Michigan Northern remains

[Standard Railfan]

Fail - its still there, a big Yoplait plant

$20 million expansion in 2011 IIRC.....

[MQT1223]

Someone posted a shot of the yogurt plant's expansion on the History board on the other site several years ago. IIRC, the expansion was semi-complete before the abandonment was actually approved...? I don't remember who posted the photo though.

I'm assuming this Yogurt Plant is gone.

Fail - its still there, a big Yoplait plant

I wouldn't call it a fail, but We go from the 90's to 2015 a lot could've happened. Plus I don't know everything.

[J T]

You know what they say about those who assume....

[MQT1223]

You know what they say about those who assume....

Not really but I know you are gonna want to tell me.

[i995impalass]

I kicked many stones growing up in Comstock Park. I wish more pictures like this where available:

Last Michigan Northern Train at Comstock Park

A year or so back, someone had posted some great pics of the MIGN around Turner and Fuller at North yard.. I'm too lazy to look for them.

[Saturnalia]

That ball must have been a pain for the C&O crews, since sight distance would be shorter on that curve. Hard to imagine that area now, since the MIGN ROW is so grown up now. Alas, it is still visible if you look, include the little creek bridge.


Skip to 3:20

Right about where the tracks go out of view behind the building is where the diamond was. You can make out the outline of the bridge ends in the snow to the left of the pole.

[MQT1223]

That ball must have been a pain for the C&O crews, since sight distance would be shorter on that curve. Hard to imagine that area now, since the MIGN ROW is so grown up now. Alas, it is still visible if you look, include the little creek bridge.


Skip to 3:20

Right about where the tracks go out of view behind the building is where the diamond was. You can make out the outline of the bridge ends in the snow to the left of the pole.

Its too bad that Ball signal wasn't preserved. I have seen the photos and by the time the MIGN came around those were already very, very rare. I would go out on a limb and say less then 5 were still in service. I wonder if a foundation is left or anything in the weeds. A few more pics of that ball signal would be neat.

[i995impalass]

That ball must have been a pain for the C&O crews, since sight distance would be shorter on that curve. Hard to imagine that area now, since the MIGN ROW is so grown up now. Alas, it is still visible if you look, include the little creek bridge.


Skip to 3:20

Right about where the tracks go out of view behind the building is where the diamond was. You can make out the outline of the bridge ends in the snow to the left of the pole.

Its too bad that Ball signal wasn't preserved. I have seen the photos and by the time the MIGN came around those were already very, very rare. I would go out on a limb and say less then 5 were still in service. I wonder if a foundation is left or anything in the weeds. A few more pics of that ball signal would be neat.

It was. I almost bought it 8 years ago, but didn't have the funds at the time. I'm sure someone on the board knows where it went. The foundation is still at the old diamond in the weeds with part of the pole cut on a 45* angle, along with the control panel disintegrated beyond being salvage. The foundation from the Mill Creek station is still at the location as well. Fun trivia fact, the old depot is the house at the corner of Brady and Oakridge street in the neighborhood up the street. How do I know for sure? I went to school with the kid that grew up in the house and our Social Study teacher in CP was a huge railfan that confirmed and knew the kids parents very well. The house has since been remodeled and second story added, but still has a depot look to it.

[MQT1223]

That ball must have been a pain for the C&O crews, since sight distance would be shorter on that curve. Hard to imagine that area now, since the MIGN ROW is so grown up now. Alas, it is still visible if you look, include the little creek bridge.


Skip to 3:20

Right about where the tracks go out of view behind the building is where the diamond was. You can make out the outline of the bridge ends in the snow to the left of the pole.

Its too bad that Ball signal wasn't preserved. I have seen the photos and by the time the MIGN came around those were already very, very rare. I would go out on a limb and say less then 5 were still in service. I wonder if a foundation is left or anything in the weeds. A few more pics of that ball signal would be neat.

It was. I almost bought it 8 years ago, but didn't have the funds at the time. I'm sure someone on the board knows where it went. The foundation is still at the old diamond in the weeds with part of the pole cut on a 45* angle, along with the control panel disintegrated beyond being salvage. The foundation from the Mill Creek station is still at the location as well. Fun trivia fact, the old depot is the house at the corner of Brady and Oakridge street in the neighborhood up the street. How do I know for sure? I went to school with the kid that grew up in the house and our Social Study teacher in CP was a huge railfan that confirmed and knew the kids parents very well. The house has since been remodeled and second story added, but still has a depot look to it.

Neat the depot still lives, but that ball signal was still standing only 8 years ago? What side of the diamond was it on? North or south?

[i995impalass]

Signal was pulled down late 80's. It was in a garage with a bunch of other railroad junk for sale.

[MQT1223]

Signal was pulled down late 80's. It was in a garage with a bunch of other railroad junk for sale.

Sure would be neat to know where that ended up. I love owning local pieces of railroad memorabilia. I wouldn't call it "Junk" but that's just me.

[Doktor No]

Wasn't a ball signal, whatever that is? It was a tilting target.
I'll buy it. Where is it?

[MQT1223]

Wasn't a ball signal, whatever that is? It was a tilting target.
I'll buy it. Where is it?

Images I have seen from the MIGN days show a Ball Signal. There is one that is of a MIGN engineer leaving his locomotive at the diamond with a train from the north to adjust the signal since they were manual. If you want to know what a ball signal is, there is one surviving that is technically in service, although it hasn't seen a train in years. Its up in New Hampshire.

[Saturnalia]

Wasn't a ball signal, whatever that is? It was a tilting target.
I'll buy it. Where is it?

Images I have seen from the MIGN days show a Ball Signal. There is one that is of a MIGN engineer leaving his locomotive at the diamond with a train from the north to adjust the signal since they were manual. If you want to know what a ball signal is, there is one surviving that is technically in service, although it hasn't seen a train in years. Its up in New Hampshire.

That image impallass posted is a tilting target, Max. A ball signal raises a lowers balls vertically. These are on a fixed arm which rotates, regardless of the fact the end of the arms are balls.

[Doktor No]

Yeah, what him said. ITS A TILTING TARGET, per C&O and CSX timetable special instructions. There was one at Lake Michigan Drive where the end of the LS&MS from Allegan crossed the PRR. The PRR also had one where they crossed our west side line just west of the Blue Bridge downtown. There were a lot of TILTING TARGETS around the midwest, ball signals were inherent part of New England Railroading. A ball all the way to the top of the signal rope was a HIGHBALL. Now you know where that term came from.

[MQT1223]

Yeah, what him said. ITS A TILTING TARGET, per C&O and CSX timetable special instructions. There was one at Lake Michigan Drive where the end of the LS&MS from Allegan crossed the PRR. The PRR also had one where they crossed our west side line just west of the Blue Bridge downtown. There were a lot of TILTING TARGETS around the midwest, ball signals were inherent part of New England Railroading. A ball all the way to the top of the signal rope was a HIGHBALL. Now you know where that term came from.

Oh ok. I see. But yes I am familiar with where the term HIGHBALL came from.

[SD80MAC]

This is a tilting target, correct?

[MQT1223]

This is a tilting target, correct?

I read on what kind of signal that is pictured. I don't remember what it is but I don't believe it was a tilting target. I think The target signal's were manually operated like their Ball Signal counterparts. Engineer/Conductor would have to get out of the locomotive and manually raise/lower the indicators.

[CSX_CO]

This is a tilting target, correct?

I read on what kind of signal that is pictured. I don't remember what it is but I don't believe it was a tilting target. I think The target signal's were manually operated like their Ball Signal counterparts. Engineer/Conductor would have to get out of the locomotive and manually raise/lower the indicators.

That's a tilting target. Mostly used at little used crossings that didn't require or warrant the expense of a full fledged interlocking. Kokomo, IN still has 3 examples of these lesser interlocked crossings. Two tilting targets and one gate crossing. Conductor (or a switch tender at the busier crossings) would walk up to the crossing, check for cross traffic, then move the lever to set the target to 'stop' for the intersecting line, then the move could proceed.

Practice Safe CSX

[Saturnalia]

On either line, you'd approach with the understanding you may have to stop, correct? So that there would never be a stop-and-wait requirement?