Durand was just dead, well not exactly.

[pica]

I went to Durand Friday afternoon to Saturday night. I hadn't been there in a while and decided to go. The wait between trains can last for hours. When there were trains, they seemed to run in pairs. When you got an eastbound, a westbound would also show up and visa versa. Most of the times the trains would meet at Durand or near Durand. After Amtrak left the depot around 10:15pm Sat., everyone left. I was the only person there from 10:15 until 1:30am when I decided to leave. Use to be people stayed at the depot till midnight or later. Like I said before the wait between trains can be hours and make for a very boring trip. If I hadn't of gotten a hotel room, I probably would have gone home sooner. And I could hear the trains from my hotel and friday night between 11:30pm and 7:00am there was almost nothing. Have people stopped going to Durand or do you still go?

[SW]

Unless it's on the way somewhere I don't go anymore. Not worth it.

[conrailmike]

Unless it's on the way somewhere I don't go anymore. Not worth it.

What he said. It's a shame too, used to be everyone would be out there all night during the summer and you'd see a bunch of trains.

[Big Frank]

Whats Durand??????

[GTW6401]

Its only a 2 mile difference driving to Durand or downtown Toledo, so Ohio usually wins out. I used to make monthly trips to Durand when I still lived in Bay City to get some CN trains, but now its just out of the way.

[AARR]

I used to go to Durand 3-4 times a year and would usually see about a train an hour with some of them spending time working the yard. I enjoyed it. Last time I went saw 3-5 trains in 8 hours and haven't heard from anyone that it's any better so I haven't gone back since.

[jukeman45]

I think the changes in Chicago and Wi. have slowed things down too.

[JANGAJONGA]

I still like it.

[mike nowakowski]

Last time i was there i caught 13 trains in 12 hours i was there.

[chapmaja]

What is the train schedule through Durand compared with the schedule say 5 or 6 years ago?

I think the economy has the biggest influence on the issues.

I don't think the EJ&E has a significant impact on service on the lines through Michigan. The line through Durand is still the line CN trains from anywhere south and west of Chicago need to take to get to Detroit and Eastern Canada.

Once the economy picks up again, the train frequency should increase, or at least the train lengths will increase.

The reason for the pairs of trains is likely the layout of the trackage across Michigan. CN runs scheduled trains with the trains needing to meet at double track locations along the route.

[Norm]

The last three times I have been at Durand were fruitless except for one Sunday when GLC ran a northbound. That was on a Sunday, and I was amazed.

[AARR]

What is the train schedule through Durand compared with the schedule say 5 or 6 years ago?

There were 24-30 CN trains a day between Durand and Chicago back then. Holly Sub had 3 general freights in each direction and coal extras nearly daily. Rest went to Port Huron.

[pica]

There were 24-30 CN trains a day between Durand and Chicago back then. Holly Sub had 3 general freights in each direction and coal extras nearly daily. Rest went to Port Huron.

That must have been some time ago because I probably saw half of that in the day-and-a-half I was there. And I think the Holly sub had 1 maybe 2 trains running.

[chapmaja]

Look at the traffic on the Holly Sub for a second.

First, a lot was automotive traffic. Some of that may be lost due to closures of plants compared with 5 or 6 years ago.

Second, coal trains tend to run in spurts. It is very possible that they just didn't have any coal trains needed on that particular day.

Finally, there was one intermodal that usually ran that line IIRC. Maybe with the downturn of Michigan's economy that train no longer runs the frequency it used to.

As for the mainline traffic. I'm sure the economy has taken it's toll, but I also wonder if train lengths have increased to the point maybe they are running less trains, but the tonnage hauled isn't down as much as it appears.

[AARR]

1. First, a lot was automotive traffic. Some of that may be lost due to closures of plants compared with 5 or 6 years ago.

2. Second, coal trains tend to run in spurts. It is very possible that they just didn't have any coal trains needed on that particular day.

3. Finally, there was one intermodal that usually ran that line IIRC. Maybe with the downturn of Michigan's economy that train no longer runs the frequency it used to.

4. As for the mainline traffic. I'm sure the economy has taken it's toll, but I also wonder if train lengths have increased to the point maybe they are running less trains, but the tonnage hauled isn't down as much as it appears.

1. Correct

2. Coal now goes to Toledo then north on Shore Line Sub. There's only one coal train that runs on Holly and I think it runs 1-2x per week.

3. Intermodal is added to the one freight between Flat Rock and Chicago.

4. May have something to do with it

[pica]

You know what I did see was a Great Lakes Railway train go down the Holly Sub. Think it was Friday afternoon. Thought that was unusual.

[pica]

As for the mainline traffic. I'm sure the economy has taken it's toll, but I also wonder if train lengths have increased to the point maybe they are running less trains, but the tonnage hauled isn't down as much as it appears.

They were running some pretty long trains.

[AARR]

You know what I did see was a Great Lakes Railway train go down the Holly Sub. Think it was Friday afternoon. Thought that was unusual.

GLC uses the Holly Sub for about 1-1.5 miles south then get on their own track to Ann Arbor at Pitt Jct (Pittsburgh Rd)

[JANGAJONGA]

isnt there 1 intermodal through freight through durand? like 149, 150?

[Mark Rummel]

There have been many good points made here. The only thing I can add is I live 19 miles from Durand, and try to make the trip just when available... about once every two weeks.

Traffic IS notably down from past years, but mornings seem a little better than afternoons. I like to get there for the (7 a.m.-ish) westbound Amtrak when possible.

Of course, if I had a choice, I'd rather go to Port Huron or Toledo or somewhere else, but for me, Durand is close to home... (I'm going this Thursday for example...)