MMRR Z627 Log

[C&O6088]

I'm still reading your thread everyday. Thanks Mr Tops

Me too Mr. Tops. First post I read every day

C&O

[redside20]

don't stop! i enjoy your reports

[Mr. Tops]

I am glad everyone enjoys the reports. I don't plan on stopping...I will still post when I manageto catch the train.

11/2/09

Z627-02 Northbound (into Muskegon 2230)

GR 3839

1 (E) Shape (B)
7 (E) Nugent (CH)
1 (E) Shape (B)
1 (L) Bayer (T) 1789
2 (L) Webb (T) 1824 & 1230

12 total

[AARR]

Ok...we're ready for a string of unit trains from Fremont Co-op...any day know...yes sir they can begin any minute know with those 850 cars per year

[Mr. Tops]

11/04/09

Z627-04 Northbound

GR 3839
MMRR 3836

2 (E) Shape (B)
7 (E) Nugent (CH)
5 (E) Shape (B)

14 total

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11/06/09

Z627-06 Southbound

GR 3839
MMRR 3836

4 (L) Shape (B)
9 (L) Nugent (CH)
2 (E) Fremont Co-op (CH)
4 (E) Brinks (T)
2 (E) Webb (T) 1824

21 total

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Switching Nugent upon arriving back in Muskegon is becoming an occasional chore of the Z627 crew. They dropped their train at the old interchange at Hackley St and went up and brought a nice sized string of empties to Nugent and hauled 20 loads out and then back to Hackley, picked up the 2 cars they left there and then back to North Yard. While switching, the guys were saying there is still a switch back in the Nugent pit that lead to another loading conveyor. The engineer has been with RA for quite a while and was reminiscing about the early-mid 90's when they had RS3 1077 and would haul 38-40 cars a day out of Nugent. They would shove them from the Henry Street yard (only a mile or two away) as to avoid having to do a double run around. I know back in the GTW days (and maybe early MS days) they hauled a lot out of there, but the mid-90's is when I start remembering the trains and don't seem to remember them ever hauling that much, but I suppose he would know better than I!

[AARR]

The engineer has been with RA for quite a while and was reminiscing about the early-mid 90's when they had RS3 1077 and would haul 38-40 cars a day out of Nugent. They would shove them from the Henry Street yard (only a mile or two away) as to avoid having to do a double run around. I know back in the GTW days (and maybe early MS days) they hauled a lot out of there, but the mid-90's is when I start remembering the trains and don't seem to remember them ever hauling that much, but I suppose he would know better than I!

Not necessarily. With all due respect to that engineer, and all other railroad employees, just like the rest of us, they tend to not recall the precise details of the past. I show MS shipped around 2,000 cars per year (about 8 per day) from 1991-1993. This includes cars from Webb, Dana, and a customer on the original GTW line. I show they handled around 4,000 cars a year (around 16 per day) from 1995-1997, inclusive of Nugent, Webb, and Dana. So it is possible they switched 38-40 cars on one or a few more days, but if they did it every day they would have handled over 9,000 cars in a year from Nugent alone and I am not aware they ever handled close to that number since 1987 when CMGN took over.

[Mr. Tops]

That's what I recall, Don. The engineer was saying that the "new" loading chute that is currently in use at Nugent was built around 95, but they used to have 2 tracks back there - one to the old conveyor and one to the new chute.

If you follow the tracks back from Lincoln St into the pit (the tracks are hard to see but you can see the sand cars sitting there), you see the new chute first, and then if you keep going a little but further southwest you will come to the old conveyor. http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&sourc ... 04801&z=18

Check out this string of sand cars from back in the GTW days at the Henry Street yard (there were also more yard tracks at this time -- there are only 3 now)

[AARR]

I was told that GTW would run trains out of Muskegon 3 days a week rather than daily. That would make for longer trains out of Muskegon.

[Mr. Tops]

November 9, 2009

Z627-09 SOUTHBOUND

MMRR 3836
GR 3839

2 (E) Shape (B) These weren't loaded today and will dropped back off on the way north
5 (L) Shape (B)
31 (L) Nugent (CH)
1 (E) Brinks (T)

39 total! (can someone please double check my numbers...I haven't had to add that high in a long time!

---

5mph with wheel slip all the way up the Henry Street Hill, down to about 10-15mph getting up to Airport Rd. Thank goodness it wasn't raining or they wouldn't have made it! Here's a video of them at Airport Road...watch as the speed drops: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1QLHvxO9rs

[AARR]

That's another great video Bob. I love how I can get all my senses into the vidoe...it's like i'm there.

Maybe it's just me and my imagination but it seems GP38's have a unique growl when they're accelarating or lugging a heavy load up a hill.

[SD80MAC]

Big Blue's RS3L needs help.

[Mr. Tops]

Don, most EMD's have a low growl when they are working. GP38s are definitely no exception. They are BRUTES!

Jon, that horn has sounded like that for as long as I can remember ever since MS 73 replaced MS 1077. I wish they'd get MMRR 3836's RS5T back on it. I'm not completely sure if Big Blue's horn is an RS3L or PM-920...?

[SD80MAC]

Don, most EMD's have a low growl when they are working. GP38s are definitely no exception. They are BRUTES!

Jon, that horn has sounded like that for as long as I can remember ever since MS 73 replaced MS 1077. I wish they'd get MMRR 3836's RS5T back on it. I'm not completely sure if Big Blue's horn is an RS3L or PM-920...?

Hmmm, it could very well be a Prime. Only to find out is climb up there and take a look (with permission of course) .

[Mr. Tops]

November 10, 2009

Z627-10

GR 3839
MMRR 3836

4 (L) Shape (B)
22 (L) Nugent (CH)
1 (E) Fremont Co-op (CH) NRLX
3 (E) Brinks (T)

30 total

[Mr. Tops]

November 11, 2009

Z627-11

MMRR 3836
GR 3839

5 (L) Shape (B)
7 (L) Nugent (CH)
4 (E) Webb (T) 2 1824s, 3082, 1230
1 (E) Brinks (T) (From RIP track)
1 (E) Webb (T) 3082 (From RIP track)
1 (E) Brinks (T)
1 (E) Fremont Co-op (T) 1005
1 (E) Bayer (T) 1789

21 total

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The yard job didn't get done until 1700. After that, the 627 crew went up to get 3836 at Henry Street and bring it back to North Yard and then do their air test and depart around 1830. I was home in time to see the Red Wings game Wings are winning 4-0 after the 1st in Columbus. I saw the yard job come back from Webb with the 4 cars, then pull some tanks out of the RIP and tack them along with some tanks from north of the yard, 1 from Brinks, 1 from Bayer and 1 from Fremont. I am waiting for the night when they have all these "extra" cars on top of a monster load of sand. Monday night they had 31 sand cars (!). Now if they had 31 tonight instead of 7 they would have had a 45 car train! One of these days...it will happen!

[Mr. Tops]

11-20-09

Z627-20

MMRR 179 (!!!!)
GR 3839

3 (L) Shape (B)
1 (E) Bayer (T) 1789

4 total

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MMRR 3836 is down for several weeks as the traction motor wires are shot and will be getting replaced. 179 has been plucked from the storage line/deadline and will fill in. Nice to see that POS running again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWD7q6A6-fc

[AARR]

Still, not much from Fremont. That's a lot of track for only a car or two a week. Love the video Tops!

[AARR]

I was told that GTW would run trains out of Muskegon 3 days a week rather than daily. That would make for longer trains out of Muskegon.

I just heard that at one time GTW was running a weekly unit train of sand from Muskegon

[Raildudes dad]

I was told that GTW would run trains out of Muskegon 3 days a week rather than daily. That would make for longer trains out of Muskegon.

I just heard that at one time GTW was running a weekly unit train of sand from Muskegon

That was in the early 80's when they ran Durand to Muskegon one day, the crew laid over night and and Muskegon to Durand the next.

[Mr. Tops]

11-23-09

Z627-23 Southbound

GR 3839

3 (L) Shape (B)
6 (L) Nugent (CH)
3 (E) Webb (T) 1824, 1230, 1830

12 total

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Z627-23 Northbound

GR 3839

11 (E) Nugent (CH)
2 (E) Shape (B)
1 (L) Bayer (T) 1789
1 (L) Webb (T) 3082

15 total