Heat related CSX sightings 07/31/06-08/01/06

[~Z~]

What that title means is that with this great 'ol heat that we are having, lunch time spotting and listening is zero.. sittin inside, just too hot to be outdoors. Can't believe it was still 86, with a heat index of 96 outside last night at MIDNIGHT when i went to bed...

Yesterday(monday) didn't hear any communication with MOW asking dispatchers what kind of train lineup, and no road trains heard either. Did hear someone switching Wyoming Yard, but that was it.

After work, got onto I-196 at Jenison, looked to the right and there's a train, ditchlights on and all! I thought for sure that i'd miss it, as the next exit is Grandville which is where it looked like it already was. I headed trackside, saw a newer BNSF swoosh unit awaiting a signal...heard someone trying to get a hold of the dispatcher, but to no avail. Then some MOW got tracktime between Grandville and Waverly, so this train ain't moving. Got to a better spot, and at least got some photos off. Surprised to see all lights on, and not moving for a while. Had two BNSF engines, and 3 hoppers for West Olive to go get empties.

Today(tuesday), there's still a lot of work going on at 40th Ave in Hudsonville. Tracktime for 2 1/2 hours..they've been working on that crossing for at least 6 weeks, almost always some crew working. Saw some guys working on the code wiring there, along with one of the communication shacks. Not sure what they are doing, but did see lots of underground cabling going in. Anyone know what work they are doing at 40th Ave?

[SD80MAC]

I hear ya, the heat is unbearable. I feel bad for the switch crews working in Wyoming yard today!

I was standing by the GRE tracks down in Ada this morning. As the sun got higher and the temperature rose, you could just hear the track going "creak..........crack........thunk..." Heat expansion does a number on rail.

[~Z~]

Hanging out at Ada hoping GRE would show up in this heat? Crazy...

Update from Mr Nathan this afternoon - There is a westbound Coke Xpress train on CSX about to leave Rougemere. Most likely, it's K357. CSXT 731 and CSXT 784 on the headend, leaving at 17:40 today.

[~Z~]

Update from Paul D this afternoon:

The rail train left GR westbound around mid-day Tuesday with a GP-40-2/GP-30 Slug set for power. Their first stop was Zeeland where they put down one string on the curve at the east edge of town. They then moved to the Fremont Sub. and laid down both rails on Cronje curve at Lakewood Blvd. in Holland. They then headed north and tied up at Harlem siding, which must mean they are going to do the curve into the Consumers Energy spur in the morning. There appeared to be about 18 strings left on the train.