Diamonds in Kalamazoo

[NickThatRailfan]

So I was out in Kalamazoo today and I caught Amtrak I knew there was diamond in Kalamazoo but I didnt know there was a second so I was wondering what the other diamond that cross the Amtrak Michigan Line are and how many trains that area would see total. What I assume is there are 6 Amtrak trains per day and an NS local (I belive) (not sure how many Grand Elk run) what I want to know is how many trains that area see's, what RR's run over those diamonds, and how many trains corss the diamonds going North-South over the Amtrak Michigan Line.
Red=Where the BO tower use to be
Yellow=Grand Elk Turnout
Blue=Amtrak Michigan Line

[~Z~]

Grand Elk runs over those two diamonds. The east one just serves local industries like Graphic Packaging. The west one is what Grand Elk uses to reach Plainwell and Grand Rapids.

[NickThatRailfan]

Grand Elk runs over those two diamonds. The east one just serves local industries like Graphic Packaging. The west one is what Grand Elk uses to reach Plainwell and Grand Rapids.

Oh okay makes sense. How many trains go through there per day? I know there is 8 Amtrak trains per day, a NS local (not sure if its daily) and I did look at the wiki for Grand Elk Train symbols and I got between 8-9 (including Kalamazoo locals) and with the locals returning makes it 19 so I am assuming anywhere from 15-20 trains a day.

[MiddleMI]

Are you asking about the mainline diamond or the spurs/sidings diamond?

[SD80MAC]

Grand Elk runs over those two diamonds. The east one just serves local industries like Graphic Packaging. The west one is what Grand Elk uses to reach Plainwell and Grand Rapids.

Oh okay makes sense. How many trains go through there per day? I know there is 8 Amtrak trains per day, a NS local (not sure if its daily) and I did look at the wiki for Grand Elk Train symbols and I got between 8-9 (including Kalamazoo locals) and with the locals returning makes it 19 so I am assuming anywhere from 15-20 trains a day.

No NS local in Kalamazoo currently, they don't go west of Augusta anymore unless something has changed. 8 Amtraks and 2-4 Grand Elk trains (302, 303, 501, and a yard job), that's it.

[SD80MAC]

I don't know why I responded, you won't read this and go ask the same question on discord anyway.

[AARR]

There are people like me who appreciate the information.

I don't know why I responded, you won't read this and go ask the same question on discord anyway.

[David Lang]

Anyone can ask how many trains per day are at a given location, and based on the number of answers, one can get a general idea. However, the best way to know how many trains per day a given location will deliver is the actual collection of data.

A few steps would include:

1. Sit at a location of your choosing and record the number of train movements per given time period. If you do not want to stay all 24 hours, record your data for 8 hours increments as an example.

2. Repeat step 1 for as many times as you can over various time periods and during different days. The more data collection, the more accurate you can be in your estimate of trains per day. (I have found that even if you can stay for an entire 24 hours, the train per day count will actually be different depending on the day).

3. Finally, review, summarize, and convert your data to the average number of trains over a 24-hour period and you'll have your answer.

This approach definitely takes longer than just asking the question, but the results will speak for themselves.

Another thing that can be done these days is if your given location has a rail cam, review that data over several random days. This will also provide a good answer because again, it is actual data.

One last thing to consider is that train counts, in many cases, are continually in flux for various reasons. An example of this is Elkhart. The train count there today is different than it was 1 year ago, and will likely be different 1 year from now, and is very different than it was 10, 15, or 20 years ago.

As I get older, I worry less about train count, and just enjoy what I end up seeing.

[GRHC]

Anyone can ask how many trains per day are at a given location, and based on the number of answers, one can get a general idea. However, the best way to know how many trains per day a given location will deliver is the actual collection of data.

I used to know radio consultant/P.D. named Dave Lang now I don’t know if that is you and it probably isn’t but what you just wrote definitely sounds like what a radio consultant would write. lol

With that being said you did give good advice.

Side Note: are or were there other diamonds in the Kalamazoo area I would have to think so considering how much trackage and different rail lines that Kalamazoo once hosted.

[NickThatRailfan]

I don't know why I responded, you won't read this and go ask the same question on discord anyway.

Youre point has been proven wrong. I just responded, and to add I dont have discord either.

[GP30M4216]

Side Note: are or were there other diamonds in the Kalamazoo area I would have to think so considering how much trackage and different rail lines that Kalamazoo once hosted.

Yes indeed! At one time, East/westbound trains on the Michigan Central mainline banged across 5 individual diamonds between the MC depot and the Kalamazoo River Bridge. A Chicago-bound train would cross them in this order east to west:

1. CK&S to the immediate east of the Walbridge St. Crossing. Follow Walbridge north a few blocks and you’ll see a stub of this old track where Grand Elk has a ballast dump pit. The diamond and track in the vicinity of the MC main no longer exists.

2&3. GTW and LS&MS. Perhaps in reverse order. Both roads paralleled each other side by side to the west of BO tower, between the tower and Porter Street. The LS&MS alignment remains in service heading north to North Yard and what remains to Parchment. Only the Elk local crosses this diamond heading north. The GTW continued north along Porter to Checker Motors and a Gravel yard north of Mosel. South of the MC, the GTW swung east south of Michigan Avenue, where a small industrial spur remains.

4&5. The GR&I/PRR mainline and a runner track to the west formed a four diamond crossing just east of Pitcher Street. This is the Grand Elk mainline heading north to Grand Rapids. The second track was gone by the early 1990s I think. A separate tower, Tower 1, was once located at this crossing, as was a transfer track in the NW quadrant. The existing transfer track in the SE quadrant across from the BO tower archaeology site wasn’t built until the 1970s, I believe.


The Elk typically doesn’t run on weekends, so factor that in to your train count conundrum.

[MiddleMI]