Railroads Crossing Highways at Grade

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MQT1223
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Railroads Crossing Highways at Grade

Unread post by MQT1223 »

Ok, so the other day I was reading the "Abandoned Railroads: Kent County" link I posted on here a few weeks back and I got reading about a spur that used to cross US-131 AT GRADE near 44th and Clyde Park with signals that came off of the modern day Grand Elk for a few years before it was removed. I've also heard of another At-Grade crossing that was installed but never used that was more south on 131 that had to do with the old GR&I or LS&MS. Can anyone shed some light on these?

How common were at-grade crossings with freeways back in the day? The only one I can think of today is the GLC's former Grand Trunk main going towards Dow Chemical on US-127, all others have been elevated to bridge crossings or removed.

Any other freeway at-grade crossings still in place today besides the one on US-127
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Re: Railroads Crossing Highways at Grade

Unread post by ConrailMan5 »

The NYC Pittsfield branch used to cross US 23 and I-94 at grade in Ann Arbor. I recall a grade crossing in the middle of a highway somewhere on a trip when I was young. I just don't remember where.
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Re: Railroads Crossing Highways at Grade

Unread post by ConrailMan5 »

Looking into it, there also apparently was one north of Albion on 1-94. It seems that the practice was mostly reserved for little used branches, where trains were normally short (thereby not tying traffic up too much) and infrequent. Also, on said branches revenue was insufficient to justify grade separation.
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Michael
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Re: Railroads Crossing Highways at Grade

Unread post by Michael »

You can still clearly see where the Pittsfield branch crossed 23 & 94 on aerial maps https://goo.gl/maps/QeH93
The LS&MS also crossed US23 at grade in Monroe County. Here is some info from that thread:
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=20831&hilit=grade+crossing

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Re: Railroads Crossing Highways at Grade

Unread post by PatAzo »

Not real common but there were a number of them. As the interstate system expanded the railroads were in a period of decline. When planning construction the DOT would look at the track and if it were a lightly used branch likely to be abandoned they would cross it at grade to save the expense of overpasses. Usually they got it right but no always.

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Re: Railroads Crossing Highways at Grade

Unread post by BDG »

Was there an at-grade crossing of the MC South Haven branch (now Kal-Haven Trail) with the US-131 freeway, or had that branch been abandoned by the time the freeway was built in 1962 (per michiganhighways.org)? I'm thinking it had to be a more recent abandonment or else it wouldn't have been left intact for a rail-trail.

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Re: Railroads Crossing Highways at Grade

Unread post by MQT1223 »

Are photos too scarce of these short lived crossings?
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Re: Railroads Crossing Highways at Grade

Unread post by PatAzo »

BDG wrote:Was there an at-grade crossing of the MC South Haven branch (now Kal-Haven Trail) with the US-131 freeway, or had that branch been abandoned by the time the freeway was built in 1962 (per michiganhighways.org)? I'm thinking it had to be a more recent abandonment or else it wouldn't have been left intact for a rail-trail.
The South Haven branch did cross US-131 at grade for a time.

I never saw it but a number of people tell me I-94 crossed the Kalamazoo branch at grade for a time. The bridges came later on.

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Re: Railroads Crossing Highways at Grade

Unread post by C&O6084 »

Nobody thought they were important.

The one you're asking about is/was most likely the DT&M, later MC, then part of the United* interurban empire in many varieties. As a full-time professional "kid" in the mid-60s, I'd see it when the family would go to Yankee Springs. Wood crossing with asphalt in all wood jooints, and four sets of lights, bells and crossbucks -- but there was no control box and no power wires in sight. Never saw a train on it and never met anyone who did. Ever.

It came apart gradually. crossing paved over, track removed, hump removed when the original pavement was replaced, freeway ROW regraded, and now the freeway is no longer at the same elevation as the old ROW . ConRail pulled up all the old ties and left it as a two-track dirt road, which became saplings and is no pretty thick vegetation. Every year it gets harder to locate when whizzing by at 75 MPH.

Google Earth shows it as a line of trees, or the edge of a tree/field boundary. Look here-- copy & paste into GE's location bar:

42°31'39.88" N 85°39'22.97" W

If you click on the clock icon, slide the bar alla-way-left and see imagery from 1999, when the ROW was complete and there was a sort of causeway showing a gradual curve.

*= "Not its actual name"

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Re: Railroads Crossing Highways at Grade

Unread post by Standard Railfan »

MQT1223 wrote: The only one I can think of today is the GLC's former Grand Trunk main going towards Dow Chemical on US-127, all others have been elevated to bridge crossings or removed.
Where does the GLC cross US-127 going toward Dow Chemical? :?

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Re: Railroads Crossing Highways at Grade

Unread post by James Sofonia »

The only crossing on 127 that I can think of is this one half way between Ithaca and St. Johns, and it only goes West as far as a couple of grain elevators in Middleton. Ive never caught a train here and they don't even require trucks to stop unless the traffic signal turns red.
127RRx.jpg
127RRx2.jpg
127RRx3.jpg
Michael wrote: The LS&MS also crossed US23 at grade in Monroe County. Here is some info from that thread:
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=20831&hilit=grade+crossing
Back in 1971 I got stopped by a train crossing the freeway at about 1AM at this location. Hard to see anything there now when passing thru.

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Re: Railroads Crossing Highways at Grade

Unread post by MQT1223 »

Standard Railfan wrote:
MQT1223 wrote: The only one I can think of today is the GLC's former Grand Trunk main going towards Dow Chemical on US-127, all others have been elevated to bridge crossings or removed.
Where does the GLC cross US-127 going toward Dow Chemical? :?
Pixl wrote:The only crossing on 127 that I can think of is this one half way between Ithaca and St. Johns, and it only goes West as far as a couple of grain elevators in Middleton. Ive never caught a train here and they don't even require trucks to stop unless the traffic signal turns red.
127RRx.jpg
127RRx2.jpg
127RRx3.jpg
There is a video on Youtube that shows this crossing in action. Trains go slow through here so it backed traffic WAY up. The traffic lights are smart since no one will blow those. Its rare to catch a train on here.
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Re: Railroads Crossing Highways at Grade

Unread post by BDG »

MQT1223 wrote: There is a video on Youtube that shows this crossing in action. Trains go slow through here so it backed traffic WAY up. The traffic lights are smart since no one will blow those. Its rare to catch a train on here.
The traffic lights are there because that crossing is marked as exempt, meaning that vehicles that normally would have to stop (busses, hazmat trucks, etc.) don't have to if the light is green.

From what I remember, MDOT wanted to avoid a situation where they went through the expense of building a bridge and then the tracks get abandoned soon after, which happened further south near St. Johns where they built four bridges over the GTW just north of M-21 and it was abandoned a few years later.

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Re: Railroads Crossing Highways at Grade

Unread post by Michael »

MiLineAmtrak has recent photos of a train crossing 127 in the Trip Reports
Image

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Re: Railroads Crossing Highways at Grade

Unread post by pbmaxno15 »

The area of M-57 and US-127 intersection is known as Ola Corners. There was a restaurant in the northeast quadrant of the intersection before the overpass was built. This section of US-127 is still open access with many intersections and driveways along the road. This open access section of US-127 extends from just south of Ithaca to just north of St. Johns.

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Re: Railroads Crossing Highways at Grade

Unread post by jrgerber »

Question:

When the old NYC left North Lansing did it go under 127 and then go north across what is now I-69 towards Flint? I think I see what looks to be a railroad right of way on the entrance ramp from 127 to I-69 when I head towards Flint.

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Re: Railroads Crossing Highways at Grade

Unread post by MQT1223 »

jrgerber wrote:Question:

When the old NYC left North Lansing did it go under 127 and then go north across what is now I-69 towards Flint? I think I see what looks to be a railroad right of way on the entrance ramp from 127 to I-69 when I head towards Flint.
If you are refering to the Line that goes to Owosso and Bath look a little more east and on the western edge of a Golf Course.
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Re: Railroads Crossing Highways at Grade

Unread post by jrgerber »

Thanks.

So where did the Owosso and Bath line cross I-69 or didn't it?

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Re: Railroads Crossing Highways at Grade

Unread post by MQT1223 »

jrgerber wrote:Thanks.

So where did the Owosso and Bath line cross I-69 or didn't it?
Just SW of Bath. There appears to be no evidence of a bridge, unless the rails were gone prior to 69.
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Re: Railroads Crossing Highways at Grade

Unread post by Saturnalia »

MQT1223 wrote:
jrgerber wrote:Thanks.

So where did the Owosso and Bath line cross I-69 or didn't it?
Just SW of Bath. There appears to be no evidence of a bridge, unless the rails were gone prior to 69.
MDOT may have removed the hill, if there was a bridge. They've done that in some places. However like Elmdale they just filled the void and took the bridge out, while at Lamar they've so far elected to leave the bridge in.
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