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More updates made today, mostly clarifications and a few minor changes to operations.

FWIW, those looking to railfan the LS&I this summer can expect continued, but likely reduced, operations. They will be loading boats off the stockpile while Tilden is shutdown from now until at least July.

Is this thread still relevant with the operations? Has anything changed?

kd_1014 wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 28, 2021 12:28 pm

Is this thread still relevant with the operations? Has anything changed?

The E&LS is running pretty decent amount of trains. Jason on YouTube lives in East Kingsford, Mi (next door to Iron Mountain, Mi) & is uploading videos. Checkout the ELS #600, their FP7A engine:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMybdRb1EtA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I92nqyG9u8M

Nice close pacing of the ELS #600 Jason does in Iron Mountain:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjHcADDwO4k&t=179s

kd_1014 wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 28, 2021 12:28 pm

Is this thread still relevant with the operations? Has anything changed?

Still accurate to the best of my knowledge. Haven't heard of any significant changes.

The only change is CN U745 which is the all rail ore move to the LS&I is down for 8-12 weeks due to a full shut down on the LS&I. U745 has been making Ishpeming turns instead of eagle mills turns, or doing misc dog catch work. This would also mean the road job to the Soo prolly doesn't have DPUs and loaded rail vans.

I love Jason's video's! I get the impression he's not popular with the employees at E&LS but he doesn't seem to care .

Tom49801 wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 28, 2021 7:08 pm

kd_1014 wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 28, 2021 12:28 pm

Is this thread still relevant with the operations? Has anything changed?

The E&LS is running pretty decent amount of trains. Jason on YouTube lives in East Kingsford, Mi (next door to Iron Mountain, Mi) & is uploading videos. Checkout the ELS #600, their FP7A engine:

AARR wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 29, 2021 11:07 am

I love Jason's video's! I get the impression he's not popular with the employees at E&LS but he doesn't seem to care .

Tom49801 wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 28, 2021 7:08 pm

kd_1014 wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 28, 2021 12:28 pm

Is this thread still relevant with the operations? Has anything changed?

The E&LS is running pretty decent amount of trains. Jason on YouTube lives in East Kingsford, Mi (next door to Iron Mountain, Mi) & is uploading videos. Checkout the ELS #600, their FP7A engine:

He is not popular because he harasses them and stalks them, then uses Clickbait titles to draw negativity to the company. If he is around the crews are all on edge. When he is not around it is a night and day difference.

Well that's not cool .

BOHICA wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 29, 2021 12:11 pm

He is not popular because he harasses them and stalks them, then uses Clickbait titles to draw negativity to the company. If he is around the crews are all on edge. When he is not around it is a night and day difference.

AARR wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 29, 2021 12:40 pm

Well that's not cool .

BOHICA wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 29, 2021 12:11 pm

He is not popular because he harasses them and stalks them, then uses Clickbait titles to draw negativity to the company. If he is around the crews are all on edge. When he is not around it is a night and day difference.

Yeah he is reviled by most railfans up there

U745 is back to running normal for the year.

Saturnalia wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 29, 2020 4:17 pm

More updates made today, mostly clarifications and a few minor changes to operations.

FWIW, those looking to railfan the LS&I this summer can expect continued, but likely reduced, operations. They will be loading boats off the stockpile while Tilden is shutdown from now until at least July.

I’m currently in Marquette and interested in seeing the LS&I railroad. I saw that you had mentioned the dock maneuver only occurs when ships are present in the dock. Is there any accessible schedule to see when the ships arrive? I would be very interested in seeing this maneuver take place.

-Micah

Micah, go to marinetraffic.com and you can use the interactive maps there to click on the port of Marquette and then click on “expected arrivals” to see what is scheduled. These are rough estimates given by the crews, best to check in frequently to see if there are changes. I don’t know anything about the dock jobs operation, but the MV Lee A Tregurtha is loading this afternoon for Dearborn. It arrived around 10am.

GP30M4216 wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 12, 2021 1:09 pm

Micah, go to marinetraffic.com and you can use the interactive maps there to click on the port of Marquette and then click on “expected arrivals” to see what is scheduled. These are rough estimates given by the crews, best to check in frequently to see if there are changes. I don’t know anything about the dock jobs operation, but the MV Lee A Tregurtha is loading this afternoon for Dearborn. It arrived around 10am.

Thank you!

Is there any accurate information regarding radio channel information for the UP? I've not seen anything definite, unless I'm missing it somewhere...

sparrow24 wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 15, 2021 11:40 am

Is there any accurate information regarding radio channel information for the UP? I've not seen anything definite, unless I'm missing it somewhere...

Almost everything for Michigan can be found here https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?aid=1555

Update: LS&I has had security at the Dead River Bridge. If you're planning to adventure up for colors, stay on public property. The bridge and surround area of the bridge is all private property and any access to the bridge is trespassing. Second, railfans from out of state had an incident which a tri-pod camera was set up too close to the tracks and was hit by the train. The railfans themselves had to slide down a steep embankment to avoid the train themselves. This was at a control point, where they should not have been. Another recent event has been railfans taking photos from on top of active CTC signals on the CN and LS&I.. yes on the signal mast.

This is not a good thing and you can expect railfans to be not a very welcoming sight around the LS&I & CN. Most are respectful, but this event has trigger action to be taken at the railroads. I can presume that most violators will be asked to leave, but its to the point that the state police are ticketing.

i995impalass wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 28, 2021 7:48 am

Update: LS&I has had security at the Dead River Bridge.

Thank you for the warning

OK, found out recently on "Michigan Railfans" Facebook® group that the old ex BN "Green" U30C and C30-7 locos are now retired! The season just ended! There were four total working! Two U30C and two C30-7! Sounds like they now will be "Scrapped!!!!" LS&I bought three of the leased six CEFX AC4400CW locos and will purchase the rest soon! Also, three more AC4400CW will come for next season!!!! However, they may keep two "Green" GEs but nothing is final! They'd need to keep old GE parts locos in that case!!!! Does anyone know more? I have never seen the LS&I operating! I was in Marquette in July 1996 on a great trip with my late Dad (RCJ I)! We never caught a train running! Now, I may be able to get to the U.P. later this year! Looks like I will never get these old GE locos though (unless I see the last two if they decide to keep)!!!!

Here's footage from 12-2021 showing LS&I (©SD457500): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rh4LaMDWGxA

OK, here is what is happening. I have more info (LSI worker on Facebook® is helping)!!!! The three additional new CEFX AC4400CW locos are not going to be ready when the season starts! There will be some ex BN "Green" U30C and C30-7 locos working! However, there are three total! One "Green" C30-7 blew its engine a few months ago (did not realize when I posted in January that 3074 was already broke)! There will be some still working for a few months! They will retain two "Greens" even after the new engines come in (as back-ups)! COOL!!!! These old GEs only work between Eagle Mills and Tilden Mine! They have not run to the docks since LS&I started leasing the CEFX AC4400CWs in 2010! The SOO Locks open March 25! I am actually travelling to the U.P. at the beginning of April (giving time for the barges to make it to Marquette and LS&I operating fully)!!!! I will be going with a good friend (Roger) that I have known since 2001!!!!

Also, I will check out E&LS and the new Watco® operation (and anything else of interest)! I will be going for approx. 5 days! EL&S F7A #600 now is not being used!!!! Looks like "Traction Motors!" How long would this take to fix? Probably not long, but nothing has been done on it since it broke in January! I hope it goes back on the mainline soon! I also have not caught this railroad (very few trains I have seen in the U.P.)! Well, E&LS does not have their own line connecting to Wells! Is that just isolated? Do they have freights connecting west to Iron Mountain area? It is just CN! E&LS also has one operating SD9 (ex Republic Mining®)!!!!

Here is a video showing ELS 600 sitting at the beginning of January (©Jason Asselin):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZS8QqbnOPg

Robertrains wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 15, 2022 12:06 pm

OK, found out recently on "Michigan Railfans" Facebook® group that the old ex BN "Green" U30C and C30-7 locos are now retired! The season just ended! There were four total working! Two U30C and two C30-7! Sounds like they now will be "Scrapped!!!!" LS&I bought three of the leased six CEFX AC4400CW locos and will purchase the rest soon! Also, three more AC4400CW will come for next season!!!! However, they may keep two "Green" GEs but nothing is final! They'd need to keep old GE parts locos in that case!!!! Does anyone know more? I have never seen the LS&I operating! I was in Marquette in July 1996 on a great trip with my late Dad (RCJ I)! We never caught a train running! Now, I may be able to get to the U.P. later this year! Looks like I will never get these old GE locos though (unless I see the last two if they decide to keep)!!!!

Here's footage from 12-2021 showing LS&I (©SD457500): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rh4LaMDWGxA

The original line between Wells and Channing is still in place and used for car storage. It is not suitable to run trains on, though.

Last I heard, and things may have changed, E&LS is allowed to run one train a week between Pembine and Escanaba early Sunday mornings. This is how they pull storage cars from the Green Bay & Northern lines and get them to the repair shops in Escanaba.

Robertrains wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 20, 2022 12:07 pm

Well, E&LS does not have their own line connecting to Wells! Is that just isolated? Do they have freights connecting west to Iron Mountain area! It is just CN! E&LS also has one operating SD9 (ex Republic Mining®)!!!!

My paper railroad, Green Bay Northern, has an interesting operation. A wood pellet plant in Republic generates a weekly 60-80 car unit train bound for the old iron pellet yards in Escanaba. Around 11pm every Saturday a midnight crew departs Channing north for Republic, picks up the loads, heads south to Pembine, then uses trackage rights west on CN to reach the docks at Escanaba where loads are exchanged for empties. Another crew takes the empties west back to Pembine then north to Republic. They usually arrive back in Channing Sunday night around 9pm. The wood pellets are loaded into tracks and taken to a nearby utility plant.

I also have a paper railroad, Escanaba Western, that operates on the original E&LS line using a small fleet of Baldwins but I haven't done much with it yet.