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I figure out that I look forward about NS Intermodal would have been running on Michigan Lines through round east/west of Ann Arbor. Maybe I have miss to see them move during different times.

I don’t understand why NS Intermodals has running westbound on Michigan Lines from Detroit to Willow Run NS Intermodal area then back eastbound to Detroit then exchange on (ex-CR) Detroit Lines for southbound to southern neither eastbound to eastern or Detroit District Lines for westbound to western. Why not they would be going westbound on Michigan Line from Willow Run to BO of Kalamazoo then turn southbound to Elkhart, IN?

Does the traffic go east or south? Then going east from Willow Run would make sense. If the traffic goes west, then I don't have any ideas either. The track from Willow Run to Kalamazoo is up to Amtrak standards, so it should be good. South from Kalamazoo is welded rail, so it seems like that would be good, too. Also it seems that this route would be less congested which would result in a quicker travel time, especially when you figure in the extra distance going east, then west.

There is trackage Eastbound out of the old Willow Run yard. The problem is though, many stretches from Ypsilanti to Kalamazoo is single trackage (thanks to CR). NS is already frusterated trying to fit 6 Passenger Trains (3 Eastbound and 3 Westbound) and all their freight trains, (don't know the exact number, Justin B would probably know) on that cramped trackage. They need to re-lay the double trackage to Kalamazoo.

The road railer operation at Willow Run, which I am very familiar with the area in question, seems to be in a good out of the way spot. The yard was used by Ford until they stopped the rail traffic. I have a neighbor who used to drive the new cars on the old auto-racks back in the 60's and 70's from that yard before Wayne Truck.

I'm not familliar with the operations of those trains, but I could think of a couple of possible reasons why they move in the manner that they do.

1. The trains may set off or pick up a block at Toledo - which can't be done if the trains were to be routed across Michigan.

2. The trains may head south on the Wabash for Fort Wayne (and on to Peru or Cincinnati via the New Castle District).

3. Crew availability may be an issue on the Michigan side. How big is the pool currently? It wouldn't make sense to hire just to run the trains across Michigan - if the crew districts for the current route are sufficiently staffed.

I doubt that capacity is the issue, six trains a day regardless if they are Amtraks or not, is not enough to warrant the re-installation of double track. The ex NKP across Ohio & Indiana sees 3 or 4 times as many trains a day on a predominantly single track railroad. The NS has more pressing needs for double track than K-Zoo to Detroit.

I remember reading in the past about the thought on double tracking Kzoo to Detroit. Something about how the tracks were built back in the 1800s, and the layout of the line hasn't been changed since then. Many curves where they wouldn't be needed with today's tech would make laying a second track along side quite the task. Speeds are quite slow due to this curvy nature as well.

The roadrailers operating in & out of Willow Run (NS 263 & NS260) operate via Oakwood where they either s/o or p/u and then on ex Wabash line to Peru.

Fred wrote:The roadrailers operating in & out of Willow Run (NS 263 & NS260) operate via Oakwood where they either s/o or p/u and then on ex Wabash line to Peru.

Oh dang!

Willow Run yard was originally built for the GM plant... i Hear 38J coming through town right now.... 256pm

Railfan James wrote:There is trackage Eastbound out of the old Willow Run yard. The problem is though, many stretches from Ypsilanti to Kalamazoo is single trackage (thanks to CR). NS is already frusterated trying to fit 6 Passenger Trains (3 Eastbound and 3 Westbound) and all their freight trains, (don't know the exact number, Justin B would probably know) on that cramped trackage. They need to re-lay the double trackage to Kalamazoo.

The road railer operation at Willow Run, which I am very familiar with the area in question, seems to be in a good out of the way spot. The yard was used by Ford until they stopped the rail traffic. I have a neighbor who used to drive the new cars on the old auto-racks back in the 60's and 70's from that yard before Wayne Truck.

For a short time a few years ago, they were storing the Ford Explorers, ect, at Willow Run, before shipping them out. Drove them over from the Wayne Truck Plant. Cheap parking area.

oh ... yeah i remember seeing that

Sorry Justin My Mistake.