing to see them this close to the street and how much noise from the flanges were present.
When they cleared, i headed up the hill near Coles Bakery quick and took this one of them going past a gated marina. Friend of mine(the one in the wedding) used to have their boat stored there. Spent a few late nights there and watched CSX pull down to Sappi once...always wanted a shot from there. Also, that's Muskegon Lake in the background.
Next location to get a photo from was a decent length down the track(1/2 mile or so). Went down to the entrance for the Lake Express ferry. Stood out at Source One Signs, or somethin like that. Watched the engines go unbelievably slow and come to a stop, they threw a switch. I thought they might be delivering to some unknown business there, but turned out to be a runaround track there. They ended up pushing the 5 boxcars, with the covered hopper and tank car in tow. They pushed/pulled past and after this, sun was out of sight.
Saw them starting to sort their cars at Sappi, so it was off to the tux shop. Conductor on the string of boxcars said to me as they passed, "hey, next time you are down here, let me know first, we can.." then tons of flange noise and couldn't understand him. Thanks for reading!