Marquette Rail

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Saturnalia
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Re: Marquette Rail

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While the Baldwin and Saginaw Divisions have been shut down since 1-5, the Grand Rapids and Plymouth Divisions continue with a somewhat normal pace. The frequency of trains has meant there have been fewer snow-related failures, although the dispatchers have lost the use of Gross, Williamston and some switches in Carleton. Local services are down, as well as most yard jobs, but the CP trains continue as well as the intermodal services, coal trains and inbound manifest freight. Crews will begin work on 1-8 to clear out the yards and get local freights moving again. All local crews are anticipating extra work, so a few extra trains have been called, and all normal trains will get a recrew, setting them up for 24-hour operations.

Our three Jordan Spreaders have been clearing the Grand Rapids, Plymouth and Saginaw Subs, and will tomorrow morning travel the Muskegon Sub, Baldwin and Saginaw Divisions to get trains moving again

Customers have been advised to expect delays of 36-48 hours with freight delivery due to the weather. Those with more traffic than can be accommodated on their sidings will get free same-day re-switching.

Wyoming and Saginaw are stuffed with cars. Good news is it is all inbound. Snow removal crews on duty at 300 ET to begin clearing the yard leads.
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Saturnalia
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Re: Marquette Rail

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The second rounds of brutal cold and snow has gripped the MQT system. Running fewer trains than usual, but passenger and hotshot freight continues. Even with fewer trains, most crews have seen near-constant work recrewing trains and maintenance forces have been busy with cold-weather related breakdowns. With the propane shortage, we've brought in a full tank car from out west to refuel all the switch heaters. It has been a massive job, but crews completed the GR sub today, and overnight will do the GR area. Tomorrow they should be able to make Ensel, but of course are always train-dodging. The dispatchers have been kind though, knowing if this fuel doesn't make it switches could freeze up.

In the meantime, employees of Michigan's largest railroad have their fingers crossed that spring comes early...or at least the temps reach 32!
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Saturnalia
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Re: Marquette Rail

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Marquette has not been an exception to the cold weather. The system has been hammered this winter, but with the current thaw, things are looking up. Wyoming Yard has begun to be cleared out, though there are still several thosand feet of train stashed in the Grand Ledge Yard. Extras to Chicago and Toledo have been called out of GRR, and that should clear out about 18,000 feet of train. Then in will come W-GRLGRR1-08 and WGRLGRR2-08 with about 15,000 feet of Grand Ledge traffic. Grand Rapids local traffic is still being handled out of Fuller Yard, Grand Rapids West out of Waverly and Grand Rapids East out of Lansing, just no place to switch out in Wyoming, which has been concentrating on turning the inbound trains into outbound blocks for the Baldwin, and Muskegon Divisions along with those three aforementioned yards. Not the most efficient, but it doesn't work otherwise. The plan is to revert to normal next weekend, if the thaw holds.

This winter, no shop action, glad we got all the locomotive upgrades done the last two years. Engines have had few issues this winter with the shops' expertise and care. Gone through a lot of extra gas and sand, however.
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Saturnalia
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Re: Marquette Rail

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Springtime has brought many route improvements, most notably some siding extensions to accommodate longer trains:

Elmdale: 5500 to 8500ft
Lake Odessa: 5400 to 8400ft
Sunfield: 5750 to 8750ft
AnnPere: 5450 to 8450ft
Fowlerville: 7060 to 8060ft

Also, capacity improvements are for this year, a new second track up the Saugatuck Grade. The new #2 track with feature a much lower grade and less curvature, allowing trains to make the hill with less power and faster. Currently, trains over 7000 tons either are equipped with DPUs or are shoved up the hill by West Olive-based pusher crews. Coal trains have been running with DPUs since last October. The second improvement is another double-tracking project, making the Plymouth Siding Double track and connecting it with the Newbrugh DT. Crew will also install a second track between Wick Road and Romulus. In total, crew are adding about 15 miles of track to the system this year.
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pudgy
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Re: Marquette Rail

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bump
Big Easy

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pudgy
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Re: Marquette Rail

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BUMP!!
Big Easy

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Saturnalia
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Re: Marquette Rail

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pudgy wrote:BUMP!!
Someday when I decide to give AARR a run for his money as the guy with the highest post count, I'll pick this back up :lol:
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AARR
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Re: Marquette Rail

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You've become too relevant to run up your post count :wink:
Saturnalia wrote:
pudgy wrote:BUMP!!
Someday when I decide to give AARR a run for his money as the guy with the highest post count, I'll pick this back up :lol:
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...

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