The Old Guard by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
SD40-2 helpers like NS 3349 and 3357 still ruled the Altoona help pool in 2006, but change was on the horizon. NS would commence their SD50 rebuilt program over the next few years, and the newly minted SD40Es would bump all SD40-2s out of the helper jobs by 2010. As of present day, the SD40Es themselves have been replaced by SD70ACUs! And if you want to go back even further, the SD40-2s replaced SD40s, SD45s, SD45-2s, and SD35s in helper service. 7/23/2006
(Kendrick) Lamar by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Y106 has recrewed Q326 and is bringing the train through Lamar at the west end of Wyoming Yard. Trailing the SD50-2 and CW44AC is a rare ex Conrail SD80MAC. 1/27/2012
Palm Beach by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
A Tri-Rail commuter train arrives at the station in Palm Beach, pushed by one of the agency's distinctive F40PHL-2s. 4/5/2009
WNYP M636 #685 by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
One of the Western New York & Pennsylvania's big M636s sits outside the railroad's shops in Olean on a nice fall night. At the time, the WNYP still had its 6 axle MLW products in service, but a downturn in traffic and the purchase of GE AC6000s a few years later would sideline them, apparently for good. 9/30/2016
Short-Lived by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Lake State GP40 4302 and GP40M-3 1178 lead 10 empty CSX grain hoppers north out of Saginaw, heading for Bay City. Not a great photo, but one of the few shots I have of the "Reds" leading an LSRC train during their short tenure on the Lake State. 11/15/2011
Typical by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
SD40-2 #8854 and C40-8 #7586 have a typical short Q327 in tow as they pass under Thornapple River Dr in Cascade on a sunny fall evening. 11/3/2007
MSO Interchange by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Grand Elk 501 arrives at the Michigan Southern interchange in White Pigeon with GP35 #3531. This was once a very busy junction, the MSO being the former LS&MS "Old Road" original mainline from Toledo to Elkhart. 6/4/2009
Haulin' Butt on the NKP by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Back when NS was cool, a C40-9 and a leased GMTX SD60 are doing track speed on the Nickel Plate with train 306 near Thomaston. 10/1/2010
Spartan Cab Dash 8 by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
CSX definitely lost some of its charm when the C40-8s left the roster in 2016. Here the #7556 rounds a curve with Q327, nearing the end of its journey from Detroit. 9/11/2008
Moo by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Port of Tillamook Bay GP9 #101 "The Moo" sits with a few ballast cars in Garibaldi, OR, on Labor Day 2022. The unit still wears its number from its previous owner, the Huron & Eastern. 9/5/2022
The GR&I by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
With a string of insulated boxcars in tow, Tuscola & Saginaw Bay GP35 #390 rolls north on the old PRR through Traverse City. The boxcars were empties, heading to Cherry Growers in Grawn. Not long after this, poor service and rates from TSBY and CSX would drive Cherry Growers away from rail service. Not a great photo by any means, but this is the only time I have ever seen a moving train in Traverse City. 7/7/2006
Pere Marquette Freight, Circa 1950 by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Flying extra flags and looking like it did during its later years of service for the PM and C&O, Pere Marquette #1225 rolls south with a photo freight on Great Lakes Central near Elsie. For this run by the headlight was off, a common practice in that era of railroading. 4/21/2007
Geo Train by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
SD40-2W #5347 has one of CN's track inspection trains in tow as it rolls west into Durand. 11/19/2011
Five Hundred by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Encrusted in snow from its position at the rear of the train during the trip from Chicago, B32-8PHW #500 trails on P370 as the train unloads in Grand Rapids. 2/11/2012
Vickers by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Lead by a CN SD75I, an east-bound NS freight crosses over from main 1 to main 2 at the CSX diamonds at Vickers. 3/25/2011
High Desert by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Winding its way down through the sand dunes just over the Arizona/California border, a BNSF Z train will shortly be stopping for a crew change in Needles. 4/14/2018
Newaygo Grain Train by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
An elevator crew is using GMTX #2676 to load a grain train at the MAC elevator in Newaygo, during the summer of 2007. The Geep was left by Marquette Rail's Z151 the night before along with the empties. #2676 was one of two extended cab GP38-2s the railroad had leased from GATX. 6/15/2007
Z152 by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
For a short while in 2010, Marquette Rail experimented with a Sparta Local that would switch the industries between Grand Rapids and Grant. This was done so the regular Z151 road train would have enough time to go from Baldwin to GR and back without dying. Running as Z152, the south-bound Sparta local has two empty bulkheads from Van's and a hopper from MI Rail Storage behind GMTX #2652, seen here at Fuller on their way to interchange at CSX's Wyoming Yard. Within a year this experiment would end. #2652 was one of two extended cab GP38-2s leased by the MQT. 2/12/2010
Lateforsure Limited by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Amtrak #49, the Lake Shore Limited, winds its way through the S-Curve at 484 on NS's Chicago Line. A few years later, this curve would be completely re-worked, with new bridges replacing the middle one in anticipation of a future triple-tracking project. 7/19/2009
Thornapple by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
An ET44AH leads an ES44AH and an SD40-3 on L303 east across the Thornapple River during a light snow flurry. 1/30/2023
4 Window Dash 9 by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
CN C44-9WL #2504 leads a C40-8M around the High Wye in Durand in later summer 2007. 9/15/2007
Still Getting It Done by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Another snow event, another slew of Charger failures. Battered P42DC #59 shows it can still keep trains moving as it accelerates west of Lansing with train #365, the Bluewater. 1/29/2023
Plaster Creek by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
SD40-2 #8096 has a typical short Q326 behind it as the train crosses over through the plant at Plaster Creek, leaving Wyoming Yard and headed for Detroit. 7/11/2008
Seaboard In The Snow by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
CSX GP38-2 #2667 was the last locomotive on CSX to wear Seaboard System paint, lasting until early 2008. For many of its final years in gray it was assigned to Michigan, and I subsequently saw it quite often. The venerable Geep is seen here mingling with other CSX units in 3 different paint schemes outside of the Wyoming Yard diesel shop in early 2007. 1/20/2007
Pleasant Street by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Y106 knocks down the approach at Pleasant Street on its way back to Wyoming Yard. Mother and Slug 6954 and 2354 were assigned to the GR area quite often back then. 1/11/2012
Well, It's Not a Gevo by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
With #8452 dead in tow, CM44AC #7013 is working solo as L303 heads east from Grand Rapids. 1/21/2023
Restricting Plaster Creek by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Y106 is about to knock down the restricting signal at Plaster Creek as the conductor comes out to say hello.Y106 is about to knock down the restricting signal at Plaster Creek as the conductor comes out to say hello. 1/26/2023
Cold Greenies by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
The temperature is near 0 degrees as Q326 departs Wyoming Yard on the Sunnyside Lead. Leading the train on this frigid day are pair of former Burlington Northern SD40-2s, then owned by BNSF and FURX, respectively. The track to the right, Maggie's Lead, was removed in 2022, after being OOS and used as a car storage track for most of the last 20 years. 12/1/2006
Coke Loads by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Passing stored autoracks on main 2, coke train K357 accelerates across Ivanrest Ave behind a C40-8 and an SD40-2. These coke trains ran between Detroit and East Chicago. 3/14/2009
RCO Switching by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Y193 goes about its switching duties on the Old Even at Wyoming Yard with MP15DC #1146 and RCPHE4 #9120. The drone was 1 of 4 former GP40s converted to RC drones that called Grand Rapids home for many years. 3 wore Chessie paint while the other was in MOW orange. A few years later all were rebuilt into 2300 series RDMT Road Slugs. 1/25/2007
Rail Train by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
A welded rail train running as W014-19 heads north through Romulus behind a Slug and Mother combo. The train was headed for Grand Rapids to lay new rail on the GR Terminal Sub. 4/22/2012
AVR-1 by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
A pair of Carload Express' former Conrail SD60Ms lead AVR-1 through the trench in Pittsburgh, heading for the NS interchange. 8/13/2022
AMTK NPCU #90413 by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
One of the regularly assigned Cabbages on the Pere Marquette, #90413, pauses momentarily on Wealthy St as passengers de-train in Grand Rapids. The new station eliminated both this traffic-snarling station stop and the need for a unit on both ends of the train. 3/30/2012
Chessie Drone by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
RCPHE4 #9120 and GP38-2 #2520 roll down the Old Even Lead at the east end of CSX's Wyoming Yard. A former C&O GP40, the 9120 frequented Michigan for most of its life as an RC drone. Eventually it was rebuilt into an RDMT Road Slug, becoming CSX #2369. The C&O signals protecting the plant at Plaster Creek can be seen in the distance. 4/14/2007
Elmhurst 40s by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Left-hand running in true CNW fashion, a pair of SD40-2s lead an intermodal west through Elmhurst. 5/6/2006
Auburn Grain Train by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
On a gloomy February day in 2013, I happened across a Huron & Eastern grain train heading north between Saginaw and Bay City. Amazingly, powering the train were the final 3 units still in their Central Michigan black and white: GP38ACs 8804 and 8802, and GP40-2W 9712. Figuring this would be something I would likely never see again (I was right), I chased it for a while. Seen here rolling under I-75 on Bay City's west side, the train is now on the ex NYC line headed to the grain elevator in Auburn. G&W had just completed their purchase of Rail America, and later that year the retirements, repainting and renumbering would begin. 2/11/2013
Gloomy Local by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Out of the gloom comes Y106, charging east at the maximum allowed 40 mph with a short train in tow. 1/11/2023
North Charleroi by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Coal traffic is still heavy on the Mon Line as southbound empties pass another train of empties at North Charleroi. The trio of SD60Es were tied down with the C74, while a pair of SD70ACes lead the N11 south. Pretty cool to get a pair of GE-less NS trains in the same frame in 2022. 8/13/2022
Lake Central Railtours by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
The now-defunct Lake Central Railtours ran many excursions over Tuscola & Saginaw Bay (and later Great Lakes Central) rails throughout most of the 90s and 2000s. Their annual Fall Color Tour, which on this day was operating from Owosso to Cadillac with a side-trip to Yuma and back, is shown here pausing at the station in Mount Pleasant to pick up some passengers. GP35 #385 trailed on the rear of the 3 car train while #393 lead the train north. #385 would lead back south later that day. 10/27/2007
466 by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
CP 466 near Pinola was always my favorite spot on the Chicago Line in NW Indiana. The west end of a controlled siding that effectively turned this part of the ex NYC Water Level Route into a 3 track railroad, the location was punctuated by an impressive signal bridge spanning all 3 tracks. Here an east-bound Canadian Pacific haulage rights train, 34T, rolls under the bridge with 2 AC4400s leading a pair of leased SD40s. The bridge was removed and replaced with a modern cantilever in 2016. 8/23/2011
NS GP38-2 #5527 by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
NS #5527 was 1 of 80 GP38-2s rebuilt in the early 2000s from ex Norfolk & Western and Southern GP38ACs. The rebuilding process included chopping the high noses, conversion to short hood-forward operation, and Dash 2 electronics. #5527 spent most of the winter of 2008 assigned to Grand Rapids, usually working the BG01 or BG02 at the Fisher Body plant in Wyoming, where it is seen resting between assignments in this photo. I can still distinctly recall hearing the engineer saying "3 step on the double nickel two seven" on the radio! 12/13/2008
Grand Rapids Arrival by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Amtrak B32-8PHW #500 has just backed the Pere Marquette around the east leg of the Sunnyside Wye and is now waiting to shove the train north a few miles to Fuller, where it will spend the night. The new Amtrak station would open a few blocks east of here in 2014, eliminating the lengthy back up move. 2/8/2013
GLLX GP9 #4433 by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Ex Grand Trunk Western GP9 #4433 works Van's Logistics on Marquette Rail's Z151. Normally assigned to Manistee, 4433 didn't venture down to Grand Rapids very often. 6/11/2013
Wyandotte by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
A C40-8, SD75I, and a GP38-2 lead a short M371 north through Wyandotte. #2115 was one of three Dash 8s adorned with the 15th Anniversary logo. 4/22/2012
West @ 499 by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Two now-extinct NS models in the form of an SD60 and a C39-8 lead a short train west at Clark Rd on the Chicago Line. 5/27/2006
Otto, IL by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
CN's A408 is seen backing east towards the main on the branch to Herscher. The all-EMD lash up on this day consisted of 2 IC SD70s, an IC GP38-2, and a GTW GP38-2. 4/2/2022
Short 800 by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
With just 5 cars on this day, Huron & Eastern's 800 job rolls into Saginaw behind former Central Michigan GP38AC #8804. 5/8/2012
Bloomfield Switching by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Indiana Railroad's HWSZT swaps some empties for loads at the lumber mill in Bloomfield. From here the crew will runaround their train and head back to Jasonville. 4/3/2022
Gilman Power by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Class leader IC SD70 #1000 sits in the yard at Gilman, IL, on a gray April morning. Interestingly, #1000 is DPU-equipped. I'm not sure how many IC SD70s have that capability. 4/2/2022
Rainy Z151 by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
GLLX #3001's polished bronze bell is ringing and it's horn is blaring as it leads Marquette Rail's south-bound Z151 into Grand Rapids on a rainy September day. 9/13/2008
Wings by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
The recent influx of foreign power into western Michigan continues in the form of Union Pacific SD70M #3940 leading CSX CW44AC #268 and 61 cars of freight on M326. Rolling onto to Main 2 at Grandville, the train was carrying many reefers of french fries destined for the West Michigan RR. 2/23/2023
Canadian Visitors by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Somehow, CSX managed to keep a set of CN Gevos in the regular rotation on L302 and L303 for the better part of 3 weeks. I'm not complaining, as its nice to see something other than CSX up here anymore, even if they are GEs. Heading east from Grand Rapids on a rare sunny day in February, ET44AC #3014 and ex CREX ES44AC #3979 look nice as they roll down the Plymouth Sub with L303. 2/14/2023