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One day I was exploring on google maps in Flint I went back to 2008 and there was a stretch of double track on the CSX Saginaw sub in Flint MI. Then I go into October 2015 and I can see one of the tracks in a horrible sight: CSX Was getting rid one of the track.


Why did CSX do this?

How Many CSX trains are there in a day in Flint MI?

Thanks

Graeme Case

The auto industry rolled over and died in Flint.

Thus, second track not needed, and it was removed in 2014 IIRC.

Blame the water !

Saturnalia wrote:The auto industry rolled over and died in Flint.

Thus, second track not needed, and it was removed in 2014 IIRC.

Thats too bad because There are some CN trains that used to go through there right?

CSXBOY wrote:

Saturnalia wrote:The auto industry rolled over and died in Flint.

Thus, second track not needed, and it was removed in 2014 IIRC.

Thats too bad because There are some CN trains that used to go through there right?

CN still sees alot of traffic because it is the main line between Canada and Chicago. They also service the last major auto factory in Flint (the truck plant on Van Slyke).

CN also services the GM Distribution Center on their old main line in Swartz Creek

BDG wrote:

CSXBOY wrote:

Saturnalia wrote:The auto industry rolled over and died in Flint.

Thus, second track not needed, and it was removed in 2014 IIRC.

Thats too bad because There are some CN trains that used to go through there right?

CN still sees alot of traffic because it is the main line between Canada and Chicago. They also service the last major auto factory in Flint (the truck plant on Van Slyke).

Saturnalia wrote:The auto industry rolled over and died in Flint.

Thus, second track not needed, and it was removed in 2014 IIRC.

The second main was ripped up in mid-late 2013.

CSX traffic in Flint consists of about 4-6 trains, 8 trains tops, on a really good day.

Not including coal and grain trains, there's the local to Port Huron (D710) and the much more elusive one to Holly (D737) which only operates on Fridays as well as the only pair of regularly scheduled road trains to/from Toledo in Q321 and Q322. LSRC adds to the action with Z127 and Z144 (as well as their northbound counterparts) but otherwise, that's about all there is on CSX in Flint these days.

Speaking from experience, the best day to fan CSX in Flint would be Friday, specifically Friday afternoon. 3 winters ago, the mom and I saw D737, D710 and Q321 roughly all within an hour; the busiest we've ever seen CSX in Flint since we started fanning there.

The reason CSX hasn't pull out of Flint from what I hear is due to how lucrative the grain, coal and chemical traffic is, especially the former which is the bottom line of CSX's Michigan operations these days.

BamaSubdivision94 wrote:The reason CSX hasn't pull out of Flint from what I hear is due to how lucrative the grain, coal and chemical traffic is, especially the former which is the bottom line of CSX's Michigan operations these days.

I can't remember who it was I heard from, but supposedly the chemical traffic on the ex-PH&D is quite profitable for CSX. Enough so to justify keeping the line despite how isolated it is. I'd be mildly surprised to see CSX give up the line north of Plymouth as all it really is anymore is a feeder. With the exception of the ex-PH&D, they're not doing any of the work to deliver the cars, other than swapping trains (more or less) with the company who then delivers the cars. Less risk and lower labor costs = more profit, and that's what really matters in the end.

Chemicals go to Dow in Midland and LPG to a pair of storage facilities in Marysville and St. Clair respectively.

GreatLakesRailfan wrote:

BamaSubdivision94 wrote:The reason CSX hasn't pull out of Flint from what I hear is due to how lucrative the grain, coal and chemical traffic is, especially the former which is the bottom line of CSX's Michigan operations these days.

I can't remember who it was I heard from, but supposedly the chemical traffic on the ex-PH&D is quite profitable for CSX. Enough so to justify keeping the line despite how isolated it is. I'd be mildly surprised to see CSX give up the line north of Plymouth as all it really is anymore is a feeder. With the exception of the ex-PH&D, they're not doing any of the work to deliver the cars, other than swapping trains (more or less) with the company who then delivers the cars. Less risk and lower labor costs = more profit, and that's what really matters in the end.