CN Updates: November 2022

[LansingRailFan]

14:15
EB Q116 w four CNs today at CP Cedar
EB MOW/Grinder crew holding at Okemos on 2
WB M399 at Vernon
EB M394 at Hayden

[atrainguy60]

Looks like there's a new live camera in Griffith, Indiana. I'm not sure if every eastbound South Bend Sub train goes to Michigan, but I'd imagine it might be useful for tracking at least some Michigan bound trains. For those who might not know, using the left side of the screen for reference - the South Bend Sub to Michigan is the background double track main, and the foreground double track main goes to Kirk Yard in Gary.

To start, there's an eastbound double stack/autorack train getting on the South Bend Sub currently (3:39pm EST).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go55919p86I

[Robertrains]

EB MOW/Grinder crew holding at Okemos on 2

LansingRailfan, is this "Grinder Train" going all the way east to Port Huron? I can send my guy (Roger...who is lent a 35mm Canon® camera) to get pix for me!!!!
It goes slow! What time could it be in Emmett if that's the case? WOW!!!!

Also, copied right from LG Gibson:

11/2/22 Day of the Dead again
12:36 63 clear degrees at CN Charlotte as CN 3902 and CN 3141 power Train A492 across M-50 Cochran Ave. 492 is a FUNERAL TRAIN again today with 5 Dash 8s dead in tow: CN 2145, CN 2194, CN 2143, CN 2145, and 2155. Full 2:46 video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oMBynpj44 ... e=youtu.be

Five more to go on L508>L506 to Toledo

LansingRailfan, are these five ex BNSF CN C40-8Ws coming through Royal Oak again tonight (11-2)? Will these be combined on train L506 with the five other "Dead" locos (CN 2454/BCOL 4612/IC 2460/CN 2156/CN 2177) from yesterday? Or did those already go to Toledo? When will 508 depart from Flat Rock headed to Toledo with hopefully all 10 "Dead" locos? They will all go to Lang Yard! Maybe easy access for photos? Now, I will have a chance to go out Friday morning to Flat Rock area (or Sat. with a 'Railfan' to Toledo)! I want to see the ones with the IC "Blue Devil" and "Cowls!!!!" Where are they and does anyone know the time they'll depart for the last time?

OK, does anyone know where these "Dead" engines are currently (11-3)?????

[Manistique]

251 through Trenton at 12:12 CN x2

Passing through Bloomfield Hills, entering Pontiac at 4:58 pm. Two 8800's as power.

[Manistique]

And right behind 251, running on Main 1 at 60 mph (probably to get by MAL before Amtrak 355 is cleared out), is NB 515 at 5:08 pm. Some of the boxcars today were classics: A blue GTW, a Cotton Belt, an old Kansas City Southern and an old Conrail.

[GTW6401]

515s crew is done on HOS at 1800. I heard 116 on the radio working at Pontiac. 116s crew is good until 2130.

[Robertrains]

OK, all the "Retired" engines are in Ohio! The first batch (CN 2454/BCOL 4612/IC 2460/CN 2156/CN 2177) are already at CSX in Walbridge! The others actually went on train 383 early this morning (11-3)! There was a CN "Cowl," number 2415 not 2145! These engines are CN 2415, CN 2194, CN 2143, CN 2145, and CN 2155!!!!

EB MOW/Grinder crew holding at Okemos on 2

LansingRailfan, is this "Grinder Train" going all the way east to Port Huron? I can send my guy (Roger...who is lent a 35mm Canon® camera) to get pix for me!!!!
It goes slow! What time could it be in Emmett if that's the case? WOW!!!!

11/2/22 Day of the Dead again
12:36 63 clear degrees at CN Charlotte as CN 3902 and CN 3141 power Train A492 across M-50 Cochran Ave. 492 is a FUNERAL TRAIN again today with 5 Dash 8s dead in tow: CN 2145, CN 2194, CN 2143, CN 2145, and 2155. Full 2:46 video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oMBynpj44 ... e=youtu.be
Five more to go on L508>L506 to Toledo

LansingRailfan, are these five ex BNSF CN C40-8Ws coming through Royal Oak again tonight (11-2)? Will these be combined on train L506 with the five other "Dead" locos (CN 2454/BCOL 4612/IC 2460/CN 2156/CN 2177) from yesterday? Or did those already go to Toledo? When will 508 depart from Flat Rock headed to Toledo with hopefully all 10 "Dead" locos? They will all go to Lang Yard! Maybe easy access for photos? Now, I will have a chance to go out Friday morning to Flat Rock area (or Sat. with a 'Railfan' to Toledo)! I want to see the ones with the IC "Blue Devil" and "Cowls!!!!" Where are they and does anyone know the time they'll depart for the last time?

OK, does anyone know where these "Dead" engines are currently (11-3)?????

[KC8RBK]

Looks like there's a new live camera in Griffith, Indiana. I'm not sure if every eastbound South Bend Sub train goes to Michigan, but I'd imagine it might be useful for tracking at least some Michigan bound trains. For those who might not know, using the left side of the screen for reference - the South Bend Sub to Michigan is the background double track main, and the foreground double track main goes to Kirk Yard in Gary.

To start, there's an eastbound double stack/autorack train getting on the South Bend Sub currently (3:39pm EST).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go55919p86I

If I'm looking at it correctly on the map and on the screen the transfer transfer from kirk to the west isn't visible so we will miss a good portion of traffic bound for us. Anything coming from the south or west we will have a heads up on. None the less a very cool location

[Manistique]

Train 507 just went NB past MP 22.5 at 7 pm. No 116 here yet. Maybe they are switching crews with 116 in Pontiac?

[Dan Cluley]

122 east with CN 2285 & 5759 through East Lansing at 21:44

[LansingRailFan]

Train 507 just went NB past MP 22.5 at 7 pm. No 116 here yet. Maybe they are switching crews with 116 in Pontiac?

I thought I heard the dispatcher tell q116 “we’ll have you on your way to Pontiac here shortly.” Maybe the crew wasn’t qualified?

[Dan Cluley]

Amtrak 364 out of East Lansing at 22:37

4624, 6 cars & 4603. Baggage car in the consist tonight

[Manistique]

Train 116 didn't go by my house until about an hour and a half after 507 went by so my theory on recrewing probably wasn't correct as it was in Pontiac for a long time before 507 arrived.

116 has been having containers in its train again south of Pontiac like the old days so it must have stopped leaving them in Pontiac for 508 to take. That is sort of why I based my theory on crew change in Pontiac as then there isn't the issue of it not being able to stop in Moterm on the way to Flat Rock like Zack mentioned a few days ago. I am not sure if 508 is running any more. If it is, it doesn't seem to be going south of Pontiac Yard.

I heard what sounded like a NB local go by last night around 1 am. I am guessing 513. It was followed by Amtrak 354.

So things are getting quieter now on the South Holly than even a few weeks ago.

[LansingRailFan]

Train 116 didn't go by my house until about an hour and a half after 507 went by so my theory on recrewing probably wasn't correct as it was in Pontiac for a long time before 507 arrived.

116 has been having containers in its train again south of Pontiac like the old days so it must have stopped leaving them in Pontiac for 508 to take. That is sort of why I based my theory on crew change in Pontiac as then there isn't the issue of it not being able to stop in Moterm on the way to Flat Rock like Zack mentioned a few days ago. I am not sure if 508 is running any more. If it is, it doesn't seem to be going south of Pontiac Yard.

I heard what sounded like a NB local go by last night around 1 am. I am guessing 513. It was followed by Amtrak 354.

So things are getting quieter now on the South Holly than even a few weeks ago.

Early Q116 coming your way with a pair of M2s and autoracks/intermodal. It's at Vernon rn.

Also, this Q116 (under GTWChris's watchful eye) carries the first EMP containers to arrive at Moterm.

CN recently linked a deal with NS/UP to be the sole Canadian carrier for EMP containers.

https://www.cn.ca/en/stories/20221025-c ... rtnership/

[Delray]

251 through Trenton at 10:20 CN x2

[LansingRailFan]

Getting caught up here on power sets and the like:

CN Flint Sub Review - all times MP 205

11/02/2022
06:10 - EB Z148 w CN 3279/CN 2750*
10:59 - WB M397 w CN 3231/CN ex-Citirail/CN 3239
11:35 - EB E280 w CN 2222/CN 2523 to Snow Yard. Crew would end up picking up the last empty coal train from BWL
12:45 - EB A492 w CN 3902/CN 3141/CN 2415/CN 2194/CN 2143/CN 2145/CN 2155 - last five locos DIT for LTEX
13:15 - EB Q116 w CN 8846/CN 8815
16:17 - EB MOW crew w LORAM Railgrinder, 2 water tanker trucks and track foreman in CN hi-rail
17:10 - WB M399 w CN 2256/CN 2531
18:08 - EB M394 w CN 3250/CN 2794*
18:41 - WB L542 (resymbolled E280) w CN 2222 (LHF)/CN 2523 take the last empty coal train from Lansing's BWL.
20:45 - WB E251 w CN 8898 (CN HU)/
22:32 - EB Q122 w CN/CN

11/03/2022
08:17 - WB Z149 w CN 3279/CN 2750*
09:18 - WB P365
09:32 - WB A491 w CN 3141/CN 3902
09:54 - WB L501 w CN 5669/CN 5655
10:27 - EB A492 w CN 3231/CN 3942*
10:43 - EB M396 w CN 3193/CN 2681
11:17 - WB B731 w CN 8916/CN 8812 - 840 axles for 207 potash empties
14:54 - EB M394 w CN 3883/GECX 2029/CN 5250
21:20 - EB Q122 w CN 2285/CN 5759

11/04/2022
01:24 - EB L500 w CN 5655/CN 5669 - short train with no cars for Lansing and MOW equipment on the rear.
03:47 - WB M301 w two LONG cuts of LPG tank cars and a pair of CNs
04:24 - WB M397 w CN trio f/r/r
04:54 - EB Z148 w CN/CN f/r
05:59 - WB Z149 w CN/CN f/r
08:05 - EB Q116 w 8842/CN 8884 - first EMP intermodal containers, featuring autoracks on the head and 91 wells on the rear. LONG train today
08:35 - WB L501 w CN 2233/CN 8017
09:21 - WB P365
09:36 - WB A491 CN 3231/CN 3942*

[Manistique]

That morning 116 is rolling past MP 22.5 on the Holly at 11:40 am. Nice to see it running closer to its old time.

Looks like 251 is lined up on Main 2 already so it should be here soon.

[Delray]

251 through Trenton at 10:20 CN x2

RO @ 11:55 that was fast

116 @ 12:06 cleared @ 12:18. Long and slow must be pulling into moterm

[LansingRailFan]

11/4/22 13:30 70 degrees at CN Potterville as CN 5688 and CN 2750 power Train X 274 past the elevators siding as farmer loads chemicals off a tank car. Thanks for the wave!! Full 1:48 video:

[Manistique]

NB 515 passed MP 22.5 at around 5 pm.

SB auto racks/mixed passed at 5:15 with two CN's.