Charlotte and Southern Visitors update thread

[Larry G]

On a warm and sunny St Patrick's Day an old gon with Milwaukee Road lettering arrives in town.

[AARR]

Nice catch, Larry.

[Larry G]

The cut of cars including the Ex Milwaukee Road gon were moved down to the end of the line Friday afternoon shortly before 4:00.

[AARR]

I think the line is 2-3 miles long. How much distance are the storage cars taking?

[Larry G]

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=42.5 ... 4&t=h&z=18

Cars in storage reach from the end of the line East to behind the Holiday Inn Express(the red roof building) and almost to the Interstate overpass to the West. See photo link above. Scroll left and right and follow the tracks.

[GrandTrunkFan]

Lots of the gons I seen when I was down there were ex Milwaukee Road too. At this point, having riding the dinner train before, Id be upset if the ride was that short. Wouldnt pay 70 bucks to sit under the freeway overpass for an hour to make up the time.

[Larry G]

To give a flavor of the rail action here today shot these photos between 10 AM and Noon. CN MOW has been setting up a section crew on the OI sidding the last several days. It appears that they are going to be west of MP 201 so the movements of EB and WB trains will be effected on the now single track.

Caught the last CN WB freight shortly after 10AM in one picture with 5657 leading. Shortly afterwards the MOW equipment came on to the main and proceeded WB. After that cleared the local switching was finished with a short cut of gons (4) dropped for CHS.Several empty sand hoppers were also pulled out of the OI plant today. The plant has about one week left before shutdown. Following the switching exGTW 4917 led the local EB out of town.
http://railroadfan.com/gallery/thumbnai ... album=1451 Thumbnails from today

[AARR]

Nice pics and report, Larry. Do you happen to have any pics of the glass plant?

[Larry G]

These photos were taken 3-24-10 at MP 202 as the MOW crew was delayed in getting out to work until after 1PM by several freights moving EB and WB across this section. MP 202 is a good location for photos with the curve. No local switching of the CHS or Glass Plant today to observe.

http://railroadfan.com/gallery/thumbnai ... album=1452 Link to Thumbnails from today.

[AARR]

I always enjoy the aluminum ingot pictures. My understanding is they are handed off to CSX in Chicago who takes them down to KY somewhere for aluminum can mfg.

[PAT.C]

THERE ARE SOME HUGE ALUMINUM SMELTERS ALONG THE ST.LAWRENCE IN QUEBEC.
DOES ANYONE KNOW THE SOURCE OF THE INGOTS ?
I WOULD ASSUME THEY COME FROM THERE.

[A No.1]

Well, Let me tell ya, LoL. I have it on good authority that they do come out of Canada. CN brings them in on 149 and 395, ( I think ) The ones on 149 get handed off to CSX on the "B&O Connection" or so I am told. A friend of mine knows alot more about it than I do. Perhaps he'll get on here and give you more info.

[Larry G]

The 4 gons dropped off by CN late last week were moved down for storage. The stored cars now are west of the Holiday Inn Express and just about to the I-69 overpass. You can see the cars from the interstate bridge streching off into the distance when you drive the NB highway towards Lansing.

Also the scheduled Easter Bunny Special for Children on Saturday afternoon and Evening Dinner Trains DID NOT RUN.

[Larry G]

Amtrak BlueWater approaches the CHS junction switch at 9AM this morning WB. CN track crews are assembled and awaiting Dispatcher clearence to proceed to work area west of Charlotte.

[Larry G]

A few more gons yesterday were dropped off yesterday. String of stored cars goes under Interstate 69 now!!!
NO joke either!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Larry G]

The line of stored cars has now gone under and west of the I-69 overpasses on the CHS Railroad. The cars now extend from the eastern end of the railroad west of the interstate highway. View is looking east towards I-69 from the first street crossing inside the Charlotte City limits.

[tazer]

I went by Meijers on M-50 yesterday and noticed steel gons and covered hoppers almost all the way to M-50 so that puts them way past I-69, I turned on Brookfield road so I didn't see it they were passed M-50
What ever happened to those old passenger cars that were stored near the grain elavator I haven't been past there in a while to see if they are still there ?

[Larry G]

Now that the OI plant is closed there is not much reason the the CN local to stop in Charlotte to switch anymore. Over the weekend however one lone gon was dropped for storage. It is strange not to see the local tie up Cochran Ave crossing to switch in mid morning. Definetly and end to an era in so many ways! Makes you wonder where this state is headed.

[AARR]

Makes you wonder where this state is headed.

We're becoming a clean energy and entertainment state. Hope there's good money in both. There will be for the owners but we need good jobs for the middle class.

[Larry G]

A special lunch train is heading out today. Crew has been called and is loading supplies. Looks like a possible mixed train today. Also notice the smoke coming out of the sawmill stack today.