Michigan Line 3/19 and GR/Kzoo

[GP30M4216]

I took Amtrak train No. 353 from Ann Arbor to Kalamazoo on Friday, March 19 for a reunion with some friends from my days at WMU. Then from Kzoo I drove to Grand Rapids for the night, then back to Kalamazoo Saturday and drove home Sunday. I didn't take many notes, but here is what I have for a trip report:

353 arrived into Ann Arbor early, as it often does. Very large crowd waiting to board the train. They had 90222 leading (time for the paint shop), 5 Horizon coaches, 1 Horizon cafe, and Genesis 128 shoving on the rear. We departed Ann Arbor on time.

No cars at Four Mile Lake, but there were lots of hoppers at Chelsea Milling. We also passed a sizeable mixed freight at the east end of Chelsea siding, but I don't think it had any power (possible B34 that the power had gone to Jackson for some reason?)

We passed Jackson NS yard just before arriving into Jackson station. There was lots of power sitting around:
5318 Conrail painted GP38-2
5041 NS high hood GP38-2
An NS SD60 with a SD70M-2 (likely B34's power that day)
NS D9-40CW 9300 and GP38-2 5339 (which have been assigned the Lansing local for the past week)

I also noticed a new Conrail Transfer caboose hiding out over near the RIP track and shed: 18043. Not sure where he came from. No sign of the other Conrail caboose assigned to this yard (the bay window 24039). There were lots of freight cars it could have been hiding behind, however.

Next at Albion (picked up one passenger), we had to play trains with Amtrak 350 and B16 (Albion local). Apparently, like Jackson, this passing track is now also suffering from "rusty rails," which seems ridicules to me. Our train pulled ahead onto the double track, where we let 350 slide by on the siding (2 back-to-back Genesis, with 3 Superliners). They we backed up onto the single track, tying up town again, to proceed around B16, which was switching at the Andersons with NS 5570(?). They had a lot of grain and a few tank cars. I also noticed some hoppers on a spur where I have never seen cars before, an industry on the north side of the track.

Now we were running a bit behind, but we proceeded into Battle Creek. At Hinman Yard, we passed NS 7111 and 5555, the yard was full of lots of tank cars with a few other things mixed in. Some grain hoppers were also on the sidings at Knappen Milling in Augusta.

Coming into Kalamazoo, we passed the GDLK Grand Rapids road freight shoving back out of Botsford Yard on track 2 while we overtook them on track 1 between Botsford Yard and the View Crossover. They had a wide cab GP40-2 and one of the GP38-2s, both long hood forward, for power, with quite a decent sized train. This train backed down to Gibson, then realigned the switch to proceed North to Grand Rapids. I'd hate to be the brakeman riding the last car the whole way through town (I wonder why they don't use their caboose for this run?).

353 Arrived into Kalamazoo about 10 minutes late thanks to the delay at Albion. This time could easily have been made up on the 95mph segment of trackage west of Kalamazoo.

MORE TO FOLLOW

[AARR]

I like to see the businesses that receive rail service from track side. Can see so much more than from road side view.

[Buster Manning]

Nate, the Albion siding is not under the rusty rail rule; your train had a restricting signal to pull in behind the B16--who was working at the Ethanol plant--while a very late 350 held the pass until you got there, too many trains and not enough track

[JANGAJONGA]

4 mile lake is chelsea milling? i assume you mean jiffy mix? do you remember how many cars?

[ns8401]

Jack:
Look at a box of Jiffy Mix some time it's made by Chelsea Milling.

Four mile is Chelsea Grain LLC.

Jiffy is Chelsea Milling.

[AARR]

Jack:
Look at a box of Jiffy Mix some time it's made by Chelsea Milling.

Four mile is Chelsea Grain LLC.

Jiffy is Chelsea Milling.

As ns8401 said these are separate companies. Another point is Jiffy is in downtown Chelsea and the elevator at 4 Mile is a couple miles east of town.

[JANGAJONGA]

Jack:
Look at a box of Jiffy Mix some time it's made by Chelsea Milling.

Four mile is Chelsea Grain LLC.

Jiffy is Chelsea Milling.

ohhh i thought 4 mile was chelsea milling and jiffy mix was just jiffy mix.