Fanning Report Thread

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Fanning Report Thread

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Post the fanning reports here in this thread.
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Re: Fanning Report Thread

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CMS Fanning Report: Mayfield, KY. 3/7/09

Mayfield is the last piece of mainline Street-Running left on the CMS. The railroad splits the town in half running down Main Street. North of town is the 2.5 mile Holcomb Siding, and to the south is the large bridge spanning the Coger River. The town see's around 25-30 trains per day, most running in daylight hours. We spent the morning from sunrise to around 11 trackside at the park just off of Main St.

6:33 a.m. SB 597
CMS SD40-2 8202, ECLX SD40M-2 3512. 53 cars.

A northbound trailer train headed for Indy comes off the bridge and slows to 25 mph as it passes through town.

7:05 a.m. NB 148
CMS SD40-2 6614, CMS SD60 8160, CMS SD60 8112. 81 cars (long count).

Another northbound follows 148 awhile later.

7:33 a.m. NB 598
CMS GP40-2 6440, CMS SD40-2 701, CMS SD60M 8524, CMS GP40-2 5823. 91 cars.

A lull hits town as it awakes, but for the later sleepers, another northbound will do the alarm clock duties as it makes its path through town. This train has one of the three BCNY units on lease included.

8:51 a.m. NB 502
CMS SD60 8158, CMS GP40-2 5827, BCNY SD40-2 5924. 67 cars.

A southbound hot-shot does it's permitted 30 mph through town with a long and heavy train in tow.

9:10 a.m. SB HS75
CMS SD60 8144, CMS SD60 8120, CMS SD60 8177, CMS SD40-2 8219, CMS SD40-2 6630, CMS SD60M 8504. 153 cars.

A southbound local from Oswokie a few miles north of Mayfield comes through town headed for the BF Goodrich plant on the other side of the river.

9:32 a.m. SB RL61
CMS GP38M 4436, CMS GP38-2 4412. 21 cars.

Another dry period kicks in while RL61 does it's work south of town. The dispatch gets a northbound through about an hour later before RL61 makes the dash back to Oswokie between two meeting hotshots.

10:35 a.m. NB HS74
CMS GP40-2 5829, CMS GP40-2 5813, CMS GP40-2 5833, CMS SD60 8130. 121 cars.

RL61 dashes back with only 2 cars with another southbound hotshot getting closer. 61 was held in the Holcomb Siding for that hotshot.

10:45 a.m. NB RL61
CMS GP38-2 4412, CMS GP38M 4436. 2 cars.

The final train is the southboud hotshot mentioned earlier.

11:06 a.m. SB HS81
SOO SD60 6055, CMS SD40-2 8222, CMS SD60 8117, CMS SD40-2 6601, OHNR SD50 8619. 132 cars.
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Re: Fanning Report Thread

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Here's a report for the NOBL along the MAW today. It was a good day. I caught the road trains in good light both times and a grain train in perfect evening light, as well as the Napoleon local as it worked around town.

The morning begins in Defiance as the eastbound road freight waits for a CSX train to clear.

8:34 a.m. EB CSX Q11010
CSX ES44DC 5454, CSX C40-8W 7333, CSX C40-8W 7742, CSX AC4400CW 91. 132 cars (long count).

After receiving it's clear, RF1 pulls across the diamond and into the yard to do it's work. It's a rather big train today.

8:42 a.m. EB RF1
NOBL SD40-2 772, NOBL SD40-3 774. 71 cars.

After work is completed in the yard, they depart across the Maumee River with a few less cars then they came into town with.

9:20 a.m. EB RF1
NOBL SD40-2 772, NOBL SD40-3 774. 62 cars.

We head towards Napoleon to catch it in town. The eastbound train is usually held here every day for anywhere from 10 minutes to 3 hours after completing work so that they can swap crews with the westbound. Todays wait was a 3 and a half hour wait, so we came back in the mid-afternoon to catch the departure of both trains. The light favored the westbound, so we stayed at Oakwood Ave. figuring we'd have time to get over to Liberty Center to catch RF1 once more.

1:32 p.m. WB RF2
NOBL SD40-2 770, NOBL GP40-2 602, NOBL GP39-2 9027. 68 cars.

Racing east to Liberty Center, we beat RF1 by mere moments to catch him passing through town, by a string of stored ethanol cars on the spur to the old warehouse.

1:59 p.m. EB RF1
NOBL SD40-2 772, NOBL SD40-3 774. 60 cars.

The set-out and pick-up for RF1 were both rather large, and they almost evened out. Now it was back to Napoleon to watch NL101 work around in the small yard. As they departed to the west side of town to work, we documented them.

2:46 p.m. WB NL101
NOBL GP38M 8412. 21 cars.

After running home to eat dinner, we head back to Defiance to the east end of the yard to catch a grain train as it swings around a curve and across the Maumee, not needing to stop in Defiance for any waits. It was a great catch to see the former Susquehanna unit leading a former BN 4-axle.

5:58 p.m. WB G80L10
NOBL SD45R 8900, NOBL GP40-2 600. 58 cars.
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Re: Fanning Report Thread

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While in town today after lunch I went over to Oakwood Ave. to catch RF1 and RF2 meeting at the yard. RF1 had a pair of the new SD45R's on property that came from NREX now lettered for GLLX, along with an SD40-3. We have all 5 on lease. We first view RF1 sitting on the siding next to the cut of cars it dropped off. It's a rather large train again today with 73 cars after the work in Defiance and Napoleon.

2:34 p.m. EB RF1
GLLX SD45R 9102, GLLX SD45R 9100, NOBL SD40-3 774. 73 cars.

The westbound rolls to a stop at the east end of the yard to swap crews with RF1. After the swap is complete, RF2 pulls into track 2 to let RF1 go before starting their work.

3:03 p.m. WB RF2
NOBL SD40-2 770, NOBL SD45R 8900. 43 cars.

I couldn't stick around for all the yard work. It's nice to have the Susquehanna unit back on the roster after being sidelined for 2 months due to mechanical problems.
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Re: Fanning Report Thread

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CMS Fanning Report: Lafayette, IN; Greenbush Street Junction. 3/16/09

Lafayette is a great place to be on warm sunny mornings. At the abandoned GB Tower on Greenbush Street, the CMS hosts a 10-track yard, as well as the connection to the Greencastle & Northern RR, which uses CMS trackage rights from Greencastle to Lafayette, where it leaves the CMS for it's own route to Monticello, and the CMS line to Indianapolis, formerly the B&O. Southbound 681 arrives in the early morning Monday-Saturday and makes pick-ups and drop-offs for/from local interchanges and industries. A great lashup of power leads the way today, led by a former NYSW unit.

7:50 a.m. SB 681
CMS SD45 6680, OHNR SD70M 8701, CMS SD40-2 6608. 78 cars.

While 681 goes about its work in the yard, the southbound GC&N freight comes off the connector and heads south with a trio of older GP-series units.

8:07 a.m. SB 16-Z901
GC&N GP38 2231, GC&N GP40 6200, GC&N GP39-2 3003. 61 cars.

681 departed a few minutes later, minus the 6608. It was left in the yard to be the power for the daily train to Indianapolis on the old B&O. The line sees trains 640 and 641, as well as 236 and 237 each three times a week. We got lucky and got northbound 236 leaving the Indy Sub for its run to Chicago and eventually Green Bay.

8:36 a.m. NB 236
CMS SD60M 8522, CMS SD40-2 6643. 68 cars.

A southbound freight bound for Memphis blasts through town with a CN unit trailing.

9:01 a.m. SB 541
CMS SD40-2 8236, CN SD75I 5664. 84 cars.

A pair of northbound trailer trains pass through town next.

9:27 a.m. NB 164
CMS SD60 8119, CMS SD40-2 6651, CMS SD60 8173. 101 cars (long count).

9:51 a.m. NB 168
OHNR SD40-2 8448, CEFX SD60 6002, CMS SD40-2 730. 112 cars (long count).

A rack 'n stack train heads south with the first two ES44AC's delivered, followed by colorful 641 heading for the Indy Line.

10:27 a.m. SB 201
CMS ES44AC 7000, CMS ES44AC 7001. 88 cars (long count).

10:56 a.m. SB 641
CMS SD40-2X 6916, CMS SD40-2 6619, CMS SD40T-2 6652, CMS SD40-2 6903. 135 cars.

In order, 641's paintschemes were: former Illinois Central black, former BC Rail red/white/blue, CMS red, and former BN green. Quite a lashup.

Our final train is a northbound manifest, with another colorful lashup.

11:16 a.m. NB 552
UP SD70M 3982, CSX SD40-2 8450, CMS SD60 8115, CMS SD40-2 820. 91 cars.

Quite a colorful morning, with great action to boot.
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Re: Fanning Report Thread

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a day as a foamer on the michigan and wisconsin rr

me and my friend rob arrive at the bay city yard just after lunch as the crews get back to work

1245pm we see srtx gp20d #11 switching the yard the yard crew really likes the genset it comes with a radio and a/c and it is alot quieter than a regular locomotive

1pm bm13's power it brought from the engine house and is coupled onto its train the power is 8901 & 8902 u23bs with there air test complete bm13 heads of to midland with 68 cars in tow

115pm now that the fuel tanks are filled on x 701's power they head over to there train witch is stored on three tracks witch consists of 112 cars todays power is #22 gp30 #20-21 gp30b's and #23 a gp30 witch the m and w owns the largest group of gp30s still operating in michigan with there train assembled they depart bay city for durand

as soon as they leave we decide to chase them all the way to durand

we arrive at genasee yard at 2pm just in time to get some quick pictures of x 741 saginaw to bay city local with rs27 #40 ex gbw #318 waiting in the clear for x701 to pass as x701 enters genasee yard we race across the river to catch them crossing the river while we are shooting video of them crossing washington ave the nearly hiting a anbulance rushing to an acident sceen from st marys the engineer put the train into emergency brakeing after the train is checked and the train air back up X701 gets back on its way to durand

we hit the road for durand
5pm rob always wanted to catch the x701 comming through town luckily rob rode his dirt bike to my house before we left to bay city we loaded his dirt bike in my truck so i stoped at the lansing road crossing outside of town and we unloaded his dirt bike and i drove to the depot as soon as x701 came into view i started my camcorder and i also took pictures with my camera to day was my lucky day m and w rr c420s #107-108 were swiching the yard when they heard x701 was coming into town they pulled onto the flint whey to get into the clear for x701 instead of going around the whey towards flint x701 went down the holly sub just after the cleared the switch to push there train into the yard rob showed up we chatted for a while as the x701 put there train away in the yard he remarked they had to wait for a signal so he got some good footage of the gp30's bleaching out smoke as the started moving again then the c420s went back to work moving cars around the yard

after the rails where quiet once again we decided to head home so we loaded up robs dirt bike and hit the road we sure would have some stories to tell on our ride home

i hope you liked "a day as a foamer on the michigan and wisconsin rr"
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Re: Fanning Report Thread

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i hope you liked "a day as a foamer on the michigan and wisconsin rr"
I did, thanks. :)
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Re: Fanning Report Thread

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Don Simon wrote:
i hope you liked "a day as a foamer on the michigan and wisconsin rr"
I did, thanks. :)
well that was my first try at paper railroading as far as specific industries on my railroad i have no clue what they are except in saginaw bacity and midland
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Re: Fanning Report Thread

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well that was my first try at paper railroading as far as specific industries on my railroad i have no clue what they are except in saginaw bacity and midland
Seemed realistic to me. It's not critical that you have specific industries. For me it's part of the fun of having paper railroads...operations. I like to figure out how many engines and cars I need to serve my customers.

For example, my Detroit & Port Huron started out in 1991 with two lines; Mt. Clemens Sub - Tappan (Port Huron) to 10 Mile Rd. (Warren) and Romeo Sub - Richmond to Pontiac.

Started out with five ex-GTW GP9's, 4134-4138. These are the lightest of the GTW GP9's and were not slated for the GTW rebuild program. Send them to GTW's GP9r program but only lower nose and rebuild engines. No other significant cosmetic changes. Repaint them old GTW green (cab and hoods) and yellow safety stripes on noses.

Two units worked in tandem on each line. The Mt. Clemens Sub needed two crews to make one round trip per day and the Romeo Sub one. Fifth unit is used as replacement and fill-ins.

Each job handled overhead traffic from GTW and local traffic. Overhead is light (10-20 cars per day on Mt. Clemens Sub and 5-10 on Romeo).

Each job handled local business which is 10-20 per day on Mt. Clemens Sub and 5-10 on Romeo. I have specific customers but will spare you the list.

1995 CN purchases Mt. Clemens Sub back. Three of GP9's mothballed pending purchase of new short line (MI & OH). Overhead traffic on Romeo Sub stops in 1995 when CN opens tunnel. Romeo Sub operations drops to couple times a week. Crew stays busy on other short lines I own in MI.

1999 with CN buying IC and CSX/NS buying CR I negotiate trackage rights on CN to CSX in Port Huron but get rejected on rights on CN to CR in Detroit.
  • Start handling limestone trains from CSX in Port Huron (who gets it from LSRC who gets it from Calcite thus keeping line north of Alpena open :) to Romeo. 20-30 cars 4x per week during construction season. Use two of five track Romeo Yard to stage and unload limestone cars.
    Acquire an ex-GTW GP18 to assist the two GP9's that remained when we transferred other three to MIOH.
    Also start handling Ford Engine traffic in Romeo (5-6 cars per day) and give it CSX in Port Huron (Ford Engine plant manager wanted nothing to do with CN but was open to CSX...go figure :? . Use one of five tracks to stage 60' box cars for loading and weekly tank car or two of cutting fluid.
    Letica Logistics opened transload in Rochester Hills that receives 8-10 cars a week. Their two spurs can unload three cars each so have to switch them twice a week. Again, we get those cars from CSX in Port Huron.
    Letica has a plastic pail plant in Rochester that gets 3 cars a week (from CN). Their spur holds three cars so switch them once a week.
    There are three other small customers that get occasional service including fertilizer and lumber.
    I operate six days a week and during limestone season occasionally on Sunday. On duty at 2pm. Takes 2-3 hours to switch Ford and limestone. Make run to Port Huron and back. Usually tie up 6-7 hours later. Run to Letica or end of line before Ford and limestone switch and on weekend.
    Track rated 25mph from Romeo Yard to Richmond. But Romeo Yard to Auburn Heights is only 10mph


Service between Auburn Heights and Pontiac was discontinued around 1999 when the beer distributer received their last rail car and went strictly truck. When I75 was widened around 2000 said track was removed. End of line is now at a small lumber yard in Auburn Heights.

Also have a dinner/tourist train on this segment I run in cooperation with group from Selfridge. Started out with Selfridge to Mt. Clemens Depot run. Very successful. When CN bought Mt. Clemens Sub back part of deal was CN had to rebuild siding from Selfridge Jct. to MC Depot. They continue to do well. Although they are no longer able to run Mt. Clemens to Romeo which was a very popular tourist train. Used my GP9's until 1995 when they had to acquire their own engines.

In 1996 I started a dinner/tourist train from Romeo. More details later.
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Re: Fanning Report Thread

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Lafayette, IN; 3/19/09

Another beautiful morning in Lafayette, with good traffic to boot. If you haven't noticed, the CMS loves their SD60's. They've leased a handful of the old Oakway units from EMD that had been in storage for some time. Southbound 681 has a mixed bag today, led by one of these units.

7:28 a.m. SB 681
EMD SD60 9003, CP SD40-2 6073, CMS SD40-2 700. 88 cars.

A one-unit wonder heads north next, with quite a train for just one engine.

8:01 a.m. NB 236
CMS SD60 8152. 61 cars.

The GC&N freight heads south next, with the same lashup we had Monday.

8:10 a.m. SB 19-Z901
GC&N GP38 2231, GC&N GP40 6200, GC&N GP39-2 3003. 70 cars.

541 heads south with a quartet of "Big-Reds."

8:34 a.m. SB 541
CMS SD60 8184, CMS SD60 8147, CMS SD60 8194, CMS SD60 8170. 113 cars.

It takes 168 about an hour to get here next, with one of the SD45-2's sandwiched by SD60's. This is followed by 164.

9:20 a.m. NB 168
CMS SD60 8122, CMS SD45-2 6684, OHNR SD60 8900. 86 cars (long count).

9:37 a.m. NB 164
CMS SD60M 8503, CMS SD60M 8510. 101 cars (long count).

Another break until 201, 641, 552, and 559 pass through from 10:15 to 11.

10:17 a.m. SB 201
CMS SD60 8179, EMD SD60 9068. 68 cars.

10:34 a.m. SB 641
CMS GP40-2 5825, CMS SD60 8146, NS C40-9W 9744, CMS SD40-2 6901, CMS SD40-2 6646. 125 cars.

552 has two of the units from Mondays 681.

10:45 a.m. NB 552
OHNR SD70M 8701, CMS SD45 6680. 71 cars.

559 has two wandering SOO SD60's for power. They almost fit right in with the CMS "big-reds."

10:57 a.m. SB 559
SOO SD60 6055, SOO SD60 6048. 83 cars.
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Fanning Report: Panhandle, TX.

Mornings are usually the busiest on the Panhandle Sub. We start just as the sun is up enough to put good light on an eastbound stack train from L.A.

7:48 a.m. EB ZLAKC991
DFW B40-8 8213, DFW B40-8 8204, DFW SD50 5063. 104 cars (long count).

Running the wrong main, another eastbound stack train races east, after passing another eastbound back in town.

8:01 a.m. EB ZSJKC939
DFW C40-8 8725, DFW B40-8 8226. 83 cars (long count).

A westbound mixed freight heads into town, while an eastbound gets back on the move after waiting on 939 to clear.

8:16 a.m. WB MKCPT588
DFW SD40-2 8146, NALX SD40-2 6608, DFW SD50 5132. 91 cars.

8:21 a.m. EB CLTCMS637
DFW AC4400CW 248, DFW AC4400CW 221. 125 cars.

After awhile, a westbound unit train of coal empties slows to a stop at MP 24 to wait on another stack train to run around.

9:11 a.m. WB ZKCLA974
DFW B40-8 8201, NALX SD40-2 6627. 94 cars (long count).

9:24 a.m. WB CKCSPS682
DFW SD70MAC 9123, DFW SD70MAC 9110. 135 cars.

Eastbound trailers race west out of town.

9:51 a.m. EB ZLAKC903
DFW SD50 5100, DFW SD50 5082. 103 cars (long count).

A westbound reroute manifest bound for Houston passes by. A derailment south of Tulsa has the line shut down until Thursday.

10:25 a.m. WB RKCHO564
NALX SD40-2 8230, BNSF C44-9W 4803, BNSF C44-9W 667. 84 cars.

Our final train of the morning is an long FedEx trailer train passing cars on SR 95 doing every bit of 65 mph. The FedEx trains are given away by the "0" in the symbol.

10:46 a.m. EB ZLAKC012
DFW C40-8 8738, DFW B40-8 8256, DFW B40-8 8245, NALX SD40-2 6603. 156 cars (long count).
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Re: Fanning Report Thread

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Finally, I get to post an OHNR fanning report.

Yesterday we started bright and early in Kalamazoo at the Adams Street Junction and Yard. Our day will see us traveling east from Kzoo to Bell Oak, almost 80 miles. The line is mostly double-tracked in Michigan, aside from a stretch between Dimondale and Bell Oak, and a stretch in Lake Nepessing. The Flint Sub is part of the Boston-Chicago line, via London, ON. First up is 704 comes out of the yard and heads north for Muskegon. It will return later in the day as 703.

7:30 a.m. NB M704-09
OHNR SD40-2 8354, OHNR SD60 8925. 54 cars.

We then drive east, and when we hear a westbound calling signals, we stop a few miles outside Bedford Park.

8:24 a.m. WB I138-09
OHNR ES44DC 5634, OHNR ES44DC 5823. 107 cars (long count).

We then head into town and up on the Culver St. overpass for an eastbound.

9:03 a.m. EB M383-08
OHNR C44-9W 8784, OHNR SD50 8647, BNSF C40-8W 830. 81 cars.

Now its off to Charlotte for a pair of freights. First up is a westbound train coming off the Marshall Sub from Toledo heading for Chicago, followed by an eastbound trailer train.

9:44 a.m. WB M454-09
NALX SD40-2 6614, OHNR SD60M 5077. 75 cars.

10:13 a.m. EB I193-09
OHNR C44-9W 8805, OHNR ES44DC 5574. 113 cars (long count).

Now it's off to Dimondale. We park at Hunter Street, or the end of double track until Bell Oak, aside from the siding in Williamston. Our only train here is an eastbound leaving double track.

10:54 a.m. EB C601-05
OHNR CW44AC 512, OHNR ES44AC 7344. 130 cars.

Now we head to the east end of the Williamston siding where an eastbound that passed us while we ate lunch is parked awaiting a trio of westbounds.

11:33 a.m. WB I134-08
OHNR ES44DC 5566, OHNR ES44DC 5672, OHNR C40-8W 7114. 115 cars (long count).

11:51 a.m. WB A516-08
OHNR SD50 8522. 60 cars.

12:14 p.m. WB M384-09
OHNR SD40-2 8450, OHNR SD40-2 8266. 71 cars.

Now before that eastbound gets back on the move we head east to Bell Oak at the start of double track.

12:45 p.m. EB M365-09
OHNR CW44AC 413, OHNR SD50 8634. 84 cars.

Our final train is a westbound coal train with some rather odd power for a coal train on this line.

1:32 p.m. WB C678-08
OHNR SD40-2 8447, OHNR GP40-2 4405, OHNR RC35CHG 9605. 185 cars.
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Re: Fanning Report Thread

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Yesterday we spent time along the WI&I main around Quincy and East Canton in western Illinois. The line see's around 14 bridge trains in daylight hours, as this route is an important bridge route between the Ohio Northern and the Chicago & Minnesota Southern in Des Moines. Beside those, 2 road switchers and 4 road freights are scheduled through in daylight. The entire system is mostly a daylight operation, which is rare on a regional.

In the early morning we view some parked power in the Quincy Yard, including the famous 5810, still wearing it's Chessie colors. Also in the yard was a parked rail train, along with various cars.

7:59 a.m. Idle Power
WI&I SD50 6213, WI&I SD40-2 5810, WI&I SD40-2 5802.

After waiting awhile, an eastbound mixed freight with a block of racks up front passes through.

8:30 a.m. EB R400-11
WI&I SD40-2 7361, WI&I SD40-2 5865. 71 cars.

The mornings can get somewhat busy in Quincy. While the local works the yard, an eastbound slows to a stop in the siding to wait for a westbound. The westbound arrives around 20 minutes later.

9:04 a.m. WB R403-11
WI&I SD50 6240, WI&I SD40-2 5852. 68 cars.

The eastbound can now get back on the move.

9:21 a.m. EB R402-11
WI&I SD40-2 5855, WI&I GP38E 8205, WI&I GP40-2 6521.

The local has it's train together now, but it doesn't have its crew yet. They're not coming on duty until around noon. So with that, a few miles north to East Canton, Illinois where the bridge over the Mississippi provides great picture opportunities.

10:45 a.m. EB B566-11
WI&I SD40-2 5808, WI&I SD40-2 5847. 63 cars.

Light power froma coal train heads west across the river now.

11:14 a.m. WB X055-11
CMS SD60 8166, CMS SD60 8144.

For our final train, we head back to Quincy to view an eastbound trailer train bound for the OHNR.

11:49 a.m. EB T900-11
WI&I SD50 6202, WI&I SD40-2 5800. 102 cars (long count).
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WI&I Report. Quincy-Springfield. 4/18/08.

The morning begins in Quincy with a pair of eastbounds, lead by a UPS train heading for the OHNR at Evansville.

8:07 a.m. EB B030-17
WI&I SD40-2 5854, CMS SD60 8160, CMS SD60 8115. 105 cars (long count).

Next up is 402 with a pair of former GATX SD40-2's up front.

8:38 a.m. EB R402-18
WI&I SD40-2 7374, WI&I SD40-2 7371. 71 cars.

Last train at Quincy is a westbound coal train.

9:15 a.m. WB E827-18
CMS SD60 8137, CMS SD60 8130. 120 cars.

CMS power isn't rare on the WI&I, due to alot of interchange traffic and run through's between the two. Now, it's east to Springfield where the north-south line from southern Minnesota crosses the Quincy Sub. On the east side of the diamond, the line to Danville (via Decatur) branches off from the line to Evansville.

First up at Springfield is a southbound mixed freight led by one of the four high-hood units owned by the WI&I.

10:13 a.m. SB R460-18
WI&I GP38E 8205, WI&I SD40-2 5805. 54 cars.

A short time later, another southbound takes the connector from the Moline Sub and heads for Evansville.

10:30 a.m. SB B366-18
WI&I SD60 6002, WI&I GP40-2 6521. 61 cars.

A westbound from Danville takes the south connector and heads toward St. Louis. This was our final train, with a former GTW GP38-2 rounding out the consist.

11:04 a.m. WB/SB R471-18
WI&I SD40-2 5861, WI&I SD50 6205, WI&I GP38-2 8658. 91 cars.
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Re: Fanning Report Thread

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LMOC Report: 5/8/09

Early this morning we sat in Okolona for the EB Roadrailer as well as 633. The pair of B39's on 633 will be a thing of the past by mid-summer, with the scheduled arrival of more ACe's, the B39's are running on borrowed time.

8:28 a.m. EB TCZ200
LMOC SD70ACe 701, LMOC SD40-2 8282. 130 trailers.

9:15 a.m. EB R63308
LMOC B39-8 8310, LMOC B39-8 8312. 65 cars.

Later in the day, on the way home from work, we race ahead of westbound 632 to Jewell as it passes through the small town. Also on borrowed time are the 5 SD50's on roster.

4:47 p.m. WB R63208
LMOC SD40-2 6426, LMOC SD50 5002. 68 cars.

Our final train is the westbound stack train from CP in Detroit running to St. Louis and eventually on to Los Angeles, passing through Napoleon in a driving rain.

6:36 p.m. WB Z20108
LMOC SD70ACe 700, LMOC SD50 5001. 103 cars (long count).
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SD80MAC
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Re: Fanning Report Thread

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A Day on the Pere Marquette Grand Rapids Sub.

Today (May 8, 2009) we'll be doing a dawn to dusk on PM's GR sub, part of PM's Grand Rapids-Toledo mainline, which sees about 8-9 trains aday. We'll be sitting at the west end of Malta siding in Lowell, MI. Lowell is where the Flat River Railroad's (FLRY, a subsidiary of the PM) ex C&O Greenville-Lowell line meets the GR sub. On this day a lot of trains, especially some not regularly schedueled moves, were plying the PM rails.

7:37 a.m. WB EEXCH05 PM SD70ACe 4302 108 cars
The first train to shatter the morning silence is westbound EEXCH-05, an empty coal train from the plant at Essexville bound for the BNSF in Chicago. Power is a pair of PM's big SD70ACe's, the first locomotives bought new by the railroad since the GP60's of 1992. They can typically be found in coal service just like this.

8:41 a.m. EB GRDR05 PM SD50-2 3016 95 cars
It's about an hour before another train shows up. It's eastbound GRDR-05, PM's daily Grand Rapids-Durand freight. Most of the cars will continue onto Toledo on the DRTL, while the rest will head north on PM's former Ann Arbor main or northeast to Bay City on the ex GTW. The trains 3 units, SD50-2 #3015, SD40M-2 #3000, and SD40-3 #3029, are working hard to keep the train moving along at the maximum aloud 50 mph. A 4th unit, PM's ex METRA F40C #3050, is dead in tow and will be set out at Owosso to be worked on at the PM/QRLX shops.

10:02 a.m. EB LGRIO05 PM GP15-1 1504 23 cars
The Grand Rapids-Ionia turn job is the next train to show up behind former Conrail's GP15-1 #1504 and GP38-2 #2008. The train has already worked Amway back in Ada and now is pulling into the Malta siding at Lowell to drop of it's cars for the FLRY on the interchange track. While the local goes about it's work a horn is heard to the north, and before long the headlight of FLRY GP9 #2 appears in the distance. The local and the Flat River swap cars and the GP9 heads back north with mostly 89' boxes for Electrolux in Greenville and hoppers for King Milling on the other side of the river. The LGRIO, after putting the cars from FLRY on the rear, pulls up to the EAS at Malta as the dispatcher tells them something's coming.

11:09 a.m. WB ZTLGR05 PM GP60 3901 37 cars
PM's hot Toledo-Grand Rapids TOFC train, the ZTLGR, roars through Lowell behind a pair of PM's GP60's. PM began TOFC service between Chicago and Grand Rapids in 1992 and in 2001 added a second train between Toledo and Grand Rapids. The same power took the ZGRTL04 east last night and is now making good time to Grand Rapids, having left Toledo at 7 a.m. sharp. Once the trailer train is clear the local pulls out and heads to Ionia.

11:55 a.m. EB CCHMD PM SD70ACe 4305 112 cars
A loaded coal train bound for the new Midland,MI power plant begins a parade of eastbounds. An SD70ACe leads an ex SOO SD60 and a long train of shiny silver bethgons.

12:10 p.m. EB GGLTL05 PM GP15-1 1512 Light Power
Light power consisting of a pair of GP15-1's, a Quality Rail Leasing GP38-2 and one of PM's ex Alaska GP49's (with markers glowing) heads east. The train will hop off the GR sub in Ionia and head down the old line to Grand Ledge to power a grain train. It'll be slow going as the line between Ionia and Grand Ledge is only rated for 15 mph tops.

12:30 p.m. EB KCHEJ04 PM SD60 3911 100 cars
A loaded ore train from the Marquette, Ontanagon & Western howls through Lowell bound for the Iron Works in East Jordan, MI. The train will turn north at Owosso and makes it's way up the state. 4 units head this train, PM SD60 #3911, PM GP40M-3 #3051 and 2 MO&W SD70's running through with the train. East Jordan gets about one ore train a week, as it gets most of it's ore by boat. It also recieves a train of coke every once in a while, but those run east of Lowell.

1:47 p.m. WB LGRIO05 PM GP38-2 2008 17 cars
The local is done for the day and heads back through Lowell to Grand Rapids.

2:24 p.m. EB GNWTL PM SD40-2 3026 71 cars
A grain train from Newyago is heading back east with an SD40-2 leading an SD50-2 and a GP38-2 with 71 hoppers in tow.

3:05 p.m. WB GRDR05 PM SD40-3 #3029 76 cars
GRDR is making it's way back west after grabbing it's new train in Durand.

4:30 p.m. EB X360005 PM FP45-2 #3600 12 cars
PM's business train is being ferried to Toledo for a trip to Ann Arbor and back the next day. PM's 2 FP45-2's, 3600 and 3601, pull the trains stainless steel, blue and yellow cars.

6:22 p.m. EB KCHTL04 PM SD50-2 #3018 68 cars
The last train we'll see in daylight is eastbound KGATL, an empty coke train from the Gary Works in Gary, IN bound for the Wheeling & Lake Erie in Toledo, OH. PM and WE recently partnered up in moving the coke to Indiana bypassing CSX and NS almost completely.

After dark, we stick around for a couple more...

7:47 p.m. EB ZGRTL05 PM GP59 #3063 45 cars
The "Overighter" is hauling east as fast as the track will allow behind one of PM's 3 former EMD demonstrator GP59's and PM GP60 #3905.

10:06 p.m WB KTLMN PM SD40M-2 #3003 76 cars
The lime train off CSX in Toledo is bound for Martin Marietta in Manistee behind an SD40M-2 and an SD40-3. The train will probably be pushed out of GR as far as Sparta by helper unit to get over the hill in Comstock Park.
"Remember, 4 mph is a couple, 5's a collision!"
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Re: Fanning Report Thread

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Got out this morning to Okolona for the morning roadrailer, shortly followed by a grain train heading to the ports in Toledo. The roadrailer had a surprise up front, with a B39 running long hood forward.

8:26 a.m. EB TCZ200
LMOC B39-8 8308. 130 trailers.

The grain train heads east awhile later, now under threatening skies. A nice quartet of SD40-2's leads the heavy train toward Toledo, as it climbs the Okie Hill east of Okolona.

9:03 a.m. EB XG47409
LMOC SD40-2 8281, LMOC SD40-2 6433, LMOC SD40-2 6414, LMOC SD40-2 6437. 120 cars.
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Re: Fanning Report Thread

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From a couple days ago.

LMOC Report: Napoleon-Okolona-Defiance-Cecil-Antwerp-New Haven. 5/7/09.

We started off the morning in Napoleon as leased GP39R 2137 works the yard building the local for later today.

8:04 a.m. Yard Drill
BELX GP39R 2137. Multiple Strings.

The morning hotshot passes through town next with a lone ACe.

8:38 a.m. EB TCZ200
LMOC SD70ACe 700. 130 trailers.

After waiting for 200 to pass, an oddly early 632 pulls onto track 2 to make a drop-off and lift.

8:59 a.m. WB R63207
LMOC B39-8 8312, LMOC GP40 6212, FURX SD40-2 3047. 81 cars.

632 left with 79 cars, after dropping off 12 and picking up 10.

Moving west to Okolona, we see an eastbound rail train heading to Napoleon to park. It will be doing work between L.C. and Whitehouse in a couple weeks.

10:05 a.m. EB MOWX40
LMOC SD40-2 6407. 31 cars.

In Defiance, former MAW GP7U #5 drills cars in the yard before working the CSX interchange.

10:34 a.m. Yard Drill
LMOC GP7U 5. Multiple Strings.

Moving west to Cecil, another local from Fort Wayne has some grain cars and cement cars in tow as it heads back west.

11:01 a.m. WB L34007
LMOC GP40-2 5616. 24 cars.

In Antwerp, the westbound roadrailer burns through town running a little early today.

1:43 p.m. WB TCZ201
LMOC SD40-2 6403, LMOC SD40-2 8283. 120 trailers.

Later in the day, a westbound empty grain train from Toledo enters the joint LMOC/NS yard in New Haven to swap power with NS as it will finish its journey via the NS.

5:30 p.m. WB XG40907
LMOC SD40-2 6425, LMOC SD40-2 8282. 113 cars.
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Re: Fanning Report Thread

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Bennington, NY, is a small town some 20 miles east of Buffalo. On the BKS, it's also the first passing siding east of Buffalo. Milepost 21.4 marks the begining of the 2.5 mile siding. Mornings are the busiest time here, with lulls from 11 to 2, then another pick-up until dusk. The O&NN uses this line for traffic between Buffalo and Ithaca after they abandoned their line from Buffalo to Syracuse. They roster just some 20 engines, mostly 4-axle, aside from 3 SD40's and a lone SD40-2.

The daily O&NN eastbound starts the morning.

8:44 a.m. EB X668-10
O&NN SD40 6077, O&NN GP40 8434. 43 cars.

Next up, the class of the SD70M's leads a heavy Boston bound freight.

9:01 a.m. EB F500-10
BKS SD70M 4000, BKS SD40-2 603, BKS C36-7 7307. 121 cars.

A westbound extra from the quarry in West Belle has left the siding after waiting on 500.

9:34 a.m. WB S303-10
BKS SD40-2 5234. 45 cars.

After a short time, a westbound trailer train races toward Buffalo.

10:05 a.m. WB Z121-10
BKS SD40-2 605, BKS GP40 3216, BKS GP40-2 7102. 131 cars (long count).

The final train of the morning is the counterpart to 121, making good time to Boston.

10:44 a.m. EB Z120-10
BKS SD40-2 5227, BKS SD40-2 5239, BKS SD40-2 5121. 107 cars (long count).

This also marked the end of our stay in Bennington, and we now move west to the east end of Buffalo Yard, where the line to Trenton through Pennsylvania also comes in. An inbound auto train is first.

2:33 p.m. WB V419-10
BKS GP40 3232, BKS GP40-2 3250, BKS GP38-2 2430. 93 cars.

Next up is a detouring OHNR train using the line to Elmira then south to Pittsburgh to get around a derailment on the OHNR.

2:55 p.m. EB X010-10
OHNR C44-9W 8894, OHNR C40-8 8381. 76 cars.

A westbound from Boston comes in next, with a pair of the big 70M’s up front.

3:34 p.m. WB F501-10
BKS SD70M 4006, BKS SD70M 4002. 104 cars.

Our final train is a transfer to the CSX leaving the yard with quite a lashup of 4-axle power.

4:10 p.m. EB TF4-10
BKS GP9R 4310, BKS GP18M 4322, BKS GP40 3205, BCNY GP35E 6417. 64 cars.
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Re: Fanning Report Thread

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Got out for the morning today. The roadrailer had a surprise leader in the form of BCNY 5824, now on lease to the LMOC along with 5818 and 5825 after being on the CMS for some time.

8:34 a.m. EB TCZ200
BCNY SD40-2 5824, LMOC SD40-2 6425. 128 trailers.

Toledo dispatch had extra trains lined up in the morning as work on the bridge in Colton would have the line shut down in the afternoon.A westbound taconite is back under way after waiting in Napoleon for 200.

9:04 a.m. WB T442-13
LMOC SD70ACe 704, LMOC SD70M 779. 124 cars.
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