Late 90's CSX Iron Highway (and etc.) questions...

Any historical questions can be posted here. Answers would certainly help as well :)
atrainguy60
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Late 90's CSX Iron Highway (and etc.) questions...

Unread post by atrainguy60 »

How many Iron Highway trains a day did CSX run during whatever year it was (1996?) they ran these trains? Also, did CSX ever run autorack trains in the late 90's across the Plymouth/GR Subs? I'm aware of 326/327, 334/335, 336/337 and the CP's, but I'm just curious what other trains CSX may have been running back then.

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Re: Late 90's CSX Iron Highway (and etc.) questions...

Unread post by BL2-1843 »

atrainguy60 wrote:How many Iron Highway trains a day did CSX run during whatever year it was (1996?) they ran these trains? Also, did CSX ever run autorack trains in the late 90's across the Plymouth/GR Subs? I'm aware of 326/327, 334/335, 336/337 and the CP's, but I'm just curious what other trains CSX may have been running back then.
The long awaited and highly publicized in advance "Iron Highway, made its first run on August 12, 1996. Three months and four days later, November 16th, 1996 the last train ran. Four trains a day, two each way (R160 & R162 eastbound, and R161 & R163 westbound ran from East Chicago Indiana to Middlebelt Yard, but am going from memory on this part. Counted the truck trailers on each and every train I saw. Many times, less than ten trailers, often time just one, Most seen was 20 on five different occasions. Do not recall now how many truck trailers this specialized set of cars would hold when fully loaded.

Back in this time period, there were between 14-18 trains on the Plymouth Sub with as many as eight or more CP trains Q225 & Q227 auto rack trains ran west to Chicago out of New Boston I believe in 1997 and 1998. Will check logs further and edit this when I find additional information. X-260 auto rack trains were running east. Many eastern coal trains were running then too.

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Re: Late 90's CSX Iron Highway (and etc.) questions...

Unread post by trnwatcher »

Q337 almost always had racks on it as it picked up at Wixom I believe plus had stuff from Flint. Q336 usually took MT's back east. Don't remember Q334/335 having racks. CP ran R500 later to be X500 from Wayne to Chicago and onto KC. The eastbound version had racks plus would pick up auto parts from Wyoming that CR\NS brought over from Fisher Body. Once and while X500 would pick some of these cars up and take them west but mostly was EB traffic.
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Re: Late 90's CSX Iron Highway (and etc.) questions...

Unread post by atrainguy60 »

Interesting stuff, I really appreciate the info guys!

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Re: Late 90's CSX Iron Highway (and etc.) questions...

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X500 was a Toronto Train thru the tunnel to Windsor. Picked up parts from GM Fisher Body 36th Street for Chevy Assembly at Trois Rivers at the end. Only reason it stayed thru Wyoming was the parts. When Trois Rivers switched assembly that was the end. Went the other way from then on.
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Re: Late 90's CSX Iron Highway (and etc.) questions...

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I have photos of Iron Highway trains somewhere. I also have a piece of a number board from one of the engines that was wrecked when one of the Iron Highway trains collided with a loaded log truck near Grand Junction, MI on August 30, 1996.
Many curves were banked in preparation for these trains. I remember when they raised the crossings in Riverside, and banked the curve through there.
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Re: Late 90's CSX Iron Highway (and etc.) questions...

Unread post by Doktor No »

Wrecked at Grand Jct? Only if Rod Serling was driving. That was a CP train that hit an Allegan County snowplow...or perhaps it was a Van Beuren one. Nope Allegan. I was on one of the first trains thru after they reopened it and I believe the even detoured on down the GR&I to Elkhart during the closure. Sorry I wasn't on that one!
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Re: Late 90's CSX Iron Highway (and etc.) questions...

Unread post by Doktor No »

Not the same but neat though. http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/baraga/p ... lwreck.jpg Air bled off on a cold cold night in Da UP.
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Re: Late 90's CSX Iron Highway (and etc.) questions...

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I STAND CORRECTED! YM Herb told me about the Iron Hwy smacking a log truck at GR Jct. Darned if I remember it though. I was on the west end then too...oh well. Prolly sleep deprived or sumthin.
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Re: Late 90's CSX Iron Highway (and etc.) questions...

Unread post by Jochs »

Doktor No wrote:I STAND CORRECTED! YM Herb told me about the Iron Hwy smacking a log truck at GR Jct. Darned if I remember it though. I was on the west end then too...oh well. Prolly sleep deprived or sumthin.
This wasn't a major incident like the derailment near Pullman in March, 1998 with the Allegan Co. Plow Truck. This was a grade crossing accident where the engine was severely damaged, and the crew members were pretty banged up, too. A line pole was lost in the incident as well. The engine that was damaged was CSXT 6297.
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Re: Late 90's CSX Iron Highway (and etc.) questions...

Unread post by Doktor No »

Herby has pics. He was on the light engine that went to get the banged up power.
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Re: Late 90's CSX Iron Highway (and etc.) questions...

Unread post by barnstormer »

Jochs wrote:
Doktor No wrote:I STAND CORRECTED! YM Herb told me about the Iron Hwy smacking a log truck at GR Jct. Darned if I remember it though. I was on the west end then too...oh well. Prolly sleep deprived or sumthin.
This wasn't a major incident like the derailment near Pullman in March, 1998 with the Allegan Co. Plow Truck. This was a grade crossing accident where the engine was severely damaged, and the crew members were pretty banged up, too. A line pole was lost in the incident as well. The engine that was damaged was CSXT 6297.
I remember that wreck in March '98, as I was on the re-crew of the work-train from just west of the crossing, taking a few cars back to Grand Jct, then bringing the panel track- and ballast-cars to the crossing to put them in place, then drop the stone. Supervisors working the scene said that they were told that the driver was driving one of the county's beat-up, rusted hulk of a salt truck, and somehow ventured into the path of X502XX. Engines were askew near where the new MP 51 signal is now located, with the containers piled in a heap like poorly-stacked cord-wood. Had a copy of the GR Press article (with a large pic) somewhere, but have no idea where it's at.

After we were done, the trainmaster sent us to Pullman's small restaurant there and said "order one of anything you'd like, on us, and don't worry about the overtime" (we had worked straight thru our 12 hrs., once we got there)...I had the steak and shrimp...mmmm...have never forgotten that day, or that meal!
Sooooo much to say here, but I'll stop for now....

-barny

ps. found link to previous thread here:

viewtopic.php?t=27237

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Re: Late 90's CSX Iron Highway (and etc.) questions...

Unread post by J T »

Newb here. I've never heard of the "iron highway." Truck trailers on trains, I presume?
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Re: Late 90's CSX Iron Highway (and etc.) questions...

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CSX version of Triple Crown JT....

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Re: Late 90's CSX Iron Highway (and etc.) questions...

Unread post by Tom Train »

The difference was Triple Crown used RoadRailers.

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Re: Late 90's CSX Iron Highway (and etc.) questions...

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Tom Train wrote:The difference was Triple Crown used RoadRailers.
Not to mention it was successfully implemented, properly planned out, promoted effectively, utilized wisely.....did I leave out any other superlatives?

-barny

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