CN Train Location Updates - November 2023

[LansingRailFan]

07:15 - WB E271 with CN 2307/CN 8943 thru Charlotte

[Manistique]

SB 515 with 5423 and a long train crawling past MP 22.5 at 9:55 am, again a bit later than usual two days in a row. There must be a slow order out back today as Amtrak 353 also was going fairly slow.

[Delray]

251 by the Fort St cam at 8:26 CN x2

[Manistique]

251 by the Fort St cam at 8:26 CN x2

Passing MP 22.5 at 11:11 am. An 8800 leading a 5700 elephant style. A lot of B&LE ore cars up front.

[AARR]

Northbound through Pontiac Yard. Didn’t even slow down today.

[LansingRailFan]

12:40 - L515 with CN 5423 is NB across 13 Mile Rd on the Mount Clemens Sub with:
2 scrap loads
1 Boxcar
1 small Tankcar
2 boxcars
12 loaded centerbeams
1 boxcar

[Man o' War]

L515 met M382 at Mount Clemens - 14:15.

Man o' War

[Man o' War]

M385 by Mount Clemens depot at 15:54.

Man o' War

[Manistique]

NB 515 just passed MP 22.5 headed back to Pontiac Yard with a long train at 4 pm. It had a ton of loaded centerbeams which it must have picked up at the Conrail Interchange at East Yard. And the two loaded scrap gons on the end were a bit unusual as one was a CN and the other maybe WC or Soo Line. Usually the scrap yard at DCON only gets FPX or Z something lettered gondolas that I think they lease, private cars. So maybe something changed or these were not from DCON today.

[LansingRailFan]

NB 515 just passed MP 22.5 headed back to Pontiac Yard with a long train at 4 pm. It had a ton of loaded centerbeams which it must have picked up at the Conrail Interchange at East Yard. And the two loaded scrap gons on the end were a bit unusual as one was a CN and the other maybe WC or Soo Line. Usually the scrap yard at DCON only gets FPX or Z something lettered gondolas that I think they lease, private cars. So maybe something changed or these were not from DCON today.

Earlier I saw them with this:

12:40 - L515 with CN 5423 is NB across 13 Mile Rd on the Mount Clemens Sub with:
2 scrap loads
1 Boxcar
1 small Tankcar
2 boxcars
12 loaded centerbeams
1 boxcar

Also, EB Q116 is departing Battle Creek finally with UP 6889/BNSF 7411 ff

And it looks like L508 is set to depart flint. Racks with manifest on the tail end. I didn’t see the front.
Edit: CN 5609/CN 2273. More manifest then intermodal on the head end

[Manistique]

NB 515 just passed MP 22.5 headed back to Pontiac Yard with a long train at 4 pm. It had a ton of loaded centerbeams which it must have picked up at the Conrail Interchange at East Yard. And the two loaded scrap gons on the end were a bit unusual as one was a CN and the other maybe WC or Soo Line. Usually the scrap yard at DCON only gets FPX or Z something lettered gondolas that I think they lease, private cars. So maybe something changed or these were not from DCON today.

Earlier I saw them with this:

12:40 - L515 with CN 5423 is NB across 13 Mile Rd on the Mount Clemens Sub with:
2 scrap loads
1 Boxcar
1 small Tankcar
2 boxcars
12 loaded centerbeams
1 boxcar

Also, EB Q116 is departing Battle Creek finally with UP 6889/BNSF 7411 ff

And it looks like L508 is set to depart flint. Racks with manifest on the tail end. I didn’t see the front.
Edit: CN 5609/CN 2273. More manifest then intermodal on the head end

I saw this post, LRF, and noted the loaded centerbeams were going NB at 13 mile. I figured they were going to drop them off at that distribution center at 8 or 9 Mile Road on the way back after switching the Chrysler plant. And that the loaded ones I saw on the returning train were from the Conrail interchange as that is a trailing point switch on the return to Pontiac trip. However, the lack of empty centerbeams on the way back is a bit odd.

And the two scrap loads are interesting. When I worked DCON sometimes CN wanted our setoffs at the north end of East Yard so 515 could pick them up on the way out instead of the way back. But these are not usual DCON gondolas, though it has been a number of years since I worked there and they have a new owner now. And I do not know of any other scrap yards on this run other than Schlaffer's on DCON, do you?

I thought I had not heard 116 yet. I was in Pontiac at noon, I couldn't see the tracks, but I heard a train go by then and figured it was 116. Obviously not. Which begs the question, what train was that? I couldn't tell if it was a NB or SB so didn't bother reporting it.

[Graham Halverson]

Does anyone have any location updates on Q116?

[Manistique]

507 flying past MP 22.5 at 50 mph at 6:45 pm. The slow order out back is removed!

[Man o' War]

NB 515 just passed MP 22.5 headed back to Pontiac Yard with a long train at 4 pm. It had a ton of loaded centerbeams which it must have picked up at the Conrail Interchange at East Yard. And the two loaded scrap gons on the end were a bit unusual as one was a CN and the other maybe WC or Soo Line. Usually the scrap yard at DCON only gets FPX or Z something lettered gondolas that I think they lease, private cars. So maybe something changed or these were not from DCON today.

Earlier I saw them with this:

12:40 - L515 with CN 5423 is NB across 13 Mile Rd on the Mount Clemens Sub with:
2 scrap loads
1 Boxcar
1 small Tankcar
2 boxcars
12 loaded centerbeams
1 boxcar

Also, EB Q116 is departing Battle Creek finally with UP 6889/BNSF 7411 ff

And it looks like L508 is set to depart flint. Racks with manifest on the tail end. I didn’t see the front.
Edit: CN 5609/CN 2273. More manifest then intermodal on the head end

I saw this post, LRF, and noted the loaded centerbeams were going NB at 13 mile. I figured they were going to drop them off at that distribution center at 8 or 9 Mile Road on the way back after switching the Chrysler plant. And that the loaded ones I saw on the returning train were from the Conrail interchange as that is a trailing point switch on the return to Pontiac trip. However, the lack of empty centerbeams on the way back is a bit odd.

And the two scrap loads are interesting. When I worked DCON sometimes CN wanted our setoffs at the north end of East Yard so 515 could pick them up on the way out instead of the way back. But these are not usual DCON gondolas, though it has been a number of years since I worked there and they have a new owner now. And I do not know of any other scrap yards on this run other than Schlaffer's on DCON, do you?

I thought I had not heard 116 yet. I was in Pontiac at noon, I couldn't see the tracks, but I heard a train go by then and figured it was 116. Obviously not. Which begs the question, what train was that? I couldn't tell if it was a NB or SB so didn't bother reporting it.

Nolan Distribution was unable to accept the loaded centerbeams today (track issue).

The scrap gons were indeed from DCON.

Man o' War

[LansingRailFan]

Does anyone have any location updates on Q116?

G/R for SB L508 in Waterford.

Edited to add that they picked up another engine on the head end. CN 2246/CN 5609/CN 2273

[Manistique]

Last night followup at MP 22.5:

116 went past at around 8 pm.

508 around 9 pm.

Then Amtrak 352 a few minutes later.

I did not hear a 513 last night.

[Manistique]

SB 515 went past MP 22.5 around 7:30 am today, with the 12 loaded centerbeams that were not delivered yesterday plus 10 boxcars and a few covered hoppers and tank cars. 5423 was the power again.

[Delray]

251 by the Fort St cam at 11:14

UP 6889
BNSF 7411
CN 5609

[AARR]

Southbound through Pontiac

[Manistique]

116 with NS 7519 (I think) and an NS 9800 series as power (I think), only the lead unit was running, past MP 22.5 at 12:30 pm. Just a few containers on the rear end today.