Railfanning The State Capitol (Lansing)
Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2006 12:43 pm
Information for Raifanning the Areas in and around Lansing, Michigan's Capitol city:
Overview:
Lansing is home to Three Class I Railroads, CSX Transportation (CSXT), Canadian National Railway (CN) and Norfolk Southern Corporation (NS). Amtrak's Blue Water service from Chicago to Port Huron also makes two daily stops in East Lansing as well.
The Information presented here will be broken up by Railroad, beginning with CSXT.
Railfan Information:
CSX Transportation:
-Operations:
CSX runs through the Lansing area on the Plymouth Subdivision. They are the only railroad that auctually runs through the downtown area, with their main line passing through just east of the downtown area.
Currently, Four CSX Manifest freight trains polish the rails every day. These trains are:
Q326 - Chicago, IL to Detroit, MI via Grand Rapids
Q327 - Detroit, MI to Chicago, IL via Grand Rapids
Q334 - Grand Rapids, MI to Toledo, OH
Q335 - Toledo, OH to Grand Rapids, MI
As of this writting, Q326 and Q327 have the daily job of setting out and picking up cars from Ensel Yard, on Lansing's Northwest side. Q326 usually arrives in Lansing in the early to middle afternoon between 1:00 to 3:00, and will normally spend 1-2 hours switching Lansing before continuing east. Q327 normally arrives in the late afternoon or early evening, between 3:00 and 6:00, and will also usually spend several hours switching at Ensel yard before continuing west.
Q334 is a night train, departing Grand Rapids at 10:00 PM on most evenings, and passing through Lansing between 11:00 PM and Midnight.
Q335 will usually pass through from Toledo at in the early to middle afternoon, usually between 1:00 and 3:00.
While most CP Runthrough trains have moved down to Indiana, and Norfolk Southern's Chicago Line, one CP Train remains on CSX due to the Contract agreement between CP and CSX.
X500 - Minneapolis, MN to Montreal, QC, Canada, via Chicago, Grand Rapids and Detroit.
X500's schedule tends to vary, but normally it will pass through Lansing between 6:00 AM and 9:00 AM most mornings.
CSX operates two local freight trains out of Ensel Yard as well. These trains are D708, which works west of Lansing to Lake Odessa and Alto, and D709, which works east of Lansing to Fowlerville, Howell, and on occasion, South Lyon. D708 normally departs Ensel in the morning, between 10:00 and noon, and returns between 5:00 and 6:00 most evenings. D709 can leave the yard at any time, and generally leaves between 1:00PM and 4:00PM, and returns around 9:00PM-10:00PM. Power for these trains are normally GP38-2s, but they will sometimes feature GP40-2s, or an occasional GP30 Road Slug set. On some very rare occasions, locomotives such as MP15ACs, or GE B36-7s can be found working these trains. Both D708 and D709 run only Monday-Friday.
CSX will also run Grand, Stone, Coal and Coke extra trains on occasion. For more information on these trains, click Here [Although this is a Grand Rapids schedule, many of the trains listed run through Lansing].
The Plymouth Subdivision is Single track and CTC signaled east of Lansing. The line is double track CTC Between CP North Lansing and Logan Street (The west end of Ensel yard), and is single track ABS west of Ensel yard. The ABS Segment of the line runs from Logan Street to the East End of Lake Odessa siding, a distance of about 30 miles. The line is divided up into five DTC blocks, the Cash Ledge Field Jordan and Lako blocks, and trains departing these blocks, or entering them must call the dispatcher to either obtain the authority to head west, or release the authority if going east. The Plymouth Subdivision is dispatched by CSX's RN Dispatcher desk in Calumet City, Illinois (Chicago).
-Scanner Frequencies:
Road: 160.230
RN Dispatcher: 160.320 (West of Lansing)
RN Dispatcher: 161.370 (East of Lansing)
_____________________________________________________________
Canadian National Railway
-Operations:
Canadian National is the busiest railroad in the Lansing area. They operate through the south side of Lansing on the busy Flint Subdivision.
Currently there are about 24 to 26 trains per day that operate over the Flint subdivision, including Amtrak Blue Water service trains 364 and 365. Most trains seen will be General freight or automotive traffic, but there are also two dedicated intermodal trains that run on the line daily. From what I have observed all of these trains do have schedules, but they can show up at anytime most of the time. The busiest times of day are in the mornings, between 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM, and in the late afternoon/early evening hours of the day, most of the time. The Flint Subdivision is Double Track CTC through Lansing, although the second track between Cedar and Mill has been turned into what is known as the "Lansing Service Track" (LST). All trains wishing or needing to use the Service track must get permission from the dispatcher before doing so. Major Control Points, or Interlockings on the Flint Sub in and around Lansing, from east to west are:
-Okemos, Milepost 227 - Begin Double Track
-Trowbridge, Milepost 223 - Junction with CSXT.
-Cedar, Milepost 221 - Crossover, Begin LST, Junction with NS.
-Hope, Milepost 217 - Crossover, East End of Snow Rd. Yard.
-Mill, Milepost 214 - Crossover, End LST, West end of Snow Rd. Yard.
-Potterville, Milepost 208 - Begin single track.
The Flint Sub is controlled by CN's TD3 Dispatcher in Troy, Michigan.
-Scanner Frequencies:
Road: 160.590
TD3 Dispatcher: 161.220
_____________________________________________________________
Norfolk Southern Corp.
-Operations
Norfolk Southern operates into Lansing on their Ex-Conrail Lansing Secondary line, which begins in Jackson, on the Michigan Line. NS is the least busy railroad in Lansing, with only two to three trains per day. Like CSX and CN, NS also has a small yard for the Lansing area. This yard, named Saginaw Yard, is located near GM's Former Craft Centre and Fisher body, which is currently being demolished. On weekdays, NS will run a train, symboled B30, south from Lansing to Jackson, which will switch smaller industries along the route. The train starts out at Saginaw yard at 8:00 AM on weekdays and will usually go as far south as Mason. Though sometimes they will go all the way to Jackson. If they stop at Mason, they are relieved at 6:00 PM with a new symbol, B28 which will usually take them the rest of the way to Jackson. On Sundays B28 will also run from Lansing to Jackson in place of B30. Another train in the Lansing area for NS is B48, which switches Saginaw yard and, if needed, will relieve B28. B48 normally runs at night. The power for these trains is usually older EMD four axle locomotives, such as GP40-2s and GP38-2s, but GP50s, GP59s, and ocassionally B40-8s aren't uncommon either. Also the Lansing secondary is not limited to four axle power, and Everything from SD40-2s to C40-9Ws and even SD80MACs have been seen on the line.
NS serves the following customers in Lansing:
Louis Padnos (Scrap)
QDC Plastics
Alro Steel
Reid Machinery (Rarely ships/receives anything)
CSX Transportation (Interchange at Ensel yard)
Ambassador Steel
GM Stamping plant (Occasional load of racks)
South of Lansing, NS serves
Holt:
Capital Drywall
RSDC (Coiled steel)
Mason:
Mason Elevator
Americhem
Michigan Packaging
Capital Excavating (MSU coal)
National Gypsum (Drywall)
SSS Lumber
Leslie:
Mason elevator
Between CP MA (Michigan Avenue in downtown) and Turner street (E.E. of Ensel yard) NS Operates over CSX on trackage rights. When they reach Ensel yard they return to home rails for the last part of the trip to Saginaw yard. The line between Turner street and Saginaw yard is known as the Belt Line. Just a mile or two south of CP MA, the Lansing secondary crosses the CN Flint subdivision at Cedar. Any time NS needs to cross the Flint sub, they must contact CN TD3, as he controls the entire interlocking.
To operate on the Lansing secondary requires a Form D from the dispatcher. The Lansing Secondary is dispatched by Norfolk Southern's Dearborn Dispatcher in Dearborn, MI.
-Scanner Frequencies:
Road/Dispatcher: 160.800
_____________________________________________________________
Amtrak
Amtrak runs two trains a day through the Lansing area.
These trains are
364, Blue Water, Eastbound
365, Blue Water, Westbound
These trains operate over CN and make daily stops at the Amtrak station in East Lansing, near Trowbridge.
Amtrak's current schedule has 364 arriving in East Lansing at 8:11 PM, while 365 arrives at 7:58 AM. These trains can be late sometimes though, most often but not limited to Poor dispatching on CN's part.
The consist of the Blue Water is usually a four car train bracketed by a P42DC at each end. Occasionally, the train will run with five cars.
For more information on Amtrak's Blue Water service, and Michigan services in general, visit http://www.mitrain.com.
_____________________________________________________________
Best watch spots
I'm pretty sure that everyone knows about Trowbridge, and where it is located. And while it is the best location to watch trains in the area, there are a few other good spots as well.
I would have to say the second best spot would be the old GTW Station on Washington street south of downtown. Here you will see any CN trains that should happen to pass by, and the CSX line is just a short drive away if you know that a train is approaching.
Another excellent spot is Clara's Lansing station, which is located in the former PM/MC depot on Michigan Avenue, along the CSX line. This is a good place to either sit and wait, or enjoy a meal in the Station or Dining car while you wait. The food and service is excellent, and the trains are icing on the cake.
Ensel yard is another good spot to watch trains. The west end of the yard is better because there is a parking lot right next to the tracks, and signals are available here.
Finally the CN yard on the south side of town is another good place to wait, as there are signals and good spots to park at both ends.
There are also numerous other locations to watch and photograph trains in the area, if you explore a bit.
Overview:
Lansing is home to Three Class I Railroads, CSX Transportation (CSXT), Canadian National Railway (CN) and Norfolk Southern Corporation (NS). Amtrak's Blue Water service from Chicago to Port Huron also makes two daily stops in East Lansing as well.
The Information presented here will be broken up by Railroad, beginning with CSXT.
Railfan Information:
CSX Transportation:
-Operations:
CSX runs through the Lansing area on the Plymouth Subdivision. They are the only railroad that auctually runs through the downtown area, with their main line passing through just east of the downtown area.
Currently, Four CSX Manifest freight trains polish the rails every day. These trains are:
Q326 - Chicago, IL to Detroit, MI via Grand Rapids
Q327 - Detroit, MI to Chicago, IL via Grand Rapids
Q334 - Grand Rapids, MI to Toledo, OH
Q335 - Toledo, OH to Grand Rapids, MI
As of this writting, Q326 and Q327 have the daily job of setting out and picking up cars from Ensel Yard, on Lansing's Northwest side. Q326 usually arrives in Lansing in the early to middle afternoon between 1:00 to 3:00, and will normally spend 1-2 hours switching Lansing before continuing east. Q327 normally arrives in the late afternoon or early evening, between 3:00 and 6:00, and will also usually spend several hours switching at Ensel yard before continuing west.
Q334 is a night train, departing Grand Rapids at 10:00 PM on most evenings, and passing through Lansing between 11:00 PM and Midnight.
Q335 will usually pass through from Toledo at in the early to middle afternoon, usually between 1:00 and 3:00.
While most CP Runthrough trains have moved down to Indiana, and Norfolk Southern's Chicago Line, one CP Train remains on CSX due to the Contract agreement between CP and CSX.
X500 - Minneapolis, MN to Montreal, QC, Canada, via Chicago, Grand Rapids and Detroit.
X500's schedule tends to vary, but normally it will pass through Lansing between 6:00 AM and 9:00 AM most mornings.
CSX operates two local freight trains out of Ensel Yard as well. These trains are D708, which works west of Lansing to Lake Odessa and Alto, and D709, which works east of Lansing to Fowlerville, Howell, and on occasion, South Lyon. D708 normally departs Ensel in the morning, between 10:00 and noon, and returns between 5:00 and 6:00 most evenings. D709 can leave the yard at any time, and generally leaves between 1:00PM and 4:00PM, and returns around 9:00PM-10:00PM. Power for these trains are normally GP38-2s, but they will sometimes feature GP40-2s, or an occasional GP30 Road Slug set. On some very rare occasions, locomotives such as MP15ACs, or GE B36-7s can be found working these trains. Both D708 and D709 run only Monday-Friday.
CSX will also run Grand, Stone, Coal and Coke extra trains on occasion. For more information on these trains, click Here [Although this is a Grand Rapids schedule, many of the trains listed run through Lansing].
The Plymouth Subdivision is Single track and CTC signaled east of Lansing. The line is double track CTC Between CP North Lansing and Logan Street (The west end of Ensel yard), and is single track ABS west of Ensel yard. The ABS Segment of the line runs from Logan Street to the East End of Lake Odessa siding, a distance of about 30 miles. The line is divided up into five DTC blocks, the Cash Ledge Field Jordan and Lako blocks, and trains departing these blocks, or entering them must call the dispatcher to either obtain the authority to head west, or release the authority if going east. The Plymouth Subdivision is dispatched by CSX's RN Dispatcher desk in Calumet City, Illinois (Chicago).
-Scanner Frequencies:
Road: 160.230
RN Dispatcher: 160.320 (West of Lansing)
RN Dispatcher: 161.370 (East of Lansing)
_____________________________________________________________
Canadian National Railway
-Operations:
Canadian National is the busiest railroad in the Lansing area. They operate through the south side of Lansing on the busy Flint Subdivision.
Currently there are about 24 to 26 trains per day that operate over the Flint subdivision, including Amtrak Blue Water service trains 364 and 365. Most trains seen will be General freight or automotive traffic, but there are also two dedicated intermodal trains that run on the line daily. From what I have observed all of these trains do have schedules, but they can show up at anytime most of the time. The busiest times of day are in the mornings, between 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM, and in the late afternoon/early evening hours of the day, most of the time. The Flint Subdivision is Double Track CTC through Lansing, although the second track between Cedar and Mill has been turned into what is known as the "Lansing Service Track" (LST). All trains wishing or needing to use the Service track must get permission from the dispatcher before doing so. Major Control Points, or Interlockings on the Flint Sub in and around Lansing, from east to west are:
-Okemos, Milepost 227 - Begin Double Track
-Trowbridge, Milepost 223 - Junction with CSXT.
-Cedar, Milepost 221 - Crossover, Begin LST, Junction with NS.
-Hope, Milepost 217 - Crossover, East End of Snow Rd. Yard.
-Mill, Milepost 214 - Crossover, End LST, West end of Snow Rd. Yard.
-Potterville, Milepost 208 - Begin single track.
The Flint Sub is controlled by CN's TD3 Dispatcher in Troy, Michigan.
-Scanner Frequencies:
Road: 160.590
TD3 Dispatcher: 161.220
_____________________________________________________________
Norfolk Southern Corp.
-Operations
Norfolk Southern operates into Lansing on their Ex-Conrail Lansing Secondary line, which begins in Jackson, on the Michigan Line. NS is the least busy railroad in Lansing, with only two to three trains per day. Like CSX and CN, NS also has a small yard for the Lansing area. This yard, named Saginaw Yard, is located near GM's Former Craft Centre and Fisher body, which is currently being demolished. On weekdays, NS will run a train, symboled B30, south from Lansing to Jackson, which will switch smaller industries along the route. The train starts out at Saginaw yard at 8:00 AM on weekdays and will usually go as far south as Mason. Though sometimes they will go all the way to Jackson. If they stop at Mason, they are relieved at 6:00 PM with a new symbol, B28 which will usually take them the rest of the way to Jackson. On Sundays B28 will also run from Lansing to Jackson in place of B30. Another train in the Lansing area for NS is B48, which switches Saginaw yard and, if needed, will relieve B28. B48 normally runs at night. The power for these trains is usually older EMD four axle locomotives, such as GP40-2s and GP38-2s, but GP50s, GP59s, and ocassionally B40-8s aren't uncommon either. Also the Lansing secondary is not limited to four axle power, and Everything from SD40-2s to C40-9Ws and even SD80MACs have been seen on the line.
NS serves the following customers in Lansing:
Louis Padnos (Scrap)
QDC Plastics
Alro Steel
Reid Machinery (Rarely ships/receives anything)
CSX Transportation (Interchange at Ensel yard)
Ambassador Steel
GM Stamping plant (Occasional load of racks)
South of Lansing, NS serves
Holt:
Capital Drywall
RSDC (Coiled steel)
Mason:
Mason Elevator
Americhem
Michigan Packaging
Capital Excavating (MSU coal)
National Gypsum (Drywall)
SSS Lumber
Leslie:
Mason elevator
Between CP MA (Michigan Avenue in downtown) and Turner street (E.E. of Ensel yard) NS Operates over CSX on trackage rights. When they reach Ensel yard they return to home rails for the last part of the trip to Saginaw yard. The line between Turner street and Saginaw yard is known as the Belt Line. Just a mile or two south of CP MA, the Lansing secondary crosses the CN Flint subdivision at Cedar. Any time NS needs to cross the Flint sub, they must contact CN TD3, as he controls the entire interlocking.
To operate on the Lansing secondary requires a Form D from the dispatcher. The Lansing Secondary is dispatched by Norfolk Southern's Dearborn Dispatcher in Dearborn, MI.
-Scanner Frequencies:
Road/Dispatcher: 160.800
_____________________________________________________________
Amtrak
Amtrak runs two trains a day through the Lansing area.
These trains are
364, Blue Water, Eastbound
365, Blue Water, Westbound
These trains operate over CN and make daily stops at the Amtrak station in East Lansing, near Trowbridge.
Amtrak's current schedule has 364 arriving in East Lansing at 8:11 PM, while 365 arrives at 7:58 AM. These trains can be late sometimes though, most often but not limited to Poor dispatching on CN's part.
The consist of the Blue Water is usually a four car train bracketed by a P42DC at each end. Occasionally, the train will run with five cars.
For more information on Amtrak's Blue Water service, and Michigan services in general, visit http://www.mitrain.com.
_____________________________________________________________
Best watch spots
I'm pretty sure that everyone knows about Trowbridge, and where it is located. And while it is the best location to watch trains in the area, there are a few other good spots as well.
I would have to say the second best spot would be the old GTW Station on Washington street south of downtown. Here you will see any CN trains that should happen to pass by, and the CSX line is just a short drive away if you know that a train is approaching.
Another excellent spot is Clara's Lansing station, which is located in the former PM/MC depot on Michigan Avenue, along the CSX line. This is a good place to either sit and wait, or enjoy a meal in the Station or Dining car while you wait. The food and service is excellent, and the trains are icing on the cake.
Ensel yard is another good spot to watch trains. The west end of the yard is better because there is a parking lot right next to the tracks, and signals are available here.
Finally the CN yard on the south side of town is another good place to wait, as there are signals and good spots to park at both ends.
There are also numerous other locations to watch and photograph trains in the area, if you explore a bit.