Yes,once operational funding for Mi-Train is lined up.wagnew0923 wrote:So when this track is all laid out the commuter line starts up right? Or atleast they start building stations? Or something happens right?
Progress of the Michigan Line M/W (Part 3)
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- Railroadfan...fan
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Re: Progress of the Michigan Line M/W (Part 3)
My Wife says my first love is trains..anint that the truth! Lol ![Very Happy :D](https://mail.railroadfan.com/phpbb/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
![Very Happy :D](https://mail.railroadfan.com/phpbb/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Re: Progress of the Michigan Line M/W (Part 3)
This new section of double track, plus the new cut-off at Livernois when it's finished, should shave about 10 minutes off some trains, and in some cases an hour or more off of 355's trip. When the MITrain finally gets off the ground, that will be a spectacle, but until then we will be able to see the benefits of these improvements in normal Amtrak service.
For now, here's a few photos from the Gulley crossing, starting with a shot looking east of a track machine on the new line... no ballast yet:
![Image](http://railroadfan.com/gallery/albums/userpics/18796/CAM00098.jpg)
As it approaches the crossing, the track looses some ties and gets pretty warped:
![Image](http://railroadfan.com/gallery/albums/userpics/18796/CAM00100.jpg)
Right now the crossing is ROUGH, can't wait till they fix it:
![Image](http://railroadfan.com/gallery/albums/userpics/18796/CAM00102.jpg)
And, finally, looking west toward Beech-Daly:
![Image](http://railroadfan.com/gallery/albums/userpics/18796/CAM00101.jpg)
I didn't even realize that track had been laid there until you said this! Went to Home Depot today and checked out the tracks behind it, and sure enough, track has been laid on both sides of Gulley. It's quite possible that track has actually been laid all the way from Middlebelt to Beech-Daly, that's what it looked like anyway. I'll have to do some snooping around in Inkster soon.JStryker722 wrote:Track is laid down past my crossing I take to get across the MI Line ( Gulley Rd ) almost past the Telegraph Rd overpass to the start of the sweeping S curve through the backside of downtown Dearborn.
For now, here's a few photos from the Gulley crossing, starting with a shot looking east of a track machine on the new line... no ballast yet:
![Image](http://railroadfan.com/gallery/albums/userpics/18796/CAM00098.jpg)
As it approaches the crossing, the track looses some ties and gets pretty warped:
![Image](http://railroadfan.com/gallery/albums/userpics/18796/CAM00100.jpg)
Right now the crossing is ROUGH, can't wait till they fix it:
![Image](http://railroadfan.com/gallery/albums/userpics/18796/CAM00102.jpg)
And, finally, looking west toward Beech-Daly:
![Image](http://railroadfan.com/gallery/albums/userpics/18796/CAM00101.jpg)
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- Railroadfan...fan
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Re: Progress of the Michigan Line M/W (Part 3)
That crossing is so bad,every time I go to work,you see people trying to dodge the worst of the roughness as the cross,almost at times looking like they gonna drive off the edge and get stuck.iandt wrote:This new section of double track, plus the new cut-off at Livernois when it's finished, should shave about 10 minutes off some trains, and in some cases an hour or more off of 355's trip. When the MITrain finally gets off the ground, that will be a spectacle, but until then we will be able to see the benefits of these improvements in normal Amtrak service.
I didn't even realize that track had been laid there until you said this! Went to Home Depot today and checked out the tracks behind it, and sure enough, track has been laid on both sides of Gulley. It's quite possible that track has actually been laid all the way from Middlebelt to Beech-Daly, that's what it looked like anyway. I'll have to do some snooping around in Inkster soon.JStryker722 wrote:Track is laid down past my crossing I take to get across the MI Line ( Gulley Rd ) almost past the Telegraph Rd overpass to the start of the sweeping S curve through the backside of downtown Dearborn.
For now, here's a few photos from the Gulley crossing, starting with a shot looking east of a track machine on the new line... no ballast yet:
As it approaches the crossing, the track looses some ties and gets pretty warped:
Right now the crossing is ROUGH, can't wait till they fix it:
And, finally, looking west toward Beech-Daly:
My Wife says my first love is trains..anint that the truth! Lol ![Very Happy :D](https://mail.railroadfan.com/phpbb/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
![Very Happy :D](https://mail.railroadfan.com/phpbb/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Re: Progress of the Michigan Line M/W (Part 3)
Advisory: Upcoming road closures for high-speed rail updates. See email/web mesage for details.
Dear Dearborn Resident
Upcoming road closures for high-speed rail updates.
The high-speed rail project will reduce travel time between Detroit, Ann Arbor, and ultimately Chicago. As part of the project, the Michigan Department of Transportation has issued the schedule below for Dearborn road closures that will be necessary south of Michigan Avenue while the railroad crossings are updated to accommodate the faster traveling trains.
Gulley Road will be closed: July 20 to August 07, 2015
Mason Street will be closed: August 10 to August 21, 2015
Monroe Street will be closed: August 10 to August 21, 2015
Detours to Oakwood Boulevard will be posted for the Mason and Monroe street closures.
Thank you in advance for your patience while the necessary work is completed.
For full details, view this message on the web.
TEXT-A-TIP
Text TIP DEARBORNPD followed by your message, to 888777 or Submit an anonymous web tip
For help, reply HELP to 888777. To cancel, reply STOP to 888777. No charge but Message & Data rates may apply. 2 messages. More info at nixle.com. AT&T, T-Mobile®, Sprint, Verizon Wireless and most other carriers are supported. Contact customer support at support@nixle.com.
Sent by Dearborn Police Department
16099 Michigan Ave, Dearborn, MI 48126
Dear Dearborn Resident
Upcoming road closures for high-speed rail updates.
The high-speed rail project will reduce travel time between Detroit, Ann Arbor, and ultimately Chicago. As part of the project, the Michigan Department of Transportation has issued the schedule below for Dearborn road closures that will be necessary south of Michigan Avenue while the railroad crossings are updated to accommodate the faster traveling trains.
Detours to Oakwood Boulevard will be posted for the Mason and Monroe street closures.
Thank you in advance for your patience while the necessary work is completed.
For full details, view this message on the web.
TEXT-A-TIP
Text TIP DEARBORNPD followed by your message, to 888777 or Submit an anonymous web tip
For help, reply HELP to 888777. To cancel, reply STOP to 888777. No charge but Message & Data rates may apply. 2 messages. More info at nixle.com. AT&T, T-Mobile®, Sprint, Verizon Wireless and most other carriers are supported. Contact customer support at support@nixle.com.
Sent by Dearborn Police Department
16099 Michigan Ave, Dearborn, MI 48126
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- Railroadfan...fan
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Re: Progress of the Michigan Line M/W (Part 3)
As of 6/19, the signals at CP Hill are being replaced by new Safetrans signals.
CP Hill Signal Replacement by tcamp7837, on Flickr
B34 - CP Hill by tcamp7837, on Flickr
![Image](https://c4.staticflickr.com/4/3704/19184470991_5eb32cac8d.jpg)
![Image](https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/379/19180893505_e29a8d897e.jpg)
Re: Progress of the Michigan Line M/W (Part 3)
I recently learned that back in Feb. speed from MP 142.5 to 143.1 (BO Tower in Kalamazoo) had been upgraded from 30 to 79 MPH, which cuts a minute from a Battle Creek-Kalamazoo trip. Has the 30 MPH been due to street crossings? What type of upgrade occurred to allow the speed to be raised?
As a precedent, I remember when there used to be street crossing restrictions thru Dowagiac that were lifted after the high speed track upgrades.
Andy
As a precedent, I remember when there used to be street crossing restrictions thru Dowagiac that were lifted after the high speed track upgrades.
Andy
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Re: Progress of the Michigan Line M/W (Part 3)
Educated guess is that the old crossings couldn't handle higher speeds with their timing. Now that ITCS handles everything, that isn't an issue.twropr wrote:I recently learned that back in Feb. speed from MP 142.5 to 143.1 (BO Tower in Kalamazoo) had been upgraded from 30 to 79 MPH, which cuts a minute from a Battle Creek-Kalamazoo trip. Has the 30 MPH been due to street crossings? What type of upgrade occurred to allow the speed to be raised?
As a precedent, I remember when there used to be street crossing restrictions thru Dowagiac that were lifted after the high speed track upgrades.
Andy
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Re: Progress of the Michigan Line M/W (Part 3)
That would be from about West Botsford to the BO Tower site. A few crossings in there, but the speed restriction may have been due to the curve or the single-direction signals within both of those interlocking plants, also the old hand-throw switches at View and Harris, now removed.I recently learned that back in Feb. speed from MP 142.5 to 143.1 (BO Tower in Kalamazoo) had been upgraded from 30 to 79 MPH, which cuts a minute from a Battle Creek-Kalamazoo trip. Has the 30 MPH been due to street crossings?
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Re: Progress of the Michigan Line M/W (Part 3)
I don't know why trains would be doing 79 in that area anyway. There's the diamonds, the crossings (one with a popular bar right next to it), and the curve. WWMT and the vultures around here would have a field day if trains started running faster than 30 in that area. I take it it's just for faster acceleration?
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Re: Progress of the Michigan Line M/W (Part 3)
Safetrans up at MP23 ish. Also appears they are adding crossovers east of Sheldon road in canton MI, just before Wayne yard's west end.
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Re: Progress of the Michigan Line M/W (Part 3)
For now I'm calling this "CP Sheldon" (despite NS dropped the CP names and such) because the track panels are at Sheldon road, where they will also be re doing the crossings at soon. Here is the EB cross over signal accessed from a dirt road that leads up to them.ConrailMan5 wrote:Safetrans up at MP23 ish. Also appears they are adding crossovers east of Sheldon road in canton MI, just before Wayne yard's west end.
"Ann Arbor 2373 Calling... Milkshake. Over"
All Aboard Amtrak: Northbound, Southbound, and My Hometown
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Re: Progress of the Michigan Line M/W (Part 3)
I was down by BO Tower yesterday and noticed a new radio tower that was recently put up. Could this be the replacement for BO Tower when it is finally out of service.
Thanks
Thanks
Re: Progress of the Michigan Line M/W (Part 3)
Anyone been to West Detroit to see how the connection track construction is going? I heard the state has done their part of the project (the bridge), but have the railroads laid the tracks yet?
Re: Progress of the Michigan Line M/W (Part 3)
The safetrans signals are taking over the Michigan line. MP 25 is in place as the exit to willow run yard and is a cantilever type. But it seems the signals haven't affected ypsi to Ann Arbor yet as this is the last area without replacements standing as far as I know. Townline, mort, 15, Wayne junction, 20, Ypsi 30, 32, 35, 37, 40 do not have replacements up yet AFAIK but this could have changed.
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Re: Progress of the Michigan Line M/W (Part 3)
Rumor has it a cantilever signal is now up with heads bagged in the Oakwood Blvd. area of Dearborn, leading one to believe a control point will be installed there and MORT may be removed.
Re: Progress of the Michigan Line M/W (Part 3)
GP30M4216 wrote:Rumor has it a cantilever signal is now up with heads bagged in the Oakwood Blvd. area of Dearborn, leading one to believe a control point will be installed there and MORT may be removed.
I can confirm the rumor that a cantilever signal has been installed, I have passed it multiple times in the past week. I will upload pictures soon.
Re: Progress of the Michigan Line M/W (Part 3)
Its basically on the overpass above Oakwood.GP30M4216 wrote:Rumor has it a cantilever signal is now up with heads bagged in the Oakwood Blvd. area of Dearborn, leading one to believe a control point will be installed there and MORT may be removed.
Aaron
Re: Progress of the Michigan Line M/W (Part 3)
EDIT: Total brainfart. lol
Last edited by MiddleMI on Mon Aug 10, 2015 10:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Progress of the Michigan Line M/W (Part 3)
This is all about the Michigan line, I would assume that oakwood is a street in Dearborn.
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- Railroadfan...fan
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Re: Progress of the Michigan Line M/W (Part 3)
Yes Oakwood is in Dearborn and it is the first major street West of the Station. Good spot for signals. I do hope frieght traffic picks up on the line. This is still fun too watch though.