Question about Grand Rapids railfanning

[David Collins]

I’m visiting GVSU next Friday and I’ll have some time to kill after, my mom says I can go railfanning once the tour is over I just wanna know if anyone knows of any good spots that are close to GR on the CSX and what trains I could expect in the afternoon/evening on a Friday. Also, what are the scanner frequencies for around Grand Rapids? Thanks!

[J T]

Downtown campus or Allendale?

[David Collins]

Downtown campus or Allendale?

Allendale iirc

[~Z~]

Well, you know the CSX update thread, so if you see anything about Q326 coming to GR or D700 returning to GR, head to somewhere in Grandville to watch them. Otherwise, park on Oakland St to see most of the comings/goings from Wyoming Yard. https://goo.gl/maps/K6tK68TVCDJwQhDg9
Frequencies: 160.230, 160.320,160.635 for CSX, 161.235 for GRE in case they are still running, 160.335 and 161.535 for Grand Elk, 160.440 for Marquette Rail.

[David Collins]

Well, you know the CSX update thread, so if you see anything about Q326 coming to GR or D700 returning to GR, head to somewhere in Grandville to watch them. Otherwise, park on Oakland St to see most of the comings/goings from Wyoming Yard. https://goo.gl/maps/K6tK68TVCDJwQhDg9
Frequencies: 160.230, 160.320,

Thank you! I just don’t know where these locations are when it comes to mileposts, so if anyone could clarify that, it’d be great.

[kd_1014]

I've heard downtown Allendale is a pretty nice hot spot

[donnieland]

downtown allendale, park on north or south side of m45 ( lake michigan drive )
and watch all the cars and truck traffic go by

[J T]

I've heard downtown Allendale is a pretty nice hot spot

Hot babes everywhere!

[~Z~]

Thank you! I just don’t know where these locations are when it comes to mileposts, so if anyone could clarify that, it’d be great.

http://www.multimodalways.org/docs/rail ... 1-2005.pdf

Pages 46, 52, and 67 would be most helpful to you. That's the Grand Rapids Sub, Grand Rapids Terminal Sub, and Ludington Sub pages.

[donnieland]

david
p371 and 327 normally will be by grandville by 900a,
700 wb has been approx 1100a to 100p, return has been after dark
when they go west of holland.
lately 326 eb has been from 1230p to 430p lately depending on barr departure
y121 out of waverly only will go to zeeland when they have work there,
empties and loads to the plant run as needed
the oval at judd is at the east end of wyoming yard could be a good spot, but that could have piles of snow in the way
could see y106, z151, and the elk transfer there along with 705 and 706 ( 706 is a am departure and 705 has been a pm
departure out of rougemere )

[David Collins]

Thank you so much everyone! Keep an eye out on the trip reports section

[Tom49801]

I’m visiting GVSU next Friday and I’ll have some time to kill after, my mom says I can go railfanning once the tour is over I just wanna know if anyone knows of any good spots that are close to GR on the CSX and what trains I could expect in the afternoon/evening on a Friday. Also, what are the scanner frequencies for around Grand Rapids? Thanks!

Road Channel 0808 160.230 MHz
Channel 3535 for EC1's for the Grand Rapids sub 160.635 MHz
Channel 1414 for EC1's for the Plymouth sub 160.320 MHz

No idea for train activity times, hit or miss, but if you go to the Holland Amtrak station you would also catch the coal trains from that place too since they don't go much beyond there (maybe 1/2 miles) towards Grand Rapids.

[ConrailDetr​oit]

What activity mentioned above does NOT run on weekends?

[SD80MAC]

What activity mentioned above does NOT run on weekends?

On the CSX side, Y106 and Y121 do not operate on the weekends. D700 runs on Saturday only. Q326, Q327, D705, and D706 operate as normal.

Grand Elk does not typically run in the GR area on the weekends, though the 303 has made a few one way trips between GR and Kzoo as of late.

Grand Rapids Eastern does not run on the weekends.

Marquette Rail will sometimes run Z151 on Sunday mornings.

[chapmaja]

Enjoy the trip to GVSU. I am a Laker graduate and current Laker student (again almost 20 years after graduating).

As for the railfanning. On a Friday you might see a pretty normal day of GR trains. Sadly, it is not nearly as busy as it used to be.

Judd St at the east (or is it north) end of Wyoming Yard is a decent spot if stuff is coming into or out or the CSX yard. You might also get lucky and catch MQT running into the yard as well (I don't know what time they normally run anymore). I don't know the GRE (or whatever they call themselves now) schedule, but they might be heading east in the morning and west back to GR in the late morning or early afternoon.

I don't know about the Grand Elk traffic or what time it moves.

Sadly, as I said, it is a lot less busy then it used to be. When I graduated we still had NS, a decently busier GRE, CSX still ran north out of Grand Rapids, CP still ran at least 6, and I think closer to 10 run throughs daily , and coal still moved through GR regularly.

[David Collins]

I’ll be in the area during my spring break, this’ll be very useful, thanks everyone!

[CSXBOY]

Mines well stop by Lansing on the way home or on the way there. Grand Rapids is such a dead railroad town. I tend to avoid that city as much as I can.

[Saturnalia]

Mines well stop by Lansing on the way home or on the way there. Grand Rapids is such a dead railroad town. I tend to avoid that city as much as I can.

lol okay

[David Collins]

Mines well stop by Lansing on the way home or on the way there. Grand Rapids is such a dead railroad town. I tend to avoid that city as much as I can.

lol okay

I’m going to GR sub mainly for the fact it’s very photogenic, and also I can pay Tom a visit on the Bangor cam , I’ll be there on the 3rd of April Tom

[CSXBOY]

Unless you like seeing nothing but track be my guest! Only 6 trains a day use the GR Sub....