Shortlines Train Location Heads Up - September 2023

[GP30M4216]

Marquette departing Wyoming Yard for the north country with 33 cars, 11:45. Locomotives 3391, 3406, 3408.

[LansingRailFan]

DCON running today.

[Andy24]

Per YouTube video: Grand Elk northbound at 106th Ave crossing at 2:48pm today with WAMX #4225 + WAMX #4125 and 30 cars (mostly covered hoppers with some boxcars and tankers near rear)

https://youtu.be/GGMMSpmOuGU?si=0-uTm-SxZ2_PTKCy

[~Z~]

Grand Elk north through Byron Center at 5:13pm with WAMX 4225, 4125, and just 14 cars. Mostly boxcars and covered hoppers with a couple tank cars.

[Andy24]

Grand Elk north through Byron Center at 5:13pm with WAMX 4225, 4125, and just 14 cars. Mostly boxcars and covered hoppers with a couple tank cars.

Grand Elk southbound through 54th St at 7:06pm with WAMX #4225, WAMX #4124 LHF and 7 covered hoppers (1 4-bay covered hopper and 6 covered hoppers with tubes at the bottom)

Note: it’s been a while since I’ve seen them elephant style and LHF

[Talk]

MS Z627-08 os Grand Haven @ 12:44 Northbound

[Andy24]

Grand Elk Hughart Runner Z439-08 @ 12:55 westbound reported at Pleasant St with WAMX #3534 + WAMX #3531 and 18 cars

Grand Elk Hughart Runner Z439-08 @ 13:55 eastbound reported at Plaster Creek with WAMX #3531 + WAMX #3534 leading

[~Z~]

Grand Elk north by 84th St in Byron Center at 4:35pm. A black WAMX leading, WAMX 4225 trailing about 15ish cars.

[Andy24]

Grand Elk north by 84th St in Byron Center at 4:35pm. A black WAMX leading, WAMX 4225 trailing about 15ish cars.

Grand Elk south at 68th St in Culterville at 6:44pm with WAMX #4225 + WAMX #4124 and 26 cars (mixed of tankers, boxcars and covered hoppers). I assume there’s a slow order in place further down the line and they were going less than 10mph

Note: there was a second crew on board of the 2nd engine. Maybe a conductor in training?

[~Z~]

Certainly have a slow order down by 92nd at at least. By Byron center at 6:56pm. Was just up at 68th an hour ago getting TACO TOWN

[Andy24]

Certainly have a slow order down by 92nd at at least. By Byron center at 6:56pm. Was just up at 68th an hour ago getting TACO TOWN

Darn, you could have met me waiting at Arby’s for GDLK lol, 45 minutes later. I arrived just minutes before GDLK crossed 68th St. I could see the train moving very slow at 6:40pm as I faced northbound towards the M-6/US-131 junction

[LansingRailFan]

10:27 - JAIL Z646 NB across CN diamond at 10:28 with 822/3 tank cars, 3 empty coil cars/821

[Andy24]

Per Facebook post on Grand Elk Railroad Fan Page by Michael Wood:

grand elk 4124 is crossing 106th ave in plainwell Michigan as it lead the northbound grand elk train 303 heading towards Grand Rapids Michigan with grand elk 4225 at 1pm today

Another railfan in Plainwell posted on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WAWMsSJihFo?si=_L70zzhy5ta8ugnr

17 cars on northbound Job 303 for GDLK

[~Z~]

Grand Elk north through Byron Center at 4:38pm. WAMX 4124 and 4225 with 21 cars. Cool Chicago and Northwestern green boxcar near the front.

[Andy24]

Grand Elk north through Byron Center at 4:38pm. WAMX 4124 and 4225 with 21 cars. Cool Chicago and Northwestern green boxcar near the front.

Grand Elk Job 303 heading southbound through Wyoming area at 6:54pm. No visual but hearing horns. Assuming WAMX 4225 and WAMX 4124 LHF plus come cars

[~Z~]

Grand elk south through Byron Center at 7:07pm, same power LHF with 20ish cars.

[David Lang]

Sort of a late post here, but driving to work this morning (9/12), driving East on Grange Hall Road just North of Holly, saw a green signal for a NB Lake State Train and waited for him to come by. He was clear of the crossing around 6:15am with a CSX leader followed by a Lake State SD70 locomotive (sorry no engine numbers) and 132 cars. Cars were mixed, but lots of autoracks, tanks, covered hoppers, and a few others spread throughout. He was maybe going around 20mph when he began across Grange Hall Road, but by the end he picked up good speed and was going probably around 40mph by the time the tail end crossed. Love to see a train on the way to work!

As a side note, when going to and from work, I cross the Lake State Railroad North of Holly, as well as crossing the CN Holly Sub twice - once in Fenton and the other in Linden. I catch CN trains once and a while on the way home which is nice too.

[~Z~]

Grand elk north through Byron Center at 2:16pm, wamx 4124 and 4225 facing north with 22 cars.

[Andy24]

Grand elk north through Byron Center at 2:16pm, wamx 4124 and 4225 facing north with 22 cars.

Grand Elk northbound through Culterville/ Wyoming area at 2:25pm/2:30pm. Probably the same train, no visual but VERY clear horns heard

[LansingRailFan]

14:20 - HESR 702 inbound to Durand using the Port Huron Wye

15:27 - HESR 701 r o c k e t shoving back on the PH Wye before departing.

They’ve got 7 short of 69 on the drawbar today Hoss