Started out heading for Sylvania, to catch the NS local heading for the huge Michigan Elevator Exchange, just north of the boarder, when passing over the Detroit line, on I-75, I looked down and saw 880, sitting in one of the storage tracksm with this power on it. EMDX 74 & NS 30?7. So off the freeway I went to get this photo.
Then it was off to find the NS local heading for the elevator. While passing over "The Clinton", as the line is known, on US 23, I can see there headlights just down the track. So I shoot off the freeway, and head into Sylvania, to try to catch them. Here are the photos of them in Sylvania, at a nice little historic village, witch also has a Toledo, Angola, & Western Railway painted caboose, and a old Toledo Edison electric. Also photos of them at the elevator. The local had the NS 9342, brand new primer ES44DC 7515, and 9440.
When it took them quite a bit longer than I wanted to wait to pick up there 14 cars, and build the outbound grain train, I took off to take a look at the ADBF, who I had never seen. First photo is in Blissfield, of there new GP9's, and then in Adrain, of the locomotive shed, and two GE 45 tonners. #3 & 6. Dose any one know the story behind the #6. as it had both ends of the radiator shutter area plated over, is it just used as a parts source?
After hanging around in town, and hearing nothing comming, on the NS or ADBF, I decided to follow the NS back to Milan, to set up and explore, for the nite shots I wanted. On the way back following the tracks, I seen at Deverging Clear, for the siding heading into Adrian, so I stayed close to the tracks, and found this spot, in Holloway, Mi., of the old depot, (now a house next to the tracks)(its a little hard to see, as I was a little slow on the shutter button, but it is in front of the UP unit).
About half way back, I heard the AA Hallet tower talking to the road train, who said that they needed the signals twice at Milan, to make the sett off, so off I took trying to get them before they left. A little while later as I am still driving, I hear some one (was really broken up) asking when Hallet thought that they might be there. Well this could only mean one thing, i'm thinking, that the TSBY was waiting at Osmer, to exchange trains. By the time I got to Milan, they were gone, and just then I heard the AA road train tell Hallet tower, that they were just leaving Urania, and Hallet responded that "they" were up there wating for them. Well by now I know it has to be the TSBY, so I jump on the freeway, and head for Osmer Sdg.
I catch the AA just south of the siding, and then head up to the siding to take the rest of the photos. The Ann Arbor train had the AA 2373 & 2368, leading this consist.
6 TSBY sand cars (NS sand)(type used in the Ford contract deliverd to the NS ie. old PS hoppers of the NS, SOU, CNW, history, from now on refered to as NS sand), 2 TSBY sand cars (CSX sand)(type used in service for GM, deleverd to the CSX, ie. the old MKT cars, from now on refered to as CSX sand), 5 NS sand, 1 CSX sand, 1 NS sand, 1 CSX sand, 4 coverd hoppers, of diffrent reporting marks, of grain, 1 CSX sand, 3 NS sand, and 1 CSX sand. 26 cars total.
Sitting on the main waiting with 9 cars was the TSBY. This is what he had. 1 Tank, 2 loaded coke, 1 CSX RBL boxcar, 3 plastic covered hoppers, and 1 tank.
After the AA locos cleard up in the siding, the TSBY shoved back and picked up the AA's train and departed north with 34 total cars, and the TSBY 2631, leading the 385.
After the TSBY left, the AA left, with what the TSBY had set off, and this is what it was. 35 cars total. 1 covered hopper of grain, 2 loaded gons of scrap, 1 mech. reefer, 4 NS sand, 1 CSX sand, 2 NS sand, 1 CSX sand, 6 NS sand, 2 CSX sand, 3 NS sand, 3 Pressurised covered hoppers, 1 LSRC all door lumber box, 1 covered hopper (General Chemical), 1 IATR loaded bulk head flat (off the LSRC), 1 LSRC boxcar, and 6 TSBY grain hoppers.
Well I headed back to Milan, to try to catch the AA in one of the night shots, but it started to rain, and never stoped, so I sat around to see what might happen, and seen the following in the last 20 min., before I left.
A NS GP38-2, came into the interchange track along the elevator, and just parked. Then a few minnuest later, the old X503, came along with CP 9616 & SOO 6048, with 69 platforms, and 138 containers.
