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CSX visited the GRE last night, GDLK did not. Can't see what they delivered behind Amtrak. Osmose ready to go to work on the river bridge again this morning.

Tlout wrote:Ballast train just headed north at Riley St. - stupid question, but what are the solar panels for???

When I saw them, I noticed two guys riding on the cars, using a small remote control device to open and close the gates that let out the ballast.. since I could only see the one standard air hose between the cars, the solar panels must charge some sort of electrical system to control the doors on these cars.

Q32623 - GRAND RAPIDS MI CG 1 06-23-2009 09:05(think I heard it brought in 8 cars?)
Q32722 - CLARKE JCT IN DCC 0 06-23-2009 09:00
Q33424 - CARLETON MI CC 105 06-23-2009 08:43
no Q33523
N90322 - WEST OLIVE MI CGC 33 06-23-2009 05:58
N90323 - KIRK MI CG 71 06-23-2009 08:32
E94918 - BELT RR CONN TCS IL DC 25 06-23-2009 08:20
E94920 - not moving yet
Q15023 - WALBRIDGE OH CDA118 06-23-2009 08:42
no q15123 today
K35720 - hasn't left Detroit yet
D70022 - GREY MI CG 83 06-23-2009 09:00
D00623 - not moving yet(saw it at waverly as of midnight last night)
Amtrak p37123 - GROSS MI CG 62 06-23-2009 09:12
Q32123 - TOLEDO STANLEY OH QT 5 06-22-2009 20:44
no Q32222

9:38am edit: CP X50022 - SUNNYSIDE PLEASNT S MI CGT 0 06-23-2009 09:29

Q32623 - GRAND RAPIDS MI CG 1 06-23-2009 09:05(think I heard it brought in 8 cars?)

then I must have seen D700 go through Zeeland at 7:35. Had such an odd assortment of cars...three gondolas of ties, one empty hopper, some plywood, sand cars, tank cars, grain....just about everything

SteveHiuzenga wrote:

Q32623 - GRAND RAPIDS MI CG 1 06-23-2009 09:05(think I heard it brought in 8 cars?)

then I must have seen D700 go through Zeeland at 7:35. Had such an odd assortment of cars...three gondolas of ties, one empty hopper, some plywood, sand cars, tank cars, grain....just about everything

Nah, it probably was Q326.. was probably 28, or 38, or 48 cars..radio signal must have cut out for a sec. D700 isn't to Holland yet this morning.

D70022 GETTING RECREWED AT RIVERSIDE.

Sounds quiet today in Plymouth -atleast for now. Looks like D717 has got his train together and should depart for Detroit shortly.

Also Zack: The Solar panels on those ballast hoppers are what powers the dumpers on the bottom bays of the cars; they call them "Solarises".

For a note:

D717 will be lead by CSXT 6449.

CSXT GP15-1 #1557 still in town, seems to be working D738 the past few times. They dropped off a Evans 80' and a CR Box on Valassis last night and returned to Plymouth I believe

CSXT 2616? Either D739 or D716's power.

Not much else....

X500 has CP 9676 leading, they're beyond Lansing by now I'm sure. Q326 just met Y106 at Fox, 326 ought to be at Elmdale by now. CSX 166 and 8369 leading 29? cars, they have a 37 car pick up in Lansing.

Conrail Jon wrote:X500 has CP 9676 leading, they're beyond Lansing by now I'm sure. Q326 just met Y106 at Fox, 326 ought to be at Elmdale by now. CSX 166 and 8369 leading 29? cars, they have a 37 car pick up in Lansing.

X500 by Howell at 13:10. D708-23 made a run over to Webberville grain this morning on their westward run day. Q334, even with none yesterday had only 38 cars, but picked up the power off of yesterdays MSU Coal load U961. He had 100-425-360 for power for those 38 cars, probably DIT or off line.

D717 this morning had a problem getting out of North Yard after they needed to call for a car inspector. They pulled out shortly afterwards and at 11:09am: Eastbound D717-23 passed the old C&O station with CSX 6449 and CSX 2256 and 14 cars (3 boxcars + 2 autoparts boxcars + 1 tankcar + 1 autorack + 1 empty centerbeam car + 6 gondolas).

Eastbound CP X500-22 passed the old C&O station at 1:55pm with CP 9676 and 54 cars (3 loaded stacks for Oak Yard + 33 autoracks + 18 covered hoppers).

Y121 heading back to Waverly after visiting Windcrest.

Conrail Jon wrote:Q326 just met Y106 at Fox, 326 ought to be at Elmdale by now. CSX 166 and 8369 leading 29? cars, they have a 37 car pick up in Lansing.

Beautiful reflection of the train on the calm surface of the Thornapple River as they headed east.

CSX yard job headed up to GRE with coal gons NOW. Looks kinda funny, actually.

CSX yard job is going around the wye at Ann St. right now with the gons. MMRR 24 is waiting in the yard to hook up and take them east as I type. If anyone wants pics of a rare move, go out NOW!

D717-23 is stuck at Joy Road right now after some thugs threw rocks at the crew and shattered the ditch lights and now cannot continue on.

Although there was 2 other trains to report:

7:01pm: Eastbound Q326-23 with CSX 166, CSX 8369, and 55 mixed freight cars (13 tankcars + 3 coke hoppers + 8 empty centerbeam cars + 12 boxcars + 2 reefer cars + 12 covered hoppers + 3 empty bulk flatcars + 1 loaded centerbeam car + 1 bad-order CEFX coal hopper (Why is it going east when it should be going west back to BNSF at Cicero, IL?).

Also, at 8:15pm there was Northbound D739-23 with CSX 2631 and 5 cars (2 bad-order DEEX coal hoppers (Again?) + 3 covered hoppers - possibly from Coe Rail).

Without ditch lights, the train is still permitted to move at 30mph. The observation of them being "stuck" there probably has to do with something else; ie waiting for police to arrive and take a report/assess the damage to the locomotive (better hope Plymouth has some spare bulbs/lenses or your beloved mother/slug set will be checking out! ).

*Edit: According to PSG, when he saw them (after the incident), both ditch lights were working. Way to embelish the story, Chris. Need I say it...?

D71723 returned from Rougemere @ 20:38 2256, 6449
had 9 boxcars, 1 loaded centerbeam, 11 boxcars, 10 gons ,5 boxcars 1 empty autorack 1 boxcar 4 empty autoracks
4 more boxcars 1 more empty auto rack in that order

Actually, it happend in Dearborn, but as soon as they talked to the dispatcher, they went to a stop haven't spoken since. I guess those thugs threw the stones at the right time.....the mother and slug's 92-day inspection was coming up anyways.

Caught another yard job coming north into Plymouth (D716?). CSX 2619 cleared Main St. at 21:15 with 8 empty gons, 3 empty center-beams, and 3 boxes. Headed into East yard.

Heard some chatter on the scanner afterward -- apparently a hi-rail or maintenance vehicle died in the middle of the intersection of Wilcox and Schoolcraft (this is just north of East yard) and was blocking traffic.

Q231-23 is turning south at the Toledo Wye in Plymouth. CSX 5365 leading.