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Eb manifest by 205 at 0015. 2 cn

Light power by 205 eb at 0026. 2 cn standard cab units. Both long hood forward. Second one was 9571. 10 axles total

They ran a 513 last night. It went SB out of Pontiac around 8 pm or so and passed MP 22.5 on its way back at 5 am. They did not run a 515 yesterday from what I saw.

396 by 205 at 0917. Moving pretty slow. Cn leading csx elephant style. A bunch of drill pipe and a brand new well in the mix.

While I was just in the other room trying to get my stream going again it sounded like maybe a 764 giving a mark up to desk 8 getting ready to leave battle creek. 2 units in the front and 1 pushing. Train will go in north 3 when there and a train master will be there to assist. Hes waiting for 396 to clear then it'll be on the move. 0925

What may have been 515 was SB past MP 22.2 at 9:55 am. Missed it but it sounded like the right kind of horn.

Amtrak 353 had a baggage car on the rear end today. Maybe this consist got mixed up with 350/355's over the weekend with the weather?

At 3 pm Train 371 is NB past MP 22.5 with a CN GE leading a CEGX lease unit and four (4) UP locomotives. Must have a slow order at Opdyke Road as he was crawling past my house but is now opening it up. I think most of the locomotives were working.

At 3:15 Train 515 was NB returning to Pontiac past MP 22.5 with 5930 again today and a longer train. It has been picking up a fair number of coiled steel cars at the CR exchange in Detroit most days lately and today was no exception. Wonder where they are going?

Amtrak 350 just went NB past MP 22.5 about an hour and a half late. It had two Genesis locomotives back to back pulling it and five coaches and no baggage car.

An all auto rack Train 280 went SB past MP 22.5 on the Holly at 4:50 pm with a single BNSF leading. Though I didn't see the tail end it sounded like there might have been a DPU locomotive shoving it, which would be a first for me on a 280 train.

Amtrak 352 is running two hours late tonight into Pontiac.

Looks like a 513 Local is running again tonight as a light engine, maybe 5930, just drifted south past MP 22.5 at 7 pm on the Holly.

Train 391 NB past MP 22.5 at 8:30 pm with two CN locomotives and a short train of empty centerbeams and many tank cars.

Tuesday started out with Amtrak 351 passing my house a few minutes late this morning. Then I heard but did not seen a SB following Amtrak, the first freight train of the day. Probably a late 116 or another 280 is my guess.

Two light locomotives went SB past MP 22.5 at 11:30 am. Just caught them before they were out of sight. Maybe one of those PTC test trains with a caboose in the middle? The trailing locomotive was a 5400.

Yes it was the PTC test train with what looked like the Algoma Cental caboose in the middle of the two locomotives. It just went flying NB past MP 22.5 at 1:14 pm

The Amtrak Website says Amtrak 350 is canceled today. That means 355 is too as no equipment for it in Pontiac without 350. What a way to run a railroad. Traditionally in bad and cold weather the passenger trains were the only reliable means of transportation, albeit probably running late.

Train 515 was returning to Pontiac with 5930 passing MP 22.5 at 4:45 pm.

As you probably saw in another spot on this website, no Amtrak trains in Michigan today. All canceled due to weather. So none on the Holly today for the first time since they started running to Pontiac in 1995. All Amtrak trains out of Chicago Union Station canceled too. Just as an aside, a few years ago we woke up to it being minus 17 degrees out here in Pontiac. I rode Amtrak 350 to Kalamazoo that morning. It left on time and had no troubles except a frozen switch (the wrong way) somewhere along the line. That was the only delay (though it was about an hour delay). The temperature in the cars was fine and all doors and toilets worked in the coaches. The trip back to Pontiac that afternoon was fine too and that return train had the Superliners that day.

Manistique wrote:As you probably saw in another spot on this website, no Amtrak trains in Michigan today. All canceled due to weather. So none on the Holly today for the first time since they started running to Pontiac in 1995. All Amtrak trains out of Chicago Union Station canceled too. Just as an aside, a few years ago we woke up to it being minus 17 degrees out here in Pontiac. I rode Amtrak 350 to Kalamazoo that morning. It left on time and had no troubles except a frozen switch (the wrong way) somewhere along the line. That was the only delay (though it was about an hour delay). The temperature in the cars was fine and all doors and toilets worked in the coaches. The trip back to Pontiac that afternoon was fine too and that return train had the Superliners that day.

I was listening to ns on the radio while I was around porter last night and it sounded like they had a fleet of track people out trying to keep things going. Would this be the first day the Jackson station would be closed or does it not count since the train was canceled but the service is still in place. I know Jackson is the longest continually operating passenger station in the country.

KC8RBK wrote:

Manistique wrote:As you probably saw in another spot on this website, no Amtrak trains in Michigan today. All canceled due to weather. So none on the Holly today for the first time since they started running to Pontiac in 1995. All Amtrak trains out of Chicago Union Station canceled too. Just as an aside, a few years ago we woke up to it being minus 17 degrees out here in Pontiac. I rode Amtrak 350 to Kalamazoo that morning. It left on time and had no troubles except a frozen switch (the wrong way) somewhere along the line. That was the only delay (though it was about an hour delay). The temperature in the cars was fine and all doors and toilets worked in the coaches. The trip back to Pontiac that afternoon was fine too and that return train had the Superliners that day.

I was listening to ns on the radio while I was around porter last night and it sounded like they had a fleet of track people out trying to keep things going. Would this be the first day the Jackson station would be closed or does it not count since the train was canceled but the service is still in place. I know Jackson is the longest continually operating passenger station in the country.

I do not recall all passenger trains canceled on the Michigan Line since at least 1975. They may run late or not make it but they tried. I bet they have never been flat out canceled before, ever. So as to your question, if it was up to me I would say it still is an open operating station, just no trains today. And no precedent to say otherwise in this situation.

Before I was a railfan, my wife's grandmother was coming home from Chicago on Penn Central in a blizzard. This was probably 1973 or so I offered to pick her up at the MC Station in Detroit. They let me drive my 65 Mercury right into the train shed and wait for its arrival there. The train was hours late but it arrived. I still remember the old PC E-unit covered with snow pulling the train into the shed finally, looking pretty proud that it got the job done once again. Never a doubt.

Train 515 with 5930 SB past MP 22.5 at 9:20 am with one boxcar.

PTC Test Train with ACR caboose SB flying right behind 515 at 9:30 am.

PTC Test Train NB past MP 22.5 at 10:57 am. There is a 5600 or 5700 SD75 that usually leads and SD60 5463 trailing. They must wye it at Milwaukee Junction.

Manistique wrote:

KC8RBK wrote:

Manistique wrote:As you probably saw in another spot on this website, no Amtrak trains in Michigan today. All canceled due to weather. So none on the Holly today for the first time since they started running to Pontiac in 1995. All Amtrak trains out of Chicago Union Station canceled too. Just as an aside, a few years ago we woke up to it being minus 17 degrees out here in Pontiac. I rode Amtrak 350 to Kalamazoo that morning. It left on time and had no troubles except a frozen switch (the wrong way) somewhere along the line. That was the only delay (though it was about an hour delay). The temperature in the cars was fine and all doors and toilets worked in the coaches. The trip back to Pontiac that afternoon was fine too and that return train had the Superliners that day.

I was listening to ns on the radio while I was around porter last night and it sounded like they had a fleet of track people out trying to keep things going. Would this be the first day the Jackson station would be closed or does it not count since the train was canceled but the service is still in place. I know Jackson is the longest continually operating passenger station in the country.

I do not recall all passenger trains canceled on the Michigan Line since at least 1975. They may run late or not make it but they tried. I bet they have never been flat out canceled before, ever. So as to your question, if it was up to me I would say it still is an open operating station, just no trains today. And no precedent to say otherwise in this situation.

Before I was a railfan, my wife's grandmother was coming home from Chicago on Penn Central in a blizzard. This was probably 1973 or so I offered to pick her up at the MC Station in Detroit. They let me drive my 65 Mercury right into the train shed and wait for its arrival there. The train was hours late but it arrived. I still remember the old PC E-unit covered with snow pulling the train into the shed finally, looking pretty proud that it got the job done once again. Never a doubt.

It wasn't that many years ago I remember people flocking to the rail during bad storms because even when planes were grounded and buses couldn't get around on the highway the trains always made it through. Like you said they might be late but they always made it with a sense of pride. In many aspects of society though pride is no more along with a work ethic. I'm sure the decision makers are privy to information we aren't. There's a lot of money involved in a tough decision and someone will be unhappy no matter what.

2 meeting at mill, 933 on the service waiting for a light 1052

Q116 stopped at mill waiting on maintainer to fix a crossover issue 1112

With high temperature of -14 in Chicago today, low of -24 tonight and wind chill as low as -45, I'll give Amtrak the benefit of the doubt on this one.

PTC Test Train SB by Mount Clemens depot at 10:50. CN/GTW caboose 79197/CN.

Man o' War

Train 371 flying NB past MP 22.5 with a long train and two UP units leading GTW 6223 (which was working too). I guess no speed restrictions in the cold weather. I thought they had them when the temp was below 0 or something (minus 3 here right now).

CN PTC Test Train NB through MOUNT siding at 14:10.

Man o' War

That Train 116 that KCR8BK OS'ed earlier today just went flying SB past MP 22.5 at 2:25 pm with a BCRail red and white cowl unit leading a CN. Short rain with as much mixed freight on the headend as containers on the rear.

And a couple minutes later, at 2:29 pm, Train 515 with 5930 went NB at 60 mph with snow swirling everywhere on its way back to Pontiac with a short train.

399 by 205 at 1447. Didn't see the power. Had my hands full of wires and didn't get to the window fast enough