Pere Marquette Grounded?

[PM1946]

I drove by CSX's Ann Street crossing in Grand Rapids around 2PM and saw the Pere Marquette sitting on a set-off track (where it's usually parked overnight). I'm assuming it came in last night, but didn't leave this morning. Anyone know what happened?

[Saturnalia]

I drove by CSX's Ann Street crossing in Grand Rapids around 2PM and saw the Pere Marquette sitting on a set-off track (where it's usually parked overnight). I'm assuming it came in last night, but didn't leave this morning. Anyone know what happened?

It is being diverted to busses due to track work in Chicago:
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=22905
The train will leave Sunday Morning I believe

[cscole]

Check the "Track Advisory" in the train location/update forum.

[GHRailFan]

Just track work. I was due to be on this train. Took the PM to Chicago the day before to drop off the little lady at her parents (she is from downtown Chicago but is in Michigan for 4 years due to college), and spend a romantic night around town. I thought it was odd when I bought my return ticket at Union Station and it said Resvd-Thruway instead of coach. Didn't realize I was on a darn bus until I was waiting for the train.

Bus ride, while not horrible, was incredibly un-comfy (NO leg room, worse than the airlines), and took much longer than the train. I got to Holland around 10:40 and still had a 2-hour drive back to Flint to see the family on Sunday (I would have taken the Blue Water instead, but my car was at Holland). It turned into a LONG and tiring night.

Interesting fact... Charter busses do not fit under the trestle in Bangor. The lead bus nearly hit it before having to back up down the street. Then, when we finally got to St. Joseph, the bus driver parked the bus right in the middle of the tracks for 7-8 minutes to let people off.

All in all, I was bummed I wasn't on the train back.

[GHRailFan]

Not positive, but I think this is the diamond in question...

Here is a couple images I shot coming into Chicago with the little lady.




Here is the link to the full album:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 75a746844f

[Saturnalia]

Well, all I know is there were 4 diamonds at the same interlocking to be replaced

[sd70accsxt700]

The diamond replaced was just before you crossed and took photos of the river.

[BB]

Friday night Dec. 9th around 6pm all the big work lights and equipment were in place at the diamonds.

Here is the link to the full album:

Cool pictures of Chicago especially at night during the holiday. Interesting there's a phone hanging in the hotel bathroom. I just stayed in a room that had a cordless phone on the desk. All my hotel stays around the country I've never seen that and it was in the Grand Rapids area.

[GHRailFan]

Friday night Dec. 9th around 6pm all the big work lights and equipment were in place at the diamonds.

Here is the link to the full album:

Cool pictures of Chicago especially at night during the holiday. Interesting there's a phone hanging in the hotel bathroom. I just stayed in a room that had a cordless phone on the desk. All my hotel stays around the country I've never seen that and it was in the Grand Rapids area.

Yeah, we were staying in the executive suite which was a corner room in one of Chicago's oldest skyscrapers with a great view of Macy's, The 'L', and Millenium Park. There was the bedroom, parlour, bathroom, and a decent sized walk-in closet. Additionally, there were two 40" hdtv's and four phones including two wireless.

I left my DSLR at home, so all those photos were taken on a Nexus S 4g smartphone. Pretty good for a camera phone I would say. Next time I am taking the 5dmk2 and L glass along.

The girlfriend lives in Chicago (she is in Michigan for college), and we decided to have a very romantic evening before she went to her parents for Christmas break.