Railfan Landon at Traverse city Wheels on Rails

[chapmaja]

People here need to remember that GLC can sell all the service it wants, but if it ultimately relies on an Class 1 interchange they can't guarantee anything. Truck service doesn't have that problem.

The Class 1s are NOT the issue when it comes to GLC. GLC ownership is the issue when it comes to GLC.

I'm not going to say GLC ownership isn't the issue with the GLC, but there is also a lot of truth to the comments about Class 1 Interchanges heavily impacts the operations of a railroad like the GLC.

I think it is safe to say the vast majority of traffic on the GLC originates or terminates via a Class 1 Railroad. (Some traffic may take route through Indiana and Ohio via other Class II or Class III railroads, but the majority requires a Class 1.

I haven't be a regular in Howell in years, but there were times the siding in Howell was packed with the same cars for many days, often because the CSX crew didn't have time to work the interchange. I don't know if that has improved as CSX has updated their system plan for the X+10000000th time, but there was a time when GLC's issue were partially to blame on the Class 1 partners.

The GLC does have limited control when it comes to these issues, and I suspect they struggle at this. They need to be very open with customers and potential customers about the issues they have connected with other carriers. Not having quality communication leads to a huge volume of preventable problems.

[Railnazi]

That's for sure,Cadillac Crew made an extra move the other day to make sure a customer got a car or cars they needed and management female dog at them for making the extra move .

[LansingRailFan]

People here need to remember that GLC can sell all the service it wants, but if it ultimately relies on an Class 1 interchange they can't guarantee anything. Truck service doesn't have that problem.

The Class 1s are NOT the issue when it comes to GLC. GLC ownership is the issue when it comes to GLC.

I'm not going to say GLC ownership isn't the issue with the GLC, but there is also a lot of truth to the comments about Class 1 Interchanges heavily impacts the operations of a railroad like the GLC.

I think it is safe to say the vast majority of traffic on the GLC originates or terminates via a Class 1 Railroad. (Some traffic may take route through Indiana and Ohio via other Class II or Class III railroads, but the majority requires a Class 1.

I haven't be a regular in Howell in years, but there were times the siding in Howell was packed with the same cars for many days, often because the CSX crew didn't have time to work the interchange. I don't know if that has improved as CSX has updated their system plan for the X+10000000th time, but there was a time when GLC's issue were partially to blame on the Class 1 partners.

The GLC does have limited control when it comes to these issues, and I suspect they struggle at this. They need to be very open with customers and potential customers about the issues they have connected with other carriers. Not having quality communication leads to a huge volume of preventable problems.

The current state of affairs of the GLC has nothing to do with Class 1s and everything to do with internal turmoil, strife and a lack of investment. That’s it.

GLC doesn’t have enough working engines or crews to constantly pull all the cars that the class 1s interchange to them. I fail to see how that is a class 1’s responsibility

[TC Man]

Announcing the new operator of the TC District from Walton Junction to Williamsburg and to Grawn. Interchanging with the GLC in Walton jct.

Traverse City Northern Railway.

LOL!

[Super Chief]

So I've been following this thread plus others which show considerable track work around the station area in TC. What's the purpose?

[AARR]

It appears something is being done with the siding viewtopic.php?f=3&t=39274

So I've been following this thread plus others which show considerable track work around the station area in TC. What's the purpose?

[TC Man]

So I've been following this thread plus others which show considerable track work around the station area in TC. What's the purpose?

A few years ago (and to lesser extend in the last couple years), ties have been replaced and ballast added on the main into TC, part of the Grawn branch (up to Beacon Recycling which is the last active customer on the TC-Grawn branch), and also the Williamsburg branch. All just to keep it operable after years and years of neglect.

The work just finished was removing about 1/4 of the runaround track in the old Boardman yard to make room for additional rail-trail parking at 16th Street. They basically moved the south switch and moved it up about 300 yards. That was it.

[joeyuboats]

So, who is the owner of Traverse City Northern RR, and what are they trying to accomplish?

[DaveO]

[AARR]

It is a joke, there is no such railroad.

So, who is the owner of Traverse City Northern RR, and what are they trying to accomplish?

[TC Man]

So, who is the owner of Traverse City Northern RR, and what are they trying to accomplish?

They are leasing the track I mentioned from MDOT to provide rail service, obviously.


Ummm, I'll assume you were messing around as I was with that?

[GP30M4216]

A coworker of mine did the Wheels on Rails experience a couple weeks ago with his family. He said they had a great time and appreciated learning a bit of the history while turning the cars around under the highway bridge. He said they wished it was longer but understood why the steeper grade made it a no-go. He said they would do it again, especially if the route was lengthened with the power assist cars mentioned previously to help with the return grade. No mention of prices being too expensive.

My TC area question: is the old wye track near 14th street still in place and hooked up? I suppose there isn’t any equipment that ever needs to be turned up that way so it’s basically pointless, but it’s a cool historical feature and the last remanent of the old spur to the TC state hospital.

PS, shouldn’t it actually be the Traverse City Southern railroad, or do they have aspirations of relaying the track out to Northport again?

[chapmaja]

Per Google Maps Sat. View, yes the wye is still in place. It is still connected as of that view. The entire wye goes appear connected and several tracks in the yard area still appear to be in place.

[joeyuboats]

Well, to be honest, and with the way railroad companies keep popping up nowadays, and with the pic of that loco--- I thought it was a new operation. Also, with the knowledge that a spur or two off a class 1 now qualifies as a "SHORTLINE", any thing is possible. And that pic of the loco--- why/ how/ what is with that??? Looks like a legit operation. Oh well.................

[TC Man]

Well, to be honest, and with the way railroad companies keep popping up nowadays, and with the pic of that loco--- I thought it was a new operation. Also, with the knowledge that a spur or two off a class 1 now qualifies as a "SHORTLINE", any thing is possible. And that pic of the loco--- why/ how/ what is with that??? Looks like a legit operation. Oh well.................

First, as I live in TC, YES, the wye is intact. Why the wye is intact, why that's beyond me.

The only tracks intact in the Boardman Yard are the Wye (and associated tracks), and the runaround track (which was just shortened as I posted). That's it.

Yes, I plan to relay track to Northport to source apples for GoGo Squeeze! Unit trains of apples.

I photo-shopped that loco- I mean it doesn't look too bad, really? You never know! Just having fun with it. But if I win the lotto, I could make that a 1:1 scale train layout!

[joeyuboats]

Looked real to me!!

[Jim_c]

Well, to be honest, and with the way railroad companies keep popping up nowadays, and with the pic of that loco--- I thought it was a new operation. Also, with the knowledge that a spur or two off a class 1 now qualifies as a "SHORTLINE", any thing is possible. And that pic of the loco--- why/ how/ what is with that??? Looks like a legit operation. Oh well.................

First, as I live in TC, YES, the wye is intact. Why the wye is intact, why that's beyond me.

The only tracks intact in the Boardman Yard are the Wye (and associated tracks), and the runaround track (which was just shortened as I posted). That's it.

Yes, I plan to relay track to Northport to source apples for GoGo Squeeze! Unit trains of apples.

I photo-shopped that loco- I mean it doesn't look too bad, really? You never know! Just having fun with it. But if I win the lotto, I could make that a 1:1 scale train layout!

TC, probably why the wye is intact is so when A2TC gets going they can turn the engine.

And, when you win the lotto, don't bother with the tracks to Northport. Re-lay them to Manistee or Baldwin so we can also have GR2TC for those of us on the west side of the state.

[dalek ling]

Well, to be honest, and with the way railroad companies keep popping up nowadays, and with the pic of that loco--- I thought it was a new operation. Also, with the knowledge that a spur or two off a class 1 now qualifies as a "SHORTLINE", any thing is possible. And that pic of the loco--- why/ how/ what is with that??? Looks like a legit operation. Oh well.................

First, as I live in TC, YES, the wye is intact. Why the wye is intact, why that's beyond me.

The only tracks intact in the Boardman Yard are the Wye (and associated tracks), and the runaround track (which was just shortened as I posted). That's it.

Yes, I plan to relay track to Northport to source apples for GoGo Squeeze! Unit trains of apples.

I photo-shopped that loco- I mean it doesn't look too bad, really? You never know! Just having fun with it. But if I win the lotto, I could make that a 1:1 scale train layout!

TC, probably why the wye is intact is so when A2TC gets going they can turn the engine.

And, when you win the lotto, don't bother with the tracks to Northport. Re-lay them to Manistee or Baldwin so we can also have GR2TC for those of us on the west side of the state.

Or on the white pine and have a GR2TC via GR to Cadillac with stops in Rockford, Cedar springs, Big Rapids, and Reed City

[chapmaja]

Well, to be honest, and with the way railroad companies keep popping up nowadays, and with the pic of that loco--- I thought it was a new operation. Also, with the knowledge that a spur or two off a class 1 now qualifies as a "SHORTLINE", any thing is possible. And that pic of the loco--- why/ how/ what is with that??? Looks like a legit operation. Oh well.................

First, as I live in TC, YES, the wye is intact. Why the wye is intact, why that's beyond me.

The only tracks intact in the Boardman Yard are the Wye (and associated tracks), and the runaround track (which was just shortened as I posted). That's it.

Yes, I plan to relay track to Northport to source apples for GoGo Squeeze! Unit trains of apples.

I photo-shopped that loco- I mean it doesn't look too bad, really? You never know! Just having fun with it. But if I win the lotto, I could make that a 1:1 scale train layout!

I suspect the wye is still in place in the even GLC ever needs to turn a car for a customer. While unlikely, it is always possible and the only other way to turn a car would be run it all the way down to Walton Jct.

[DaveO]

I think it has more to do with it being owned by mdot.