Shortlines Train Locations Updates - April 2024

[~Z~]

Grand Elk north through Byron Center at 2:53pm. WAMX 4190, WAMX 4124 (both facing north) with 32 cars. Mostly covered hoppers and tank cars, a few boxcars, 2 loaded lumber centerbeams, and some open gons.

[~Z~]

Grand elk south through Byron Center at 6:40pm. Reversed the locos, 4190 leading 4124 LHF with about 25ish cars.

[Andy24]

Yet again, I was late by 20 minutes and got trackside after the train passed. I’m seeing what looks like 2 boxcars on the Padnos spur track / siding south of 44th St and north of 50th St Gordon Food Services Truck depots. Probably delivered by Grand Elk 303 or another local

[SD80MAC]

Yet again, I was late by 20 minutes and got trackside after the train passed. I’m seeing what looks like 2 boxcars on the Padnos spur track / siding south of 44th St and north of 50th St Gordon Food Services Truck depots. Probably delivered by Grand Elk 303 or another local

303 does not switch any industries north of Moline.

[~Z~]

Grand elk north through Byron Center at 9:15am. Wamx 4124, 4190 and 17ish cars, mostly covered hoppers and boxcars.

[rsinoms]

Z151 SB restricting Sunnyside, MQT 3391 leading @ 9:53a.

[~Z~]

Grand Elk back south through Byron Center at 12:37pm. WAMX 4190 and WAMX 4124 (both LHF) with 15ish cars.

[kd_1014]

GRE heading east in GR 07:58

[kd_1014]

GRE already westbound thru Ada at 09:41. Lots of King empties.

[Plannerdad]

GRE already westbound thru Ada at 09:41. Lots of King empties.

I missed the EB, but I didn’t see many loads in the yard last evening.

[Andy24]

GRE already westbound thru Ada at 09:41. Lots of King empties.

I missed the EB, but I didn’t see many loads in the yard last evening.

Lite power for GRE this morning

[Dowagiac Train Dude]

10:15am Grand Elk is on the Elkhart VR cam at the moment waiting to get clearance from dispatch to continue on to Kalamazoo.

@10:37am The Grand Elk just went by the Elkhart VR cam heading back to Kalamazoo with WAMX 4189 and WAMX 4209 leading 34 cars. It consisted of covered hoppers, tank cars, two loaded center beams and four NS hopper cars, 3 of them were High Top hoppers.

There was a lot of train action going on at this time so if you are interested you can go back and watch the VR cam. Between the first post and the updated post there were 3-4 freight trains and the NS local job that interchanges with the Elkhart & Western.

Thanks for highlighting this, as it was fun to scroll back and see several minutes of quick action, along with the variety of a local (which needed its absent caboose today it would seem), and, of course, the Elk heading for Michigan. Those 4 NS hoppers you mentioned, another small cut of what appear to be Coke loads. I’m still not sure where those are going….interchanged to Michigan Southern at White Pigeon maybe? They do a lot of trans loading of various cargos. The empty NS hoppers go to Hughart for outbound glass cullet loading.

You are welcome, I am glad that you had the chance to watch the good train action that was going on at that time. Thank you for all the info that you provided in your comment as well. I have been wondering where the coke was going also.

[Dowagiac Train Dude]

@10:17am The Grand Elk was seen on the Elkhart VR cam waiting as the NS local cleared the tracks the Elk uses to head back to Kalamazoo. After the local cleared the Grand Elk headed back to Kalamazoo with WAMX 4189 and WAMX 4209 leading 39 cars. A mix of box cars, covered hoppers, tank cars and three loaded NS hopper cars, one of them was a High Top hopper.

[Plannerdad]

GRE already westbound thru Ada at 09:41. Lots of King empties.

I missed the EB, but I didn’t see many loads in the yard last evening.

18 from King WB over the River at 10:30a.

[~Z~]

Grand Elk north through Byron Center at 12:25pm. WAMX 4009 with 2 tank cars and 3 boxcars. Been a couple months since I've seen 4009 stroll by.

[Talk]

MS Z627-26 os Grand Haven 13:11. MMRR 2170 lead heading NORTH

[1TrackMind]

Yet again, I was late by 20 minutes and got trackside after the train passed. I’m seeing what looks like 2 boxcars on the Padnos spur track / siding south of 44th St and north of 50th St Gordon Food Services Truck depots. Probably delivered by Grand Elk 303 or another local

303 does not switch any industries north of Moline.

They switch zeeland lumber, padnos and magic steel if they have cars for them.

[SD80MAC]

You sure? I've only ever seen the yard jobs switch those spots.

[1TrackMind]

You sure? I've only ever seen the yard jobs switch those spots.

Yes I'm sure.

[Andy24]

You sure? I've only ever seen the yard jobs switch those spots.

Yes I'm sure.

Sometimes when I hear Grand Elk 303 heading northbound from Bryon Center, I would sometimes hear the horns at 68th St if the wind blows in the right direction then stop right before 54th St. Then I would hear blowing horns again at 54th than stopping before 44th St. Any horns after 44th St is too far for me to hear from my house