Central U.P. Friday

[peteynmu]

Friday about 2PM, Gladstone Yard had the usual line-up of afternoon trains. L-543 was tied-up awaiting departure at the north-end of the yard with CN SD50 #5455 for power, and the Gladstone Switch engine, CN SW1500 #1569, was tied-up along side it. I waited around for about a half hour waiting for something to move, but the only action was a trackmobile switching the rip-tracks and shops. The 2 trains would be pulling out soon after I left, though.

For cars around town, there were 2 boxcars at the Besse woodyard off the old N. Gladstone spur (1 UP, 1 CHTT). The UP car had been there about a week, but the other one just joined it. Also, there was a white propane tankcar at Ferrelgas on the Skelly Spur in Gladstone.

I got to Escanaba just as a loaded E-rail arrived off the Marinette sub. The train pulled through the 6-Yard and E & LS Jct. across town to the Ore Yard, so I caught them on the Y by the dumper. GCFX SD40-2's #6940 & 6915, and WC SD45 #7519 led 96 loaded DMIR orecars of Minorca pellets into town. They tied-up the train at the Ore Yard.

http://pete-jensen.fotopic.net/p26857705.html

SORE 1 north was awaiting departure at the Ore Yard as well. I remember this train leaving town about 10AM last summer, then about noon for a while. A 2PM departure from Escanaba seems more typical lately. L-539 south was approaching Escanaba from Sawyer, though, so I headed to Wells to catch them.

http://pete-jensen.fotopic.net/p26857708.html

CN SD40-2 #6132 was running long-hood first, with 8 hoppers of woodchips (5 ex-NP, 3 MWCX), 3 c-beam flats of lumber (2 AOK, 1 CN), and 5 empty pulpwood flats (AOK). The Arkansas & Oklahoma must be building a big freight-car fleet, as I see AOK cars quite a bit lately. L-539 pulled through the Y, and ran across town to the 6-Yard. They took the south main through the 5-Yard, and luckily I decided to go there for a picture that day. I haven't caught a train on any track besides the north main in the 5-Yard before.

http://pete-jensen.fotopic.net/p26857709.html

There was more news at the 5-Yard. The Escanaba Lumber Company is receiving logs by rail again. There has always been a stub-track alongside the north side of the yard by their sawmill, but I never saw logs or cars there before. 2 Besse flatcars were there Friday, both loaded still, and a small pile of logs was along the tracks as well.

http://pete-jensen.fotopic.net/p26857713.html

SORE 1 north departed Escanaba as soon as L-539 south cleared the north Y switch at Wells. I didn't bother with them much because it was mid-afternoon.

L-539 yarded their train at the 6-Yard, then ran light-engine back across town to tie-up the engine on the south-leg of the Y by the dumper.

L-543 headed out of Gladstone with 1 load & 45 empties, then I heard the Gladstone switch get a warrant following them between Gladstone & Ensign. The Gladstone switch was running to Rapid River & back, and they get the warrant to Ensign for head-room at Rapid River siding I assume. I don't know why L-543 didn't handle this work today.

I headed to Masonville. On the way, I noticed the tankcar at Ferrelgas in Gladstone was gone already. I caught the switch-job heading back to Gladstone from Rapid River with 2 empty pulpwood flats (AC). Somebody with a sawmill receives inbound sawlogs at Rapid River it appears. I got the switcher once more at the north-end of Gladstone Yard, then had to leave for an alumni pep band thing at the NMU hockey game.

http://pete-jensen.fotopic.net/p26857712.html

-Pete, MP-122