Shortline Train Location Updates - August 2022

Daily whereabouts of train locations along with sightings for heads ups to other railfans.
GP30M4216
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Re: Shortline Train Location Updates - August 2022

Unread post by GP30M4216 »

MQT running a Baldwin Sub turn on this Sunday, presently southbound approaching Bitely at 14:50, 3389, 3391 and 3408 with probably 50-60 cars, usual mix of covered hoppers, tanks, and boxcars, including a Montana Rail Link boxcar right at the head end (for SB setoff?) and a Chicago Board of Ashpalt tankcar mixed in with the Interstate Asphalt tanks near the end.

They were northbound into Baldwin around 13:30

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Re: Shortline Train Location Updates - August 2022

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GDLK working on the Hughart runner with 4206 currently.

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Re: Shortline Train Location Updates - August 2022

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Grand Elk north through Byron Center at 4:52pm. WAMX 4017, WAMX 4002 and 12ish cars. Been a bit since I've seen these two units.
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Re: Shortline Train Location Updates - August 2022

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Grand Elk south through Byron Center at 1:19pm. WAMX 4002, WAMX 4017 and 58 cars. Boxcars, tank cars, covered hoppers, loaded centerbeams, and steel coil cars in the mix.
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Re: Shortline Train Location Updates - August 2022

Unread post by LansingRailFan »

JAIL ran NB on Monday thru Lansing to CSX, CN and Padnos, Ambassador as well.

Today the crew is working in Detroit.

Sunday and Monday nights so far they have run SB to Jackson.

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AARR
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Re: Shortline Train Location Updates - August 2022

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Does Alro still get service from JAIL?
LansingRailFan wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 4:22 pm
JAIL ran NB on Monday thru Lansing to CSX, CN and Padnos, Ambassador as well.

Today the crew is working in Detroit.

Sunday and Monday nights so far they have run SB to Jackson.
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LansingRailFan
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Re: Shortline Train Location Updates - August 2022

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AARR wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 5:15 pm
Does Alro still get service from JAIL?
LansingRailFan wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 4:22 pm
JAIL ran NB on Monday thru Lansing to CSX, CN and Padnos, Ambassador as well.

Today the crew is working in Detroit.

Sunday and Monday nights so far they have run SB to Jackson.
Yes just not daily. Maybe a car a week, at best. Better than nothing I suppose.

Their cars mostly come from NS, same with Ambassador.

Padnos ships via CN.

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AARR
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Re: Shortline Train Location Updates - August 2022

Unread post by AARR »

Thank you LRF
LansingRailFan wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 5:19 pm
AARR wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 5:15 pm
Does Alro still get service from JAIL?

Yes just not daily. Maybe a car a week, at best. Better than nothing I suppose.

Their cars mostly come from NS, same with Ambassador.

Padnos ships via CN.
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LansingRailFan
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Re: Shortline Train Location Updates - August 2022

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AARR wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 6:21 pm
Thank you LRF
LansingRailFan wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 5:19 pm
AARR wrote:
Tue Aug 09, 2022 5:15 pm
Does Alro still get service from JAIL?

Yes just not daily. Maybe a car a week, at best. Better than nothing I suppose.

Their cars mostly come from NS, same with Ambassador.

Padnos ships via CN.
Daytime JAIL NB run to Lansing today. Looks like working RSDC is on the calendar today with a big cut of coils from NS on the tail end. CSX cars on the head end and CN cars sandwiched in between. Should be a long yet fulfilling day.

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Re: Shortline Train Location Updates - August 2022

Unread post by Dowagiac Train Dude »

Grand Elk just went past the Elkhart camera heading back Northeast towards White Pigeon in its way back to Kalamazoo.

WAMX 4225 and WAMX 4189 with 54 cars in tow. A mix of box cars, tank cars, covered hoppers and three Coke filled hopper cars.

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Re: Shortline Train Location Updates - August 2022

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Dowagiac Train Dude wrote:
Wed Aug 10, 2022 8:31 am
Grand Elk just went past the Elkhart camera heading back Northeast towards White Pigeon in its way back to Kalamazoo.

WAMX 4225 and WAMX 4189 with 54 cars in tow. A mix of box cars, tank cars, covered hoppers and three Coke filled hopper cars.
Thanks for the heads up! Just saw it on the Elkhart Cam too!
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Re: Shortline Train Location Updates - August 2022

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Andy24 wrote:
Wed Aug 10, 2022 9:07 am
Dowagiac Train Dude wrote:
Wed Aug 10, 2022 8:31 am
Grand Elk just went past the Elkhart camera heading back Northeast towards White Pigeon in its way back to Kalamazoo.

WAMX 4225 and WAMX 4189 with 54 cars in tow. A mix of box cars, tank cars, covered hoppers and three Coke filled hopper cars.
Thanks for the heads up! Just saw it on the Elkhart Cam too!
You are welcome. They have been down there and heading back earlier than normal this week. Usually they don’t get down to Elkhart until somewhere between 10-11 and head back between 12-1pm. This week they have been heading back to Kalamazoo between 8-9am.

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Re: Shortline Train Location Updates - August 2022

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JAIL nb at Saginaw St at 11:00

11:26 - SB across MLK/Grand river on the Lansing Manufacturers spur headed to alro/Padnos and CN

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Re: Shortline Train Location Updates - August 2022

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12:00 - ADBF 821 solo into CN Old Hollow Yard interchange to pick up a cut of cars.

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Re: Shortline Train Location Updates - August 2022

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LansingRailFan wrote:
Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:09 pm
12:00 - ADBF 821 solo into CN Old Hollow Yard interchange to pick up a cut of cars.
821 LHF with the 1751, 3 CN coils and 1 boxcar north crossing Grand River en route to work Ensel interchange, 13:08.

Guess they aren’t working Ensel after all. They crossed over onto the CSX at Turner St, waited a while, and are now back southbound for home rails at CP-MA at 13:30. 📸

4 CSXT coils and 2 boxcars were on the interchange track at Ensel and perhaps JAIL actually set those off, for CSXT pickup.

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Re: Shortline Train Location Updates - August 2022

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GP30M4216 wrote:
Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:08 pm
LansingRailFan wrote:
Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:09 pm
12:00 - ADBF 821 solo into CN Old Hollow Yard interchange to pick up a cut of cars.
821 LHF with the 1751, 3 CN coils and 1 boxcar north crossing Grand River en route to work Ensel interchange, 13:08.

Guess they aren’t working Ensel after all. They crossed over onto the CSX at Turner St, waited a while, and are now back southbound for home rails at CP-MA at 13:30. 📸

4 CSXT coils and 2 boxcars were on the interchange track at Ensel and perhaps JAIL actually set those off, for CSXT pickup.
They set em off first.

Generally they will work CSX, then work CN, then in trip back simply couple onto any pickup at CSX and any car (if they have one) for a SB pick like Ambassador Steel before heading south.

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Re: Shortline Train Location Updates - August 2022

Unread post by GP30M4216 »

LansingRailFan wrote:
Wed Aug 10, 2022 4:22 pm
GP30M4216 wrote:
Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:08 pm
LansingRailFan wrote:
Wed Aug 10, 2022 12:09 pm
12:00 - ADBF 821 solo into CN Old Hollow Yard interchange to pick up a cut of cars.

4 CSXT coils and 2 boxcars were on the interchange track at Ensel and perhaps JAIL actually set those off, for CSXT pickup.
They set em off first.

Generally they will work CSX, then work CN, then in trip back simply couple onto any pickup at CSX and any car (if they have one) for a SB pick like Ambassador Steel before heading south.
Makes sense, but I had seen them pickup cars that were sitting in the same place these particular csx cars were, on another day, that I wasn’t sure if today’s were coming or going.

Incidentally, thanks for the JAIL heads up today! It worked out perfectly to catch them over lunch.

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Re: Shortline Train Location Updates - August 2022

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GP30M4216 wrote:
Wed Aug 10, 2022 10:42 pm
LansingRailFan wrote:
Wed Aug 10, 2022 4:22 pm
GP30M4216 wrote:
Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:08 pm



4 CSXT coils and 2 boxcars were on the interchange track at Ensel and perhaps JAIL actually set those off, for CSXT pickup.
They set em off first.

Generally they will work CSX, then work CN, then in trip back simply couple onto any pickup at CSX and any car (if they have one) for a SB pick like Ambassador Steel before heading south.
Makes sense, but I had seen them pickup cars that were sitting in the same place these particular csx cars were, on another day, that I wasn’t sure if today’s were coming or going.

Incidentally, thanks for the JAIL heads up today! It worked out perfectly to catch them over lunch.
Where you saw em is where CSX sets off cars overnight (L304 job works JAIL, Hart Truss, Nexeo etc...). Sometimes JAIL will come up, swap the cars and then leave the cars they have to take home further east on the track than the cars they set out. Then, on their way back from the Lansing Manufacturers Spur (Padnos/Alro/Saginaw Yard/CN) they can just hook onto those cars and go. Like I said, sometimes you'll see them bring a car with them for Ambassador Steel (Jolly rd, Lansing) which is a SB pick and generally gets their gondolas off of NS. Alro Steel tends to get their flat cars of steel off of NS as well, although I've seen them come in via CSX as well.

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Re: Shortline Train Location Updates - August 2022

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Elk EOT in Plainwell now (7:18). When I came across the track on M-89 about 6:15 the switch was still lined for the main. I heard the EOT then, too.
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Re: Shortline Train Location Updates - August 2022

Unread post by ~Z~ »

Grand Elk north through Byron Center at 10:08pm. Appeared to be 4 locos with approx 75 cars. Good work tonight engineer man.
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