chapmaja wrote:I am from Michigan, so I'm not exactly up this location. Looking at the Google maps image it does appear the connection in question is complete.
In the discussion it seems people were questioning the direction of travel for trains using this connection. To me it seems pretty simple, based on the discussion being had, and which track is which.
The connection appears to be for WB trains to connect to the NKP line. For this to happen, trains using the connection going west on the NKP would be required to use the crossover east of town to get on the "wrong" main, the use the connection to the NKP. Trains going EB to EB would simple use the connection.
The question I have is what does this due for the future of the NKP line east of Vermilion? I assume, looking at the maps, the line itself is not in danger of losing traffic. This appears to be more of a move to get higher priority traffic off the NKP and onto a line that can better handled higher priority traffic.
Like DaveO says, the new connection will actually leave WB traffic on the NKP longer (connecting up to the Chicago line west of Vermilion vs. in Cleveland) and add EB traffic onto the NKP via the same connection. The NKP will see an increase in overall traffice from there east to Buffalo as a result.