MQT CSX GRE NS Train Location Update - 06-09-2008

[amtrak1007]

Z15108 rec'd GR YL 0451
into 8, middle x/o pickup in 18, 20. So by pulling a small hat trick, they should be northbound before P37109 goes south.

[Raildudes dad]

Looks like MQT is switching Van's as I type, I can see the end of the train north of Ann. Looks quiet at the GRE, a MMRR truck was just leaving as the Radisson van pulled in.

[~Z~]

Q32609 - RIVERSIDE OS MI CG 80 06-09-2008 08:34
Q32708 CALUMET PARK OS IL DCC 7 06-09-2008 08:41
Q32709 - set to leave Detroit at 2pm
Q33409 - ELMDALE MI CH 130 06-09-2008 03:01
Q33508 - GRAND RAPIDS MI CG 1 06-09-2008 06:54
Q33509 - hasn't left Toledo yet
CP X50007 - ROUGEMERE MI CH 7 06-09-2008 05:46
Amtrak P37109 - WAVERLY MI CG 24 06-09-2008 08:45
N90308 - WEST OLIVE MI CGC 33 06-09-2008 03:33
N90309 - hasn't left Chicago yet
D70008 - GRAND RAPIDS MI CG 1 06-09-2008 02:55
G74905 - WILLIAMSTON MI CH 73 06-09-2008 03:42

[cnw8835]

Q326 eastward out of GR at this time. CSXT 7607 and a C40-8W for power, 4 cars.

[SD80MAC]

Sounded like 326 was going to be picking up cars in Elmdale, either on the siding or on the runaround. I wonder if Q334 died out there last night.

[Racer]

What the heck is G749 doing in Williamston? He should of been in GR by lastnight. He must be stuck because of the codeline damage from the storms.

[BL2-1843]

Some major problems developed yesterday, probably long before the storm blew through at 430pm, but am sure added to it. Last I knew from yesterdays heads up on this board, Q327 was nearing Trowbridge, while Q326 and X500 coming east were stopped, not thinking to much about the major delays once again. I was later surprised to learn that Q335-08 and G749 had been in the Plymouth area for a long time, yet were no where near Howell by 8pm. I had heard that there were two large trees blown across the tracks, around Trowbridge I guess, and nobody could move untill the trees were removed and the track department could aurthorize the trains to proceed.

By 10pm, an already short on time Q335 was stopped at Howell for 30 mintues, G749 quickly catching up behind, X500 now dead in the Fowlerville pass, and Q326-08 going thru red blocks from Williamston to Fowlerville, due to storm damage to the signal system.

Q326-08 pulled into the pass at Howell to meet Q326 and G749 and promptly died after barely making it to South Lyon. Q335-08 now having to go through red blocks westbound was authorized to go, despite having less than 30 minutes to work before they outlaw with G749 right on his tail. The last I knew, Q335 died ON THE DD at Fowlerville and they were going to use D709 to come and get them.

This morning. I had not seen or heard any trains since then, Including D709 who apparently did NO local work last night. The nine cars from their entire train that they left on the Ogihara run around track last Wednesday still sits there, including Ogihara pick up cars. At 2pm this afternoon, have still not seen or heard any trains. I have no idea if Q334 died somewhere, but if he didn't die then its one of the trains I rarely sleep through but did. Signal Dept hyrailed westbound from Brighton to Trowbridge getting authorization by 830am, and track time till nearly noon, indicating no trains anywhere. And now, Gerarld McGowen is hyrailing east with plenty of time indicating no trains still in the picture. And someone asked if something is going on? Not a clue from anybody on this board indicating what has been going on for the last 18 hours, but apparently not much.

Meanwhile, International Paper has been switched but three times since May 22nd, (no joke) and 12 loads remain on their spur, many of which has sat there for three weeks. And, at 225pm, a recrew just arrived to take the G749 to Webberville to spot. I have no idea if yesterdays X500 still sits at Fowlerville. If not, then I possibly slept through two trains.

[AARR]

Does International Paper use box cars for storage on rails the way chemical and plastics companies use covered hoppers and tankers for SIT (Sit In Transit)? Why else would they tolerate waiting for a week or longer while their cars sit on their spur? This has been going on for years so I think there kust be an explanation.

[BL2-1843]

No Storage cars Don, as they are all loads waiting to get into the plant to unload. Before somebody jumps on me here, I will have to say that there has been a couple of occasions when D709 has stopped to give them a switch and they have not been ready for one. Since Thursday morning, May 22nd, there has been 12 possible switches IP could have gotten, (709 did not work Memorial Day) and three of those days IP was not ready. This leave nine switches left, and 709 has been there three times and missed six for lack of time. There are quite a number of further loads sitting in Ensel for them when D709 brings them. Last week, the week of June 1-5, IP got only one switch out of five, they were not ready twice, and bypassed twice for lack of time.

I am not sure just how much, if any, of these cars are "just in time" cars. I have been inside the plant dock door and a number of times there is so much paper roll stock sitting around, its like where would they even have room to put four more car loads. Regardless, you would think "something" would hit the fan with so many misses, and evidently has on occasion, as the Lansing yard job has occasionally come back to Howell to give them a switch when they have been missed for lack of time. However, when that happens, they don't get the cars until between 10am and noon, and if the cars are there prior to 8am, its impossible to get four cars unloaded before D709 would show up the next day, and if they do, they won't be ready anyway. Its a catch 22 situation.

[~Z~]

I have no idea if yesterdays X500 still sits at Fowlerville. If not, then I possibly slept through two trains.

Thanks for the info Bob...as I mentioned in the first update, X50007 was at Rougemere at 5:46am this morning, so sounds like you slept through them
Here's somemore of todays and yesterday stuff so we can try to make sense of what is going on:

Q32608 - DETROIT MI CH 1 06-09-2008 01:57
Q32609 - EAST END ODESSA MI CH 117 06-09-2008 15:17
Q32708 - CHICAGO IL DD 2 06-09-2008 09:00
Q32709 - SHELDON ROAD MI CH 29 06-09-2008 15:28
Q33408 - TOLEDO STANLEY OH QT 5 06-08-2008 19:35
Q33409 - ELMDALE MI CH 130 06-09-2008 03:01
Q33508 GRAND RAPIDS MI CG 1 06-09-2008 06:54
Q33509 - annulled
D70908 - LANSING MI CH 87 06-08-2008 21:00
D70808 - LANSING MI CH 87 06-09-2008 11:26
G74905 - WILLIAMSTON MI CH 73 06-09-2008 15:03
N90309 - hasn't left Chicago yet

[Typhoon]

What the heck is G749 doing in Williamston? He should of been in GR by lastnight. He must be stuck because of the codeline damage from the storms.

It only goes to Webberville

[CAT345C]

Maybe a curfew???????? I base this on this sole fact, for 3 weeks now a ballast regulator with 6 NYC CR gons and some more MOW equipment have been on the house in South Lyon. Today two operators and a hi-rail Chevy 4500 Flat bed were parked by the switch with all the equipment but the gons and one regulator. I did not see them towards Salem, I am assuming that they are laying the rail that D007-16 dropped on April 16th. For the record the gates in South Lyon finially went up the last time at 945pm yesterday 3 days into the massive failure.

[Racer]

Q327 cleared Plymouth at about 2:45pm today. They dropped the signal on him for the diamond here in Plymouth and came to a stop and pulled-up to the signal. About 2 minutes later, they received permission through the Sheldon Road work site with a yellow signal. CSX 120 and 15 cars was the consist.

I also caught D716 in Romulus pushing his train down the Kelsy Hays Branch to the Home Depot Distribution Center with a Conrail caboose!

My pictures:


Q327 crawling towards the diamond signal after it dropped on him.

As you can see, he had an old, but cool CNW boxcar on his train!

Now for D716 on the Kelsy Hays Branch in Romulus:


The Conrail caboose was leading the push down the branch.

Here is CSX 2708 pushing the train.

[Stitch]

D716 had a cab? Is that kept down in Romulus? Or is it a new cab in use in Plymouth??

[Racer]

D716 had a cab? Is that kept down in Romulus? Or is it a new cab in use in Plymouth??

I'm not sure. Sometimes they keep it in North Yard and sometimes it will be sitting on the sidings south of Eureka Road in Romulus.

[sd70accsxt700]

D716's cab is keept at the south end of where the Kelsey Hays track connects into the #2 main. It is not accessable where it is parked.

[Stitch]

Its not that nasty old Conrail thingus thats been sitting in the North yard for a year and a half thats not a bay window cab. Gotta be something new err new yet old.

[sd70accsxt700]

No it is a full blown bay window just like the photo shows. The one you are thinking of has platforms on the end.

[PSK at CH45.2]

Nice shots Chris.

Chrisracer8903: I also caught D716 in Romulus pushing his train down the Kelsy Hays Branch to the Home Depot Distribution Center with a Conrail caboose!

When do they usually work the Kelsey Branch? I've been wanting to get a shot there for a couple of years now, and have never seen anything on it.

[sd70accsxt700]

D716 works the Kelsey Hays every weekday and some saturdays, around Mid afternoon to evening. Saturday earler.