Lansing Trains

[nsted1582]

Hi my website Lansing Trains is looking for pictures I have put some on their but if you would like to submit some we will add them. Just send them to me at nsted1582@gmail.com

Our site is http://nsted1582.googlepages.com/home

Must be train related

In the Lansing Area

Also if you would like to put your website link on our site email me with the link

Thank You

[UncleRaul]

I think anyone deserves honorable mention for capturing on film the elusive and wily Lansing NS train.

[Hogger1225]

Hmmm. I'm the regular Engineer on the evening job. Does that disqualify me?

[AARR]

Not in my book Hogger1225. Any pictures you'd like to post I'd certainly enjoy looking at

[UncleRaul]

Yes! Thanks for mentioning the MLK Boulevard is a GREAT place to watch trains. Bird's-eye-view as they go by Eckert. I bet it was even cooler when the Oldsmobile plant was existent and loading auto racks.

[mikekmac]

Hmmm. I'm the regular Engineer on the evening job. Does that disqualify me?

Hogger1225, can you tell us anything about the spur that begins just south of the Cedar Diamond, wraps around that big old factory, and then goes southwest across the city? Looking at the aerials, it appears it might have once been a wye with CN/GTW. But the right of way goes at least as far as the site of the former Lansing Drop Forge on Logan/MLK.

[CERY]

Thats the old Lake Shore and Michigan Southern, or whats left of it. Now it goes to QD and they get covered hoppers of plastic pellets about every six weeks if I remember correctly.

[GP30M4216]

Isn't this the branch that has the remains of one or two old wig wag crossing signals on one of the residential side streets? I know they are somewhere down there. How does NS access this branch? Is there really only the one customer on the line?

[RailCanon]

Isn't this the branch that has the remains of one or two old wig wag crossing signals on one of the residential side streets? I know they are somewhere down there. How does NS access this branch? Is there really only the one customer on the line?

I love that little branch. It's the one line left in Lansing that I have yet to see a train on. It splits off from the Lansing Secondary at Baker Street, just south of Cedar and curves around along side the GTW mainline before curving south onto the old LS&MS right of way. The branch is the track on the far right, in this view from the Cedar Street bridge:

There is indeed a "partial" WRRS Model 5 Wig Wag on this line. It's located on Isbell Street, between Cedar and Washington streets. This signal had a motor box and a banner until about 15 years ago but today only the bell remains. Here's a photo I took several years ago. I just went by there last week and nothing has changed except the crossbuck in the photo has been replaced.

Also of interest are the crossings at Washington Street and Mt. Hope roads. Both of these crossings sport sets of very ancient cantilevered flashers and bells. The only other place I've seen this particular style is the LSRC line to Paines in Saginaw. http://www.rxrsignals.net/Michigan/Lansing/Washington/
There are two customers on this line but generally only one of them is serviced. As Tyler mentioned, the main customer is QDC Plastics, which gets an occasional cut of hoppers. The spur for QDC is located about 1/2 mile south of Mount Hope road.
The other customer is Reid machinery, which basically is a junk yard that handles really heavy equipment like generators and transformers. Jim (JT) and I went to check them out earlier this summer and found a schnabel car sitting on their spur, although it didn't appear to have seen any use.
Hey Bill, do you know what job does the work on this line when QDC and/or Reid gets cars?? I'd love to see a train on this line.

[mikekmac]

Here's a view of one of those signals Gregg was talking about--this one is on the north side of Mt. Hope Road:



No crossing arms on what is a very busy street most of the time. Hard to think that that wasn't a problem in the days when this line serviced the likes of Lansing Drop Forge.

[mikekmac]

Atlas Drop Forge was at 209 West Mount Hope Road, so it was also served by this spur.

[Hogger1225]

We also used to deliver newsprint paper for the State Journal just short of Logan St.

[RailCanon]

Hey Bill, do you know what job does the work on this line when QDC and/or Reid gets cars?? I'd love to see a train on this line.

[Hogger1225]

B-30

[UncleRaul]

slightly off-topic, but I can think of another line in Lansing you've probably never seen a train on: the old NYC/LSMS tracks that run through Old Town

[Paul W]

Went to Lansing Friday, shot a few video's Caught what I think to be N/S yard job coming from what I think to be a CSX yard over by I-96. Can anyone help me fill in a few details about daily N/S trains in Lansing as it seems I know pretty much nothing about them and the area. Here's a video of that yard job crossing a neat little bridge, Is the diamond to the south of this bridge C/N and N/S's crossing? What's the name of that CSX yard? Thanks in advance for any help...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J-dHoNa-JU

[AARR]

Can anyone help me fill in a few details about daily N/S trains in Lansing as it seems I know pretty much nothing about them and the area.

There's a couple people here who know this far better than I but I can help get you started. Daily a yard job starts in Saginaw Yard and works around town and down to RSDC in Holt where they tie up. Another crew take train to Jackson, switching customers along the way, and returns to Saginaw yard

Is the diamond to the south of this bridge C/N and N/S's crossing?

Not sure

What's the name of that CSX yard?

Ensel Yard. Usually two jobs work from here. One on days and the other at night. But currently just one job. Goes east one day and west the next.

[Hogger1225]

That was the B-30. He originated at what we call "Saginaw Yd", off of Saginaw on the west side of Lansing, right where the old Fisher Body plant and the stamping plant and the Craft Center have been/and are being torn down. They travel on NS rails from that yard on the "Lansing Manufacturors Belt Line" to Turner St where they come out on the CSXT and travel through town to MA, where the CSXT heads towards Detroit and the NS heads south to Jackson on the Lansing Secondary. The diamond just south of where you shot the video is indeed the crossing with the CN's Flint Subdivision. Just south of the diamond is a switch at Baker St for what we call the "South NYC" the old line that used to go all the way to Albion back in the good old days.Back when I first hired out, that line used to cross the GT just west of Cedar, both diamonds were controlled by a tower just underneath the Cedar St overpass on the north side of the tracks. The line went all the way through town to Turner St wher you can still see the remnant of the track that is still in almost to Oakland Ave. Two customers out there (the portion south of the CN), QDC Plastics Division, where hopper cars of plastic pellets are delivered so QD can make all of their bottles for their own products and Reid Machinery who on rare occasions either ships out or receives extremely heavy items like presses, ect. The train you caught Friday looks as if he had either a load for MPC in Mason, an empty that could have had lumber or gypsum board on it, and an empty flat that either came from Alro Steel over by Saginaw Yd, across from Padnos, or an empty from Reid Machinery, didn't quite see how many axles it had. Those guys will do all the local work that's been assigned for the day and depending on when they get that done, may head south all the way to Jackson, or part of the way. Either way, the B-28 (my old job, until I get back from this medical hold) goes to work at 6:01pm, will taxi out to where the B-30 left their train, usually using the same cab that brought the B-30 back and continue the trip to Jackson. They will drop off whatever cars they have, except on the rare occasion where a car may have to be turned to unload it properly, pick up the cars to go north, and then head north. They will drop off cars at RSDC, Capital Drywall, any cars for QD or Reid Machinery at either Lansing Yd, Cavanaugh Rd, or the Jolly Team track, and then try to get across the CN and get across the CSXT to get back to Saginaw Yd. It is usually an all night affair being that the entire Lansing Secondary is at 10 mph right now and doesn't look like NS is going to spend a dime to try and maintain or upgrade before they are able to get rid of it like the ELK-GR line. Is this enough info? LOL!

[Paul W]

Thanks Don and Hogger1225, Great info! Now I simply have to get back. Love them N/S units and looks like lots of great photo locations if you time it right! Thanks again your insight is very appreciated. Oops one last question is the B-30 a daily Monday to Friday train? Hogger good luck on your med leave hope all is well.

[AARR]

Thaks for an accounting of the cars, Hogger. I was especially wondering where the regular flat came from as you don't see many of those anymore.