CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footage

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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

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Happy New Year! Volume #14 of the CSXT Plymouth Subdivision series has now been uploaded and begins in April of 1993 with a triple meet in Howell. First up: Eastbound R334 led by Conrail SD40-2 6454 stalls out climbing Ann Pere hill at Beck road. So eastbound R204 (who was following R334 east) led by CP M636 4713 comes to the rescue and shoves R334 the rest of the way up the hill. Finally, westbound R327 heads west out of the passing siding with another one of the rare U36B/MATE sets (5798-5224) as sole power. Also seen in this volume is the first CSXT partial repainted stealth locomotive C40-8 7561 with yellow ends. 1993 was the year CSX started touching up it's older CSX painted locomotives by applying a yellow nose, yellow rear and sometimes a yellow frame stripe over the original blue stripe, blue down or stealth painted units. 1993 was also the year Canadian Pacific debuted it's 'dual flags' paint scheme witnessed by SD40-2 6034 in fresh paint. See all this and much, much more including major CP Alco action. 1993 was without a doubt 'the year' for the Alco on the subdivision as one could see upwards of five Alco's on one train!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... PukFVJlqug

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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

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Volume #15 of the Plymouth Subdivision series has just been uploaded as we continue to watch the locomotive action at mile post 54.8 in Howell, Michigan. In 1990, Canadian Pacific gained full control of the Soo Line, but it wasn't until 1993 that CP started repainting Soo Line locomotives into its new 'dual flags' scheme. See one of the first new repaints as we watch ex Soo Line SD40-2 6607 lead a westbound. By the summer of 1993, aside from all of the Canadian Pacific Alco's now running on the subdivision, one could also see GP9u's in the 8200 series as well as GP38-2's in the 3000 and 3100 series. These were great times for watching the CP in Michigan with fantastic locomotive diversity!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... PukFVJlqug

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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

Unread post by KVERBERK »

Hey I Stumbled across these on youtube! I've watched all the volumes and have really enjoyed them. I railfanned plymouth diamond as a kid with my dad from 1988-1991 so i really love this era. Thanks for sharing and I wish you had more footage from Plymouth Diamond!

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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

Unread post by ChessieForever »

Thanks, Kyle! Glad you are enjoying! I have a lot more videos to upload in the months ahead - so we're far from being done with the series.

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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

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Volume #16 has just been posted as we continue the Plymouth Subdivision series at mile post 54.8 in Howell, Michigan. By late summer of 1993, CSX had completed its 268 unit order of C40-8W's from General Electric numbered 7650-7917. This order displaced many older locomotives from both EMD and GE. Specifically the entire fleet of GP16's (1700-1860) as well as most of the older U-Boats with the exception of the U18B's, U23B's and a handful of U36B/MATE sets. As for Canadian Pacific, the glory days of the big MLW Alco's were quickly coming to a close. By December of 1993 most of the C630's, M630's and M636's were in storage for the winter. As for the C424's, they continued onward throughout the colder winter months and into 1994 just fine. CP had plenty of other horsepower though with its large fleet of SD40-2's so there was no shortage of motive power on the subdivision. One big highlight of this video is seeing NKP 765 masquerading as C&O 2765 on its August 14, 1993 round trip to Grand Rapids.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... PukFVJlqug

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BL2-1843
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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

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To refresh my own memory of why and how NKP 765 was dressed up as Chesapeake and Ohio 2765 for its run through Michigan in 1993, I had to search for the answer and came up with this for anyone else who did now know or was wondering. Also, while I had totally forgotten this, within several hundred yards after the train passed by MP 54.8 going west, a CSX crew member on board the train, called out my name when saying "Have a nice day"

In the first 28 years of the Collis P. Huntington Chapter of the NRHS’ sponsored New River trains, many different locomotives, both steam and diesel, powered the trips, but only 1 of the steam engines was actually a C&O locomotive, #614. Two other steam engines bearing the markings of the C&O have graced the rails of the Hinton Division. Reading T1 2101 dressed up in Chessie System colors for the Chessie Steam Special in 1977 and 1978 was one…and the other wasn’t so extravagant….at least at first it wasn’t.
In early 1993, a simple idea was tossed around of adding a 2 to the NKP 765, giving her an authentic C&O Kanawha running number for the annual New River Trips coming up that October. That simple idea grew to maybe reletting the tender. Eventually it was decided to lower the headlight, add a radiator cover in-between the front air compressors, and add C&O to the sand dome. With the exceptions of the sand dome and steam domes being reverse, not having a cast pilot and the larger cab, the 765 took on the appearance of a C&O K-4 Kanawha. And thus, the 2765 was re-born.

From June through October of 1993, the 2765 heading many excursions throughout Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, and finally the 2 weekends of annual New River Trips from Huntington to Hinton, WV on the old C&O Hinton Division that October. This would not only be the last season that the 765 would power the New River Trips, but the final season of her operation in general. After accumulating 115,000 miles since the NKP’s last major overhaul in the late 1950’s (52,000 miles of that since her restoration to excursion service in 1979), the 765 was showing signs of wear and was sidelined for running gear work. Unable to have the engine ready the following year, Milwaukee Road 261 filled in for 765 and pulled the 1994 New River Trains. This turned out to be the final year of steam power on the C&O Hinton division, and on CSX trackage anywhere.

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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

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Thanks for the saga of Chessie Steam, BL2 :D
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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

Unread post by KVERBERK »

hey Chessieforever,

I've shared this photo on here before but i wanted chessieforever to see it! One of your videos (I think volume 9) featured a scene just like this one. I think this was taken 1989-1990 at the plymouth diamond, with the train heading west bound. If you look closely you can see a crew member grabbing train orders! Looking forward to more uploads!
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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

Unread post by ChessieForever »

Nice photo! Those were great times back then at Plymouth diamond. I wish we had more video of Plymouth for you, but we didn't get down there all that often. More uploads will be coming out of the vault soon as we edge closer to 1994 as the evolution of the Plymouth Subdivision continues.

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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

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Volume #17 has just been posted. See CSX Transportation and Canadian Pacific at their best in Michigan! Watch train after train and locomotive after locomotive pass by mile post 54.8 along the Plymouth Subdivision in Howell. It's business as usual in the fall of 1993 with the only notable item worth mentioning for this volume is that CSX finally removed the dormant Pepsi switch from the mainline. With the 'frog' now gone, the videos from this point forward are much more quieter and smoother than ever before.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... PukFVJlqug

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BL2-1843
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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

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Regarding the new Vol. 17, which was just posted in the previous thread, that was October 4, 1993, the day after my 49th Birthday (boy was that a long time ago) the day CSX removed the Pepsi switch and frog making it much quieter for viewing trains. The crew went way beyond their scope of duty for me, by using the cat tracks of their large machine that lifted the switch out to run down all the tall weeds far to the west of where they needed to go on both sides of the tracks for a much wider and more lengthy view of the trains. From that point on, I wound up mowing the area myself to keep it short, and still do even though I am half way through my 70s to reach 80 years old now. 1993 was also the year the long standing Howell water tower across from the old depot was taken down, which for years appeared in these videos on west bounds.

The CSX train at Ann Pere so close to the diamond when TSBY went across was G372-23. Crew came engines light to pick up a grain train that TSBY sat off the day before, when TSBY showed up again with more cars for CSX. They worked together to put the freight cars on the head end of the grain train, something out of the norm, which put the grain trains power far east of the diamond signal.

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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

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Volume #18 has just been posted! Welcome to 1994 and the continuation of the CSXT Plymouth Subdivision series. Highlights for this volume are seeing brand new CSX C44-9W's fresh from GE at Erie (9000-9052), watching first time on the subdivision Alco RS18's in the 1800 series joining the ranks with the C424's on the Canadian Pacific trains, as well as watching train R334 climb Ann Pere hill with six units sounding fantastic with three of them being a U36B/Mate set and a rare BQ23-7. Other highlights include seeing Mid-Michigan GP9 5967 on a T&SB grain train with 3 GP35's and NW2 1977 as well as watching Grand Trunk Western power lead CSX train R334. I should also mention at the beginning of 1994 Canadian Pacific entered the locomotive leasing business on a much larger scale than ever before. CP started leasing GATX SD40-2's 900-904 and 7349-7373, HATX GP38's and GP40's and HLCX SD40's and SD40-2's. This added a much larger pool of power as to what you could expect to see on CP trains R200 thru R207 on a daily basis. And one final note, I might also add all rail cars seen in this video are still 100% graffiti free!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... PukFVJlqug

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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

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Volume #19 from the spring of 1994 has just been released and brings you something never seen before on the CSXT Plymouth Subdivision: Double-stacks. With the enlargement of the Detroit / Windsor tunnel, domestic double-stack containers were now able to be transported in to and out of Canada directly by Canadian Pacific. See one of the first eastbounds stopped at mile post 54.8 and then watch it take off slowly towards the Isbell Street wooden bridge. Aside from the double-stacks, CP also started running solid blocks of TOFC on its trains as well. Oh, and did I mention the big MLW Alco's were back? Having spent the long winter in storage in Canada, CP reactivated roughly two-thirds of the fleet for service once again in the spring of 1994.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... PukFVJlqug

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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

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Volume #20 has just been uploaded. Filmed in June and July of 1994, the CSXT Plymouth Subdivision is hopping with trains from both CSX Transportation and Canadian Pacific at mile post 54.8 in Howell. Highlights include the continued presence of trio's of CP Alco's, brand new Southern Pacific SD70M's en-route to Chicago, and yet more Grand Trunk Western power pulling CSX freight west towards Grand Rapids. The subdivision has it all from merchandise freight to West Olive coal trains to CP double-stacks.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... PukFVJlqug

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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

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On the heels of Volume #20, here comes the just posted Volume #21 continuing the locomotive action at mile post 54.8 on the CSXT Plymouth Subdivision in the summer of 1994. One unique highlight for this volume is seeing the "Chapel Hill" formerly the Chesapeake & Ohio Office Car #3 as it was known prior to 1971. Still wearing the C&O passenger scheme colors, this car was in Michigan for a special T&SB passenger train excursion up to Traverse City for Labor Day weekend. The video showcases the car both inside and out while local D709 had cut off from his train and was busy switching International Paper. Being invited up was a real privilege and a special thank-you to us from the chief mechanical caretaker of the car who we had previously done a favor for on his behalf. Other video highlights are seeing one of the last U36B/MATE sets pull R337 westbound, a trio of pure BN cascade green units pull an empty coal train east, and watching the T&SB fall color excursion train powered by GP35's 388 and 393 head north towards Durand.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... PukFVJlqug

Here's a link to the Chapel Hill car:

http://www.chapelhillrail.com/history.html

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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

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Volume #22 has just been uploaded which begins with a brief look at Walbridge Yard in Toledo, Ohio before hopping back up to mile post 54.8. Welcome to 1995 as the evolution of the CSXT Plymouth Subdivision continues. First of all, we showcase the brand new CSX CW44AC locomotives which began to arrive in January starting at number 1. The CSX AC revolution had begun with over 100 of the brand new 4400hp locomotives arriving on the property by spring. This in turn would help cause the remaining U-Boats to be placed into storage and eventually retired as time went on. The remaining CSX GP30M's and well as GP38's and GP40's also began a major decline as more and more of them than ever before were placed on the stored pending retirement list as well. As for Canadian Pacific, the C424's were still running strong, but the big six-axle MLW Alco's were fading away for the last time. Only M636 4711 would outlive all of the others and it only did so because it was retro-fitted with a catarpillar engine. Also more and more lease locomotives started showing up on all of CP's trains during 1995 at an alarming rate. I should also mention that Canadian Pacific trains were given new names in 1995. In February, R200 thru R205 became Z500 thru Z505, R206 and R207 became Z270 and Z271, and S200 and S201 became Z511 and Z512. Yes indeed, CP was now running on occasion as many as 10 trains per day on the subdivision!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... PukFVJlqug

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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

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Volume #23 is up and ready for viewing at this time! For this volume we find ourselves in April of 1996 at mile post 54.8 in Howell along the Plymouth Subdivision. By this time, the Canadian Pacific trains have been renamed again from 'Z' trains to 'X' trains, the CSX CW44AC order from GE has been completed with units 1-173 all on line, and there is a whole lot less older locomotives in predecessor paint schemes still active running around the system. With the YN2 'Blue Cab' repaints becoming standard for CSX, the railroad is looking much more uniform than ever before. The first half of this volume is purely Plymouth Subdivision traffic. For the second half however, we take you out on the road to Lima, OH, Louisville, KY, Nashville TN, Birmingham and Montgomery AL as well as Evansville, IN as we check out what CSX was like during this time-frame in those areas including yard footage. You will also see the first newly repainted CSX 'pumpkins'. Starting in 1996 CSX began repainting some of its remaining U18B's, U23B's, GP38's and GP40's into standard orange MofW paint to be used exclusively on work trains. These locomotives were also renumbered into the 9500 series thru 9700 series blocks.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... PukFVJlqug

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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

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ChessieForever wrote:Volume #23 is up and ready for viewing at this time! For this volume we find ourselves in April of 1996 at mile post 54.8 in Howell along the Plymouth Subdivision. By this time, the Canadian Pacific trains have been renamed again from 'Z' trains to 'X' trains, the CSX CW44AC order from GE has been completed with units 1-173 all on line, and there is a whole lot less older locomotives in predecessor paint schemes still active running around the system. With the YN2 'Blue Cab' repaints becoming standard for CSX, the railroad is looking much more uniform than ever before. The first half of this volume is purely Plymouth Subdivision traffic. For the second half however, we take you out on the road to Lima, OH, Louisville, KY, Nashville TN, Birmingham and Montgomery AL as well as Evansville, IN as we check out what CSX was like during this time-frame in those areas including yard footage. You will also see the first newly repainted CSX 'pumpkins'. Starting in 1996 CSX began repainting some of its remaining U18B's, U23B's, GP38's and GP40's into standard orange MofW paint to be used exclusively on work trains. These locomotives were also renumbered into the 9500 series thru 9700 series blocks.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... PukFVJlqug
These videos are getting well into the period where CSX was applying yellow noses to those schemes that did not have one. For the most part, Cumberland, and Waycross running repair did most of them, but other smaller shops also applied some as well. When all said and done, it was amazing how many different variations were applied depending on who did them. Cumberland, did the best job, applying yellow on both the front and rear, with the proper size font logo as what was on them to start with. Waycross painted only the front nose yellow, but for the most part applied a much larger CSX logo that what was there to start with.

There is a shot in this current video of C40-8 7542, that had yellow on both ends, but no CSX logo what so ever on either end. Many others got this treatment, especially the C40-8 units. The worst was Cincinnati who put yellow on the front end only, but no logo at all. You may see this somewhere, but GP15T 1503 was a Cinci assigned unit at the time and got this application. Many of the yard slugs assigned there also got this treatment. If you keep tabs and watch these partials, especially the ones in pre CSX livery, note and watch to see just how many other variations there were.

Something else to watch for in the ones yet to be posted, is when the horns were taken away from over the front of the unit and moved back to the center of the long hood to keep the horn noise further away from the train crew. We are already way past the period where the class lights were removed and blanked out.

For those wondering why I used this as a quote, it was to keep the description and the link at the heading, yet adding what I thought was interesting notes after it.

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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

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Volume #24 of the CSXT Plymouth Subdivision series showcasing CSX and Canadian Pacific trains at mile post 54.8 in Howell, Michigan has just been uploaded. We have a lot to mention here for this one! This video features "Iron Highway" trains R160/R161 and R162/R163. One train set was the longer official 'Iron Highway' set and the other was the shorter 'trailer train' set. These were known as 'just in time' trains and ran between Detroit and Chicago from August 9, 1996 thru November 16, 1996 and had set departure times from both terminals. The idea was three years in the making as a competitive alternative to get more truck traffic off of I-94. Unfortunately, the idea never caught on as well as CSX would have liked and the trains only ran for three short months. Other highlights in this volume are witnessing one of the last active GP30M's on CSX the 4216, ex RF&P GP40 6857 still in RF&P paint, trio's of Southern Pacific AC4400CW's, trio's of pure Burlington Northern cascade green locomotives pulling hard on an empty coal train, and seeing the T&SB autumn excursion train northbound with GP35's 388 and 394.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2wOiZ ... PukFVJlqug

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Re: CSXT Plymouth Subdivision Never Seen Before Video Footag

Unread post by KVERBERK »

I enjoyed the live commentary in volume 24! I always read your notes about the video, but nice to hear a little more about whats going on. Thanks again for sharing these!
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