Single or Double Track between AA & Dexter?

[Dan Cluley]

Does anyone know when they removed the second track on the Michigan Line west of Ann Arbor?

[Manistique]

It was early in the Amtrak era. Sorry I don't know a precise date but I do recall when they were pulling it and it was rather controversial at the time. Probably right after Conrail was formed in 1976 when Conrail started routing their Michigan trains largely via Toledo instead of across the State like before.

[Standard Railfan]

I reviewed the Conrail track charts on multmodalways.org. The charts show the main through Ann Arbor is double track in 1984 but single track in 1988.

[GP30M4216]

This may not answer your direct question but it’s a great resource and some people may never have seen this before. It’s a time lapse of a cab ride on the entire Michigan Line westbound in 1988. An interesting time as things were being single tracked throughout much of the route, sadly. Definitely worth a watch!

https://youtu.be/mAikJc67tO4

[Dan Cluley]

Thank you. That video is great, and I had forgotten about those track charts.

I am trying to figure out a video location in this thread http://www.railroadfan.com/phpbb/viewto ... =8&t=38676

I'm pretty sure now that the pacing shot at the end is just east of the station in Ann Arbor, so was assuming that the signals at 1:10 were east of there, but I can't see anything on the track charts that includes 2 and 3 head signals in both directions on double track.

[Ben Higdon]

Clearly not "early in the Amtrak era". Based on the video the second main from Kalamazoo to Willow Run had been recently removed from service. The second main is in place between Kalamazoo and Albion but if you look closely the switches are already in place for single tracking. I have bulletins for the second main between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek being removed from service in 1987 or 1988.