NS, AMTK, MDOT & FRA Transfer Title of Michigan Line

[conrail767596]

They signed an agreement of transfer; however, the actual transfer of ownership has not
yet taken place. Amtrak work gangs are not permitted to do their work as of this time,
since NS still holds ownership.

[ns8401]

There won't be any interchange between the AA and the GDLK via AA any time soon, the interchange needs major work to handle any trains let alone through freights.

[Racer]

There won't be any interchange between the AA and the GDLK via AA any time soon, the interchange needs major work to handle any trains let alone through freights.

Also, the interchange is a VERY steep grade (Gotta be atleast 4% maybe?) and goes through a very narrow right-of-way of woods and across Main Street (A 4-lane highway) with minimal visibility from the trees and the AA bridge. The tracks are still in place and the switches both on NS and AA's side are still in-tact (according to Bing Maps), but the tracks have trees growing between the rails, rails are missing in some segments, and Main Street is mostly paved over the rails.

The grade could be very challenging (and somewhat dangerous) to run an actual through-freight off that interchange track. A large train taking the grade north of Huron Street, then to make that steep, curved drop down the interchange would defenatly give the dynamic breaks a good work-out and risk stringlining the train. They would defenatly need to re-grade the trackage for any train, especially closing Main Street for that kind of work and good luck with the city of Ann Arbor to approve closing that road for a project like that.

[J T]

As long as I can remember, I've always wanted to see a train on that interchange track. Maybe some day...

[JANGAJONGA]

There won't be any interchange between the AA and the GDLK via AA any time soon, the interchange needs major work to handle any trains let alone through freights.

Also, the interchange is a VERY steep grade (Gotta be atleast 4% maybe?) and goes through a very narrow right-of-way of woods and across Main Street (A 4-lane highway) with minimal visibility from the trees and the AA bridge. The tracks are still in place and the switches both on NS and AA's side are still in-tact (according to Bing Maps), but the tracks have trees growing between the rails, rails are missing in some segments, and Main Street is mostly paved over the rails.

The grade could be very challenging (and somewhat dangerous) to run an actual through-freight off that interchange track. A large train taking the grade north of Huron Street, then to make that steep, curved drop down the interchange would defenatly give the dynamic breaks a good work-out and risk stringlining the train. They would defenatly need to re-grade the trackage for any train, especially closing Main Street for that kind of work and good luck with the city of Ann Arbor to approve closing that road for a project like that.

The switch on the Ann Arbor has been gone for a few years, as well as the track from the Ann Arbor is torn up.

[Ypsi]

LANSING, Mich. – Passengers riding Amtrak trains over the 80-miles of 110-mph trackage in Michigan and Indiana will be offered complimentary cake and beverages tomorrow to celebrate the first anniversary of higher speed service. Amtrak and the Michigan Department of Transportation also are gearing up for track improvements along the former Norfolk Southern route used by Amtrak’s Wolverine Service and Blue Water trains from Kalamazoo to Central and Eastern Michigan. Amtrak will assume responsibility for the trackage effective Feb. 16.

In December the Michigan Department of Transportation used a grant from the Federal Railroad Administration to purchase of 135 miles NS track for $140 million. The line is connected to the Amtrak-owned Michigan District, which runs 97 miles from Kalamazoo to Porter, Ind. With the acquisition of the NS track, nearly 80 percent of the route between Detroit and Chicago is publically owned and will be maintained for passenger trains at higher speeds.

The goal is to expand the 110 mph top speeds for Amtrak trains from the current 80 miles, starting eastward with the 22-mile segment between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. Travel times will be reduced as more improvements are made. Last year, Amtrak shaved about 20 minutes from the 2001 schedules on the Amtrak-owned segment of the corridor and the plan is to further reduce the travel time between Detroit and Chicago to about five hours.

The $140 million used to purchase the line included High-speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program grant funds, plus a state match of $37.5 million. The FRA also awarded $196.5 million to MDOT for major track and signal improvements on the corridor to be performed by Amtrak. NS will transfer dispatching to Amtrak in phases during the next three years. Norfolk Southern will continue to provide freight service over the line.

[bctrainfan]

Wonder if this means problems such as malfunctioning crossing gates etc will need to be reported to Amtrak directly, and will NS maintainers still do the actual work, ie, as a contractor?

[conrail767596]

NS will not be doing the work, it will be Amtrak. Now stuff will get fixed.
Hoping for a swift transition away from NS Operating Rules on the territory as well.

[SD80MAC]

Sounds like Amtrak guys would like to get rid of the old NS guys as soon as possible. Can't say I blame them, I understand the NS guys are referring to the Amtrak guys as "scabs" and all that wonderful stuff, and are stuck in their old and admittedly lazy ways. As said above, hopefully now stuff will actually get fixed. I understand the NS guys are mad that their company sold the line but hey man, stuff happens. Move on.

[Ypsi]

Living on the line, I will say that the 25 mph summer sucked! and the NS guys didnt seem to do anything about it fast. Just glad that Amtrak will keep the speeds up becasue they will care about the on time precentage better. I will say that NS had done a pretty good job distpatching the amtrak trains at least between wayne and jackson. The amtrak trains generally get to go infront of the NS 38 or 39Es when they need to meet, and they do the best they can meeting the amtrak trains between Wayne and Jackson.

[ns8401]

Living on the line, I will say that the 25 mph summer sucked! and the NS guys didnt seem to do anything about it fast. Just glad that Amtrak will keep the speeds up becasue they will care about the on time precentage better. I will say that NS had done a pretty good job distpatching the amtrak trains at least between wayne and jackson. The amtrak trains generally get to go infront of the NS 38 or 39Es when they need to meet, and they do the best they can meeting the amtrak trains between Wayne and Jackson.

It's better than it was, but they still aren't doing as efficient a job as they could. I remember once hearing a local waiting at CP Ypsi to run around their train and go east. Amtrak was out at lake with his stop at Ann Arbor ahead and the dispatcher held the local up even though he would have made it the short distance to Wayne and been out of the way in time. That and the rusty rail rules that were put in place a few years ago seem to do more to slow things down than anything.

[12Bridge]

[quote="YpsiAmtrakBoy"...and the NS guys didnt seem to do anything about it fast. ..[/quote]

Nor should they. They should not have to spend countless dollars so Amtrak can benefit from 100mph track when all they need is 25 for there business.

[bctrainfan]

Well, you can't blame the NS guys for being unhappy with the situation. And you can't blame the slow orders, etc, on the NS maintainers and MOW people, that was more of a political jousting match between the higher powers at NS and Amtrak.

Good luck to any of the NS people effected by the changes, hope things work out for the better for them!

[Notch 8]

NS always looked at ROI, However Amtrak's business model is completely different then the NS business model. 100mph trains are not new either the Pennsy was doing this 80 years ago ! What is the actual weekly passenger count for this line ? Good business on NS part, sell the line but retain freight rights to the line, Genius !

[Saturnalia]

Good luck to any of the NS people effected by the changes, hope things work out for the better for them!

I wonder if Amtrak will hire some of them, as they know the line & it's quirks. Like it has already been said, the maintenance issues were probably a higher-power issue than the "boots on the ground".

[CSX_CO]

Good luck to any of the NS people effected by the changes, hope things work out for the better for them!

I wonder if Amtrak will hire some of them, as they know the line & it's quirks. Like it has already been said, the maintenance issues were probably a higher-power issue than the "boots on the ground".

I bet most of them will have enough seniority to bump to other positions in the area. Unless they want to give up all their seniority and start over at AMTRAK. Having knowledge of something doesn't mean you'll be in a position to get the job you want.

Practice Safe CSX

[Super Chief]

Checked the line out today coming from VA in Battle Creek, lots of new ties at various spots around Galesburg. I assume the old searchlight signals will be coming down with new ones as in Lawton replacing them?

[bctrainfan]

Noticed Amtrak MOW pickups parked at NS Hinman yard (Battle Creek) instead of the usual NS truck thats has been there before.

[JStryker722]

Well given that I live in Dearborn Heights just down the street from the now completely Amtrak line,it's going to be interesting to see an Amtrak crossing sign on my street's crossing instead of NS.who needs the NE corridor to see long stretches of Amtrak owned track,I got it in my backyard here! Although idk how wise it is to run 110mph in non-grade separated track in the Detroit Metro area will be with more crossings per 1/2 mile than on the whole NE corridor.

[SD80MAC]

Well given that I live in Dearborn Heights just down the street from the now completely Amtrak line,it's going to be interesting to see an Amtrak crossing sign on my street's crossing instead of NS.who needs the NE corridor to see long stretches of Amtrak owned track,I got it in my backyard here! Although idk how wise it is to run 110mph in non-grade separated track in the Detroit Metro area will be with more crossings per 1/2 mile than on the whole NE corridor.

I'm sure it won't be 110 in that area.