CSX GRE MQT Train Location Update 02-27-08

amtrak1007 · Unread post by **amtrak1007** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:24 am

Z15126 with GMTX2648 'Spirit of Comstock Park' got the Grand Rapids Yard Limit at 0121 dispatcher PLG.

pudgy · Unread post by **pudgy** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 7:07 am

Long Night for the 1-fidy-1 crew. Issues at Comstock Park on the SB run required them to run with a single unit into GR, biggest worry was the curve at Market/Wealthy and the loss of momentum upgrade there with a single GP38.

"151 to 321, over"
"321 go ahead, Sean."
"Whats the most cars you've pulled around the West Leg with a single Geep?"
"I don't know, maybe 20 or so, why?"
"'cuz I have 30 and most of them are loads."
"Should be exciting..."

Z151 held at Turner street for nearly an hour and a half as 334 tried to leave the yard. Mechanical problems along with too much tonnage kept them from making the trek out of GR. Y320 was called to come pull 334 back into the yard. Not sure what the solution was for their issue. Heard something about another loco being added to consist along with dropping a few cars.

Y151 arrives GR at 0410 with GMTX 2648 and 30 cars. Made the curve at the Depot without incident.

Y320 departed 0427 after 151 cleared the east end. CSX 2697 and 4 cars. Boxes and pipe. Does anyone know if they are still working Alto Gas? I haven't seen a tank on 320 in a week. Maybe just bad timing.

D700 was heard somewhere inbound, but not sure where they were.

"Y151" departs at 0517 with GMTX 2648 long hood forward, 20 something cars, mostly empties. Loads on the head end for Vans, Ambassador Steel, and Michigan Rail.

Clear GR Yard limit 0603 PLG.

Driver clear at 0707.

Unread post by **~Z~** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 7:48 am

Q32627 - CURTIS IN BI 247 02-27-2008 06:13
Q32726 - MICHIGAN CITY IN BIG 65 02-27-2008 06:53
Q32727 - set to leave Detroit at 2pm
Q33427 - PLASTER CREEK MI CGT 1 02-27-2008 03:45 (sounds like the solution is not moving still)
Q33527 - SOUTH LYON MI CH 36 02-27-2008 07:27
CP X50026 - hasn't left Chicago yet
N90326, N91027 - hasn't left Chicago yet
N90327 - BENTON HARBOR MI CG 86 02-27-2008 07:28
E94925 - MICHIGAN CITY IN BIG 65 02-27-2008 06:33
E94926, E94927 - at West Olive
D70026 - GRAND RAPIDS MI CG 1 02-27-2008 04:00
Amtrak P37126 - not out of GR yet
D80326 - ROOST DTC MI CGC 36 02-27-2008 01:43
D80127, D80227 - not moving yet

Unread post by **~Z~** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 9:11 am

Y320 was working out near fox...Q334 is still set to run today, waiting for itself to work out engine problems and to set off part of the train they were going to run with. This was as of 8:40am.

rob · Unread post by **rob** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 12:41 pm

why did mqt bring only one engine to grand rapids? a little power short?

Rob

Unread post by **~Z~** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 12:42 pm

Q32627 - GRAND JCT MI CG 54 02-27-2008 11:23
Q32727 - set to leave Detroit at 2pm
Q33427 - PLASTER CREEK MI CGT 1 02-27-2008 12:14
Q33527 - GRAND RAPIDS MI CG 1 02-27-2008 12:30
CP X50026 - hasn't left Chicago yet
N90327 - WELLS MI CG 42 02-27-2008 09:15
N90326, N91027 - hasn't left Chicago yet
E94926, E94927 - at West Olive
Amtrak P37127 - hasn't left GR??????????????????? - Amtrak.com says - "service disruption"
D80127 - WELLS MI CG 42 02-27-2008 12:38
D80227 - GRAND RAPIDS MI CG 1 02-27-2008 10:20

Unread post by **cnw8835** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:10 pm

D801 pulling out of the siding at Wells. Has the Roost and Power blocks both directions already.

amtrak1007 · Unread post by **amtrak1007** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:17 pm

Amtrak train 370(26), with engine 146 had problems with the #2 traction motor last night on the NS before they reached Michigan. They got in to Grand Rapids at 2255 or 35 min late. Today 371(27) shows a "service disruption" so one wonders if the motor finally locked up? I'll post more later after I get a chance to see if the consist is still in the yard in Grand Rapids.

The P42 have been having traction motor issues left and right recently so i wouldn't be surprised if it did have a bum motor....

pudgy · Unread post by **pudgy** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 2:46 pm

why did mqt bring only one engine to grand rapids? a little power short?

Rob

GMTX 2648 and GMTX 2676 were power for Z151-26. Issues at Comstock Park caused them to leave the 2676 in the siding at Michigan Rail.

Tlout · Unread post by **Tlout** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 2:54 pm

Coal drag north at Riley St. 2:30 approx. BNSF 5788 and 9341 (D801?) - pushers: BNSF 8965, 9509 (D802?).

Q326 in Holland 2:50 PM.

amtrak1007 · Unread post by **amtrak1007** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 4:01 pm

Doktor No wrote:"GE, We Bring Good Things To Life." Or NOT
Ergnomically they are very problematic, electrically they seem to be less than reliable. CP is having a host of problems with their last order of units...enough so that even the Wall Steet Journal had a story about it.
And I have yet to hear...not to say that it never happens...of a EMD unit locking a traction motor as does the GE stuff.
Doc

I believe the current number of affected Amtrak units is around 15-30% Somewhere i had a list that was current up to 01-01-08 of around 30 different units that all experienced either #2 or #4 motor failures. The Texas Eagle has yet to make it to end point this week. Every departure from Chicago has had a locomotive problem. Makes me wonder what Chicago Mechanical is doing down there...

tsinoms · Unread post by **tsinoms** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 5:07 pm

pudgy wrote:Y151 arrives GR at 0410 with GMTX 2648 and 30 cars. Made the curve at the Depot without incident.

Since when is it Y151?

Unread post by **cnw8835** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 5:09 pm

Tlout wrote:Q326 in Holland 2:50 PM.

Q326 is powered by CSXT 7314 and a GP40-2 Road Slug set. 2297 is the slug.

GP30M4216 · Unread post by **GP30M4216** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 5:10 pm

I always wondered why Amtrak was always content to leave long distance trains that only warranted one unit, the Texas Eagle, Cardinal, and City of New Orleans particularly, with just that single unit during times such as this when failure is a lot more likely. During this time of year, why not just put a second one (elephant style, of course), on the train as a "just in case" safety. Or, if they don't want to do that... just put two real powered locomotives on one end of our Michigan Line trains and run the power around at the end points.... NPCU cabs are probably great in the summer when power failures are unlikely, but this time of year... let's be real.

tsinoms · Unread post by **tsinoms** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 5:15 pm

cnw8835 wrote:
Tlout wrote:Q326 in Holland 2:50 PM.
Q326 is powered by CSXT 7314 and a GP40-2 Road Slug set. 2297 is the slug.

DANG IT!!! THE ONLY TIME WE GET A ROAD SLUG ON A MANIFEST TRAIN AND I CANT SEE IT!!!!

amtrak1007 · Unread post by **amtrak1007** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 6:09 pm

GP30M4216 wrote:I always wondered why Amtrak was always content to leave long distance trains that only warranted one unit, the Texas Eagle, Cardinal, and City of New Orleans particularly, with just that single unit during times such as this when failure is a lot more likely. During this time of year, why not just put a second one (elephant style, of course), on the train as a "just in case" safety. Or, if they don't want to do that... just put two real powered locomotives on one end of our Michigan Line trains and run the power around at the end points.... NPCU cabs are probably great in the summer when power failures are unlikely, but this time of year... let's be real.

Its really not feasible to send all those extra units out on the road. With the cost of diesel and the increased maintenance costs would stress the railroad sway beyond its means. Really we are just living through the fall out from the failed M&E experiment that Thomas Downs started back in the late 1990's, which caused Amtrak to look to buy cheap units instead of units that would perform well in the long haul. Many of the current problems lie primarily in the way that Chicago Mechanical is doing their job. And a set of bum motors from GE, CP as Dok mentioned has along with BNSF and UP has had problems with their fleets... I'm not sure that the F59's that Amtrak has are doing much better, but atleast the traction motors work consistently. Not to mention they load faster than either the P42's or the P32BWH's. Sigh.

Tlout · Unread post by **Tlout** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 6:43 pm

D801-27 south at Riley st. hualing empties from the power plant 6:40 PM. BNSF 9509, 8965.

Raildudes dad · Wed Feb 27, 2008 10:48 pm

Today 371(27) shows a "service disruption" so one wonders if the motor finally locked up? I'll post more later after I get a chance to see if the consist is still in the yard in Grand Rapids.

Mechanical folks were setting up blue flags on the Amtrak at the GRE about 6ish. They're still laying under the lead truck at 10:30 ish tonight.

amtrak1007 · Unread post by **amtrak1007** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 11:00 pm

Raildudes dad wrote:
Today 371(27) shows a "service disruption" so one wonders if the motor finally locked up? I'll post more later after I get a chance to see if the consist is still in the yard in Grand Rapids.
Mechanical folks were setting up blue flags on the Amtrak at the GRE about 6ish. They're still laying under the lead truck at 10:30 ish tonight.

When I ran through around 4pm today, no one was home... Wonder if they left to get sleep/parts for the unit? Did it look like the unit had been jacked up or did it seem that all repairs were done on the ground?

Raildudes dad · Wed Feb 27, 2008 11:37 pm

6ish - two guys with Orange hardhats setting blue flags on both ends of the train - 3rd guy near the office (big guy - engineer?) red dodge pickup with welder / torches? backed up to the engine. 6:45 ish - lights set up under the lead truck - couldn't see what they were doing. 10:30ish light on in the pickup cab and still lights set up under the truck. Does not look like the truck or loco is jacked up.

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CSX GRE MQT Train Location Update 02-27-08

CSX GRE MQT Train Location Update 02-27-08

why oniy one engine?

Re: Ahh GE Junk