CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footage

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ChessieForever
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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

Unread post by ChessieForever »

Thanks so much! These videos were very enjoyable to do back in the day and am glad we can share with everyone now in 2019 what life was like on the Plymouth Subdivision back 20-30 years ago.

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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

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Volume #25 is now up and running continuing onward right from where Vol #24 left off, it's more live locomotive action on the Plymouth Subdivision from autumn 1996 and winter 1997 at mile post 54.8 in Howell. Highlights include seeing the 'Mt. Pleasant Casino' train with T&SB GP35's 385 and 394, one of the last pure Seaboard System locomotives left operating on CSX GP38-2 2667, a couple of the last Canadian Pacific C424's 4204 and 4205 still in revenue service and brand new CSX CW60AC 602 The Spirit of Maryland. The 600-602 were the first of this model purchased by CSX in December of 1995.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... qug/videos

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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

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Only 24 hours later here comes the CSXT Plymouth Subdivision series Volume #26 showcasing both CSX and Canadian Pacific locomotive action at mile post 54.8 in Howell. Coming directly off the heels of Volume #25, this volume should be an improvement upon the last one in so far as the quality goes. The quality and clarity of Volume #25 was not up to our usual higher standards I must admit. Highlights for this volume include seeing the first new St. Lawrence & Hudson (STL&H) locomotives in service on the CP as well as watching Norfolk Southern high hood SD40's and SD40-2's on lease to the CP. With the Alco's now out of the picture there was a huge surge in variety and types of SD40's and SD40-2's on the Canadian Pacific trains from anyplace CP could locate them. Also see a pair of B&O GP38's pull Q327 west out of Detroit both of which still wearing their original Chessie System paint scheme. By this time in 1997 there were only 40 Chessie System painted locomotives left on the active roster.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... PukFVJlqug

ChessieForever
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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

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Volume #27 has just been uploaded. It is the spring of 1997 as we continue with the CSXT Plymouth Subdivision series featuring CSXT and Canadian Pacific trains at mile post 54.8 in Howell, Michigan. Canadian Pacific continued to lease 50 Norfolk Southern SD40's and SD40-2's as well as large quantities of EMDX, GATX, GSCX, HATX and HLCX units as well. And speaking of Norfolk Southern, there were more NS locomotives plying the rails of the subdivision in 1997 than at any other point in the history of the line. So if you like NS, this volume is for you. Look for abundant Conrail action as well along with rare birds Delaware & Hudson GP38-2 7307 and NYS&W B40-8 4002. As for CSXT, the latest new order of CW44AC's numbered 201-280 were all on-line and operational with another 21 unit order (281-301) due out soon. Chessie and Seaboard painted locomotives were becoming harder and harder to locate as CSX continued painting up everything they could into the current YN2 (Blue Cab) scheme as standardization of the railroad continued. 1997 was also the year that CSX changed its 'R' designation to a 'Q' designation for its train ID's. Everything was now known as a "Q" train.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... PukFVJlqug

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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

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Volume #28 showcasing the remainder of the CSXT Plymouth Subdivision video footage at mile post 54.8 from 1997 has just been posted. About the only noteworthy item for this one is you will see fresh CSX SD70MAC's in the 700-724 group being delivered in September, otherwise it is business as usual. The video ends showing footage from Osborn Yard in Louisville, KY and Radnor Yard in Nashville, TN.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... PukFVJlqug

ChessieForever
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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

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Volume #29 is now ready for viewing. It is March of 1998 as we begin yet another volume of trains on the CSXT Plymouth Subdivision in Howell, Michigan at mile post 54.8. For the first half of the video you can catch classic C&NW, NS, SP and WC locomotives all lead trains on the subdivision as well as brand new CSX CW44AC's in the 302-341 series. Also see the last two pure Seaboard System locomotives GP38-2's 2640 and 2667 in action. For the second half of the video we take you back out on the road again to ex L&N territory to view the action in Corbin, Kentucky and Louisville, Tennessee. After that, come see ex Clinchfield territory as we showcase Erwin, Tennessee as well as Spartanburg, South Carolina.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... PukFVJlqug

ChessieForever
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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

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Volume #30 of the CSXT Plymouth Subdivision series has been uploaded and for this one we continue right where Volume #29 left off at Spartanburg, South Carolina. We then move briefly to Atlanta's Tilford Yard before spending more time in Cartersville, Georgia. Following this we watch the action in Etowah and Knoxville, Tennessee and finally Corbin, Kentucky before making it back up to mile post 54.8 in Howell for the conclusion.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... PukFVJlqug

ChessieForever
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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

Unread post by ChessieForever »

Volume #31 is now up and running. Most of this volume (beyond the first 6 minutes at mile post 54.8 in Howell) was filmed in northwestern Indiana on the ex B&O Garrett to Chicago mainline at Willow Creek and Portage, Indiana. With the Conrail acquisition less than one year away, CSXT was busy double-tracking the line as well as installing a new connection track between the B&O and Conrail at Willow Creek diamond. See all of the action in late summer 1998 including quite a bit of classic Conrail in the mix.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... PukFVJlqug

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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

Unread post by ~Z~ »

I enjoy the videos, thx for taking the time to upload. I'm one that enjoys knowing exactly where the shots were filmed, but at least the descriptions you give and the narration on some helps a bit. Some city names popping up as each segment starts would be pretty awesome.
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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

Unread post by tsinoms »

To echo Z these uploads are awesome and I enjoy seeing them pop up in my subs.
I had noticed that in your camping at Portage you also visited Burns Harbor every now and then would you happen to have any Conrail footage from there as well? I imagine it was tougher back then with battery limits and everything like that but was just curious.
Amazing videos Bob and I'm extremely excited for the next upload.
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ChessieForever
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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

Unread post by ChessieForever »

Regarding what was said above with city names popping up on the videos as each segment starts - I would love to make that happen! Great idea. I just am not talented enough in this area to make it work. In other words, plain and simple, I don't know how to do it. If anyone out there can give me any tips or instructions on how to do this, I will give it a shot.

Oh, and by the way, sorry to say, we don't have much other footage from the Burns Harbor area as we spent far more time on CSXT than we did on Conrail back then. If we've got it though - you will see it in future installments.

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BL2-1843
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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

Unread post by BL2-1843 »

These most current video postings, and the next couple as well are well into the busiest times the Plymouth Sub ever had. Per my daily log sheet information showing train numbers, all locomotive numbers and times by, it is hard to imagine now, in 2019, for those that never lived it, 20 years ago in this 1997-1999 period, I was having on average 20 trains a day and has many as 25 as well.
10-12 Soo-CP trains everyday and sometimes more. Combine this with the daily one each way trains to Detroit, Flint and Toledo, we also had two train out of Saginaw-Midland in this period. Trains 332 & 333 ran for a while, and when they were cut off, within six months they came as trains 328 & 325.

Also had auto rack trains 225 & 227 and eastbound 260 for a couple of years, the Iron Highway for all to short of period, multiple West Olive coal trains, loads and empties, grain train, lime trains to Manistee and later Ludington as well, what can I say. These were the best of days on the Plymouth Sub. It all really started with the arrival of the Soo Line trains in 1985, and sadly began to go in the opposite direction when CP left us for the most in 2005.

As a further note of interest, it was April 29, 1997 when CSX changed ALL train numbers that started with "R" and made them Q-trains, as they still remain today. Also, after the short lived designation of "Z" for CP trains, those were changed to "X" on 12-30-95 where they remained until the last X500 train was seen here on Sept. 28, 2010. Only weeks after CP totally left us, short lived Q195-Q196 intermodal trains started running until North Baltimore opened.

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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

Unread post by ChessieForever »

Volume #32 is now available for viewing. This one briefly picks up right where the previous volume ended at Willow Creek diamond in Portage, Indiana. The bulk of the segment however, takes us back to mile post 54.8 in Howell along the CSXT Plymouth Subdivision to close out. One highlight in particular is seeing freshly repainted T&SB GP35's 390, 392 and 2648 in fresh paint pull a passenger special north.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... PukFVJlqug

ChessieForever
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Re: LSRC Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

Unread post by ChessieForever »

Volume #33 is now uploaded and for this volume of the CSXT Plymouth Subdivision series, we jump ahead to June of 1999, the first official month of the Conrail acquisition. The first half of this segment was filmed around the Willow Creek, Indiana diamond area and the last half was filmed in Fostoria, Ohio, long before the rail park ever existed. In the middle however, we still feature a few trains from mile post 54.8 in Howell.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... PukFVJlqug

ChessieForever
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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

Unread post by ChessieForever »

Volume #34 has now been posted and is a direct continuation of a series that began in 1988 along the CSXT Plymouth Subdivision main line at mile post 54.8 in Howell, Michigan. We begin the clip in Fostoria, Ohio, then it's back to Howell for a few trains, then back down to Willow Creek, Indiana, and finally back up to Howell once again at the end. Aside from 1999 being the year of the Conrail take-over by CSXT and NS, it was also the year that Canadian Pacific started running their new General Electric products on the subdivision. AC4400CW's 8500-8580 quickly became regulars as well as quite a few of the AC4400CW's in the 9500-9683 group. The older SD40's and SD40-2's would soon start fading out of the picture entirely as CP continued to invest in the newer GE products much like all U.S. class ones were in the process of doing.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... PukFVJlqug

ChessieForever
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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

Unread post by ChessieForever »

Volume #35 is uploaded and ready for viewing. Ever wonder what the CSXT Plymouth Subdivision looked like in the first year post-Conrail? Well here is your chance! Check it out at mile post 54.8 in Howell as we continue with the series.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... PukFVJlqug

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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

Unread post by ChessieForever »

Both Volume #36 and Volume #37 have now been posted and are ready for viewing. Both of these videos were filmed in the spring and summer of 2000 in Howell at mile post 54.8. Enjoy!

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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

Unread post by ChessieForever »

Both Volume #38 and Volume #39 have now been uploaded! We are very near to the end of the Plymouth Subdivision series so enjoy these vintage videos while you can because we simply don't have much left to upload at this point.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... PukFVJlqug

ChessieForever
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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

Unread post by ChessieForever »

Volume #40 has just been posted! This is the final installment of the CSXT Plymouth Subdivision series. The entire series contains 40 short 30 minute video clips, runs between 1988-2002 and showcases the evolution of CSX Transportation and Canadian Pacific during this time frame. Most of the video clips were taken at mile post 54.8 in Howell, Michigan along the CSXT Plymouth to Grand Rapids mainline. The subdivision hosted 20-25 trains per day at its peak including up to a dozen Canadian Pacific run-thru trains per day as well as many West Olive coal trains taking eastern coal to the Consumers Energy plant at Port Sheldon. Today in 2019 the line is still owned and operated by CSXT. However, the only trains left running on the line are a pair of Detroit - Grand Rapids manifest trains Q328 and Q329, the Lansing Ensel Yard based local D708 and random grain trains from time to time. How long will the Plymouth Subdivision remain under CSX ownership? Will it be sold off to a short-line operator? Only time will tell. But no matter what happens in the future, the documentation we have just provided for you will help you to remember that the Plymouth Subdivision was once an important and vital link between Detroit and Chicago. Thank you for taking the time to watch the series!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... PukFVJlqug

By the way - the Canadian National trains you see at the end of Volume #40 were re-route trains due to a derailment on CN's own line through Durand. This is the only time in the history of the Plymouth Subdivision that the CN laser trains ran on the subdivision. Very rare footage to have indeed.

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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

Unread post by ChessieForever »

Although this is no longer directly related to the state of Michigan, I have just uploaded 3 new videos taken this past summer along the BNSF Marshall Subdivision in far northwestern Iowa. I bought a house about 500 feet from the tracks and have a wide-open view of the trains from my front porch. The Marshall Subdivision is 220 miles in length. Runs from Sioux City, IA at mile post 220 northward to Willmar, MN at mile post 0. All single-track dispatcher controlled using track-warrants with occasional 10,000-12,000 foot long passing sidings located every 25 miles or so for meets. No CTC anywhere to be found. There is a yard in Sioux City roughly the same size as Rougemere Yard in Detroit for CSXT. The yard at the north end in Willmar is roughly the same size. 14 trains per day use the line on average (6 freights, 4 oil/ethanol, 3 grain and 1 local). BNSF routes as many oil and grain trains on the sub as they can. I relocated from Michigan to the Sioux Falls, SD / northwestern Iowa areas back in late May this year so am now primarily videoing western roads. Hope you enjoy!

Have a great Holiday season and thanks for watching.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... PukFVJlqug

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