10 MPH K-zoo to G.R. ???

[Todd Cline]

I haven't seen the old GR&I/PRR/PC/CR/NS/GE line in a few years, but I have read that it is down to 10 MPH. I have to wonder why. It's all welded 132# rail, good ballast and ties, last I knew anyway. I know some of the bridges were getting shakey but why the 10 MPH restriction for the whole line? Seems to me it would be good for at least 40 in most areas. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Todd

[Bentrail]

The line from GRR TO KAZOO need tie work really bad the NS hasn't done it for a while.
The same hold true for Jackson to Lansing it only 10 mph to.

[CSX_CO]

Not sure if this has anything to do with it, but NS may have been angling to make it 'excepted track'. CSX did this on the Wabash Sub a few years before they sold it off. Basically, you tell the FRA that the track is so bad, and they reduce the requirements for inspection and upkeep. The owner than can write down the value of the track, and get a better tax break because of the decreased value of the track materials on it. With it come restrictions of no PIH and TIH cars, and no revunue passenger moves. Neither of which were a problem for the Wabash Sub south of Wellsboro.

Practice Safe CSX

[TSB]

I'm probably preaching to the chior for most of you but some may not
know FRA standards. A RR picks the standard to which they want to
be inspected. Class 4 (60 MPH freight) allows so many bad ties in a row
and so many per rail lengh, so much cross-level and so fourth. Class 3
(40 MPH) is a little less stringent in all measures. Class 2 (25 MPH) less
stringent still and Class 1 (10 MPH) is pretty trashy track. Below that,
"excepted track" has practically no standards except within 100 feet
of a bridge or crossing. A RR decides when their track deteriorates to
fix it or lower the Class.

So, 132 lb. rail doesn't necessarily make a track high speed but it does
seem a shame to let such a good asset go to hates.

The Class of track does not affect depreciation or anything other than
speed and inspection standards.

[CAT345C]

Isn't it every 4 tie needs to be good for straight track where its 10mph? and 24inches from a joint needs to have a good tie?

[chico]

Hi Everyone,

I'm a newbie here. Found this board last week, excited because even though I live in WI these days, growing up in W. Mich and having family there means I get back from time to time and its always interesting to scope out the RR scene as it constantly evolves.

Such was the case over the weekend past when I visited, on Monday I had some free time and found myself intercepting a Grand Elk "503" type train as it ran north to Wayland to the old Pet Milk plant to bring in corn syrup tankers. Power was NS, 5343 and 3069 and ran one unit on each end. After switching Wayland, the train came back to Plainwell and went on the old LS&MS spur to Otsego. It was way cool to watch a train with black engines come to the end of the industry track, the same one I used to watch NYC geeps switching 50 years ago. Even back then, the LS&MS branch ended just west of Otsego. But, in the NYC days, the line went all the way to Kalamazoo, paralleling the PRR GR&I line on the other side of the Kalamazoo River all the way to Kzoo. So, even though it's designated as an industry track now, there are 2 miles of LS&MS track still in use north of Kzoo. And of course, they get onto it via the BO secondary (exPRR) at Plainwell. I'm old enough to remember the diamond at Plainwell! There were permanently-lit red boards for the home signal on the LS&MS northward at the PRR then, but no tower.

On Mon., the train running north to Wayland had 2 10-mph slow orders, one north of Mill across the Gun River to MP 70ish, then another that ran from a few miles south of Wayland up to town. There was a lot of standing water along the line don't know if that played into the slow orders or if it was due to ties needing replacement.

I broke off my chase after shooting a few photos of the train on the Otsego Industrial. I'll post a few on this week's update of my website, http://www.heartlandrails.com (you can sign up for the update notifications on the home page)

plus a couple I uploaded to railpictures.net:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 10&nseq=23
and
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 05&nseq=28



The crew seemed friendly, though I left them alone and didn't engage as they had work to do but listing to the scanner I could detect a little unfamiliarity with the operation as the crew talked to the DS about authority on the Otsego Industrial while having authority between RC and MILL.

A pass by Botsford on my way out of town Tues. revealed no WAMX power, just NS. No signs were seen with NS or Grand Elk on it. Driving on I-94 westbound over the Pfizer lead (exPRR), a glance north revealed cars "on the main", so maybe they work that line on Tuesdays?

Good to find this list, gotta keep tabs on the old home turf..
Carry On,
Lilchico

[AARR]

Great report and pictures, chico. Thanks for taking the time to join and post here.

[SD80MAC]

Welcome chico. Last I checked, all the WAMX power was still in Grand Rapids.

[railohio]

Wow. Chico found us. Trainorders better watch out!

[Pete Mayor]

I have been an avid fan of Heartland Rails for a long time. Nice to see you here!

[J T]

Hi Everyone,

I'm a newbie here. Found this board last week, excited because even though I live in WI these days, growing up in W. Mich and having family there means I get back from time to time and its always interesting to scope out the RR scene as it constantly evolves.

Ray! Good to see you found this site. I doubt I'll be able to refer to you as "chico," though.

[chico]

Hi Everyone,

I'm a newbie here. Found this board last week, excited because even though I live in WI these days, growing up in W. Mich and having family there means I get back from time to time and its always interesting to scope out the RR scene as it constantly evolves.

Ray! Good to see you found this site. I doubt I'll be able to refer to you as "chico," though.

LOL, that's ok, chico is my monniker online, after the famous ATSF "lilchico" mascot, of course...

Got a report a Grand Elk train was about to depart Hugart last Fri. night at about 2130 so it looks like they are on the old GREL schedule...

Ray..I MEAN chico

[KLHaan]

This track section is now under the "Grand Elk R.R. sub-lease of the line from Grand Rapids to Elkhart, Ind.

At present the train I paced for a short distance south of Plainwell, Mi. was doing 35 mph. There are some slow orders posted, but other than an expected bridge work on the Kalamazoo River truss bridge and that over the Gun plains River at Plainwell, the remainder to the line is in good condition.

Norfolk Souther spent the last two summers doing tie replacement from Kazoo south and had a tamper and alignment equipment based in Kazoo for the same duration. (They tied up on the downtown Upjohn coaling siding for their steam plant.)

[UncleRaul]

Word is, Grand Elk is doing tie work to bring this track up to speed Hopefully the bill doesn't croak them.

Wonder if they have their eye on Jackson to Lansing? If they don't I think this route would make an interesting trial run for a commuter line. Just think: It's parallel to a busy commuter highway, it connects two fairly large cities, and it runs through at least one bedroom community.

Who knows.

[AARR]

I think there's enough business on the Lansing Secondary to keep a short line operator happy. But not enough for NS.

[J T]

Wonder if they have their eye on Jackson to Lansing? If they don't I think this route would make an interesting trial run for a commuter line. Just think: It's parallel to a busy commuter highway, it connects two fairly large cities, and it runs through at least one bedroom community.

Who knows.

Why would anyone from Lansing want to go to Jackson? And for that matter, why would anyone from Jackson want to go to Lansing?

[GTWFRED]

Don's right, NS wants out bad, Grand Elk could even pick up MORE business on the Lansing to Jackson branch with some good marketing. Also, the way they are tearing up US-127 every other month, a commuter line might actually succeed, with a little infrastructure work on that branch.

[Hogger1225]

Won't be any business on the Lansing Secondary if NS had their way. They're doing their darn now to dry it up.

[AARR]

I read MSU is adding some track to handle more coal. I'm afraid, if that's true, that'll dry up the coal NS deliveres to Mason that's trucked to MSU