GDLK Operations

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1TrackMind
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Re: GDLK Operations

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NS3322 wrote:Is MANN+HUMMEL off of Sprinkle Rd. an active customer?
nope

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Ben Higdon
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Re: GDLK Operations

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NS3322 wrote:Is MANN+HUMMEL off of Sprinkle Rd. an active customer?
That spur was put in under NS for Mueller Plastics, but Mueller closed up right about that time and I don't think they ever received a carload.

GAP
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Re: GDLK Operations

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I've heard from two sources that there is now a red trackmobile at the new stone operation being built east of Botsford (oops, Gearhart yard) in Kalamazoo. Things are progressing, albeit not as fast as us railfans would like. I wonder when the first stone train will actually arrive.

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12Bridge
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Re: GDLK Operations

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Amtrak has been leaving their shuttlewagon there that they are using for ballasting/work train.

NSSD70ACe
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Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by NSSD70ACe »

12Bridge wrote:Amtrak has been leaving their shuttlewagon there that they are using for ballasting/work train.
Amtrak’s stuff is usually neon yellow, not red. It could be a rental for Amtrak.
:roll:

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Ben Higdon
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Re: GDLK Operations

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The one I've seen in Ypsilanti was red and did not have Amtrak's name on it.
Does Amtrak handle track maintenance of the state owned track?

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Saturnalia
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Re: GDLK Operations

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Ben Higdon wrote:The one I've seen in Ypsilanti was red and did not have Amtrak's name on it.
Does Amtrak handle track maintenance of the state owned track?
Yes. MDOT owns the railroad but by contract Amtrak maintains and dispatches it while NS retains the freight franchise. All MDOT does is own it.
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Super Chief
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Re: GDLK Operations

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Met the new general manager Chadd today. NS 3067 was at Gearhart yard today a GP40-2 which had 6 days left on its Elk lease so it will be going back to Elkhart. 303 was on the GR&I main at Mosel with 4209 & 4189. 105 was at the old stone pit along Walbridge near Patterson with 2204 & 3534 training new trainmasters and conductors. Amtrak ballast cars on east end of Gearhart. The first stone train should be coming real soon per my source.

NSSD70ACe
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Re: GDLK Operations

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Super Chief wrote:Met the new general manager Chadd today. NS 3067 was at Gearhart yard today a GP40-2 which had 6 days left on its Elk lease so it will be going back to Elkhart. 303 was on the GR&I main at Mosel with 4209 & 4189. 105 was at the old stone pit along Walbridge near Patterson with 2204 & 3534 training new trainmasters and conductors. Amtrak ballast cars on east end of Gearhart. The first stone train should be coming real soon per my source.
Amtrak ballast cars (6-7 of them) appear to be on the stone yard lead now with a large piece of MOW equipment behind them.

Saw the trackmobile today. Definitely not Amtrak’s.
:roll:

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12Bridge
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Re: GDLK Operations

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The red one sitting under the billboard by the stone company?

Super Chief
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Re: GDLK Operations

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There were 2 red trackmobiles at the grain terminal in Lawton last summer. A big and a smaller one, could this one be one of theirs?

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Re: GDLK Operations

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I meant Decatur had the 2 trackmobiles.

bctrainfan
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Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by bctrainfan »

NSSD70ACe wrote:
Super Chief wrote:Met the new general manager Chadd today. NS 3067 was at Gearhart yard today a GP40-2 which had 6 days left on its Elk lease so it will be going back to Elkhart. 303 was on the GR&I main at Mosel with 4209 & 4189. 105 was at the old stone pit along Walbridge near Patterson with 2204 & 3534 training new trainmasters and conductors. Amtrak ballast cars on east end of Gearhart. The first stone train should be coming real soon per my source.
Amtrak ballast cars (6-7 of them) appear to be on the stone yard lead now with a large piece of MOW equipment behind them.

Saw the trackmobile today. Definitely not Amtrak’s.
I have previously seen a red Shuttlewagon used by Amtrak MOW crews with ballast cars around Hinman Yard in Battle Creek a couple of times, assume Amtrak leases it for that purpose.

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Re: GDLK Operations

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Went to Gearhart today, almost empty of cars. Are shipments on the Jackson turn going another direction? Just looked too empty. Both road trains up from Elkhart were half their usual length.

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Re: GDLK Operations

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First stone train due into Gearhart yard tomorrow. Just a heads up.

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12Bridge
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Re: GDLK Operations

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When I was by today the conveyors were not even done yet.

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Re: GDLK Operations

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Super Chief wrote:First stone train due into Gearhart yard tomorrow. Just a heads up.
Any ideas what time?
:roll:

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Super Chief
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Re: GDLK Operations

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Meeting today between the 2 RRs, working out operations. Stay tuned can't pin down actual time yet.

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Saturnalia
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Re: GDLK Operations

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Super Chief wrote:Went to Gearhart today, almost empty of cars. Are shipments on the Jackson turn going another direction? Just looked too empty. Both road trains up from Elkhart were half their usual length.
For what it is worth, NS' new "clean-sheet" transportation plan for everything but intermodal rolls out at the beginning of July. It is entirely possible that traffic patterns with respect to overhead traffic on the GDLK could change in the near future, if they haven't already. NS has noted that in a few places they have gone ahead and modified the schedules already where it made sense to do so, but the "light switch" cutover is expected around the 4th of July holiday.

And on that note, I hope NS crossed their Ts and dotted their Is. From the UP-SP merger, to the CR breakup, to CSX's PSR conversion, rapidly changing operating plans has a very rocky history. Good luck, Norfolk!
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Super Chief
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Re: GDLK Operations

Unread post by Super Chief »

According to one source the entire Cleveland pool is being eliminated out of Elkhart in the near future or has already. The reason Gearhart seemed empty is I saw no coil cars, so did the JAIL traffic just disappear or was it rerouted east? So has NS eliminated WBs on the Michigan line to the Elk? I've seen no coil cars on any Elk train in a week now.

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