Holland/Waverly ops and info

Locomotive identification, railfan locations, frequency information, etc. can be found here.
GP30M4216
Saver of all History
Posts: 4794
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2004 10:35 pm
Location: Feel the Zeel, MI
Contact:

Holland/Waverly ops and info

Unread post by GP30M4216 »

In short order I'll be picking up from Connecticut and moving to Holland, just over a mile from Waverly Yard. I've been through Holland a few times years ago but am now trying to refresh myself on ops and the general setup. I went back and read through all 27 pages of the "GR Sub Signal Project: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=11390" thread from a couple years ago, which provided some photos and helpful info, and now I'm trying to fill in the gaps in my knowledge. So here's my basic summary, please add in or correct items to help me out!

WAVERLY YARD:
Is the main base of operations at Holland, where the CSX mainline curves from east-west to north-south. It's also where the Fremont Subdivision joins the mainline at a wye ("Holland" wye? "Waverly" wye?). The yard has several through tracks and a few stub end tracks where RIP projects are performed. Holland is where Z627, the Michigan Shore interchange job, picks up and sets off cars, usually from the railroad-west end of the yard. Y121, the Holland local, is also based here, which does local switching on the Fremont Sub, spur tracks in Holland and the Hamilton Industrial track (still Thursdays only?). Z627 is currently on a M-W-F daylight schedule for their interchange turn job.

CSX D700, the GR-west local, runs 5(?) days a week to Holland, and a couple days long each week as far as needed, usually to Benton Harbor or Sawyer to switch local industries. They bring Holland area and MS interchange cars to Waverly Yard, where setoffs and pickups can sometimes be quite long. Which end of Waverly Yard do they tend to arrive and depart from?

CSX MAINLINE SETUP:
Single track CSX mainline with two adjoining passing sidings in town. Holland siding extends from the Amtrak Depot past the yard to just east of US-31 and is 4400 feet long, and Waverly siding extends from just west of 120th Ave. 4600 feet to 112th Avenue. Both are to the south of the main track and are linked together between 120th and 31 by a continuing second track, called...? I know there was some discussion of re-configuring the signals at this location during the big project a few years back to increase the efficiency of movements at this location, but I'm not sure what came of that. Is there still what is in effect a double crossover between 31 and 120th Avenue? If needed, will the dispatcher schedule meets using the mainline and both passing sidings?

West and east legs of the wye connect to the CSX Fremont Subdivision, which becomes the Michigan Shore line to Muskegon north of West Olive. Western coal trains use the west leg of the wye on their run from Chicago to West Olive and return, and Z627 uses it as well. I believe the wye is signalled...but I'm not sure what those signals are called?

TRAINS:
P370 and P371 run once each day and stop at the Amtrak Station - check. 326 and 327 run once each day with their various alphabet soup prefix letters. Does 335 still run west from GR to Chicago some days or did that extension end? D700, Z627 and Y121 were discussed above. Loaded western coal from the BNSF comes up from Porter and get helpers starting at Grand Junction(?) to grind up Saugatuck Hill. Do these trains always use symbol N903, or are others used as well? I know some local crews use D801, D802, etc. etc. in coal train service. Empty western trains head back west also via the west wye leg. Coal trains still run about 1 per day, on average, right? Do any eastern CSX coal trains still come to West Olive?

Do any of the coal service locomotives get serviced at the power plant, or are they all shuttled to Wyoming Yard for servicing and fuel using those D8xx symbols?

What are the names of the industrial tracks on the north and south sides of Lake Macatawa? Are they switched by Y121, or is there another job that does that work?

Looking forward to getting back on the local scene; thanks in advance for any help!

User avatar
Saturnalia
Authority on Cat
Posts: 15382
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2011 7:54 pm
Location: Michigan City, IN
Contact:

Re: Holland/Waverly ops and info

Unread post by Saturnalia »

I'll get back on most of this in the morning (if any isn't already answered), but I can say on all the map/signal questions I've got you with my maps. That'll explain all of that without confusing wording :)
Thornapple River Rail Series - YouTube
Safety today is your investment for tomorrow

User avatar
~Z~
Sofa King Admin
Posts: 12893
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 2:14 pm
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Contact:

Re: Holland/Waverly ops and info

Unread post by ~Z~ »

Not a complete listing, but trying to fill in what I can...you have a lot right:
The wye in Holland is the East leg of the wye(east waverly that then goes north), and West leg of the wye (been known as Anthrax Curve).
If Michigan Shore is coming down south from West Olive, they'll call a clear at North Leg of the wye, go along the west leg of the wye, call a clear West Leg Wye, then usually go down to the Holland depot area, then shove back into the yard. Occasionally, they will use the east leg of the wye to get into the yard, just depending where their pickup/setoff is. Same with when Y121 comes down from the north side.
The south part of the wye is sometimes called middle waverly, but i don't think they have to call anything, just went clearing west leg of wye, and east leg wye.
Y121 goes to Hamilton on Thursdays.
D700 runs 5 days a week, they go long on M/W/F for the most part, and just do GR to Waverly and back on T/R. On T/R, they drop off their train in the yard from the east, run around it, shuffle cars around for a few hours, and depart east. On the days D700 runs long, they typically drop off at Holland on their way west, will spend less than 60 minutes at Holland, and continue on their way. They'll do the pickup on their return trip.
Q326 and Q327 are only 3 days a week, they do not use alphabet soup names. Q326 runs M/W/F mornings, Q327 on T/R/S early mornings. Q335 does not run west of GR anymore.
Western coal runs as N903 or N910. Helpers get on at the first available siding west of Saugatuck, so often at Wells, sometimes at Grand Junction, and rarely at Gross. I'd say they average just under 1 coal load a day right now. Rare for eastern coal, haven't seen diddly lately.
Coal service locos are almost always refueled at West Olive, so they don't take the trek to GR often.
Industrial tracks are the Ottawa Beach spur(goes to TLC/Ryder) and the one on the south side is the Dock Track. Switched by Y121.
Y121 does the switching at the industry on the Saugatuck siding, and also switches on Hamilton branch spur..they tend to switch the Hamilton spur multiple days during the week, but only go all the way to Hamilton on Thursdays.
Q326/Q327 rarely if ever lately do any pickup/setoff at Holland.
Webmaster
Railroad photos on Railroadfan.com

User avatar
J T
Hates Supper
Posts: 11367
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 7:23 pm
Location: Grand Rapids
Contact:

Re: Holland/Waverly ops and info

Unread post by J T »

~Z~ wrote: Industrial tracks are the Ottawa Beach spur(goes to TLC/Ryder) and the one on the south side is the Dock Track. Switched by Y121.
Just adding to your post for Nathan, the Dock Track is for servicing Padnos and Heinz.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimthias/
GRHC - you know every night I can imagine he is in front of his computer screen sitting in his underwear swearing profusely and drinking Blatz beer combing the RailRoadFan website for grammatical errors.

User avatar
SD80MAC
Ingersoll's Mr. Michigan
Posts: 10412
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:59 pm
Location: Grand Rapids

Re: Holland/Waverly ops and info

Unread post by SD80MAC »

To further elaborate, Y121 works the Ottawa Beach branch, Fremont sub, East Saugatuck, and Hamilton branch. The Dock track, the industries in Waverly yard itself and Zeeland are switched by Y223. Hienz on the Dock track is switched Tuesday's and Thursday's if there are any cars for them. Both jobs currently use a CSX Operation Lifesaver caboose for shoving.

Y121 goes on duty at 0700 and Y223 at 1600.
"Remember, 4 mph is a couple, 5's a collision!"
http://flickriver.com/photos/conrail680 ... teresting/
Image

GP30M4216
Saver of all History
Posts: 4794
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2004 10:35 pm
Location: Feel the Zeel, MI
Contact:

Re: Holland/Waverly ops and info

Unread post by GP30M4216 »

So basically what I'm reading here is "don't bother hoping for a train on Sunday." :P

In all seriousness, your details have all been most helpful and I look forward to getting to the neighborhood and scoping out the scene. MQT, I look forward to seeing your maps, too.

User avatar
J T
Hates Supper
Posts: 11367
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 7:23 pm
Location: Grand Rapids
Contact:

Re: Holland/Waverly ops and info

Unread post by J T »

Nathan, if I'm in the Holland area on a Sunday, there will be no trains. If I'm not there, trains will roll. That is the way it works, so for your railfanning interests, hope that I am no where near Holland or New Richmond on a Sunday. :lol:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimthias/
GRHC - you know every night I can imagine he is in front of his computer screen sitting in his underwear swearing profusely and drinking Blatz beer combing the RailRoadFan website for grammatical errors.

ConrailDetr​oit
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 5911
Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2007 10:04 pm
Location: Detroit

Re: Holland/Waverly ops and info

Unread post by ConrailDetr​oit »

Is this info still accurate?

User avatar
~Z~
Sofa King Admin
Posts: 12893
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 2:14 pm
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Contact:

Re: Holland/Waverly ops and info

Unread post by ~Z~ »

Most of this is still accurate. Good addition to the above info is that Q326 and Q327 are now daily, not 3 times a week. D700 usually still goes long M/W/F, but sometimes other days. Michigan Shore comes down on M/W/F lately as well.
Coal trains run as N800 or N801, empties are E800 or E801. Pushers on the coal loads and sometimes on Q326(if it's heavy enough) use a D801,D802, or D803 symbol.
Webmaster
Railroad photos on Railroadfan.com

GP30M4216
Saver of all History
Posts: 4794
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2004 10:35 pm
Location: Feel the Zeel, MI
Contact:

Re: Holland/Waverly ops and info

Unread post by GP30M4216 »

MMRR 2019 Waverly Yard Holland Z627 2-22-2017.jpg
As a helpful reference point, this is what East Leg Wye looks like from the shoulder of US-31 looking compass west. Grand Rapids sub mainline is at right, signalled, curving to the left. Holland passing siding is the next track to the left. The MMRR local is on the Waverly Yard lead. Tracks it is switching are normally used for the Z627 interchange, local Holland area cars are switched on the tracks branching further to the left in the foreground. The east leg of the wye to the Fremont Subdivision curves off to the right in the distance. The west leg of the wye is behind the row of trees in the distance.

The low brick building within the wye is the former Waverly CTC station, which was the local CTC desk from the early C&O era.

rob
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 311
Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2005 11:56 am
Location: grand Rapids

Re: Holland/Waverly ops and info

Unread post by rob »

GP30M4216 wrote:
MMRR 2019 Waverly Yard Holland Z627 2-22-2017.jpg
As a helpful reference point, this is what East Leg Wye looks like from the shoulder of US-31 looking compass west. Grand Rapids sub mainline is at right, signalled, curving to the left. Holland passing siding is the next track to the left. The MMRR local is on the Waverly Yard lead. Tracks it is switching are normally used for the Z627 interchange, local Holland area cars are switched on the tracks branching further to the left in the foreground. The east leg of the wye to the Fremont Subdivision curves off to the right in the distance. The west leg of the wye is behind the row of trees in the distance.

The low brick building within the wye is the former Waverly CTC station, which was the local CTC desk from the early C&O era.
An note to above Holland passing siding is no more when the signal change the company remove the dispatcher control of it. It more of a running track and there is no restrictions on leaving car on it. The local can use it when ever they want. They did this to use remotes in Holland witch they haven't done.

Rob

User avatar
NS3322
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1247
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2015 12:08 pm
Location: CP-LEVITT

Re: Holland/Waverly ops and info

Unread post by NS3322 »

Does Y121 still go to Hamilton on Thursdays? I see in the CSX wiki that it says Tuesday, so has it changed?

User avatar
SD80MAC
Ingersoll's Mr. Michigan
Posts: 10412
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:59 pm
Location: Grand Rapids

Re: Holland/Waverly ops and info

Unread post by SD80MAC »

They have been going Tuesday, Thursday or both in recent months.

Also, Y223 was abolished in 2017. It's just Y121 now, 0800 on duty M-F.
"Remember, 4 mph is a couple, 5's a collision!"
http://flickriver.com/photos/conrail680 ... teresting/
Image

User avatar
NS3322
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1247
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2015 12:08 pm
Location: CP-LEVITT

Re: Holland/Waverly ops and info

Unread post by NS3322 »

SD80MAC wrote:They have been going Tuesday, Thursday or both in recent months.

Also, Y223 was abolished in 2017. It's just Y121 now, 0800 on duty M-F.
What time would one expect them in Hamilton? So do they run both days or just one mostly?

User avatar
SD80MAC
Ingersoll's Mr. Michigan
Posts: 10412
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:59 pm
Location: Grand Rapids

Re: Holland/Waverly ops and info

Unread post by SD80MAC »

I would say Tuesday is your better bet, but I really don't know. They'll usually head to Hamilton first thing, so I'd watch for them down there around 11ish.
"Remember, 4 mph is a couple, 5's a collision!"
http://flickriver.com/photos/conrail680 ... teresting/
Image

Post Reply