Progress of Michigan Line M/W?

[SousaKerry]

Drove around Jackson this weekend, Tie gang equipment(NS) was tied up on #2 main East of Jackson between the 127 overpass and Falahee Rd crossing. I know they don't use #2 main much but found it odd that they blocked it up with equipment and didn't park it in the yard somewhere. Amtrak has some MofW equipment parked down at the old coach yard near the Station. Lots of ties stored there as well, ties are also set out along the main East of town.

Amtrak has leased an old factory building/warehouse on Air Line Dr(S. Cooper/M50) lots of MofW trucks sitting around and a crew bus. Out back was some signal bridges for crossings. Across the street from the warehouse next to the industrial tracks are some panel tracks. Looks like they were shoved off of a flatcar. Looks like another building at the old MC shops has met it's demise sometime this summer, this was the Eastern most building in the complex across from the Yard office. Two old Conrail cabooses are still haunting Jackson Yard one is a wide vision style the other is a transfer style. 6 NS Engines were in the yard Saturday morning all GP38's and GP40's I heard the horn for JAIL at 6:00 AM heading north Saturday morning, don't usually hear them on the weekends either that or I sleep through it.

[SousaKerry]

Update to the update. Had some doctors appointments in Jackson Tuesday and had a few hours to kill in between.

B-16 was switching the yard with a GP-38 in fresh paint. Heard the conductor talking with a maintainer that since Amtrash took over in February that none of the switches in the yard had been greased, and were getting harder to operate. Also they were complaining about new dips in the track showing up.

The Tie gang was holding the main between the station and the yard from before 11:30 till about 2:00. They had a nice catered lunch by the side of the tracks and then greased all their machinery. After they were satisfied that everything was properly lubed(including their stomachs) the slowly proceeded west much to the dismay of local drivers, as their important busy schedules were interrupted by an endless parade of small machines. I love watching these displays as the gates pump up and down for every machine and drivers get more desperate and try to make it through the pumping gates, long lines of backed up traffic, and a few angry burnouts.

Anyways I had to leave and never did find out if the tie gang ever did any actual work yesterday. I did hear over the scanner that their authority ended at CP hill at 3:30. There are no ties spread out through Jackson, I know that the ties are spread East of town but I have not been West to see where they pick up again.

Amtrash does have 4 AMTK orange ballast hoppers in town at the old ash pit near the coach yard and it appears they are stock piling ballast for future projects, also there are a large number of ties there as well on the ground in neat little rows, most are standard ties some are switch ties.

[Ypsi]

Your "amtrash" crews should not be in charge of greasing switches, NS (as of the last time I heard anything about the sale of the line) still owns all of the yards. Amtrak shouldn't be responsible for maintaince of the yard NS is supposed to own.

[SousaKerry]

I never said that Amtrak wasn't greasing the switches, just that NS hasn't been doing it since the takeover. My guess is that there are very few NS maintainers left to do more work. And it slipped through the cracks. I am sure that the condition of all the NS yards on the Mi line will go down considerably as they have been essentially all been downgraded from Branch line to Short line/Industrial tracks.

I honestly can't believe that NS still signed up to be the freight operator. Look at the writing on the wall, Busted shorline spin off to RailAmerica(or whoever it was.) Spinoff of Lansing to the JAIL, then sold the line to the State of Mi. How many years do you think it will be before they spin the rest off to another shotline? I am betting less then 5.

[bctrainfan]

Crews were working west of Battle Creek this afternoon. Tracks run parallel to River Rd/Fort Custer Dr in that area so good place to watch or take pics. Track machines were tied down along Lafayette between 20th and Helmer tonight. Camp cars, etc, still here as noted previously. Assume they will pick up where they left off in the morning (after morning Amtraks clear, they are working the single track now) and continue working west toward Augusta. Other crews/contractors are doing signal work and laying new cable (fiber optic?) all along the line between BC and Kalamazoo as well.

A related question, several NS/Herzog ballast trains have come across the Michigan line through Battle Creek recently at night. I assume they are coming via GDLK, but where do they originate? Is the ballast from the same source that CN or CSX uses?

[GTW]

There has been one Herzog ballast car in Lawton for several weeks now.

[Ypsi]

I have see loaded ballast trains going west quite a few times (none in the past week) as well as Emory's going east. Some of the trains in BC could come from the east end if the line.

[Ypsi]

I have see loaded ballast trains going west quite a few times (none in the past week) as well as Empties going east. Some of the trains in BC could come from the east end if the line.

speaking of ballast trains, loaded ballast just went west clear 32 with the same trio of NS GEs and about 50 loads. If you are seeing about one ballast train a week, they are coming from the east end of the Michigan line. If there are more probably some from Elkhart.

[bctrainfan]

Is there still a gang working in Jackson area, or was that the same crew that is now working around Battle Creek?

[GTW]

Driving today between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek along the Mich Line. Noticed new crossing protection being installed along with line side signals. I thought I read recently that a 9Million dollar Tiger Grant was awarded to MDOT for double track between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. These new installations do not suggest that..

Thanks

[j32885]

Mason St. crossing in Dearborn is getting worked on, new concrete spacers going to be installed. Old wooden grade removed and barricade off. Monroe St. crossing in Dearborn still open. More work progress made on NEW train station. New traffic lights and turn-a-round installed along US 12 (Michigan Ave.) at new station.

[bctrainfan]

A bunch of track machines have been loaded onto flatcars and now sit in Battle Creek/Hinman Yard, NS also shoved a string of TOFC cars onto the Rock Tenn spur near Kendall St. There is a metal ramp at one end and bridges between the cars for circus loading vehicles/wheeled machines it would appear. Camp cars and camp trailers still in place. Kendall St and Custer Dr closed for grade crossing replacement. Still lots of new ties all along the ROW, and crossing and signal work being done from BC to Kalamazoo.

[bctrainfan]

"Trailer camp" trailers and vehicles have all been loaded onto the piggyback flatcars on the RockTenn spur. A little disappointed that I did not get to watch that process! Backing those semi trailers down a long string of flats must be a little tricky! There are no vehicles parked with the camp cars which are tied down on one of the mains just to the west, so it looks like those are ready to be moved also. The string of flats loaded with MOW machines is still in Hinman yard. NS 8918 (D9-40CW) joined NS 5268 at Hinman today. We usually dont see any six axle power on NS in these parts except for work trains, so it might be here to gather all the camp cars and MOW stuff to move them out tonight or tomorrow.

[ConrailMan5]

NS 8918 (D9-40CW) joined NS 5268 at Hinman today. We usually dont see any six axle power on NS in these parts except for work trains, so it might be here to gather all the camp cars and MOW stuff to move them out tonight or tomorrow.

I believe that that is the idea. She came west on 38E with instructions from the yard master to leave her in Jackson. Presumably b34 (or whatever the Jackson local west is) to battle creek.

[bctrainfan]

Well that will make an very interesting train if they take everything all at once!

[Ypsi]

When they brought the stuff to willow run it was 2 separate trains,

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=28315

However when they took everything to Jackson and west they took it all as one empty train. The empty mow flats train was pretty long, would cool to see it all as one. I assume it woll go out the east end like everything has been.

Also they should he getting ready to run 6 wolverines a day again soon for thanksgiving and Christmas time.

[bctrainfan]

All of the camp cars, trailers, and flat cars of equipment, along with NS 8918, left Battle Creek today some time between 6 am and 6 pm. Did you catch it Ypsi? It may have just gone to Jackson today, or there is some chance that it went west and down GDLK to Elkhart, but I assume someone would have posted about such a move. There are still tons of new ties still spread along the ROW and stacked in large piles at various places in this area, so it looks like the work will be continuing at some point in the near future. Contractors still doing signal work.

[railroadchoad]

The work train went east to Wayne. Where it went from there, I do not know.

[conrail7695]

NO NS POWER HAS COME UP/DOWN THE ELK IN ABOUT A MONTH OR SO. just an fyi.

All of the camp cars, trailers, and flat cars of equipment, along with NS 8918, left Battle Creek today some time between 6 am and 6 pm. Did you catch it Ypsi? It may have just gone to Jackson today, or there is some chance that it went west and down GDLK to Elkhart, but I assume someone would have posted about such a move. There are still tons of new ties still spread along the ROW and stacked in large piles at various places in this area, so it looks like the work will be continuing at some point in the near future. Contractors still doing signal work.

[Ypsi]

Ballast train went east to wayne yesterday, empty. Ran as NS 938 with a NS ES44AC, Dash 9, and a Dash 8