CSX K902

[RailCanon]

Last night I heard a CSX Train symboled K902-28 running through Lansing, with I think, CSXT 305. I've never heard of this symbol before, and Bullsheet.com is showing it as a Columbus, OH to Flint, MI train.
I asked Bob M. about this train, and here is what he told me:

This is the third week in a row I have seen the K902 here. When I first heard it myself, I said "What in the heck is that?" Turns out to be a very heavily loaded ballast train (stone). I mean, its piled HIGH in the cars. Cars are those CSXT MofW "type" ballast cars but black, not orange.

Anyone know where these trains are headed to? Per Bob, they've been coming back east as K903, with empties, but not with the same locomotives they came west with. Are these the stone trains Doc mentioned that were going to run to Ensel?
Thanks in advance for any info.

[MSchwiebert]

While the Bullsheet shows Columbus as the origin point, The train actually originates from the National Lime quarry at Carey Ohio. Carey is on the C&O south of Fostoria & north of Marion. The trains may operate engine light from Columbus to Carey where the loaded train is picked up.

Here's a link that describes the products that are shipped out of Carey
http://www.natlime.com/minerals.htm

I'm not sure about the destination of this train though. Is there a steel mill or (perhaps) a glass plant in Flint?

[RailCanon]

The train I heard, and the other two Mr. Bob has seen have not been going to Flint. They are going west towards the Grand Rapids area...

[muskegonrr]

The K902/K903 is a second set of stone cars for Conrad in Lansing. This train is shared with Conrad's Flint terminal. They rotate which location receives the loaded train. The K908/K909 are stone trains that operate between Chicago and Lansing via Grand Rapids for Conrad's Lansing Location. The K910/K911 stone trains are trains that operate between Chicago and Grand Rapids for Conrad's Grand Rapids location.

[sd70accsxt700]

Gregg I think this may have been a fluke as K903 are the Woodville to Flint, and back trains. Looks like it got diverted at the last second, as in the train sheet it shows a a unit train for Flint. Sounds like whoever got it needed it more than Flint. Unless this is somthing new, and they have changed the symbols. Also these trains are from Woodville, off the old PRR line, now the Carothers Secondary.

[SousaKerry]

could possibly be coming from Maple Groove then, witch would be a connection with the NOW, they used to ship heavy loaded trains like this out on the old NKP. This stone is very unlikely to be used as balast as it is soft and better for minalerigical properties, asd opposed to the Carey stone wich is harder and blue in color(CSX uses the Carey stone extensivly on the B&O through Ohio)


Sousa

[SD80MAC]

Been seeing those stone trains a lot lately. Saw the K909 three times last week, once light, once loaded and the other time empty. Always had the same string of Conrad Yelvington cars.

[sd70accsxt700]

Well are you ready for this, K85801 (IIRC) ran north from Walbridge to Flint this morning with two UP and one NS unit. Unit train destination was GR, but it came from the UP in Chicago, VIA Garrett. 110 cars if I recall.

[MSchwiebert]

Can you tell if it turned at Deshler or at Fostoria?

Well are you ready for this, K85801 (IIRC) ran north from Walbridge to Flint this morning with two UP and one NS unit. Unit train destination was GR, but it came from the UP in Chicago, VIA Garrett. 110 cars if I recall.

[sd70accsxt700]

I am sorry it was (now this is accoring to the computer) 13 loads, and 107 emptys. It was only 3500 tons, so it was deffinatly empty. As I said it showed unit train destination of GR. It also shows for each segment (crew change points) a it was annulled and then the annulation was cancled. And Mr. Schwiebert it showed going via Fostoria. And that was the symbol K85801. Not sure why all these empties going to Flint, unless the Train Sheet and profile was wrong. If it was the "Regular Flint Train" returning from its trip to GR and Lansing why all the way to Chicago then bypass Woodville, and up to Flint to head back to Woodville. Stay tuned I guess we will find out.

[MSchwiebert]

Thanks for the clarification!