Michigan Shortlines Updates - October 2014

[James Sofonia]

PAINT ON THE TRACKS NEAR TC.
The county re-painted the lane markers on Holiday Rd. a few weeks ago and went right over the grade crossing of the GLC. Since then there hasn't been one train wheel run over that new paint job. Summer shipments suddenly ended.

[firemedic54]

GLC coming thru here in Hamburg Twp. but the tracks are just out of my line of sight so not sure on the direction.

[AANscaleRunner]

GLC 399 and 395 returned to Cadillac from Clare approximately 1230-1245 with 7 sand hoppers, 20 tank cars and 3 additional sand hoppers. They left around 0920. Passenger train consist is currently in Selma Yard. I would assume it will be taken to Petoskey on Friday for Saturday's color tour. Also some action at the MAC facility in the North Yard. Looked like they had a 25 tonner pulling hoppers around this morning.

[Standard Railfan]

LS& I update. It seems that the fall rush has started. I saw two hill jobs head into the ore yard before noon today. Both trains were lead by leased CIT AC4400CWs, sorry I didn't get the road numbers.

An ore boat was loading (the Algosteel) and one coal boat (the Mesabi Miner) unloading for the Presque Isle Power Plant.

[SD80MAC]

Grand Elk 302 currently getting ready to head south from Moline after working Green Valley. WAMX 4125 and 4206 with a good 50-60 cars.

[csx801]

Mid michigan 2057 is wandering around north yard after taking outbounds from Barry over the scale track. They are currently taking their power to 5 track to grab empties for henry street yard. 2019 And 3885 have a tonight's southbound which is built on the main track with mixed sandies from nugent and tanks from Webb. No setout for bay tonight. Fremont out bounds are on 2 track (behind the scale track towards the back). The back 3 tracks are loaded with stored sand cars and boxes. There is also lots of MofW equipment on the RIP track.
This has been the Muskegon update

[CAT345C]

GLC 399-395 are workimg south from Kalkaska as of 1300. They dropped a plastics car in the siding then ran soith to switch the Gas place. Earlier in the day a loaded center beam was dropped off at Walton. Perhaps a evening run to Traverse City?

[csx801]

2057 back to the barn at Henry after a 5 car set out on the west end. Stop and flag at henry street. New LED lights going up

[James Sofonia]

Something had just been thru on the GLC Williamsburg branch at 10:00 this morning. I could see fresh sand pushed out of the flange grooves on the Holiday rd. crossing, but the yellow paint was unscratched makes me think it was a rubber tired MOW vehicle. I'll have to try and catch the centerbeam from Walton.

[James Sofonia]

Just a few minutes after I last posted I heard the train horn down at the end of my road. I drove to the crossing and indeed they had been thru as the yellow paint was freshly scuffed off center rails. I scooted over to three other crossings in the area, the train had already been across all of them and gone. I used to be able to catch up with them as the speed limit was 10 mph. But I suspect they may have raised that since they recently rehabbed the branch with new ties and ballast.
An hour later (1700) I heard them return from Bates but I didn't try chasing the train back into town with all the traffic we have.

[csx801]

Michigan shore railroad southbound at the switch in west olive 12:30. 2019 leading 3885 and 23 cars (20 mixed sand cars from Nugent and 3 tanks from Webb). They were over the grand river and into grand haven by 11:45, there was a short slow order just south of grand haven (or at least it looked like it) near Hayes street by rosy mound siding.

[AARR]

Posted by Joe on 10/10/2014, 10:15 am

At some point today the glc will be heading north to Petoskey with a string of passenger cars for the color train tomoRrow morning. Keep your eyes open. I'll be folloWing the tracks north today and will post if I spot it

[TC Man]

Just a few minutes after I last posted I heard the train horn down at the end of my road. I drove to the crossing and indeed they had been thru as the yellow paint was freshly scuffed off center rails. I scooted over to three other crossings in the area, the train had already been across all of them and gone. I used to be able to catch up with them as the speed limit was 10 mph. But I suspect they may have raised that since they recently rehabbed the branch with new ties and ballast.
An hour later (1700) I heard them return from Bates but I didn't try chasing the train back into town with all the traffic we have.

I was on US 31 along the bay almost 4:30pm and they were just crossing 5 Mile (location of your pic above), and yes, they were scooting right along. That track looks so much better with new ties and ballast and tamping. Barely any "wobbling". Maybe next summer they will do the stretch along Keystone that didn't get done when they built the two tunnels for the grade seperation.

[AANscaleRunner]

GLC 395 and 399 left Cadillac towards Clare at 0950 with 11 sand hoppers, 8 tank cars and 2 pulpwood flats of poles from Manton. Have not heard them return yet and I've been outside most of the day.

[bn13814]

Grand Elk 302 currently getting ready to head south from Moline after working Green Valley. WAMX 4125 and 4206 with a good 50-60 cars.

I thought 302 was the Kalamazoo-Elkhart Turn? When did it start moving north of K-Zoo?

[AANscaleRunner]

GLC has returned to Cadillac from Clare at 1625. Missed the locos and first few cars. Had 2 empty pulpwood flats, 2 tank cars, 1 plastics hopper, a few sand hoppers and a string of used tie loads.

[SD80MAC]

Grand Elk 302 currently getting ready to head south from Moline after working Green Valley. WAMX 4125 and 4206 with a good 50-60 cars.

I thought 302 was the Kalamazoo-Elkhart Turn? When did it start moving north of K-Zoo?

Kept calling it 302 on the radio. I honestly don't remember which one is 302 or 303.

[~Z~]

GLC 399-395 are workimg south from Kalkaska as of 1300. They dropped a plastics car in the siding then ran soith to switch the Gas place. Earlier in the day a loaded center beam was dropped off at Walton. Perhaps a evening run to Traverse City?

Here's GLC392's photo of them at Fife Lake. Good spot GLC392 and CAT345C picked out: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=501514

[AANscaleRunner]

GLC returned the color tour passenger consist to Cadillac from Petoskey this afternoon around 1430. Currently spotted in North yard.

[~Z~]

Per TheVariance, there's a work truck and crane working on Michigan Shore north of North Yard in Muskegon, up near the power plant.