CSXT SD60I #8750 by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
This was, at the time, the last Conrail blue SD60I on CSX. I missed it leading Q335 into town, but was able to run down to the yard on a quiet Saturday afternoon to find it sitting at the west end. 9/23/2007
Working Durand by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
A490 works Durand Yard with an SD60F and an IC SD70. CN could put together some truly unique consists back then. 4/10/2010
Busy on the B&O by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
While not the most scenic of locales, the junction of CSX's former B&O and C&O mainlines with NS's former Nickel Plate in Fostoria has always been a busy spot, especially back then. West-bound intermodal Q135 lead by a former Conrail SD60M is bearing down on the NS diamonds as S386 rolls by on main 2. 9/18/2010
Evening 327 by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Working its way through the dip between 36th and 32nd streets, Q327 arrives into Grand Rapids on a beautiful spring evening. 5/29/2009
Wobbly by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Most of the kids hating on the current crop of CSX Heritage Units are too young to have been around when UP unveiled theirs. People HATED these things. I always thought they were a fun take on a "new meets old" modern interpretation of the classic schemes. Here is my only photo of UP 1983, sandwiched in the middle of a UP freight at Nelson. UP #8008, the Boob Unit, was on the head end of this train and we were more excited to see that, because we are 12. 5/22/2016
The Curve at Palmer Lake by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
One of the most picturesque spots on the Joint Line (and there are many) is Palmer Lake. Here a south-bound coal train is seen heading into the curve behind an AC4400 and a 70MAC. 7/10/2010
New Glass by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
GLLX 1512 shows off its new cab glass as it and 921 warm up for a night of work. The little ex Trunk SW1200 also recently got a much-needed power washing. 8/17/2023
Here Comes The J by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Elgin, Joliet & Eastern SDM #804 ventures out of Kirk Yard and into Pine Yard to interchange with Norfolk Southern. The former Missabe SDMs were often seen working around Kirk either as switchers or hump power. 6/14/2006
Sprinkle Road by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Southern Pacific #4449 is seen from the Sprinkle road overpass in Kalamazoo as the train works its way east on the Michigan Line. The Daylight was nearing the end of its 2,000+ mile long journey from Portland, OR to Owosso, MI. 7/19/2009
Elkhart Inbound by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
A pair of now non-existent NS motors lead 17M into Elkhart yard and past my vantage point on a flat car at the National New York Central RR Museum. 10/2/2010
Crusty Leader by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Q326 is making its way east from Grand Rapids behind an SD40-2, SD50-3, and a 3GS21B. The Gensets were assigned to the Detroit area but always came to Grand Rapids for servicing. 3/19/2010
Ship 'em Out by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Pioneer power in the form of NW2 #100 and GP9 #908 sit at the west end of 35 track in Wyoming Yard under a gloomy winter sky. The vintage EMDs were in transit to new homes after the sale of the West Michigan RR to Hamilton Hartford Group. The #908 went to another Pioneer railroad down south, while #100 went to their shops in Illinois and has since been scrapped, I believe. 1/31/2016
Ex Con @ Pine by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
A west-bound CSX freight approaches Pine Junction on the Barr Sub behind a CW40-8-SD70AC duo. 7/14/2006
Watching The Shove by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
M326's conductor protects the shove as the crew turns their pair of GEs on the Sunnyside Wye in Grand Rapids. 8/3/2023
Looking Down by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
A trio of Union Pacific SD70Ms (the leader being an ex SP unit) wind their way along South Boulder Creek with a freight. The former Rio Grande "Mainline Through The Rockies" definitely lives up to its name through here. 7/19/2010
Ready for the Cannonball by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
The crew is backing MMRR #3836 and GR #3839 down onto what will become that evening's Cannonball (Z627 on CSX) to Holland and back. At the time the Michigan Shore in Muskegon employed 2 daylight crews plus a night crew, and had 5 locomotives. Today 1 day crew handles everything with 2 locomotives. 7/24/2007
Milford Jct by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
The old position lights still guarded the crossing of NS's Marion Branch with CSX's Garret Sub during this visit in the fall of 2011. Q147 is seen about to hit the diamond behind a pair of Dash 8s. These former Pennsy signals were transplanted from an abandoned line by Conrail in the 80s. 11/12/2011
Flange Squeal by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
An SD70M-2 and a Dash 9 ease around the Hi Wye in Durand. The train will shortly back around the Port Huron Wye and into Durand Yard to do some work before coming around both wyes again to continue its journey west. With 3 wyes in town, trains can work Durand Yard from any direction, though these days only 1 CN train regularly does. 7/25/2009
A Remote Encounter by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
During our trip to the Twin Ports and Iron Range, my friends and I decided we would attempt to go after Cliffs Northshore Mining operation. Operating in some very remote territory and with limited public access to the line, this railroad has run in relative obscurity compared to the other ore haulers in the region. Armed with some solid intel as to when they would be running, we went to the MN 2 overpass, and we waited. And waited. It rained, it was foggy, and the mosquitos were out for blood. After about an hour and 45 minutes, we were starting to wonder if we had missed it. Finally, a distant horn, and a few moments later, the 11 AM crude ore loads came slowly into view. Simultaneously, the rain tapered off, and the sun showed itself for the first time in a few hours. It all added up to a very nice view of NSM's recently purchased SD70ACes, leaning into the curve with dynamics whining as the heavy train worked downhill towards Silver Bay. 6/10/2023
Adolph by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
U717 snakes through the switches at Adolph with a train full of taconite. 6/9/2023
Air & Rail by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
A United Airlines Airbus is lined up on the approach to GRR as Q326 rumbles across the Thornapple River. 6/12/2010
Evening Reflections by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Mid Michigan #24 sits at the west end of the "yard" at Malta during a rare night run on the Grand Rapids Eastern. The crew had just arrived with 50 empty bethgons for storage, and were now formulating a plan on how to best get them shoved up to the end of the line. As one can see, every light on #24 worked. 6/23/2009
Pitt Junction by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
M371's conductor is about to climb aboard again as the train prepares to resume its journey north/west at Pitt. The trainmaster (who's Trailblazer is seen in the weeds) had given the conductor a ride during their work in Durand. The former BC Rail Dash 8 leader still had it's K5L at the time, and man did it sound good! 9/7/2012
Not Quite, CSX by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
GLLX #4428 sits on the West Michigan interchange in Hartford this past winter. The engine was specifically turned in Owosso so that it would be facing east upon its arrival in Hartford, but the crew on the train bringing it to Grand Rapids decided to spin their engines upon arrival, without setting out 4428. So the engine was picked up again the following day, brought back to GR, spun, and brought back to Hartford. It saw a brief return to service on the WMI before being sidelined again with generator problems. 3/2/2023
500 by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
A single ES44AC takes a typical X500 consisting of intermodal and autoracks east on the Plymouth Sub during the final year of the train's operation on CSX in Michigan. While the SOO SD60s and CP SD40-2s that showed up on this train occasionally were always great to see, but power like this was far more common. 3/19/2010
NS C39-8 #8212 by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Time was just about up for NS's fleet of C39-8s when I saw this one trailing on an east-bound freight at Horseshoe Curve during the summer of 2006. NS wound up with the largest fleet of these distinctive hump-backed, round-roofed GEs, amassing a decent number of their own before getting more from the Conrail split. This was the only one I ever saw in Conrail blue. 7/23/2006
Tilting Target by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
LSRC #1177 tip-toes through Foss Junction, passing the old tilting target that guarded the diamond here. I believe this junction was originally Pere Marquette and Detroit & Mackinac, but I'm not certain. #1177 is now #4304. 9/9/2011
WSOR MP15AC #1505 by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Freshly-acquired from Canadian Pacific, this former Milwaukee Road "Bandit" MP15AC was lettered for new owner Wisconsin & Southern at NRE's shop in Dixmoor, IL. 1/3/2008
Haskell by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
X397 approaches the Highway 421 crossing with a trio of EMDs as the train knocks down the signal at Haskell. 4/3/2022
Now It's All Gone by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
The Michigan Shore crew is busy swapping empty boxcars for loaded ones at Sappi Fine Paper Co, viewed from the very end of the ex Pere Marquette South Horn branch. Today, the paper plant is demolished, and these tracks are being removed as of late summer 2023. 8/21/2008
Heritage in Flint by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
It's around 5 pm as Flint-Flat Rock local L508 is in the process of quadrupling up their train out of the south yard at CN's Bristol Yard in Flint. Two pairs of SD70M-2s have been in the regular rotation for L508 and its counterpart L507 as of late, one of which includes CN #8952, the GTW unit. Knowing the big blue 70 would be leading L508 this day, Mr. Hall and I made a special trip across the state to catch it on "home rails". 9/10/2023
CN SD40-2W #5340 by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
Looking a bit worse for the wear, veteran SD40-2W #5340 rests between assignments at CN's Bristol Yard in Flint. I always liked the short-lived North America scheme that many of these wore. Photo taken with permission. 9/10/2023
DC Trio by
Jonathon Leese, on Flickr
While not as common as they once were, CN's "newer" DC power continues to work off the revenue miles for the time being. Here we see a pair of SD70Is bracketing a Dash 9 on M399, working through the curve just west of Lapeer. 9/10/2023