Durand MI again

[trainerd]

well here goes, before Amtrak in the morning, 1 or 2.
after Amtrak in the morning, as many as 3 CN.
Late morning, to late afternoon 1 GLC sb
Noonish till 4 H&E does their turn.
mid afternoon CN Flat Rock on the Holly
in the evening Amtrak and whatever is left, overnight.

NOTE: IF there's trackwork, all bets are off.
Note: Durand has been known to "fall asleep" after Amtrak goes thru in the morning.
You may not see anything for Several hours, it's just the way it works out.

At least you have signals at the diamond now.

[CSXBOY]

got it thank you we will get off at Clio

[GTW6401]

got it thank you we will get off at Clio

Its faster to exit at Bridgeport if your going to Frankenmuth. You also drive right past Junction Valley RR going that way.

[CSXBOY]

okay

[CSXBOY]

well here goes, before Amtrak in the morning, 1 or 2.
after Amtrak in the morning, as many as 3 CN.
Late morning, to late afternoon 1 GLC sb
Noonish till 4 H&E does their turn.
mid afternoon CN Flat Rock on the Holly
in the evening Amtrak and whatever is left, overnight.

NOTE: IF there's trackwork, all bets are off.
Note: Durand has been known to "fall asleep" after Amtrak goes thru in the morning.
You may not see anything for Several hours, it's just the way it works out.

At least you have signals at the diamond now.

I dont understand when I went to durand they said afternoons or early mornings are busier. Plus I saw on a youtube video in the morning there was only 5 trains and in the afternoon there was several. It was called a Day in the life at Durand Union station

[kckorienek]

You're overthinking this whole thing, and you're letting one day in a video dictate in your mind what every day should be, that isn't how the railroad functions. They function based off of when things are ready and when they have crews available. Think of this more like deer hunting; deer don't operate on a schedule, they don't have a watch on their hoof, look at it, and go "oh dang, it's 5:30, we have to walk under Jerry's stand, he is expecting us to be there so he can shoot one of us!" They operate when they see fit, and that is how the railroad is. Some days, we see 7 trains roll through Durand between 1pm and 4pm, and then the next day, we might see 2 trains in between 7am and 4pm. No one can predict how things will shake out, you just have to go, hope for the best, but be prepared for the possibility that you may go 4 hours without seeing anything. They deliberately run fewer trains during daytime so that MOW can get time to work, that is about the extent of a schedule that CN follows.

[Saturnalia]

I dont understand when I went to durand they said afternoons or early mornings are busier. Plus I saw on a youtube video in the morning there was only 5 trains and in the afternoon there was several. It was called a Day in the life at Durand Union station

Railfanning any freight line is NOT a good example of a scientific experiment. No matter how hard you try, you're never going to see the same results twice.

You could also compare it to fishing. Dunno what's down there until you try.

Or you could compare it to a baseball game. Could be a home run derby and the home team wins or a 1-0 home loss.

Or you could be Doktor No and see it as like watching clouds (see signature).

All and all, if you're not by the tracks you aren't gonna see trains. They travel a fixed path, so that's easy enough. Putting up with the schedule, or lack thereof, is just part of the hobby.

Good luck!

[J T]

Think of this more like deer hunting; deer don't operate on a schedule, they don't have a watch on their hoof, look at it, and go "oh dang, it's 5:30, we have to walk under Jerry's stand, he is expecting us to be there so he can shoot one of us!"

Best thing I've read on here in a while.

[tadman]

Worth also noting that CN determines a freight is "on time" if it's plus/minus an hour of the schedule. That means you have a two hour window that an on-time train will pass through somewhere. Given that not all freights are on-time, there's a chance it might be even more off the carded time.

Chasing freight on a branch, secondary, or short line is a bit tough if you don't know the area and have a lot of time to burn. I've lived near some secondaries and it took a while to know when to expect a train. Especially if there's no passenger schedule to work around (at one/day, you essentially don't have one to work around).

Good luck and keep doing your research, that will certainly help.

[CSXBOY]

Well guys things have changed alot for me. Me My brother my Grandma my Grandpa and my mom are thinking about ether going to fostoria Ohio or deshler Ohio for a day trip. Also I am not going to Wisconsin or Minnesota this summer. Also I am not going to La Plata MO to watch the southern transcon because I am going to Rochelle IL for the second and final time. Because of the New Quiet zone taking in effect soon and they are building a fence along the rail park pretty upset about those two things. So I want to get the last of Rochelle when I can. I may go to MN or WI in 2018 probably. I may also go to La Plata MO in 2017. Back to Durand MI I am hoping i can go to durand at least 10 times from now to September. It wont be a overnight thing for me just a day trip. Also I may do a chase this time of the Lake State Railway train 326 from Alpena to Harrisville or I may just go to my usual spot to catch which is Harrisville. I am also hoping to go to Bellevue Ohio and Attica Junction on a day this summer I am also hoping to go to Willard Ohio and Greenwich Ohio. Then in the fall I may go to Berea Ohio for a weekend and then go to the CVSR to see reading 2100 IF restoration is completed.

I dont really need any help about 326
I dont really need anymore help on Durand
I need some help about Rochelle and what things to do and getting to Rochelle IL from Livonia MI
I dont really need any help on Deshler Fostoria Bellevue Greenwich
I do need help about reading 2100 can someone give me a heads up when the reading 2100 pulls its first excursion like a month in advance so I can start looking at hotels

Thank you so much Graeme Case

[PatAzo]

I need some help about Rochelle and what things to do and getting to Rochelle IL from Livonia MI.

What to do in Rochelle. If you like setting and watching trains go by the park is nice. If your after photos there are decent views east and west of Rochelle once the area around the park gets boring. The Burlington Junction operates an MLW S13 (ex-CN) along with an EMD switcher. Their work is mostly south of Rochelle along BNSF and S. Canon Rd. They park them off Wiscold Drive. You might catch some new passenger equipment from Nippon Sharyo along S Canon too. Stay at the Diamond Inn if your there overnight.

What else to do? Go to Union and see the Illinois Railway Museum if you've got time.

Getting there from Livonia...5+ hours by car. I94 to I80 west. Drive wise I80 to I355 to I88 is best but has $11 in tolls each way. I80 to I39 and north to Rochelle is next best.

[CSXBOY]

Here is the Major problem last time i went to Rochelle. I had to go through Chicago IL taking 294 My mom did not like it AT ALL. How Much longer is taking interstate 80 to interstate 39? What time of the day on a Tuesday is good going through Chicago

We are going to the Rochelle railroad park for most of the time we are there. At our Hotel, we got a 2 bedroom suite with a kitchen and huge living space and we are going have Lunch in the hotel room. The reason why i am going to Rochelle is that the new quiet zone is going in effect soon and after the quiet zone is placed they are going to put fences.

Where is Burlington Junction I never heard of it looks interesting and I am also going to the Illinois railway museum one day., While I am there


How far away is Burlington Junction? We can drive withing 1 hour distance How many trains a day does it have


thanks Graeme Case

[Evan]

Here is the Major problem last time i went to Rochelle. I had to go through Chicago IL taking 294 My mom did not like it AT ALL. How Much longer is taking interstate 80 to interstate 39? What time of the day on a Tuesday is good going through Chicago

We are going to the Rochelle railroad park for most of the time we are there. At our Hotel, we got a 2 bedroom suite with a kitchen and huge living space and we are going have Lunch in the hotel room. The reason why i am going to Rochelle is that the new quiet zone is going in effect soon and after the quiet zone is placed they are going to put fences.

Where is Burlington Junction I never heard of it looks interesting and I am also going to the Illinois railway museum one day., While I am there


How far away is Burlington Junction? We can drive withing 1 hour distance How many trains a day does it have


thanks Graeme Case

Rather than interrogating people on here I suggest the following:
YouTube.
Google - For the location and then use maps for your distance and route questions.
Find websites.
Go to Rochelle and ask the locals - I'm willing to bet at least one has been there and can give you a good time to go.
As far as Durand is concerned, don't be let down by the lack of trains. There is no "best time" to go. The only thing you can do is burn a couple of days and let the trains come to you. One thing I don't care for about this site is there isn't a whole lot of posters on here near CN, most of the users of this site are Grand Rapids people which is OK, but this makes it a little more difficult to know where the CN trains are. But that also makes it more fun to catch them IMHO.
Basically, I suggest the guess and check method. Thats all you can do, and I speak from experience. I spent the better part of 10 years growing up in Durand during the summers and and on weekends. There is no set day that is the "best". The best by my checking were Friday, but I was also there in a 8am-9:30pm time frame. Hope this helped you a little.

[PatAzo]

Here is the Major problem last time i went to Rochelle. I had to go through Chicago IL taking 294 My mom did not like it AT ALL. How Much longer is taking interstate 80 to interstate 39? What time of the day on a Tuesday is good going through Chicago.

All things being equal I80 to I39 takes about 20 minutes longer. The stretch across the bottom of the Chicago area is busy but your stuck with that. Traffic will thin out when I80 splits from I294. I spent a summer commuting to Rochelle and never took 294.

Where is Burlington Junction I never heard of it looks interesting and I am also going to the Illinois railway museum one day., While I am there
How far away is Burlington Junction? We can drive withing 1 hour distance How many trains a day does it have.

The City of Rochelle owns the short line that switches most of the industry in Rochelle. This gives the shippers the opportunity to get better rates from UP and BNSF. Burlington Junction is the operator who contracts with the city to operate the railroad. Look on Google Maps and follow the BNSF east from the park. It will turn south along S Canon Rd in Rochelle. The BNSF will be on the west side of S. Canon. The track on the east side will be the Burlington Junction. They run a couple miles south of Rochelle to switch the ethanol plant and U.S. Silica. It's a day time operation.

[J T]

Here is the Major problem last time i went to Rochelle. I had to go through Chicago IL taking 294 My mom did not like it AT ALL. How Much longer is taking interstate 80 to interstate 39?

Do you know how to use google maps? The answer is there.

Also, if your mom doesn't like taking the shorter route on 294, tell her to get an iPass.

[PatAzo]

Google Maps will show mileage and at a given moment if traffic has slowed. What it doesn't tell you is what the roads are like to drive on. For example that even when 294 is moving 10-15 MPH above the speed limit that that all lanes can be full with cars cutting in and out of traffic. If that's what mom didn't like Google maps won't help.

[J T]

Google Maps will show mileage and at a given moment if traffic has slowed. What it doesn't tell you is what the roads are like to drive on. For example that even when 294 is moving 10-15 MPH above the speed limit that that all lanes can be full with cars cutting in and out of traffic. If that's what mom didn't like Google maps won't help.

You mean like every other highway during rush hour? I've driven on 294 dozens of times and it's never been any worse than any other highway in Michigan. Heck I-94 and I-80 have usually been worse.