CSX Train Location Updates - May 2023

[Tom49801]

M327-08 @ 05:05 Grand Rapids, Mi job briefing with the RN Dispatcher: CSX engines #3114 + #43 (elephant style) & 51 cars (28 loads + 23 empties) @ 4,311 tons & 2,933 feet long. Still building their train at this time.

R597-07 @ 05:42 copied their EC1 at the West Olive, Mi power plant mp CGP 1.0 with BNSF engine #6176 & 130(?) empty coal cars & rear dpu KCS engine #4871 & assuming: he also has CSX engines #3209 + #3289 & will be going into Grand Junction siding mp CG54 & tie down (radio call was broken up for the train's side of the conversation). He'll be waiting on the Fremont sub-div in Holland until Amtrak P371 clears by.

Note: U301-05 (an extra L301) remains broken down at mp CG80.9 between Riverside & Grey prior to the St Joseph Bridge on Main #2 Track as of early Saturday morning 00:28 hours. He was heading westward for work at Arlington Metals in Sawyer, Mi mp CG105.2 when his solo engine CSXT #4070 had failed with an unknown quantity of cars (he had 15 cars when he started his work at Hartford & Coloma). Rail traffic since then is being routed around him via #1 Track.

[Tom49801]

M327-08 @ 06:34 westward reported from mp CG9.0 with CSX engines #3114 + #43 (elephant style) & 51 cars.

Amtrak P371-08 @ 06:37 westward reported by the Defect Detector mp CG19.1 in Zeeland, Mi with 16 axles. IDTX engine #4632 & 3 cars (2 Horizon Coaches + Horizon Cafe).

R597-07 @ 06:50 westward Holland Depot mp CG25.3 with BNSF engine #6176 & 129 empty coal cars & rear dpu KCS engine #4871 & CSX engines #3209 + #3289. He’ll be going into Grand Junction siding mp CG54 & tie down.

M327-08 @ 06:51 westward reported by the DD mp CG19.1 Zeeland, Mi with 216 axles. CSX engines #3114 + #43 (elephant style) & 51 cars (28 loads + 23 empties) @ 4,311 tons & 2,933 feet long. Note: he will be picking up CSXT engine #4070 from the broken down U301-05 (an extra L301) at mp CG80.9 between Riverside & Grey that's been there since very early Saturday morning just after midnight. U301's cars will be left there.

Amtrak P371-08 @ 07:13 westward reported by the Defect Detector mp CG44.2 in Pearl, Mi with 16 axles.

Amtrak P371-08 @ 07:28:24 westward N. Center St crossing Bangor, Mi mp CG60.35 live cam with 7 passengers On at the station mp CG60.5

[Tom49801]

R597-07 @ 07:34 westward reported by the DD mp CG44.2 in Pearl, Mi with 540 axles. BNSF engine #6176 & 129 empty coal cars & rear dpu KCS engine #4871 & CSX engines #3209 + #3289. He’ll be going into Grand Jct Siding mp CG54 & tie down.

M327-08 @ 07:48 westward reported by the DD mp CG44.2 Pearl, Mi with 216 axles. CSX engines #3114 + #43 (elephant style) & 51 cars (28 loads + 23 empties) @ 4,311 tons & 2,933 feet long.

M327-08 @ 08:13:38 westward N. Center St crossing Bangor, Mi mp CG60.35 live cam.

Amtrak P371-08 @ 08:16 westward reported by the Defect Detector mp CG91.9 St Joseph, Mi with 16 axles. IDTX engine #4632 & 3 cars (2 Horizon Coaches + Horizon Cafe).

[Tom49801]

Y121-08 @ 08:38 westward into Holland’s Dock Track mp CG25.0 with CSX engine #6515 & 1 Tank car.

Y121-08 @ 09:37 eastward Holland’s Dock Track diverging onto the Main Track at mp CG25.0 with CSX engine #6515 & 1 Tank car. He then backed westward to the Holland Depot mp CG25.3 & then went eastward & diverged into Holland's pass track.

[Tlout]

Michigan Shore south at Riley St. Holland 10:38 AM. MMRR 2170, 2019 power.

[Tom49801]

M327-08 @ 10:36 ready to depart from mp CG80.9 & proceed westward after picking up U301-05's broken down CSX engine #4070 from there. His consist will now be CSX engines #3114 + #43 (elephant style) + #4070 (in tow) & 51 cars (28 loads + 23 empties).

L301-08 @ 10:39 Grand Rapids, Mi job briefing with the RN Dispatcher: CSX engines #3094 + #355 borrowed from G126-05 & will head into to Waverly mp CG22.8 No other details known, the radio call was mostly static.

M327-08 @ 10:59 westward reported by the DD mp CG91.9 St Joseph, Mi with 222 axles.

[Andy24]

L301-08 @ 10:39 Grand Rapids, Mi job briefing with the RN Dispatcher: CSX engines #3094 + #355 borrowed from G126-05 & will head into to Waverly mp CG22.8 No other details known, the radio call was mostly static.

L301-08 @ 10:56 heading west with a medium clear on track 1 in Grandville mp 6.0 with CSX #3094 + CSX #355 (elephant style) and 90 cars.

Notes:
— 43 of the 90 cars were empty 2 bay sand hoppers for Z627 Michigan Shore Railroad.
— 8 loaded gondolas of boulders
— 15 tankers of various sizes and liquids
— 8 ish big hoppers for Hartford
— 1 loaded reefer for Hartford
— 1 loaded CSX coil for Sawyer

He has a Hartford and Sawyer Run as well. Looks like he will drop 50-70 ish cars into Waverly. He should leave around 20 ish cars for Hartford

L303-08 @ 11:17am talked to Rouger Tower

L301-08 @ 11:23am heading west reported by DD 19.1 Zeeland, MI at 372 axles. He’s heading into Waverly Yard

[Tom49801]

M326-08 @ 11:23 eastward reported by the DD mp CG91.9 St Joseph, Mi with 284 axles. CSX engine #134 + 1 & 68 cars.

E801-07 @ 11:28 ready to depart Grand Junction siding mp CG55.6 & head westward with BNSF engine #6176 & 129 empty coal cars & rear dpu KCS engine #4871.

[TSS]

M326-08 @ 11:23 eastward reported by the DD mp CG91.9 St Joseph, Mi with 284 axles. CSX engine #134 + 1 & 68 cars.

67 cars. He had a four axle locomotive in tow.

[Tom49801]

E801-07 @ 11:59 westward N. Center St crossing Bangor, Mi mp CG60.35 cam with BNSF engine #6176 & 129 empty coal cars & rear dpu KCS engine #4871.

L303-08 @ 12:13 Grand Rapids, Mi job briefing with the RN Dispatcher: CSX engines #3170 + #862 & 50 cars. He’s ready to depart & has work for Lansing.

L303-08 @ 12:40 eastward reported from Seymour mp CH148.1

[Tom49801]

M326-08 @ 11:23 eastward reported by the DD mp CG91.9 St Joseph, Mi with 284 axles. CSX engine #134 + 1 & 68 cars.

67 cars. He had a four axle locomotive in tow.

Thanks for the heads up for the engines, TSS

M326-08 @ 12:47:16 eastward Division St crossing Bangor, Mi mp CG60.93 cam with CSX engine #134 + KCS engine #4800 + CSX engine #6138 & 67 cars.

M326-08 @ 13:14 eastward reported by the DD mp CG44.2 Pearl, Mi with 284 axles.

L301-08 @ 13:18 westward, Main Track to Main Track, Holland, Mi Depot mp CG25.3 with CSX engines #3094 + #355 & 27 cars. He has work for Hartford mp CG68.7 & Coloma mp CG75.8 He'll take Saugatuck Siding mp CG32.1 to clear up for M326-08.

E801-07 @ 13:23 westward reported by the DD mp CG91.9 with 528 axles. BNSF engine #6176 & 129 empty coal cars & rear dpu KCS engine #4871.

L303-08 @ 13:23 eastward reported by the DD mp CH126.3 Clarksville, Mi S should have been 212 axles (report was stepped on by other radio calls). CSX engines #3170 + #862 & 50 cars.

[Tom49801]

L303-08 @ 14:02 eastward reported by the DD mp CH104.3 Mulliken, Mi with 212 axles. CSX engines #3170 + #862 & 50 cars. He has work for Lansing.

L301-08 @ 14:02 westward reported by the DD mp CG44.2 Pearl, Mi with 120 axles. CSX engines #3094 + #355 & 27 cars. He has work for Hartford mp CG68.7 & Coloma mp CG75.8

M326-08 @ 14:12 eastward reported by the DD mp CG19.1 Zeeland, Mi with 284 axles. CSX engine #134 + KCS engine #4800 + CSX engine #6138 & 67 cars.

L301-08 @ 14:21:26 westward N. Center St crossing Bangor, Mi mp CG60.35 live cam. Note: while he was at Waverly earlier today, he had spun around the CSX #355 so that the engines were no longer elephant style.

[Tlout]

Michigan Shore north at Riley St. Holland 2:29 PM.

[amessmann]

14:49 - L305 approaching Okemos, no visual. Speaking of locals, do we know what happened with 4070?

[Tom49801]

14:49 - L305 approaching Okemos, no visual. Speaking of locals, do we know what happened with 4070?

On Saturday May 6th, U301-05 (an extra L301) @ 00:54 hours had advised the Dispatcher their engine had lost its Companion Alternator & is dead. They were headed westward at the time to work at Arlington Metals in Sawyer, Mi mp CG105.2 when they had broke down on #2 Track mp CG80.9 between Riverside & Grey.

I had looked up what a Companion Alternator is & found "the alternator or generator that traditionally provides 100% of its output for the traction motors." Today's M327-08 had picked up the CSXT #4070 & took it with them to Chicago. Whatever cars U301 had at that time are still tied down where he had broken down & it's not in today's L301-08's plans to pick those up. So, in the meantime, all rail traffic is being looped around those cars via #1 Track.

[amessmann]

15:44 - L303-08 eastbound thru Trowbridge diamond, 3170 and 862 leading 29 cars. Thank you Tom for that information on 4070.

In looking at an SD40-2 operator manual, I found the companion alternator is not the main, but in fact a supplemental alternator above the traction alternator.
So, the companion, among likely providing the locomotive with electrical power, feeds excitation current to the traction alt, making a magnetic field and further generating the electricity for the traction motors. I believe this is how the fine speed control is done, by feathering the excitation current, instead of the hundreds of amps going to the traction motors. http://www.chartertoconductor.com/wp-co ... nual-1.pdf (page 5).

[Tom49801]

L301-08 @ 16:39 westward reported by the DD mp CG91.9 St Joseph, Mi with 72 axles. CSX engines #3094 + #355 & 15 cars. He has work at Arlington Metals in Sawyer mp CG105.2

[sparrow24]

16:50 - L302 west through South Lyon. CSXT 3121 leading, per radio.
Green Oak DD at CH39.1 said 180 axles.

[BL2-1843]

L302-08 and L303-08 met in Howell at 17:35. L302-08 had 3121+7227 with 42 cars and an auto rack next to the last car in the train that was well graffitied on the north side. L303-08 had 3170+862 and 29 cars.

[Tom49801]

L301-08 @ 18:13 eastward reported from the DD mp CG91.9 St Joseph, Mi with 80 axles. CSX engines #355 + #3094 & 17 cars.