GLC on TC branch

[Rick in TC]

There is a train on the Traverse City branch (actually now on Williamsburg branch. MIGN Todd, KC, where are your cameras. Maybe they'll move the storage cars today! I personally would just paint them bright yellow/green and leave them there.

[MIGN-Todd]

A very handsome looking (and clean)392 came into town with a centerbeam (it left with one so I'm assuming that that did a quick unload at Amerhart). -I saw them departing near the depot heading south. First time I've seen the all white nose on the '35's and it looks sharp. Sorry Rick- I rarely carry my camera with me but, I carry my stuff for my truck in a new bag so maybe I'll throw it back in just for these moments.

[Rick in TC]

GLC also took all the storage cars from Boardman Yard back south with them. No more "eyesore" for the condo owners! Would have been a nice 16 car train to video on the TC branch!

[MIGN-Todd]

If I had known they were pulling them out, I would have called my wife to go take the pictures. I only saw them running around the centerbeam to haul it back.... didn't know they backed up to the yard too. CRAP!

[AARR]

It's been about 5+ years since TSBY last had a freight train that long coming out of Traverse City. There was a brief period where Cherry Growers was shipping a pair of cars daily, Integrity was shipping 5-6 cars every other day or so, and SSS (lumber yard in Bates) was getting several 1-3 car blocks a week. On a few occasions those trains would be 10-15 cars long.

[MIGN-Todd]

The largest train I've ever seen since both the PC and the C&O stopped running up here was a Michigan Northern one. Two GP7s pulling twenty-something old FGEX reefers. It was going about five mph crossing South Airport rd coming from the south. They spotted the cars at Cherry Growers where they sat until needed. MIGN did find customers up here and there was always a surprize around the corner. Cherry Growers/S.S.S./ The clock company by the airport/Michigan Paper Products/Farm Bureau/Consumers Power/Integrity//The Paint Spot/Sara Lee (once that I know). Also, they had a conveyor placed on the spur right in front of the Boardman yard office where coal cars were unloaded. Friends of mine also said Red Mill got cars on occasion too (which was by Boardman yard).
With TSB/GLC, the longest regular revenue train I've seen was eleven cars. I was jumpin' through loops after that as I thought it was a taste of things yet to come but we all know how that worked out.

I was never privledged enough to see a PC consist in town as I was too young to just up and go to the tracks but, I saw alot of mixed-matched Chessie System trains roll by. Pairs of GP30's, 35's, GP9's- it was great even saw an SW1500 (I believe) roll by from switching the team track by Woodmere. I'd give anything to see GP30 #3030 roll by again with a string of cement hoppers from Petoskey. Beautiful sounding horns- the regular engineer (Julius Gondzar) had a way with the crossing warnings. Am I babbling again?

[Rick in TC]

Square deal on Woodmere used to get boxcars of feed in the early 90's. I remember Red Mill north of Boardman yard also getting cars. And Wicke's in Grawn. Longest trains I rememember was in the 90's TSBY brought in 15 reefers for Cherry Growers. And in the 90's twice a 33 car ballast train came into Baordman yard to run around the train and go back south when they were rebuilding the track from Walton to just south of Traverse City.

[MIGN-Todd]

I had forgotten about Square Deal. I cannot believe I forgot about Wickes because I was one of the guys unloading. We didn't get alot but it was still cool.

Did anyone else out there notice that the Ann Arbor Boxcar and caboose have been removed off the former Team track by Woodmere? I hope they found a better home away from all the taggers up here.

[Raildudes dad]

I got the scoop yesterday. The Railroad Society of Northwest Michigan owned them. The caboose was vandalized and the GLC asked they be removed from their property. Elmer's picked the cars up and delivered them to Buckley.

http://www.michiganrailroads.com/MichRR ... NWMich.htm

[MIGN-Todd]

It really ticked me off to see that those cars got tagged.... Hope they find a better home.

[Raildudes dad]

Sounds like they may use the caboose on the train at Buckley.