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Z627- 26 southbound

3836 lead 3885

3 Box (bay) (4 in 3 out)
22 sandies from both Norton shores and Barry.

late start last night, not leaving north yard until 11:10. They hit grand haven around 12:45

SD80MAC wrote:It almost sounds like a really awful P3 (which I think the Kiamichi's have), but I agree with Tops that that's its regular horn (which IIRC is a Prime 920/RS3L) and something really bad happened to it.

If this is the horn they were painting a month ago on the floor than it's a real winner. This one was a prime manifold and power chambers, one leslie 37 bell, one prime 37 bell and a 3rd gen prime 44 bell. I have not heard it yet and I thought the plan was to put it on 73. If what your hearing is not the horn that I saw, then hold on to your pants because this one's gonna be a screacher.

The most recent horn on 73 was (I believe) an old Prime 920, which came off MMRR 180. Before it was on 180, have no idea where it came from.

Here is 73's horn:
http://www.rail-videos.net/video/view.php?id=11421

Here is 3836's horn, which coincidentally is 73's old horn:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1QLHvxO9rs

It sounds like you are talking about one of these, as they both sound like bastard step-children. Could you tell what the original color and/or new color of the horn was?

Last I remember both Geep 9's had P3s on them. I remember it being very easy to tell when one of them was in the lead. 73 had a prime 920/S-3-L. That one went to 3836 when 73 was parked in place of the S-5-T. The frankenstein they were building recently was for 73 when that goes back into service unless they find parts for their S-5-T. The two purple machines had awful sounding p4s on them. 3885 has a S-3-L on it I believe. I do miss the 179 & 180. Always thought they were so unique looking. Once I get my 7-1/2" steamer done, I think I am going to build the 180.

EWRice wrote:Last I remember both Geep 9's had P3s on them. I remember it being very easy to tell when one of them was in the lead. 73 had a prime 920/S-3-L. That one went to 3836 when 73 was parked in place of the S-5-T. The frankenstein they were building recently was for 73 when that goes back into service unless they find parts for their S-5-T. The two purple machines had awful sounding p4s on them. 3885 has a S-3-L on it I believe. I do miss the 179 & 180. Always thought they were so unique looking. Once I get my 7-1/2" steamer done, I think I am going to build the 180.

-179 had a P3 on it the entire time it was in Muskegon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWD7q6A6-fc

-180 arrived in Muskegon with an M-3ish sounding thing: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x93y_mmrr-gh_webcam It was then replaced with this Prime 920-sounding horn: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xfis_m ... rch_algo=2 This is the horn that eventually ended up on 73 when they put 73's original horn on 3836.

-3836 has 73's original horn: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiHmweEmrIw It of course replaced 3836's old RS5T: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x17ke_gp38-s_lifestyle

-The Kiamichi's, 3801 has a P5 that's missing a bell or two. 3803 HAD an S3L, but was removed before it left Muskegon. Here is 3801's horn: http://www.rail-videos.net/video/view.php?id=13615

Z627-06 southbound

MMRR 3836
CF&E 3885
3 box
6 sandies (Barry)
6 sandies (Norton shores)
3 webb

18 total

Look for BIG numbers from fremont tomorrow! They brought a cut of over 10 back from the Co op today (It looked to be between 12 and 15 cars)

csx801 wrote:Look for BIG numbers from fremont tomorrow! They brought a cut of over 10 back from the Co op today (It looked to be between 12 and 15 cars)

A while back (1 year, 2 years, ???) there was an article (newspaper???) about the Fremont Co-op increasing shipments from a current 500 cars a year to 850. That's 10 and 17 cars per week respectively. From the frequent MS Logs here (which I very much enjoy!) I doubt they have come close to the 500 per year mark. Maybe 200???

I have been watching the Fremont run more frequently and so far, they average 2 to 6 per run. Yesterday was definitely a larger than normal pull. If they are running twice a week with an average of 2 to 6 (we will say 4 for mathematical reasons) it would average out to around 200 loads a year. We can probably bump up the number a bit for the larger fall shipments.

Z627 southbound through Muskegon at 10:35

G&W 2019
CF&E 3885

4 boxes
7 (2 bay) hoppers (Barry Nugent sand)
4 (3 bay) hoppers (Norton shores Nugent sand)
4 tanks (brinks)

Grand total of 19 Big ones!

The crew had some fun cutting through down town Muskegon with Unity festival going on. The conductor called clear of all tracks for them to depart the yard at the same time unity festival got out.

Also a lot of play time for the crew with the new features of the fully overhauled 2019. Tonight's engineer seemed rather pleased at her condition.

Z627-21 southbound through Grand haven 11:45pm

CFE 3885
G&W 2019

4 box
10 hoppers (3 bay)
5 hoppers (2 bay)

19 total.

Video will be coming. I was the crazy one who stood out in the rain to try and get the shot.

What's G&W 2019? They have an MMRR 2019 in orange.

2019 is a MMRR unit, it is the first in G&W paint. Sometimes I put it down as G&W 2019 just because it holds the G&W logo although its not technically correct.

This actually brings me to a question:

If this division of the Mid Michigan railroad is Called Michigan shore (the three divisions being MS, GRE, and MMRR) Then are all the units on The Michigan shore, Mid Michigan and Grand Rapids Eastern going to hold the MMRR logo? or are there different plans floating about in terms of units and logos?

maybe I am over thinking this a bit, but I am a bit curious to know if anybody else was wondering as well or had an answer

csx801 wrote:2019 is a MMRR unit, it is the first in G&W paint. Sometimes I put it down as G&W 2019 just because it holds the G&W logo although its not technically correct.

This actually brings me to a question:

If this division of the Mid Michigan railroad is Called Michigan shore (the three divisions being MS, GRE, and MMRR) Then are all the units on The Michigan shore, Mid Michigan and Grand Rapids Eastern going to hold the MMRR logo? or are there different plans floating about in terms of units and logos?

maybe I am over thinking this a bit, but I am a bit curious to know if anybody else was wondering as well or had an answer

I know they are listed separately on G&W's website.

csx801 wrote:2019 is a MMRR unit, it is the first in G&W paint. Sometimes I put it down as G&W 2019 just because it holds the G&W logo although its not technically correct.

This actually brings me to a question:

If this division of the Mid Michigan railroad is Called Michigan shore (the three divisions being MS, GRE, and MMRR) Then are all the units on The Michigan shore, Mid Michigan and Grand Rapids Eastern going to hold the MMRR logo? or are there different plans floating about in terms of units and logos?

maybe I am over thinking this a bit, but I am a bit curious to know if anybody else was wondering as well or had an answer

Technically yes, the Muskegon operations are technically the Michigan Shore. Grand Rapids is the Grand Rapids Eastern, Alma is the Mid Michigan.

Yes, there is a G&W Michigan Shore sign on the yard office at North Yard.

Mr. Tops wrote:Yes, there is a G&W Michigan Shore sign on the yard office at North Yard.

G&W Grand Rapids Eastern sign on the yard office on Ann Street also.

The South bound was early on 8-30-2013. Thru GH around 8:30 PM. Did not go back North Bound till around 1:30 AM.

I noticed that as well with the early run. I had just missed them but saw enough to estimate a good 12 to 14 car count with 3885 leading and 2019. This is the first year since the take over from CSX that MS did not run a daylight run after labor day (Which I assume to be due to the G&W take over)
Last year they really ended that with a Bang making 4 runs through Grand Haven between 9am and 4 pm. the first being light power to pick up one of those Hot tanks that comes in once and a while, the second being a General run. to top it off they ran their normal evening Z627 as well making it by far the best day to railfan the Fremont sub I have seen since CSX days.

csx801 wrote:The first being light power to pick up one of those Hot tanks that comes in once and a while

I believe those go to the Bayer plant near Barry Jct.

I don't think you're going to see those special moves for certain types of tank cars anymore. I believe that was just an RA thing.