GTW 79054 caboose on move

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caboose9
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GTW 79054 caboose on move

Unread post by caboose9 »

Hi,

Below is a report from yesterday that steel, wide vision cupola, GTW 79054 caboose was being boarded up in the Kilgore Yard, Sprinkle Rd. & N Ave., K'zoo Twp., MI. Does anyone know where it is moving to or has moved to?

Thanks, Roger



Tim Fuller wrote, "GTW 79054 caboose is being boarded up to be moved from the Kilgore rail yard, Sprinkle Rd. & N Ave., Kalamazoo Twp., MI"
S. Roger Kirkpatrick, 731 6th St., Marietta, OH 45750

caboose9
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GTW 79054 caboose on the move?

Unread post by caboose9 »

Was this move made on rail or by truck?
S. Roger Kirkpatrick, 731 6th St., Marietta, OH 45750

RRTTF
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Re: GTW 79054 caboose on move

Unread post by RRTTF »

My source says: Been boarded up to secure the caboose from further vandalism. Crews are supposed to be stationed on the platform for their shove movement, and can't do a very effective job if they are inside the caboose in a reclined position.

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GP9R
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Re: GTW 79054 caboose on move

Unread post by GP9R »

Sorry to dig up such an old thread. I was looking for some photos of this caboose. It is in service and is usually used about once a week or so to make the trip to Arvco. It looks terrible though

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Re: GTW 79054 caboose on move

Unread post by GP30M4216 »

Image

Glad to hear the cab is still in service, but that's too bad it looks so terrible (dare I ask to see a more recent photo?). This photo is from 2007 and it still looked pretty darn good then. I have a couple other photos of 79054 around Kalamazoo too, I'll need to look around.

Also: Nice to know Arvco is still getting service, if occasionally. I rarely get to Kzoo anymore but the last couple times the spur looked used but no cars on the siding.

GTW 79046 was the caboose which preceded the 54 in Kalamazoo. Here's a photo of it from 2005. I'm not sure where it went when it left Kzoo.

Image

NSSD70ACe
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Re: GTW 79054 caboose on move

Unread post by NSSD70ACe »

The caboose is still in Kilgore Yard as of Monday night. I'm checking tonight since I'll be at Midlink for several hours anyway.
:roll:

the contents of the above post are my opinion and mine alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.

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GP9R
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Re: GTW 79054 caboose on move

Unread post by GP9R »

NSSD70ACe wrote:The caboose is still in Kilgore Yard as of Monday night. I'm checking tonight since I'll be at Midlink for several hours anyway.
I have it on good authority, there's a very good chance it will be used tonight

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Re: GTW 79054 caboose on move

Unread post by Robertrains »

Does anyone know if this caboose is used anymore? I saw it at Kilgore Yard all "Rusty/Graffitified!" That was 4-23-2014! This is my favorite caboose of all time! It was used on the GTW Local train on the Mt. Clemens Sub from 5-1991 until 10-2000!!!!

My Dad took this picture of GTW 79054 in 1994, New Baltimore (35mm film picture): Image
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SD80MAC
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Re: GTW 79054 caboose on move

Unread post by SD80MAC »

It is still in the yard in Kzoo, and is available to be used should the crew want to. Some of them don't like messing with it.
"Remember, 4 mph is a couple, 5's a collision!"
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Robertrains
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Re: GTW 79054 caboose on move

Unread post by Robertrains »

OK, this caboose has been repainted by the crews in 2016! It looks nice! I myself would love to get new pix of it! Now, would this be operating Memorial Day (Monday 5-31)? :?: Is it still based at Killgore Yard? :?: I would love to get a picture of it in operation. I may choose to go here for the weekend after the special "Ohio Rail Experience" train! Would it be worth the travel? I did go in the yard when it was "Graffitified" in 2014! Does anyone care if we go in to get pix? Please help!!!! :!:

Here's a photo, © Nicholas Katz, of GTW 79054 repainted in 2016:
Image
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=4541004
Robert Jackson (Extreme Railfan/Bluewater and Michigan Transit Museum member)

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Re: GTW 79054 caboose on move

Unread post by 1TrackMind »

CN works at night so it would be hard to catch in action, but its usually at the yard. Its in rough shape now a days.

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SD80MAC
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Re: GTW 79054 caboose on move

Unread post by SD80MAC »

The main Kalamazoo job works at night, but they have a day time job that will sometimes take the engine in Kzoo and run to Battle Creek and back with the Kzoo traffic.
"Remember, 4 mph is a couple, 5's a collision!"
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Robertrains
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Re: GTW 79054 caboose on move

Unread post by Robertrains »

1TrackMind wrote:
Fri May 28, 2021 5:05 pm
CN works at night so it would be hard to catch in action, but its usually at the yard. Its in rough shape now a days.
What time do they usually run at night? We decided not to go to Kalamazoo this weekend! We probably will in July and hope to catch 79054 in action!!!! Man, the caboose was repainted in 2016! How "Rough" does it look now? :shock:
Robert Jackson (Extreme Railfan/Bluewater and Michigan Transit Museum member)

http://cooltrains.rrpicturearchives.net/

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NS3322
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Re: GTW 79054 caboose on move

Unread post by NS3322 »

Robertrains wrote:
Fri May 28, 2021 5:21 pm
1TrackMind wrote:
Fri May 28, 2021 5:05 pm
CN works at night so it would be hard to catch in action, but its usually at the yard. Its in rough shape now a days.
What time do they usually run at night? We decided not to go to Kalamazoo this weekend! We probably will in July and hope to catch 79054 in action!!!! Man, the caboose was repainted in 2016! How "Rough" does it look now? :shock:
It honestly didn't look too bad whenever I've driven by the yard on Kilgore in recent months. I'll have to get an updated shot of it from the road one of these days.

It is my understanding that they rarely use the caboose.

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Re: GTW 79054 caboose on move

Unread post by GP30M4216 »

I saw 79054 last summer, it looked pretty good then! Some of the boards over the windows have been removed, which looks a little funny up close but from a distance would look normal. They used to use it for the long northbound shove up to Arvco, do they still take it that far?

NSSD70ACe
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Re: GTW 79054 caboose on move

Unread post by NSSD70ACe »

NS3322 wrote:
Fri May 28, 2021 6:30 pm
Robertrains wrote:
Fri May 28, 2021 5:21 pm
1TrackMind wrote:
Fri May 28, 2021 5:05 pm
CN works at night so it would be hard to catch in action, but its usually at the yard. Its in rough shape now a days.
What time do they usually run at night? We decided not to go to Kalamazoo this weekend! We probably will in July and hope to catch 79054 in action!!!! Man, the caboose was repainted in 2016! How "Rough" does it look now? :shock:
It honestly didn't look too bad whenever I've driven by the yard on Kilgore in recent months. I'll have to get an updated shot of it from the road one of these days.

It is my understanding that they rarely use the caboose.

It was in use a few nights ago, paired with a CNNA standard cab SD40-2, I think 5491. Doors are boarded up but otherwise appeared to be in fair shape with a good sized train.
:roll:

the contents of the above post are my opinion and mine alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.

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SD80MAC
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Re: GTW 79054 caboose on move

Unread post by SD80MAC »

CN 5491 would be an SD60, FWIW.
"Remember, 4 mph is a couple, 5's a collision!"
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NSSD70ACe
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Re: GTW 79054 caboose on move

Unread post by NSSD70ACe »

SD80MAC wrote:
Sun May 30, 2021 4:17 pm
CN 5491 would be an SD60, FWIW.

Well it was definitely a 40 so I’m remembering the number wrong. Maybe 5291, who knows.

Either way, the caboose is still being used as a shoving platform, I don’t know how often though.
:roll:

the contents of the above post are my opinion and mine alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.

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GP9R
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Re: GTW 79054 caboose on move

Unread post by GP9R »

NSSD70ACe wrote:
Mon May 31, 2021 11:09 pm
SD80MAC wrote:
Sun May 30, 2021 4:17 pm
CN 5491 would be an SD60, FWIW.

Well it was definitely a 40 so I’m remembering the number wrong. Maybe 5291, who knows.

Either way, the caboose is still being used as a shoving platform, I don’t know how often though.
5291 has been a frequent visitor to Kalamazoo, as well as many of the SD60s. The caboose gets used most nights for at least one move either the trip south from LC Howard or the trip north out of Kilgore. Either you have the number wrong, it was 5291. CN SD60s stop at 5489

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Re: GTW 79054 caboose on move

Unread post by ConrailDetr​oit »

Is the Kilgore Yard Job that works around town still on duty at 6pm, Sunday thru Thursday?

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