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I noticed on the way home that the signals at White Lake Road near Waterford Station have been replaced by shiny new ones. What I don't understand is why do they do this when there's barely any traffic on this line anymore??

Maybe it's a sign of changes?? Trying to keep a positive spin on it..but not gonna hold my breath. Although as of recent days it does seem like traffic has gone up ever so slightly.

maybe they have "Big plans" for the holly sub.

I hope so..the traffic has dropped sine we moved to Fenton in '02. Be nice to see it pick up again.

With traffic being so light, this has been a good year for heavy MOW on the Holly. Tie gang earlier this summer, several crossings repaired, and a few more with track panels waiting.

CN likely expects an upturn in business in the future.

Most of the signals on the Holly south of Pontiac were replaced within the past year or two. A few notable exceptions are at MAL and Yellow Cab, and near the Amtrak station in Birmingham.

Still lots of old searchlights north of Pontiac, but it sounds like they're heading up this way.

Re: CN Upgrading Signals on Holly Sub
by JANGAJONGA on Tue Aug 04, 2009 5:25 pm

maybe they have "Big plans" for the holly sub.

Just a thought but there were articles in the Toledo Blade about intermodal terminal business coming to Toledo.
Maybe and it's just a thought that they could use the Holly for westbound IM traffic from Toledo (,Flat Rock,Moterm. Pontiac Durand ) or go up the MTC to Port Huron and them off to the M.I.T at Markham. but I can't see the CN taking it from Toleo to Durand to Chicago when the NS could take it as a straight shot from Toledo to Chicago
Or maybe they are fixing it up to sell it since there is not much business on it anymore
The job from Detroit switches Moterm and not much happening in Pontiac so why not sell it to the CSX or a short line ?
just a thought
Also they installed new signals at Emmet Street just west of the fuel pad

The job from Detroit switches Moterm and not much happening in Pontiac so why not sell it to the CSX or a short line ?

You might get another carrier interested in the Holly Sub, but no Class I would even think of buying it.

CN must have some grand plan for the line, beyond selling it off. Maybe the track is being re laid to Muskegon for the return of the ferry service? (lol)

[quote] Maybe the track is being re laid to Muskegon for the return of the ferry service? [quote]

Wouldn't that be something . I don't plan on living long enough to see it happen.

I agree about the class ones not touching it especially with the future of Lake Orion and Pontiac in general in question. That leaves practically nothing on the Holly from Pontiac to Durand (Red Lava and Draco)
Time will tell maybe we wil see the return of passenger service north of Pontiac a Detroit /Toledo connection from Durand or passenger service from Toledo to Muskegon

maybe we wil see the return of passenger service north of Pontiac a Detroit /Toledo connection from Durand

I did hear a rumor about that, but at this time it is totally unsubstantiated.

Has a railroad ever invested money into improving a line for the purpose of selling it? Seems to me when they want to get rid of a line they let it go

Noticed alot of new Signals when I was up there. They look alot like the new LED Ones, but I am not a signal maintainer

Railway Age or Progressive Rails just had an article about the time to do track work/upgrade is now with the downturn in traffic. Problem is finding the capital to do it.

New signal at the Williams Lake Rd. crossing too, but it's not active - the old searchlights are still on.

odave wrote:New signal at the Williams Lake Rd. crossing too, but it's not active - the old searchlights are still on.

Odave..Think they'll replace the searchlight signal by my house? Wouldn't mind seeing the new LED ones posted there.

No clue. If they're working their way north, then there's 3 other intermediates between White Lake Rd and that one in Fenton. There's also the signals at Andersonville and Holly Sidings, so it may take a while. I do like them for railfanning, since they're much brighter than the searchlights. I will miss the "classic" look though.

New lights on both ends, Continuous welded rail installed in the yard tracks.

1982 IIRC.
Abandoned, totaly OOS, in 1984. Now used to store scrap railcars and junk (with the west end tore out).

Yep, Class ones will spend a dollar to save a dime. I live it.

I thought it used to be pretty common practice for a railroad to invest in things they want to get rid of, so that they can show that the amount of revenue earned by that particular thing doesn't even come close to what it's costing the company. It used to be bad news when a depot would get a nice new coat of paint for this very reason...

thought it used to be pretty common practice for a railroad to invest in things they want to get rid of, so that they can show that the amount of revenue earned by that particular thing doesn't even come close to what it's costing the company.

From my pov it seems Class 1's procedure for the last 50 years when they don't want to operate a line is to chase away business and defer maintenance. I can think of many scenario's that went like this. I can't think of one where they fixed up a line for the purpose of selling unless they were forced to by court order.