Carleton, MI railfan meet

[RoyalKingoftheRails]

I will be in attendance for sure. After all Carleton is my adopted railfanning area. For those talking about it not being the best location for action, remember, it’s not always about seeing the most trains. More so going out to meet others in different locations. Considering I’ve been to so many different locations around Michigan and in tons of locations in Ohio, I would say that is indeed an effective way to meet others besides online.

Regardless, Nick and I have talked, we don’t expect too many people to join, but for those that are interested in coming out, our location will be at Monroe Street which adjacent to the CN Flat Rock Sub (IORY) and CSX Toledo Terminal diamond.

Someone did mention restrooms, there is a restaurant right next to our location, but there is also a Circle K gas station or the KAS grocery store located down the road at Monroe Street and Crafton Road.

Feel free to come out and join us, although it will be a slow day, but we’re just hoping for a good group of people to come out and join us so we can all have a nice time.

[RoyalKingoftheRails]

As a side note as well since Nick and I are collabing on this, I’ll be arriving at the tracks any time between 5-7 am. Any further questions and suggestions can be referred to myself as well.

[NickThatRailfan]

As a side note as well since Nick and I are collabing on this, I’ll be arriving at the tracks any time between 5-7 am. Any further questions and suggestions can be referred to myself as well.

Thank you James

[GP30M4216]

As a side note as well since Nick and I are collabing on this, I’ll be arriving at the tracks any time between 5-7 am. Any further questions and suggestions can be referred to myself as well.

Hey Royal: how did it go? What trains did you see? Is the tower still standing?

[NickThatRailfan]

As a side note as well since Nick and I are collabing on this, I’ll be arriving at the tracks any time between 5-7 am. Any further questions and suggestions can be referred to myself as well.

Hey Royal: how did it go? What trains did you see? Is the tower still standing?

Tower is still standing actually! I saw 6 trains total. Royal saw more because they stopped in Romulus before coming down to Carleton. But we saw 6 trains in Carleton. CSX I151, CSX M209, CSX I150, CSX I132, CSX L314, and CSX L313

[AARR]

How long were you there?

[C&O Dispatcher]

Spent 4 years of my life working that tower in the 70's. Happy to hear that she's still standing!!

[Chip]

As a side note as well since Nick and I are collabing on this, I’ll be arriving at the tracks any time between 5-7 am. Any further questions and suggestions can be referred to myself as well.

Hey Royal: how did it go? What trains did you see? Is the tower still standing?

Tower is still standing actually! I saw 6 trains total. Royal saw more because they stopped in Romulus before coming down to Carleton. But we saw 6 trains in Carleton. CSX I151, CSX M209, CSX I150, CSX I132, CSX L314, and CSX L313

Any of them take the Lincoln?

[NickThatRailfan]

Hey Royal: how did it go? What trains did you see? Is the tower still standing?

Tower is still standing actually! I saw 6 trains total. Royal saw more because they stopped in Romulus before coming down to Carleton. But we saw 6 trains in Carleton. CSX I151, CSX M209, CSX I150, CSX I132, CSX L314, and CSX L313

Any of them take the Lincoln?

Only I132 did

[RoyalKingoftheRails]

As a side note as well since Nick and I are collabing on this, I’ll be arriving at the tracks any time between 5-7 am. Any further questions and suggestions can be referred to myself as well.

Hey Royal: how did it go? What trains did you see? Is the tower still standing?

It was good. Slow but I expected it, still one of my favorite locations to go to. Yes the tower is still there. I stopped in Romulus on the way down and got 3 trains there, but in Carleton I saw G766, I151, M209, I150, I132, L314, and L313. A little slower since there was no sign of B522, B523, M267, M268, M214 (new 567, 568, and M215 symbols)

[RoyalKingoftheRails]

Tower is still standing actually! I saw 6 trains total. Royal saw more because they stopped in Romulus before coming down to Carleton. But we saw 6 trains in Carleton. CSX I151, CSX M209, CSX I150, CSX I132, CSX L314, and CSX L313

Any of them take the Lincoln?

Only I132 did

While I was there, I did hear the Lincoln Secondary Defect Detector for the NS local that runs that line though. Probably a few hours before we saw I132.

[CSXBOY]

Good luck catching any movements through Carleton nowadays. Durand and Lansing are the best spots to go to in Michigan. I'm also going to give my two cents regarding the Chicago line. The former NYC Chicago line isn't my go to line at all. It does get indeed boring. The ex B&O between fostoria and Deshler is what I normally do if I were to go to Ohio. CSX has been the better railroad as of late terms of variety, more foreign power, recent oil contracts poached from NS and etc. The Chicago line is honestly better in Waterloo Indiana and into Chicago. Plus I ain't going out in the rain and cold that we've been having. Have fun getting soaked and seeing 2 trains in 5 hours....

[MQT1223]

Good luck catching any movements through Carleton nowadays. Durand and Lansing are the best spots to go to in Michigan. I'm also going to give my two cents regarding the Chicago line. The former NYC Chicago line isn't my go to line at all. It does get indeed boring. The ex B&O between fostoria and Deshler is what I normally do if I were to go to Ohio. CSX has been the better railroad as of late terms of variety, more foreign power, recent oil contracts poached from NS and etc. The Chicago line is honestly better in Waterloo Indiana and into Chicago. Plus I ain't going out in the rain and cold that we've been having. Have fun getting soaked and seeing 2 trains in 5 hours....

Delray is busier then Durand and Lansing if we are talking Michigan. Battle Creek is also busy, and Schoolcraft can provide good action too.

[GP30M4216]

Before this thread gets locked for going off the rails on topics that have already killed horses elsewhere on this board, let me just say that the trains those did see on 3/28 seemed a good mix - intermodal, manifest, a bonus grainer, foreign power, CSX power, and now regular LSRC power too on L313, L314. Nothing was more annoying back in the day (even when trains were more common there), to see nothing but autorack trains back to back to back. I appreciate those that went sharing the trains they saw and that the tower stands for another day!

PS you’re not a true railfan until you wait for the reclusive I&O Flat Rock turn and do not sleep a wink for as long as it takes for it to show up even if that’s days….

[AARR]

I like the IORY updates. From what I understand it runs two or three times per week and usually has 10-30 cars.

Are they still handling dry ice to ADBF?

PS you’re not a true railfan until you wait for the reclusive I&O Flat Rock turn and do not sleep a wink for as long as it takes for it to show up even if that’s days….

[C&O Dispatcher]

I guess this doesn't count, but I used to "railfan" at Carleton 40 hours a week, mostly between midnight and 8:00 am! Lots of variety back then and add in all the coal for West Olive, Essexville (and sometimes Port Huron) that passed by. Glad to hear that at least some of you still enjoy hanging out there on occasion, even though it's a very different scenario today.

[CSXBOY]

Carleton was even decently busy until the recession of 2008-2010. Lot more Grain, more auto rack traffic too, CN still ran 3-4 trains a day, and etc. I chose not to venture to Delray, not worth my time honestly when I can see a buttload of CSX trains in Ohio. Battle Creek and Schoolcraft yes are decently busy I forgot about those two locations. In Michigan my go to spots are Durand, BC, Lansing and even Port Huron sometimes.

[NickThatRailfan]

How long were you there?

About 7 and a half hours roughly.

[CR900945]

Went to Carleton today to view the solar eclipse from a RR perspective. Large parking area is surfaced with large gravel. Not recommended for vehicles with passenger car tires. My 4x4 did fine. However, today, the whole area was off limits. As soon as pulling in off the main drag, we were motioned away by M of W personnel near the tower. We wound up at a public playground on Ready Road in Ash Township. Granddaughter was able to occupy herself. Good day was had by all.