RALSTON SWITCHING

[A No.1]

HEY, AARR.

I remember we talked of CN switching Ralston in Battle Creek, Well, Here's how they move the cars after they get them.

[redside20]

nice pics Aaron. how often does Ralston get switched again?

[AARR]

Thanks Aaron...I've always wondered how they handled the inter plant switching.

I think the unloading shed holds only one or two cars and rarely are more cars seen on the sput outside the building so I don't think they get too many cars.

[Todd Cline]

Glad you posted this Aaron. I had thought they no longer used any of the trackage on the south side of the plant. Gee, I remember as a kid, getting a cab ride in a Penn Central SW-8 right there back in the mid 1970's. That was back when yard crews would make a whole day out of switching places like that.

Todd

[A No.1]

nice pics Aaron. how often does Ralston get switched again?

I beleive they get switched every few days or so. Not exactly sure of the schedule.

[Ben Higdon]

Nice pics! I've never seen them switch that plant. The view from an Amtrak is great, there were several sidings into the plant from the northwest. I was suprised to see the track that passes through the shed on the south side of the building splits into two short stubs, each must only be long enough to hold a single car.

I think the unloading shed holds only one or two cars and rarely are more cars seen on the sput outside the building so I don't think they get too many cars.

Don't be too sure on that AARR, they often have several hoppers on the north side of the building, and apparently they can move them around at their leisure!

[AARR]

I think the unloading shed holds only one or two cars and rarely are more cars seen on the sput outside the building so I don't think they get too many cars.

Don't be too sure on that AARR, they often have several hoppers on the north side of the building, and apparently they can move them around at their leisure!

I've notice the eastbound from Jackson has a nice sized block of those UP and family covered hoppers in their consists just about every trip. I've wondered where those cars go. From Aaron's picture I see at least a few of them go to Ralston.

[Buster Manning]

Ralstons' get their cars delivered by CN; all those UP and BNSF family cars are either going to Kelloggs' or Post.

I don't know the answer to this question as I never saw the CR/NS train come in from Kal to switch BC proper, but to me it seems like the covered hopper traffic has picked up greatly since NS has been bringing this traffic in from Jackson--with train sizes ranging up to 15-40 cars coming into town; was there that much traffic going west and south thru Kal to Elkhart from BC??

[A No.1]

Ralstons' get their cars delivered by CN; all those UP and BNSF family cars are either going to Kelloggs' or Post.

I think AARR is refering to the fact that the photo's above show a UP coverd hopper at Ralstons.

[AARR]

Ralstons' get their cars delivered by CN; all those UP and BNSF family cars are either going to Kelloggs' or Post.

I think AARR is refering to the fact that the photo's above show a UP coverd hopper at Ralstons.

So CN must be delivering UP family covered hoppers too. The UP cars coming in on NS from Jackson must be going to Kellogg's, Post, or maybe to Augusta.

Like Buster Manning, I've noticed an increase in covered hopper traffic (many from UP and family roadnames) on the NS train running through between Jackson and Wayne. I think Jiffy gets GATX cars and the elevator east of Chelsea gets various lines. So, like Buster, I'm thinking NS has picked up business with Kellogg's, Post, or Augusta.

[tazer]

The NS B-16 usually heads for BC after they finish at Albion. I went by Hinman Yard last Sunday and there were two NS units parked there so maybe they tied up there for the weekend

The NS could spot a car in Ralstons just as easy as the CN does all they would have to have is permission from the CN and the peoper switch key.

At one time there was a switch engine that did all the work there as part of the city job for Conrail . There was even a curfew at around 3:00 pm and switching operations were not allowed to block city streets during the times that the factories let out

[Buster Manning]

CN spots the cars on the north side for Ralstons to spot at their leisure. A while back Ralstons had some of the swithes pulled for a couple of the spurs on the north side, pretty much only the south side gets the cars. The view from the bridge west of the plant lets you see quite a bit--can't remember the name of the road though

Those two units were for the B-56??, which is based out of Hinman to work BC proper and then head west; they have had the 5555 and a GP-60(7113??) for power for a while now.

I wouldn't think CN would let NS switch Ralstons just because they happen to go by there on trackage rights--typically rr's are pretty territorial when it comes to their customers, more so if they have a substantial long haul--$$$$$$

Jiffy has a pool of GATX cars they use, currently there is 4 or 5 cars sitting in Jackson--no idea why--and they also get in BNSF cars occasionally too; you will see them either on the track that's by the elevator on the north side on the main, or once in a while there will be one spotted on one of the short spurs located in the middle of the plant also on the north side; I haven't seen a car spotted on the south side for at least 6 years now.

The elevator at 4 mile gets either NS cars or whatever private cars happen to get billed to load

[JANGAJONGA]

4 mile tends to get more of the rib side hoppers, from what i have observed.

[tazer]

I wouldn't think CN would let NS switch Ralstons just because they happen to go by there on trackage rights--typically rr's are pretty territorial when it comes to their customers, more so if they have a substantial long haul--$$$$$$

I agree on the territorial thing but if that is true then how does the NS get into Post ? I didn't see any swtiches between Porter street and Grenville street like there used to be. When there was a diamond and Nichols Tower was in place there was a set of crossovers from Post to #2 main and from#2 to #1 main to the switch just east of the crossing at Michigan Ave and into Hinman
Now they have to pull up to the old GTW depot and shove in to Post from the CN main
I'd say you're right about the reasons the NS does not switch Ralstons I was just saying it would be possible

Post Cerals
http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v ... ek%2C%20MI
Ralstons
http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v ... ek%2C%20MI

[Ben Higdon]

I wouldn't think CN would let NS switch Ralstons just because they happen to go by there on trackage rights-

The switchback to reach the south side of Ralstons is the former Moscow Branch, ex DT&M, MC, NYC, PC, CR, NS. Its NS unless Ralston bought the trackage. The sidings into the north side of Ralston were GTW/CN.

[A No.1]

The NS B-16 usually heads for BC after they finish at Albion. I went by Hinman Yard last Sunday and there were two NS units parked there so maybe they tied up there for the weekend

The NS could spot a car in Ralstons just as easy as the CN does all they would have to have is permission from the CN and the peoper switch key.

At one time there was a switch engine that did all the work there as part of the city job for Conrail . There was even a curfew at around 3:00 pm and switching operations were not allowed to block city streets during the times that the factories let out

Hinman Yard nearly ALWAYs has at least TWO GP's at all times. Lately its been 5555 and 7111. They have been there for a week or so.



Last time I listend to the Knapen Milling switch job it was B-90

As of late, NS does nearly all the grain and sugar to Kellogg. Its about half and half to Post, and I beleive CN has ALL of Ralston.

[Hogger1225]

Can't say what the NS job in BC does now since I've been on a medical hold for over a year, but NS did at one time switch Ralston's ALONG with the CN. Regular crews who worked in the Battle Creek area would have the proper "104" switch key for the CN plus an old brass GTW switch key for opening the gate on the west side of Post. Many years ago there was a crossover on the CR #2 main just west of Michigan Ave crossing just east of Baron. That crossover was taken out YEARS ago. Back in the good old days, both railroads switched all three of the big food plants, Kellogg's, Post, and Ralston's. Now, the only way NS gets into Post is by going west of the Baron interlocking and then CN lining them into Post. Same goes for Ralston's, (if they still go there, CN lines them onto the south track at Rose and into Gord if needed and then it was hand-throws into Ralstons. Now remember, this for me was at least 5 years ago or more. Heck, at one time the CR/NS would actually go to the CN yard, sometimes on the main line, sometimes the back way right through the Kellogg property.

[tazer]

by JUST AARON on Sun Mar 14, 2010 9:41 pm

tazer wrote:
The NS B-16 usually heads for BC after they finish at Albion. I went by Hinman Yard last Sunday and there were two NS units parked there so maybe they tied up there for the weekend

The NS could spot a car in Ralstons just as easy as the CN does all they would have to have is permission from the CN and the peoper switch key.

At one time there was a switch engine that did all the work there as part of the city job for Conrail . There was even a curfew at around 3:00 pm and switching operations were not allowed to block city streets during the times that the factories let out


Hinman Yard nearly ALWAYs has at least TWO GP's at all times. Lately its been 5555 and 7111. They have been there for a week or so.

Your picture is much better than mine, I shot mine through the windshield so it's a little fuzzy looking.



And Hogger 1225 said pretty much the same as I did about the crossovers and getting into Post

I'll add that when main yard was there and in use, Post cars and most all the city cars were kept in that yard. When we wanted to go to Post from Main Yard we would enter the main at Division street pull west to clear the switch then shove east to Post on #1 and usually the operator at Nichols Tower would line you through the electric crossovers so you could shove by the switch at Post and pull in without using the hand throws at Michigan Ave and most of the time on the return to main yard you could come out of Post and take #2 main to Nichols Tower then through the crossover back to Division street on #1. When Main yard went away all cars went to Hinman.
Conrail would hand cars to the GTW through Kellogg's or the city yard that is now the yard near Michigan Ave just north of the crossing on the west side . Back then there was a track that went directly to that yard either off #1 or through main yard I don't remember.
Conrails INGT used that yard most of the time but sometimes it would go all the way past Emmett Street on the GTW main to exchange in the yard.
But that is a whole other story and has nothing to do with Ralstons