Detroit and Trains

[Stitch]

Not sure if anyone knows anything about this location but can you tell me who owns the line CN, CSX, or NS? I'm guessing CN but not sure. Is the line busy? Or a real ZZZZ? It runs north/south possible viewing sight Schoolcraft and Stansbury St I think Detroit/Redford area.

This same line cross's the Lodge Fwy double tracked with a third branch running into what looks like a factory. The google map makes it look like this branch is pretty much not in use. Any idea what factory this is now and what it was when the tracks might have been used?

[SDavey]

The trackage is the Former Detroit Terminal Railroad Company. Norfolk Southern uses the western end of this trackage South of Plymouth Road and into Dearborn ending near P Company Junction on the CSX, but I believe only local service remains along that route, running as needed.

The Former DTRR tracks running east from that location have been removed or have been inactive for many years. The right of way will parallel Lyndon Street or Oakman Blvd into Highland Park, and continue to Mound Road right there behind the Prison. I am not 100% sure if the tracks remain in place but the ROW is still there with some portions of this route not seeing traffic on it in over 10 years I would estimate.

Norfolk Southern still uses DTRR trackage on the eastside of Detroit with trains based out of North Yard to serve the Chrysler Plants along Mack and East Jefferson Avenues, but I believe they mainly operate those trains as needed during the overnight hours.

[sd70accsxt700]

Steve none of that is NS, that is all CR, Shared Assets, it may have NS power, and CSX, but it is all CR. I believe the job to Michigan Ave connector is a LV?? (Livernois job), not sure about the one out to P company, It is either a LV, or a RR (River Rouge)

[trainjunkie47]

The tracks west of Mound were removed completely about 10 years ago. The only sign the track ever existed going across Oakland is the distinctive patch of asphalt where the crossing once was and the fenceline.

[J T]

Speaking of Mound Rd., does anyone remember the derailment just east of there over 696 about 8-10 years ago? I remember seeing a picture in the paper of a hopper (IIRC) hanging over the side of the bridge and down on to the freeway. Must have been the mid to late 90's. Which line was that?

[sd70accsxt700]

That was on the CN, I want to say the Mt. Clemons sub, but mabey the Holly.

[AARR]

It was CN's Mt. Clemens Sub. Their bridge over I696 is just west of Groesbeck Ave.

[trainjunkie47]

It was a broken axle that caused that derailment if I remember correctly. The covered hopper was hanging on by the coupler of the next car and the edge of the bridge. It almost went down onto the roadway.

[SDavey]

A covered hopper and two tank cars ended up falling onto the freeway. Its amazing that they didnt hit any automobiles since the derailment happened during rush hour.

[M.D.Bentley]

There are 2 jobs out of Conrails Livernois yard that use the new connector to the CSX. LV-4 (days) works the Highland Park Industrial track, also called Terminal West. They only go as far as Clover Drive which is the location of the Frazer passing track. The LV-35 (afternoons) takes care of Dearborn Steel & Kenwal Steel and get there via a switch at Michigan Ave. also the former site of a tower and a set 8 diamonds (Detroit Terminal & C&O). On the other end coming out of Conrails North yard the track goes as far as McDougall st. They still serve Winston Bros. Scrap and Alpa Resins. The track between McDougell and Clover Drive, was removed from service about 5 years ago. The former Detroit Terminal track from C.P. North Yard to the east towards Mack yard sees daily trains ( MY-2, MY-6, MY-31,MY-79 ) and the belt line extention ( NY-5 ) sees trains a few days a week to service the 6 customers left.

[SDavey]

Ok so this has me asking a few questions now.

1) I assume that Clover Drive is Cloverlawn Street along the Highland Park Industrial Track.

2) Do the jobs going down to Chrysler on East Jefferson operate during the day because most of the time ive spotted those trains has been under the cover of darkness. This is one few lines in the city itself I dont have photos of yet.

3) Is this belt line extention the trackage that goes down near the old Packard plant on East Grand Blvd. near Mt. Elliott.

[M.D.Bentley]

1 ) Could be ? Located 2 blocks from Livernois & Lyndon. 2 ) The MY-2 (8am) starts out of Mack yard with cars from the yard and heads to North yard & bring cars back. The MY-6 (6:30am) switches the two PVS plants at Harper as well as TDSI on the other side of Jefferson ave. & Nortru / Phillip Environmental. The MY-31 (3pm) transfers cars from Mack to North yard. The MY-79 (11pm) fills the docks at the Chrysler plant & does some switching. 3) Yes. and ends at Theodore ave.

[pfs]

Not sure if anyone knows anything about this location but can you tell me who owns the line CN, CSX, or NS? I'm guessing CN but not sure. Is the line busy? Or a real ZZZZ? It runs north/south possible viewing sight Schoolcraft and Stansbury St I think Detroit/Redford area.

This same line cross's the Lodge Fwy double tracked with a third branch running into what looks like a factory. The google map makes it look like this branch is pretty much not in use. Any idea what factory this is now and what it was when the tracks might have been used?

Schoolcraft and Stansbury is defiantly Highland Park Industrial/West Belt. And by your description of 2 tracks running over a freeway with a third going into a "factory", I am guessing that is the location south of Schoolcraft and Stansbury . If so the freeway is I-96. Based on this assumption I am guessing you are talking about here:

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&F ... &encType=1



Conrail ZTS 1985 and 1995 lists this as A&P (warehouse) with capacity for 4 and 15 cars on two spurs (all inside). Also bordering the warehouse on the north (and now per sat images on the west too), with 2 spurs as well, is a scrap business listed as Robinson Metals in 1985 ZTS and 1997 (shared assets) but listed as Industrial Recycling Svc. in 1995 ZTS.
HP Industrial is single track here now, not sure when it was pulled up but in 97 the 'second track' was listed as "Browns Pass" in Shared Assets.


Of course I could be wrong and you are talking about where the track crosses the Lodge right after 12th (Rosa Parks) if so please correct me. (but that is a single track bridge)

I will post ZTS scans as I am doing them now and researching HP industrial for a layout. Which I will be asking a bunch of questions on here as well.

[hoborich]

I worked at Oak Yard in the late 60s, and that track went east from Oak yard to Highland park, and interchanged with the Union Belt around Shaefer and Fullerton. There were several tracks east of southfield, and I recall taking my car over that way many times to get a list of the cars stored east of Southfield. There used to be three or four tracks, between Southfield and Greenfield, and the Union Belt and the Detroit Terminal would deliver interchange to us on those tracks. We also sent some produce east out of Oak yard that way in the mornings. Oak Yard was then Chesapeake and Ohio, which owned The Union Belt. It used to be a busy place, when Detroit was the fifth largest city in the country.
The tracks west of Oak went to Plymouth, and around a wye southeast to Rougemere. The former Oak Yard is now the CP Intermodal Terminal. The CP trains leave around the wye and head east through Rougemere to Delray. No idea what goes east from Southfield on the old Detroit Terminal tracks today. That's pretty much of a deserted wasteland through there today.

[sd70accsxt700]

Actually Oak yard is not CP. It is still CSX. CSX preforms the switching for the CP intermodal part, (ie. building and breaking up). There is still 15 or so tracks back there for CSX switching, and to service the customers on the line. Also X508 & 509 run to the Michigan Ave. Connection and down the CR to the tunnel, have not run via Rouge after the new connection.

[Stitch]

Not sure if anyone knows anything about this location but can you tell me who owns the line CN, CSX, or NS? I'm guessing CN but not sure. Is the line busy? Or a real ZZZZ? It runs north/south possible viewing sight Schoolcraft and Stansbury St I think Detroit/Redford area.

This same line cross's the Lodge Fwy double tracked with a third branch running into what looks like a factory. The google map makes it look like this branch is pretty much not in use. Any idea what factory this is now and what it was when the tracks might have been used?

Schoolcraft and Stansbury is defiantly Highland Park Industrial/West Belt. And by your description of 2 tracks running over a freeway with a third going into a "factory", I am guessing that is the location south of Schoolcraft and Stansbury . If so the freeway is I-96. Based on this assumption I am guessing you are talking about here:

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&F ... &encType=1



Conrail ZTS 1985 and 1995 lists this as A&P (warehouse) with capacity for 4 and 15 cars on two spurs (all inside). Also bordering the warehouse on the north (and now per sat images on the west too), with 2 spurs as well, is a scrap business listed as Robinson Metals in 1985 ZTS and 1997 (shared assets) but listed as Industrial Recycling Svc. in 1995 ZTS.
HP Industrial is single track here now, not sure when it was pulled up but in 97 the 'second track' was listed as "Browns Pass" in Shared Assets.


Of course I could be wrong and you are talking about where the track crosses the Lodge right after 12th (Rosa Parks) if so please correct me. (but that is a single track bridge)

I will post ZTS scans as I am doing them now and researching HP industrial for a layout. Which I will be asking a bunch of questions on here as well.

Its been awhile since I looked this up but yes that is the area I-96 the google map I could swear showed it as dould tracked..

[pfs]

Its been awhile since I looked this up but yes that is the area I-96 the google map I could swear showed it as dould tracked..

I saw that last night as well, on ms maps its now single tracked but its still double on terra server.

http://terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?T ... 9&Z=17&W=1

I will get around to posting those scans soon, promise.

[hoborich]

I have noticed a CSX loco in Oak yard, and usually two CP road locos on the south side of the I-96 freeway, waiting for their train. You need a program to keep up these days.