Marquette Rail

[Saturnalia]

Breaking News: The Baldwin Sub Bridge in Grand Rapids has Passed Inspection. Trains are free to rock 'n roll. We had moved some Baldwin Division Traffic by kicking over the bridge, but there is still a massive backlog. In addition to the usual trains tomorrow, two extras in each direction will be called. There will also be one grain empty

1. M-BALGRR-1: Baldwin to Grand Rapids, Local Switching only
2. M-GRRBAL-1: Grand Rapids to Baldwin, Local Switching only
3. X-LUDGRR-1: Ludington to Grand Rapids. Ludington Outbounds only, no intermittant switching.
4. X-GRRLUD-1: Grand Rapids to Ludington. Ludington Inbounds only, no intermittant switching.
5. X-MANGRR-1: Manistee to Grand Rapids. Manistee Outbounds only, no intermittant switchng.
6. X-GRRMAN-1: Grand Rapids to Manistee. Manistee Inbounds only, no intermittant switching.
7. G-GRRNEW-1: Grain Empties. Run north then spot the train, leave GP38 then return to GR lite if time allows

The manifests will run as pairs, being recrewed in GR then turn-and-burn.
1 to 2
3 to 4
5 to 6

[heartlandguy]

Got a long 833 heading your way today. He's just now going through Monon and heading north onto the Lake Michigan Sub. CIL 3332, CIL 3387, CIL 3382, and CIL 3340 (SD45/C420/C420/SD45) with over 100 loads of Indiana Black diamonds for West Olive. Should reach CP Hoosier in about 45 minutes, as he has to meet southbound T-MNB, who's taking the hole at LaCrosse.

[Saturnalia]

Got a long 833 heading your way today. He's just now going through Monon and heading north onto the Lake Michigan Sub. CIL 3332, CIL 3387, CIL 3382, and CIL 3340 (SD45/C420/C420/SD45) with over 100 loads of Indiana Black diamonds for West Olive. Should reach CP Hoosier in about 45 minutes, as he has to meet southbound T-MNB, who's taking the hole at LaCrosse.

Plan is to tack on the New Buffalo GP38-3 onto the headend for Saugtuck Hill instead of calling a pusher crew. That qualifies as enough power for the 123-car train.

Question for you is do you want a normal 65-car set back now or wait a day for the 123-car train?

[heartlandguy]

Got a long 833 heading your way today. He's just now going through Monon and heading north onto the Lake Michigan Sub. CIL 3332, CIL 3387, CIL 3382, and CIL 3340 (SD45/C420/C420/SD45) with over 100 loads of Indiana Black diamonds for West Olive. Should reach CP Hoosier in about 45 minutes, as he has to meet southbound T-MNB, who's taking the hole at LaCrosse.

Plan is to tack on the New Buffalo GP38-3 onto the headend for Saugtuck Hill instead of calling a pusher crew. That qualifies as enough power for the 123-car train.

Question for you is do you want a normal 65-car set back now or wait a day for the 123-car train?

We'll wait a day for the big 123-car train. It's basically just two 65 car trains together since we didn't get to run an 833 last week due to flooding. Our coal trains are kinda off schedule, too.

Question for you now, do the trains to Essexville need to cross the Grand River bridge? We ran 824-23 (last week's) yesterday, and were planning on running this week's train tomorrow.

[Saturnalia]

Got a long 833 heading your way today. He's just now going through Monon and heading north onto the Lake Michigan Sub. CIL 3332, CIL 3387, CIL 3382, and CIL 3340 (SD45/C420/C420/SD45) with over 100 loads of Indiana Black diamonds for West Olive. Should reach CP Hoosier in about 45 minutes, as he has to meet southbound T-MNB, who's taking the hole at LaCrosse.

Plan is to tack on the New Buffalo GP38-3 onto the headend for Saugtuck Hill instead of calling a pusher crew. That qualifies as enough power for the 123-car train.

Question for you is do you want a normal 65-car set back now or wait a day for the 123-car train?

We'll wait a day for the big 123-car train. It's basically just two 65 car trains together since we didn't get to run an 833 last week due to flooding. Our coal trains are kinda off schedule, too.

Question for you now, do the trains to Essexville need to cross the Grand River bridge? We ran 824-23 (last week's) yesterday, and were planning on running this week's train tomorrow.

The Grand River bridge is not crossed by the Essexville Trains. That bridge is on the "branch" north to Baldwin. The coal trains stay on the Mainline to Plymouth.

[heartlandguy]

The Grand River bridge is not crossed by the Essexville Trains. That bridge is on the "branch" north to Baldwin. The coal trains stay on the Mainline to Plymouth.

Alright, roger, just making sure. We'll send 824 up tomorrow, then get back on schedule. Will just be a regular 65 car train.

[Saturnalia]

MQT has filed to acquire the Algoma Central Railway

viewtopic.php?f=24&t=27406

[Saturnalia]

Over the last several weeks, Marquette Rail's Grand Rapids Yard forces have completed five more GP60-3SLG units. Below is a listing of what units went into each unit.

GP60-3SLG #4002: Assigned to Wyoming Yard
- 2048: GP60
- 2056: GP60
- 2076: GP60B

GP60-3SLG #4003: Assigned to Wyoming Yard
- 2050: GP60
- 2057: GP60
- 2070: GP60B

GP60-3SLG #4004: Assigned to Rougemere Yard
- 2049: GP60
- 2062: GP60
- 2069: GP60B

GP60-3SLG #4005: Assigned to Rougemere Yard
- 2054: GP60
- 2065: GP60
- 2071: GP60B

GP60-3SLG #4006: Assigned to Alpena Yard
- 2052: GP60
- 2061: GP60
- 2067: GP60B

[Saturnalia]

The Algoma Central Power Situation has been resolved for now. Marquette will send it's 10 GP35-3s and 3 SW9s north. Actually, they are already at Livingston, going to be handed off to CN in Gary, then they will ship them to the SOO for Saturday. We are also getting the 3 F40PHs CN had for the route, they are in an AC paint scheme already, the other units will stay in MQT paint for now.

MQT 2006-2015 [GP35-3] to AC 201-210
MQTX 221-223 [SW9] to AC 101-103

From CN:
AC 301-303 [F40PH]

We're also acquiring about 35 passenger cars from CN.

Of note, we've been using the GP35-3s as yard power, but with the GP60-3SLGs coming online, they are not surplus.

[Saturnalia]

Marquette's acquiring of the AC is effective at midnight.

[Saturnalia]

The Grand Rapids shop forces have churned out two more GP60-3SLGs. These are numbers 4006 & 4007. Here is 4006 completed, before entering the paint booth:



Note the fact on these units the shop forces are not putting much time into cutting off excess metal from the now de-primemovered B unit. . We decided to leave the doors and fan cover plates in and in the case of holes like the fan plates, weld in a steel blank behind the opening. This saves time and cost, and helps to keep the weight up. To keep the weight up, the prime mover has been replaced with a concrete block. In the rear of the long hood is the APU, so that fills that cavity. The set's electronic are stored in the old electronic cabinet.

Yard crews have been very happy with these units. By making them effectively 2-engine Gensets, we save lots of fuel, and the 12-powered-axle configuration means tractive effort is really good in these now yard switching locomotives.

Specs:
HP: 7500 (used to be 3800 each)
Tractive Effort (starting) 150,000 lbs @20% (used to be 65,000 each)

Management has decided to pull the remaining GP60W and GP60B units off the MQTX roster and onto the MQT roster for rebuilding to GP60-3SLGs.

[Saturnalia]

GP60-3SLG #4008 was released from Wyoming Yard today. Heading to Rougemere for work.

GP60-3SLG Assignments:
#4001 : Wyoming Yard
#4002 : Rougemere Yard
#4003 : Wyoming Yard
#4004 : Alpena Yard
#4005 : Wyoming Yard
#4006 : Manistee Yard
#4007 : CSE for Tryout, eventually local/yard service
#4008 : Rougemere Yard

Still to come:
#4009 : Heavy Local Service on the GR sub
#4010 : Grain Train Assembly on the Plymouth sub
#4011 : Backup

[Saturnalia]

19:50 EDT: C-WOLMON-16 approach medium CP Anoyance
19:55 EDT: C-WOLMON-16 medium clear CP Hoosier Main 1 to 2 to Monon Connection
19:59 EDT: C-WOLMON-16 all clear MQT Trackage. She's on Monon's Mainline heading south from Michigan City.

[Saturnalia]

GP60-3SLG Assignments:
#4001 : Wyoming Yard
#4002 : Rougemere Yard
#4003 : Wyoming Yard
#4004 : Alpena Yard
#4005 : Wyoming Yard
#4006 : Manistee Yard
#4007 : CSE for Tryout
#4008 : Carolina Southern for Tryout

Still to come:
#4009 : Heavy Local Service on the GR sub
#4010 : Grain Train Assembly on the Plymouth sub
#4011 : Backup

#4008 has been sent to the Carolina Southern for a tryout

#4009 due out tomorrow

[Saturnalia]

With the TSCR out, CP Annoyance will, because it does not exist in real life, have to become a new fictional RR. Since MQT is the railroad they mainly connect with, the GR&P Annoyance -> Detroit mainline will now be called the Michigan Air Line, and will be a railroad in distress. Basically, they will fade to history shortly.

[Saturnalia]

With the TSCR out, CP Annoyance will, because it does not exist in real life, have to become a new fictional RR. Since MQT is the railroad they mainly connect with, the GR&P Annoyance -> Detroit mainline will now be called the Michigan Air Line, and will be a railroad in distress. Basically, they will fade to history shortly.

Actually, change of plans. Atrainguy is coming back to takeover the GR&P, so the line will stay in.

[Saturnalia]

GP60-3SLG Assignments:
#4001 : Wyoming Yard
#4002 : Rougemere Yard
#4003 : Wyoming Yard
#4004 : Alpena Yard
#4005 : Wyoming Yard
#4006 : Manistee Yard
#4007 : CSE for Tryout
#4008 : Carolina Southern for Tryout
#4009 : Local Service on the GR Sub

Still to come:
#4010 : Grain Train Assembly on the Plymouth sub
#4011 : Backup

#4009 has been released, 4010 due Monday. List above has been updated.

[Saturnalia]

11:52 EDT: Y-SAG1-19, with MQT 2035, heading to interchange with the GRP in Saginaw. Has 24 cars.

[atrainguy60]

Does the Marquette operate the Essexville coal trains currently? Or would the GR&P be operating them? And do we still have a interchange agreement with the grain trains from Richville, MI to Saginaw?

[Saturnalia]

Does the Marquette operate the Essexville coal trains currently? Or would the GR&P be operating them? And do we still have a interchange agreement with the grain trains from Richville, MI to Saginaw?

Those Grain Trains are all on the GR&P side now, they wanted 1 shipper.

Essexville has stopped Western Coal. They now get 5 eastern trains per week and a Central Load once every other week from the CIL