Progress of the Michigan Line M/W (part 4)

[Ypsi]

Part 1: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=27985
Part 2: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=28685
Part 3: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=30130

Another part to our extending thread. I started this one for two reasons, one because the other part was getting long, and second because they have made enough progress to have a first at Dearborn.

Today Amtrak 355 and 352 are meeting at Mort, Amtrak 355 working off 1 track, Amtrak 352 working off of 2 track. This is the first time I have heard record of them using both tracks at Dearborn. Just last week 355 and 352 did a shuffle at Dearborn because they couldn't use the south platform (or had not "officially opened" it.) a huge step for the double tracking at Dearborn and the great new station.

[Buster Manning]

Well, like you said...it was a first for you: it already has happened this past week (shhh, don't tell anybody, it's a secret).

Now if we could get them to get rid of some of the slow orders....

[SousaKerry]

Yesturday I was on Falahee Rd. East of the Jackson Yard and found the Amtrak signal maintainers(and contractors) moving the East bound signal a new feet to the North. I spoke breifly to an Amtrak employee he said they had to move it to make room for the footing of the new signal. They were also assembling the bridge next to the tracks in the parking lot of the old factory there. He also said the old signals would be coming down around the 1st of December.

Sorry about the potato cell phone pics.

[Ypsi]

Yesterday, Amtrak Ballast train dumped about a train length of ballast in Ypsi before heading for Wayne. Returned to do some more work before heading west for Jackson and or further west this afternoon with the Amtrak 519 in the lead.

Amtrak P32-8 #519 by Michigan Central Lines, on Flickr

518 on the east end for power, 9 mostly loaded ballast hoppers, and 519 on the west end. Neat to see the P32's working in daylight again.

Also they finished erecting a ITCS/ PTC antenna at Superior Road crossing (mp31.7 ish), and there is one standing by the 37 Signal in Ann Arbor. Antennas stand about 100 foot tall give or take.

[GP30M4216]

Visited my parents over the weekend and stopped by the Dearborn depot to find that "old Mort" has been removed and "new Mort" has been cut in, now just west of the depot. #1 track is not yet in service going west from Mort. Also, I noticed the spur into Livernois/Precision at John Daly in Inkster has been disconnected from the #2 main with the siding ending a few feet outside the fence. Sad to see another connected spur disappear, but I know it's been quite a few years since they had any business. I think that leaves the Cul-Mac at Venoy and Greenfield Village as the only connected tracks between Wayne Diamond east to Townline.

[NSSD70ACe]

Not exactly on-topic, but the photo of 519 reminded me that rumor has it that she's going to BG sometime next week for a complete overhaul and probable repaint.

Get you photos while you can, if true.

[Ypsi]

Not exactly on-topic, but the photo of 519 reminded me that rumor has it that she's going to BG sometime next week for a complete overhaul and probable repaint.

Get you photos while you can, if true.

Interesting. Surprised that they would be rebuilding a P32-8, I wonder if it will get ITCS so it can continue to work on the Michigan line. Glad to see the unit before it gets new paint (maybe they will continue with the phase 3 they used on the baggage cars)

[iandt]

On Saturday I happened to be in Dearborn and, hoping to see the new platform in action, waited for the arrival of 350 only to be disappointed. The train headed toward the station on Main #2 but crossed over to #1 just before the station at the new crossover location, arriving as usual at the north platform. All this to say that I wouldn't call the Michigan Line transformation over quite yet, since trains using the second platform isn't yet a regular occurrence. Though I would be interested to see what happens when 355/352 have their regular awkward meet in the evenings now.



In other news, Greenfield Village has moved its D&M #8 right to the door of its loco shed, hopefully a sign of new plans awaiting its future. Or just a winter storage place, though the first option would be pretty cool.



Also, behind #8, I spotted this tender that I didn't know GFV had, but which they're obviously preserving for some purpose. Can anyone fill me in on the history of this tender, what it's doing there, or if there are any plans for it? I find the trucks particularly interesting.



Other than that, construction is getting pretty quiet at the Dearborn end of the new track. I saw a track machine pushing two Herzog ballast cars past Howe Rd. in Wayne on Saturday as well, a sign that construction is probably now focusing on getting the second track connected through Wayne yard.

[Ypsi]

355 and 352 will meet serving the station on both tracks. They have done it a couple times (but not on Thursday night when we were there of course) according to scanner conversations and what Buster said above. When there is no traffic they will most likely just use the station track since they can and it puts the people closer to the station.

[GP30M4216]

They were also assembling the bridge next to the tracks in the parking lot of the old factory there. He also said the old signals would be coming down around the 1st of December.

Cell phone pictures or otherwise, you're capturing history in the making as the old signal will soon fall. I think that one's been there since NYC days.

The train headed toward the station on Main #2 but crossed over to #1 just before the station at the new crossover location, arriving as usual at the north platform. All this to say that I wouldn't call the Michigan Line transformation over quite yet, since trains using the second platform isn't yet a regular occurrence.

I think the current operating procedure is that Amtraks will utilize the #1 track at Dearborn station unless there is a meet (such as 352/355) or for some reason freight operations dictate that they should use the #2 track. I'm pretty sure that the #2 track through Livernois is classed lower than the #1 track, so even Amtraks using the #2 track through Dearborn station will cross back over to 1, probably at Townline or maybe at CP-Lou. Also, the display monitors inside the Dearborn station indicate which track the train will arrive on, so that may help you prepare in the future.

[Ypsi]

When was the last time this happened - 350-351-352-353-354-355-364-365-370-371 all arrived their destinations ahead of time.
​Am thinking there may have been some temporary speed restrictions associated with tie and or rail replacement west of Dearborn that may have been removed.
​So far, it looks like the trains are running close to schedule today.
​Andy

Yesterday 12/13/15:
350 PNT 2:47om 16 early
352 PNT 8:09pm 3 early
354 PNT 1:33am 6 early

351 CHI 10:36am 11 early
353 CHI 3:36pm 22 early
355 CHI 10:38pm 19 early

364 PTH 11:25pm 13 early
365 CHI 11:41am 4 early

371 CHI 9:06am 5 early
370 GRR 11:28pm 11 early

Yesterday every Michigan Service train arrived at the final destination AHEAD of the advertised. I thought that would be harder of a question to ask, but I did it just using the recent status dates on the Amtrak app. Glad to see it was very recently.

Pasted over from part 3

[MQT1223]

In other news, Greenfield Village has moved its D&M #8 right to the door of its loco shed, hopefully a sign of new plans awaiting its future. Or just a winter storage place, though the first option would be pretty cool.



Also, behind #8, I spotted this tender that I didn't know GFV had, but which they're obviously preserving for some purpose. Can anyone fill me in on the history of this tender, what it's doing there, or if there are any plans for it? I find the trucks particularly interesting.

Hopefully this means that #8 will be going into the roundhouse to start a restoration. With #7 done and the caboose restoration wrapping up I bet there will be some more time for other projects. The tender is off of the Michigan Central 4-4-2 that sits on top of the pit in the roundhouse. Obviously its too long to have engine and tender in there so the tender is kept outside and under shrink wrap.

[GP30M4216]

iandt wrote:

In other news, Greenfield Village has moved its D&M #8 right to the door of its loco shed, hopefully a sign of new plans awaiting its future. Or just a winter storage place, though the first option would be pretty cool.

http://railroadfan.com/gallery/albums/u ... -_Copy.jpg

In something wholly related to the above and not at all related to the Michigan Line, Steamtown just in the past week has been doing shakedown runs with near sister 0-6-0 BLW #26.

It's great to see these little yard switchers getting some love and attention!

[SousaKerry]

New signals are up and in operation on the East end of Jackson Yard. They are quite bright when going over the overpass on 127 north bound. Would be a great photo location if you don't get run over or arrested first.

[C&O6084]

Surprised to discover P32-B locos are being rebuilt. Probably as sign of the times of equipment shortages. When built, they were supposed to be short-term locomotives to test the P40 power & HEP systems; they won't clear a number of routes without judicious attention to what tracks they use.

An equivalent of 2-1/2 GP9 locos (by tractive effort), they're overqualified to live solely on MOW trains. I Also liked their original "Pepsi-can" paint, which won a lot of awards at non-rail design organizations.

[Henry F. Burger]

In other news, Greenfield Village has moved its D&M #8 right to the door of its loco shed, hopefully a sign of new plans awaiting its future. Or just a winter storage place, though the first option would be pretty cool.



Also, behind #8, I spotted this tender that I didn't know GFV had, but which they're obviously preserving for some purpose. Can anyone fill me in on the history of this tender, what it's doing there, or if there are any plans for it? I find the trucks particularly interesting.

Hopefully this means that #8 will be going into the roundhouse to start a restoration. With #7 done and the caboose restoration wrapping up I bet there will be some more time for other projects. The tender is off of the Michigan Central 4-4-2 that sits on top of the pit in the roundhouse. Obviously its too long to have engine and tender in there so the tender is kept outside and under shrink wrap.

The equipment setting there is in long term storage, for future work number 8 needs a total rebuilt, the building they are sitting by is the shop for Ford Model 'T', and other old vehicles that operate in the village, I work on them.

[C&O6084]

Rode Kazoo-Chicago-Renssealer on St Partick's Day. Huge MOW prking/storage/shop are for AMtrak MOW across the tracks from the station; moticed a few RoadRailers, still with hardware but without AMTZ numbers.

[twropr]

There haven't been any reports on M/W on MI line in a long time.
What has been happening lately?
Thanks!
Andy
Jacksonville, FL

[Buster Manning]

Not much since last fall....

April 25 is the date when things will start to happen

[Ben Higdon]

Found components for a new turnout in front of the Ypsilanti depot yesterday, facing point for a westward movement. Looks like they may be making the short section of #2 main that remains into a double ended siding.