Delray

[Shorthaul]

I have heard that it's the busiest spot in the state, but I have never heard of it. Does anybody know more?

[nssd70m-2]

I have heard that it's the busiest spot in the state, but I have never heard of it. Does anybody know more?

Delray is in the southeast section of dearborn right under csx's roughemere yard. Csx ,ns cp cn and cr run there.

[sd70accsxt700]

Right under it, huh? Man I dont rember any tunnels there? Delray is just north of the Rouge River, where I-75 goes over the river. I believe the exit is Dearborn Ave. If you know where CSX Rouge is just keep following the tracks west. If you know where NS Oakwood yard is, follow the tracks north. If you know where CR Livernois yard it, or even the tunnel, Follow the tracks south. You wlll see CSX, CN, CP, CR, and NS. The tower is owned by CSX. CSX uses it to wye power to head back west and south, and to interchange with NS, CR, and head downtown. CR/NS uses it as there mainline north south, for through trains, yard jobs, and transfer trains. NS uses it to head downtown, interchange with CSX, and to turn power sometimes. CN uses it for through trains from Toledo, and Flat Rock, north to Milwaukee Jct. CP uses it for just through trains and transfer to the CSX and NS.

[ConrailDetr​oit]

[quote="sd70accsxt700"] Right under it, huh? Man I dont rember any tunnels there? [quote]

Under can also mean south; map wise

[odave]

Here's the Delray area on Bing Maps. Mexican Town is just a quick jaunt to the NE - mmmmmmmm, great food.

[edit: sometimes my URL tag text does not get underlined - wierd]

[conrailmike]

If you go down there, I would park between the driveway for the cement factory and the ex-Conrail line. You shouldn't be bothered by anyone if you sit there, at least you used to be able to sit there, maybe you can't now. I wouldn't be down there after dark though, not a good part of town.

Here's the area from above: http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v ... &encType=1

[AJR]

Delray Tower is located in the southwest part of Detroit on Dearborn. As noted, tracks in the area border the I-75 bridge in that area. If you park off the side of the drive by the cement plant you should be just fine. I have been their several time and have not been questioned about parking in that area. One word to the wise is that I would bring a firend with you, since the area is not one of the best to be in especially at night.


Anthony

[Shorthaul]

Delray Tower is located in the southwest part of Detroit on Dearborn. As noted, tracks in the area border the I-75 bridge in that area. If you park off the side of the drive by the cement plant you should be just fine. I have been their several time and have not been questioned about parking in that area. One word to the wise is that I would bring a firend with you, since the area is not one of the best to be in especially at night.


Anthony

Thank you. Do you know the address/road that the plant is on? Thanks for the help.

[GTW6401]

St. Marys Cement is at 9333 Dearborn Street, but you wont have any trouble finding it. Dearborn Street is Exit 44 on I-75 but there is only an exit ramp from the northbound lanes.

[sd70accsxt700]

Under can also mean south; map wise

You can, but it is east not south.

[hoborich]

If you go down there, I would park between the driveway for the cement factory and the ex-Conrail line. You shouldn't be bothered by anyone if you sit there, at least you used to be able to sit there, maybe you can't now. I wouldn't be down there after dark though, not a good part of town.

Sorry to burst your bubble. I used to park side of the St Marys Cement driveway many times and was never bothered. Several times railroad cops stopped and asked what I was doing. I told them I was watching trains. They said it was a good place for that, and went on their way. Then one night in May, a CSX cop named Karcher, with nothing better to do, gave me a really hard time. I was parked right at the edge of the cement company driveway, within inches of the pavement. He came down the service road, and stopped at the bottom, and watched me for a few minutes. I was just sitting in my van. Suddenly, he turned on his overheads and came straight at me me broadside, like a badass. He stopped inches from my door, with his spotlight in my eyes, and asked me what I was doing. I told him I was just watching trains. He said I was on railroad property, and trespassing, and proceeded to give me the lecture about how 9/11 had changed things. I let him finish, and then politely asked him if I looked like a terrorist. He then said, "well people like to hop on trains from this place". I politely asked him if I looked like I was trying to hop on a train. He then demanded my drivers license and said he had to check his list of approved trainwatchers, which was pure BS. He then ran a computer LEIN check, which came up empty, because I've never been arrested for anything. I explained to him that I used to work for the railroad, and asked him why he was taking such a hard line when other rail cops just asked me what I was doing, and went on their way. He said he just really really cared about his job. I asked him if he was implying that the other rail cops weren't doing their jobs. Then he accused me of escalating the situation, and said he could pull me out of the van, pat me down, cuff me and haul me off to jail, but he didn't really want to do that because then he would have to take time to go to court, blah, blah, blah, etc. I told him that he was the one escalating the situation, and he was overreacting to a non threatening situation. Then he told me he was recording everything on his little body mike and recorder. I know all about cops little body mikes, and told him I hadn't said anything I wouldn't want recorded. He just told me I had to leave the area. I pressed him a couple more times on why he had nothing better to do than hassle a trainwatcher. He told me he wasn't hassleing me. I said he sure was, and no other rail cops had ever given me this kind of trouble. Finally, I left, just to difuse the situation. This guy Karcher is a major hole in the butt. Watch out for him. He drives a white station wagon, with overheads, and CSX Police on it. The guy's on a major power trip. I'm still not sure if I was on railroad property or not. I asked him where I could watch trains, without trespassing, and he said the whole area was railroad property. Now I know that's not true. Given this guys attitude, I think if he could have written me a ticket, he would have. The other rail cops have never given me a problem.

I have never had any problems from the locals who stumble by. Most are harmless. I do however try to leave before dark. Just seems like common sense.

[AARR]

hoborich, seems to me you handled the situation well. I'm concerened, however, that railroad management will defend Karcher. From what I hear lawsuits against railroads from pedestrians and railfans is very costly. I just hope people like Karcher will relax a little and develope better judgement about whose a threat against their railroads.

[hoborich]

Like I said, I had never been bothered at Delray, until Karcher came along.
If I had the time, i would like to see a survey of the area, and see just who owns what, down there. He told me the only place I could watch trains, was in the middle of Dearborn Avenue, but then I would be blocking traffic, and would probably get a ticket. That's pure BS!
The public right of way, of Dearborn Avenue, like most public roads, extends a distance from the edge of the pavement, to allow for sidewalks and road shoulders. I'm not sure what that distance is. Maybe 12 to 20 feet. There are old remnants of a sidewalk in the area, and a shoulder of the road. All the railroad utility poles and electric meters are also set back from the roadway, along with the gate to the cement company.
If anyone knows how or where to see a survey of the area, I would love to hear about it. Karchers claim that "the whole area is railroad property", is simply not true.

Down at Wyandotte, at the American Legion Post, between the north and southbound Detroit Lines, people park cars within a few feet of the tracks. Someone down there said the railroad property extended four feet from the track. But I don't believe the whole Delray area is railroad property.

[penn central]

Like I said, I had never been bothered at Delray, until Karcher came along.
If I had the time, i would like to see a survey of the area, and see just who owns what, down there. He told me the only place I could watch trains, was in the middle of Dearborn Avenue, but then I would be blocking traffic, and would probably get a ticket. That's pure BS!
The public right of way, of Dearborn Avenue, like most public roads, extends a distance from the edge of the pavement, to allow for sidewalks and road shoulders. I'm not sure what that distance is. Maybe 12 to 20 feet. There are old remnants of a sidewalk in the area, and a shoulder of the road. All the railroad utility poles and electric meters are also set back from the roadway, along with the gate to the cement company.
If anyone knows how or where to see a survey of the area, I would love to hear about it. Karchers claim that "the whole area is railroad property", is simply not true.

Down at Wyandotte, at the American Legion Post, between the north and southbound Detroit Lines, people park cars within a few feet of the tracks. Someone down there said the railroad property extended four feet from the track. But I don't believe the whole Delray area is railroad property.

I have railfanned at delray since march of 1987, And have never been kicked out of there, Times are a changeing thats a shame.

[hoborich]

Well, it might not happen again. But if I see a cop coming down that service road along the tracks, I'm outta there.

There does seem to be a lot of rail police activity there at Delray, and I'm a little puzzled as to why. Most of the trains are moving through there, so no one can steal anything, or spray any graffiti on the trains. I've never seen anyone hopping on trains in the area. So I'm a little puzzled by all the heavy police presence in the area, other than the fact that it is in Detroit.

[GTW6401]

Ive seen people stealing from stopped CP intermodals in the past at Delray and called the RR police. Hasn't happened lately while Ive been there since the NS police will pace alongside them up towards CP-Waterman.

[Fred]

Between Delray and Waterman trains are constantly being broken into, both on the ex Conrail line as well as the Old Wabash line that's one reason for police presence at Dearborn Ave besides the fact that there are numerous cases of drivers going around the gates at Dearborn to "beat the train".

[hoborich]

Thanks. I didn't know that.
Still doesn't excuse Karcher leaning on a harmless trainwatcher. Most trainwatchers could be helpful to the railroads.

[azimmer]

Between Delray and Waterman trains are constantly being broken into ...

I would'nt doubt that, but it seems that breaking into a freight car is a big gamble and not worth the risk unless one knows beforehand exactly what is inside. What does the average container carry? I don't think that every one is stuffed with iPods or laptop computers.

Some years back, in one of the Detroit papers, I read a news report about two thieves near Delray transloading cases of whiskey from a box car into their pickup truck. How could they know that the whiskey was inside?

It would seem to me that a lot of cars would have to be breached at random before something of any value to the average person was discovered.

[Fred]

Liquor, furniture, and tires are still common items carried in those containers. Always thought it was strange how the thieves knew what was in where.