Michigan Shortline Updates April 2013

[penn central]

Heads up Bay City coal headed your way on the HESR, 9519 in the lead then the 3868 then the 2661 trailing, They cleared the Mershon diamonds about 15 minutes ago.

Only these three units on a loaded coal train? Were they struggling to handle it?

Not to bad i can remember i think back in 2009 there was a loaded train and the only power he had was the 5086 and the 3838 they went threw Genesee yard about 5 to 10 MPH in run 8 i don't know how he got up the hill north of Durand maybe the yard crew used there engine to shove up the hill.

[Justin]

Heads up Bay City coal headed your way on the HESR, 9519 in the lead then the 3868 then the 2661 trailing, They cleared the Mershon diamonds about 15 minutes ago.

They came into Bay City about 11:30 last night, putting on quite the horn show. I believe the 9519 was on 702 this morning leading, I heard them come through Saginaw while working there around noon. Not 100% sure of this as I was judging by its horn.

[Evan]

Heads up Bay City coal headed your way on the HESR, 9519 in the lead then the 3868 then the 2661 trailing, They cleared the Mershon diamonds about 15 minutes ago.

They came into Bay City about 11:30 last night, putting on quite the horn show. I believe the 9519 was on 702 this morning leading, I heard them come through Saginaw while working there around noon. Not 100% sure of this as I was judging by its horn.

Unless it led LHF How could they turn it? There isn't a wye in Saginaw or Bay City?

[SD80MAC]

Uh, yes there is Evan. There's 2 in Bay City alone (1 on HESR, 1 on LSRC). Also don't forget LSRC's Saginaw yard is a giant wye. And I don't know if HESR's ever used it, but LSRC also has the turntable, too.

[Justin]

Uh, yes there is Evan. There's 2 in Bay City alone (1 on HESR, 1 on LSRC). Also don't forget LSRC's Saginaw yard is a giant wye. And I don't know if HESR's ever used it, but LSRC also has the turntable, too.

I second that as well, the swing bridge that HESR uses over the Saginaw River has a wye to it, and they use it frequently to wye power. Gotta get ya out of Durand for a day and get you watching the trains up here Evan, LOL,

[Evan]

Uh, yes there is Evan. There's 2 in Bay City alone (1 on HESR, 1 on LSRC). Also don't forget LSRC's Saginaw yard is a giant wye. And I don't know if HESR's ever used it, but LSRC also has the turntable, too.

I second that as well, the swing bridge that HESR uses over the Saginaw River has a wye to it, and they use it frequently to wye power. Gotta get ya out of Durand for a day and get you watching the trains up here Evan, LOL,

One day Justin, one day...

[railroader and son]

MAC in Middleton started loading a CSX grain train this morning for the GLC.Judging by the cars in the yard tracks,appears to be around 65-70 cars.

[Y@]

MAC in Middleton started loading a CSX grain train this morning for the GLC.Judging by the cars in the yard tracks,appears to be around 65-70 cars.

When it comes to grain, unit trains are typically either 65 or 90 cars. So it's likely that the Middleton setup can only handle 65 car unit trains.

[railroader and son]

They load both 65 and 90 car trains,also unit NS trains from time to time.Plus loads of around 30 cars for animal feed dealers also.With there building of there new dry and liquid fertilizer plant this year increase loads are to come in that market also.MAC is also adding over a million bushell in storage this year to.

[AARR]

MAC in Middleton started loading a CSX grain train this morning for the GLC.Judging by the cars in the yard tracks,appears to be around 65-70 cars.

When it comes to grain, unit trains are typically either 65 or 90 cars. So it's likely that the Middleton setup can only handle 65 car unit trains.

Seems as though they have loaded a few 90 car units from Middleton earlier in the year but I may be misrembering

[railroader and son]

393 392 398 390 north bound from Owosso now with about 30 grain hoppers,the ones that go to Shepard a lot.There is also a grain train in Middleton to pick up.

[Standard Railfan]

There is a HD depressed center flat carrying a large electrical transformer spotted at the ITC substation off Keystone Road south of Traverse City. GLC spotted the car in the past few days but I am not sure when.

[cmcw22]

GLC went north from Osmer at around 5:10, engines are 393, 392, 398 and 390.

[Justin]

HESR 3866 I believe is working the 740 train, caught them by Jefferson Ave this afternoon twice in Saginaw, they were headed eastward lite power, then came back westward a little while later with a cut of GTW Hi Cubes.

[AARR]

...then came back westward a little while later with a cut of GTW Hi Cubes.

I believe those are for newsprint delivered to Central Warehouse for the newspaper grup in the Tri-city area and Flint.

[Justin]

...then came back westward a little while later with a cut of GTW Hi Cubes.

I believe those are for newsprint delivered to Central Warehouse for the newspaper grup in the Tri-city area and Flint.

I believe you are right, I was thinking either Central Warehouse or TRW, but I don't know if they even get rail service.

[AARR]

...then came back westward a little while later with a cut of GTW Hi Cubes.

I believe those are for newsprint delivered to Central Warehouse for the newspaper grup in the Tri-city area and Flint.

I believe you are right, I was thinking either Central Warehouse or TRW, but I don't know if they even get rail service.

I started the TRW rumor when my customer at TRW, who has nothing to do with manufacturing or logistics, told me he thought they were shipping by rail from Saginaw.

Later, several people told me they saw those box cars at Central Warehouse and thought they were for incoming newsprint. Their reports made more sense to me than my customers

[AARR]

There is a depressed flatcar with a transformer south of Traverse City on a short spur

[Justin]

General Observations from today 4/26/2013

702 today had 2668 leading 2661 south, through Saginaw around 1PM give or take. I was told that the 740 had 3866 and 3826 for power leaving Bay City, however they showed up in Saginaw with the 2014, 3865, and 3852 by Jefferson St. headed east with a cut of those GTW boxcars. They did their switch before 702 showed up. Got word from Paul W. that the 2014, 3866, 3826, and 3865 were all on the 805? headed east out of Saginaw this evening with their freight and a grain train as well, I was also informed that the 3852 was on 740 coming back into Bay City this afternoon, so the 800 and 740 did some power swapping at Genesee Yard. Based on that info locomotives that I can't account for are the 9712, 3868, 9519, 8804, 3838, and 8802, not sure what is in the yard in Bay City, and I thought 9712 was on the Alma line, maybe someone could verify this for me.

[JDavis21835]

Based on that info locomotives that I can't account for are the 9712, 3868, 9519, 8804, 3838, and 8802, not sure what is in the yard in Bay City, and I thought 9712 was on the Alma line, maybe someone could verify this for me.

Last report I have heard of on the 9712 was it was at Paines in the last few weeks