Holly Sub. Been away for a while.

[GT Railfan]

Hey guys & galls! It's been a while since I have been on, been busy out on the water. Was just wondering if anything new has been happening on CN's Holly Sub? I don't make it to Waterfor/Pontiac much anymore. It's been about 4 years actually. Used to set up the shoot at CP west Pontiac and catch at least four - five trains a day. I might make it back down there before the next shipping season starts but just want to make sure I'll see something when down there...lol. If anyone knows anything, let me know Thanks. Bob

[SD80MAC]

Aside from today's derailment on the Flint sub between Durand and Port Huron, forcing everything the reroute via the Mt. Clemens and Holly subs, it's been very quiet the last few times I've been down there to fan. I'm not as up on CN as some of the other guys on here, but I think the only "regular" trains on the line are 489 and 490. They seem to have been running a few 251's lately (not sure if they're running 250's) and you can usually count on a 501 or 502. Granted, my observations are all north of Pontiac.

[GTWChris]

Around Pontiac:
489, 490, 502 and 451 normally run daily. 513, Pontiac to East Yard and return, runs daily as well. The local 950 works industries around Pontiac and will sometimes make trips to Moterm or East Yard. 540 and 500 will sometimes run between Pontiac and Flint or Flint to Pontiac. This has been happening about once a week. In addition 280, 766, 767 and 501 will run as needed.
Around Moterm:
104 and 204(2nd shift of 104) are the locals that work out of East Yard and work the industries around Moterm as well as on the Mt Clemens sub. 529 is an intermodal train that runs from Port Huron to Moterm and then returns lite back to Port Huron after dropping off their intermodal cars in Moterm. The four manifest, 513 and as needed trains also go through Moterm.

[GT Railfan]

Yeah I remember the 489, 490, 501, 451. It always seemed like there was an oddball numbered train that headed out of Pontiac every morning. It usually had 60-70 cars. It might be the 489 but I could be wrong. I always had the scanner going and every morning I'd be awaken by the tones bout 7am and the crew would pull down to Scott lame road for an air test, back into the yard and head north to Durand. It was ways the one train you were guaranteed to see. A while ago someone mentioned that they updated and took out some of the signals . Did the ones at Watkins Lk Rd get torn down or just replaced? And also, was the wooden trestle replaced at Hatchery Rd?

[Norm]

The bridge north of Hatchery Rd was replaced with a pre-stressed concrete ballast deck bridge in 2008. I got to photograph the operation, and froze my buns off doing so.

Thanks to the economic downturn, traffic has been very light on the Holly the past couple of years; a couple of manifests, some auto racks, and an occasional coal drag.

I moved to Durand in October, and traffic is picking up but it has been too cold to go to the depot and watch.

[odave]

A while ago someone mentioned that they updated and took out some of the signals . Did the ones at Watkins Lk Rd get torn down or just replaced?

The Watkins Lk Rd signals have a new mast but the heads are still all old searchlights.

The intermediates at Williams Lake Rd. and White Lake Rd. were updated to the new "vader" style.

The siding at Linden was removed in 2008 and a new style intermediate was placed at the Bridge Street crossing. Intermediates at Lahring Rd. and behind B-Dubs in Fenton were changed to single head searchlights.

[Robertrains]

GT Railfan, everything's been stated correctly! That is besides Amtrak! As you may know, there are three daily round-trips between Pontiac and Chicago! Lately trains 350/355 havde been using Superliners (I think they work better in the cold, I guess they only want this train to use them)! Also, I've seen "Cabbages" on 353 sometimes! The freights are better of course! Now "Everything" should be covered!

Now here are two pix I took (age 12) of trains on the Holly sub in 1995:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=2273231
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=2363823

More good GTW stuff in this album: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/archiv ... x?id=59615

I guess those pix from over 15 years ago are now the "Good Ole Days!" So much has changed, I miss the very busy Holly Sub of the 1990s! Train after train back then! At least there's still activity, the BNSF coal trains are nice!

[GT Railfan]

Robert, I totally agree that the 1990's were the "Good Old Days" on the holly. I looked at Your pictures and I must say very well done. Seeing those CV units brought back some memories. I remember in the late ninetys there was one or two that sat in the yard at Pontiac for quite a long time. I alsO remember one of the last DWP units that was used as extra power between Durand and Pontiac for a while before it was retired. One thing about fanning the GTW was you always got the chance to see different motive power. Thanks Everyone for the updates. I may have to make a trip down before the lakes open back up. Thanks everyone!