NS Wabash Line (Lenawee County)

[rail_watcher]

I've heard multiple people saying that NS is going to extend the double track from Adrian all the way out to Britton. Has anyone else heard this too? Has anyone found something factual about this?

[CharlieX90]

I've heard multiple people saying that NS is going to extend the double track from Adrian all the way out to Britton. Has anyone else heard this too? Has anyone found something factual about this?

I know from my contacts that NS ran a work train out of Oakwood last week that was to be parked in Adrian. All i can say.

[Clay320]

I haven't heard anything, but that is my neck of the woods so I will keep an eye out.

If they do extend the double track it will have to end before (west/south) of Britton.
The village redesigned their street scape which included a new crossing at M-50, which was redone as signal track. Wouldn't make any sense to redo the crossing just to have it redone again a few months later...

I'll be in the area this weekend and can see if anything is up.

[JANGAJONGA]

Is there an expected increase in traffic? or is it just a bottle neck.

[TrainWatcher]

Is there an expected increase in traffic? or is it just a bottle neck.

I don't see the point really. I have been down between Britton and Adrian quite a bit recently and its not like there are 3 Eastbounds waiting on a Westbound or vice versa. Double track is already thru Raisin Center and I don't really see a purpose for needing more unless there are some new expansion plans that are being kept hush hush. Who knows?

[CharlieX90]

Is there an expected increase in traffic? or is it just a bottle neck.

I don't see the point really. I have been down between Britton and Adrian quite a bit recently and its not like there are 3 Eastbounds waiting on a Westbound or vice versa. Double track is already thru Raisin Center and I don't really see a purpose for needing more unless there are some new expansion plans that are being kept hush hush. Who knows?

It gets quite hectic at night when you have CP 240, NS 196,122,120,EB while 181,255, and a few CP's head West. Its the exact reason why CP 240 shows up at OJ with a hour left to work. Throw in L63 out at Rawsonville and the occasional 240 and you've got a mess.

[Y@]

Is there an expected increase in traffic? or is it just a bottle neck.

I don't see the point really. I have been down between Britton and Adrian quite a bit recently and its not like there are 3 Eastbounds waiting on a Westbound or vice versa. Double track is already thru Raisin Center and I don't really see a purpose for needing more unless there are some new expansion plans that are being kept hush hush. Who knows?

Just because it's not busy during the day doesn't mean it isn't somewhat of a "choke point." Like Chuck already said, the Wabash can be very congested in various areas at night.

[saxman]

Yes there is a work gang with camp cars in Adrian. As far as double track from Adrian to Britton, why stop at Britton? Why not extend to West Milan? Better yet would be to extend double track from Stan (end of current double track in Adrian.) to Alvordton, OH with universal cross-overs at the mid point.

[rwas]

There was talk when CP got on the Wabash that CP was going to fund the double tracking of the Wabash from Detroit to Butler. That was years ago. They are working alot around Adrian recently. New gated crossings have been put up with new "boxes" at the crossings SW of Adrian. Paving of the crossings has been done recently. I'm at MP66 and alot of times there are multiple trains one direction and then the opposite. North Morenci has a double track along with Alvordton and the Adrian double track til you get to Milan.
Last night while we were at an outside event at Sand Creek school there were 5 eastbounds from 6pm to approx. 730pm. CP's, an NS Roadrailer, and a ? (engine, two cars, and another engine) There must be a slow order near me because they were passing at probably 10-20mph. Normally the Roadrailer and CP intermodals are flying thru there.

[AARR]

I hear ADBF is getting the Wabash line and will double track it. Or is that the Michigan Line Rumors are much more interesting than reality

[Chris7092]

There was a surfacing gang between Stan and Raisin Center all week, just normal MOW work.

Chris

[GreatLakesRailfan]

I hear ADBF is getting the Wabash line and will double track it. Or is that the Michigan Line Rumors are much more interesting than reality

I thought NS bought control of the ADBF, to assign it the lines they want to get rid of. Kind of like a way to keep the lines in the "family" (as far as the STB is concerned), while in essence spinning them off to a successful, known shortline operator of non-connected lines.

[CharlieX90]

I hear ADBF is getting the Wabash line and will double track it. Or is that the Michigan Line Rumors are much more interesting than reality

I thought NS bought control of the ADBF, to assign it the lines they want to get rid of. Kind of like a way to keep the lines in the "family" (as far as the STB is concerned), while in essence spinning them off to a successful, known shortline operator of non-connected lines.

NS will NEVER get rid of the Wabash. They make too much money off the CP trains and Triple Crown.

[Buster Manning]

MKT is close; NS is gonna restore the Old Road all the way and downgrade the Airline

[TrainWatcher]

MKT is close; NS is gonna restore the Old Road all the way and downgrade the Airline

If they did it would be welcome news to several people and suck for the "Old Road Railroad"... but as we all know Buster, never gonna happen.

[Marylee]

With E Hunter Harrison at CP now and his history of buying and owning the railroads he runs on, how much longer will CP tolerate not owning their way into Chicago from the east? There are not a lot of options besides buying the Pere Marquette in Michigan or the Wabash and then maybe the RA line Fort Wayne to Chicago. Any thoughts on this front?

[canpac08]

I had always though buying the CFW&E would be an ideal fit for CP if they ,also bough the Lake Division from Fort Wayne to Detroit. with part ownership in the IHB you could run trains Bensenville to Fort Wayne across the CFW&E then up to Detroit. that way you could control your own destiny so to speak. the only reason's I can see it for not happening in just a rumor sort of way is NS enjoys a great deal of traffic that is triple crown. plus the auto traffic they funnel out of Detroit. not to mention the way RA's CFW&E AND I & O work to move traffic in and out of Chicago.
no one is really sure what Harrison's plans are, but I highly doubt that CP would get the lake or CFW&E. as for for the Pere Marquette, CSX has been dumping lots of money into it as of late so maybe, but I doubt they want to give up West Olive Coal. I believe there is a thread on CSX swapping GR for Terra Haute back in the late 80's floating around here somewhere.again anything can happen other things to take into consideration would be the tunnel Clearance issues and cost to put in a new tunnel. all I know for sure is that CP has done and is in the process of upgrading the SOO across North Dakota . power switches , expanding siding lengths. all I know is it will be fun to watch this unfold as EHH takes control at CP