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1TrackMind wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 27, 2022 1:29 pm

Dowagiac Train Dude wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 27, 2022 11:09 am

NS stone train just went past the Elkhart camera heading up the line towards Kalamazoo @11:06 am. It looks like it was empty.

Probably loaded. The stone is much heavier than coal so the cars can't be loaded to the max.

Thank you for the info.

Grand Elk just went by the Elkhart cam towards the Elkhart yard with WAMX 4206 in the lead with WAMX 4225 and WAMX 4189 and 98 cars that were a mix of covered hoppers, tank and box cars.

Grand Elk just went by the Elkhart cam back north at 11:17 am with WAMX 4189 in the lead with WAMX 4225, WAMX 4206 and 111 cars in tow. Another nice mix of covered hoppers, box cars and tank cars.

Can we keep the train location/heads up reports on the section of the board which is titled as such?

Steve B wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 28, 2022 6:05 pm

Can we keep the train location/heads up reports on the section of the board which is titled as such?

Sorry, I thought this would be considered a GDLK operation. I posted on the train location/heads up Shortline thread because it’s also falls under that category. I apologize and will keep it to one board.

I happened to notice, a few times, a person riding in the second or third locomotive in Grand Elk's lashups. Now I always thought all the locomotives in a lashup are controlled by the lead locomotive (except for back in the steam days obviously) Do they have to have someone back there to monitor or run the other locomotives due to a mechanical issue? Just curious because I have only noticed it on this railroad.

Conrail Quality wrote: ↑

Wed May 18, 2022 12:48 pm

I happened to notice, a few times, a person riding in the second or third locomotive in Grand Elk's lashups. Now I always thought all the locomotives in a lashup are controlled by the lead locomotive (except for back in the steam days obviously) Do they have to have someone back there to monitor or run the other locomotives due to a mechanical issue? Just curious because I have only noticed it on this railroad.

Most likely just to many crew members. Could be a brakeman or if they have a trainee there may not be enough seats in the lead unit.

1TrackMind wrote: ↑

Wed May 18, 2022 1:55 pm

Conrail Quality wrote: ↑

Wed May 18, 2022 12:48 pm

I happened to notice, a few times, a person riding in the second or third locomotive in Grand Elk's lashups. Now I always thought all the locomotives in a lashup are controlled by the lead locomotive (except for back in the steam days obviously) Do they have to have someone back there to monitor or run the other locomotives due to a mechanical issue? Just curious because I have only noticed it on this railroad.

Most likely just to many crew members. Could be a brakeman or if they have a trainee there may not be enough seats in the lead unit.

That makes sense. Thank you.

Conrail Quality wrote: ↑

Wed May 18, 2022 12:48 pm

I happened to notice, a few times, a person riding in the second or third locomotive in Grand Elk's lashups. Now I always thought all the locomotives in a lashup are controlled by the lead locomotive (except for back in the steam days obviously) Do they have to have someone back there to monitor or run the other locomotives due to a mechanical issue? Just curious because I have only noticed it on this railroad.

I had heard that they started to spread them between locos for covid distancing reasons.

Probably only 2 seats in the lead engine would be my guess. No one wants to stand all day.

Stand all day? I CAN'T STAND IT!

Conrail Quality wrote: ↑

Wed May 18, 2022 2:49 pm

1TrackMind wrote: ↑

Wed May 18, 2022 1:55 pm

Conrail Quality wrote: ↑

Wed May 18, 2022 12:48 pm

I happened to notice, a few times, a person riding in the second or third locomotive in Grand Elk's lashups. Now I always thought all the locomotives in a lashup are controlled by the lead locomotive (except for back in the steam days obviously) Do they have to have someone back there to monitor or run the other locomotives due to a mechanical issue? Just curious because I have only noticed it on this railroad.

Most likely just to many crew members. Could be a brakeman or if they have a trainee there may not be enough seats in the lead unit.

That makes sense. Thank you.

Even if there are enough seats in the leader, most railroads allow you to use your cellphone if you’re in a cab other than the leading locomotive. So sometimes additional crew members like brakemen will head back for that “benefit” too

~Z~ wrote: ↑

Wed May 18, 2022 3:29 pm

Conrail Quality wrote: ↑

Wed May 18, 2022 12:48 pm

I happened to notice, a few times, a person riding in the second or third locomotive in Grand Elk's lashups. Now I always thought all the locomotives in a lashup are controlled by the lead locomotive (except for back in the steam days obviously) Do they have to have someone back there to monitor or run the other locomotives due to a mechanical issue? Just curious because I have only noticed it on this railroad.

I had heard that they started to spread them between locos for covid distancing reasons.

I didn't think about that. Definitely a possibility.
Thank you for the reply.

SD80MAC wrote: ↑

Wed May 18, 2022 4:22 pm

Probably only 2 seats in the lead engine would be my guess. No one wants to stand all day.

I definitely wouldn't want to stand all day, haha.

Saturnalia wrote: ↑

Wed May 18, 2022 7:20 pm

Conrail Quality wrote: ↑

Wed May 18, 2022 2:49 pm

1TrackMind wrote: ↑

Wed May 18, 2022 1:55 pm

Most likely just to many crew members. Could be a brakeman or if they have a trainee there may not be enough seats in the lead unit.

That makes sense. Thank you.

Even if there are enough seats in the leader, most railroads allow you to use your cellphone if you’re in a cab other than the leading locomotive. So sometimes additional crew members like brakemen will head back for that “benefit” too

Makes sense. So that brings up another question for me. If you wanted to use your phone, would you have to wait till the train is stopped, or can you walk back to the second locomotive while on the move? I mean obviously, you could probably physically do it on the catwalks open the chain and cross over, but is it legal or permeable by the railroads? Most likely not safe to do but curious.

The CFR allows for the use of a cell phone for railroad-related communication when normal communication via radio cannot be established. On shortlines, this is often the case as they do not have dispatchers with radio towers every so many miles to contact a train directly. Both crew members must job brief and agree that it is safe to use the phone. This is only in the cab of the lead engine while the train is moving. Phone use is permitted when the train is stopped.

I drove through Otsego yesterday and the USG Paper Mill had 17 TTX and 1 CN tall box cars within their fenced in property and there were another 7 TTX tall box cars sitting on the siding just outside the facilities property. It’s really nice to see that much rail traffic at the facility. It seems that rail service to USG is really booming.

Dowagiac Train Dude wrote: ↑

Sun May 22, 2022 11:12 am

I drove through Otsego yesterday and the USG Paper Mill had 17 TTX and 1 CN tall box cars within their fenced in property and there were another 7 TTX tall box cars sitting on the siding just outside the facilities property. It’s really nice to see that much rail traffic at the facility. It seems that rail service to USG is really booming.

They are loading around 5 cars a day.

1TrackMind wrote: ↑

Sun May 22, 2022 1:12 pm

Dowagiac Train Dude wrote: ↑

Sun May 22, 2022 11:12 am

I drove through Otsego yesterday and the USG Paper Mill had 17 TTX and 1 CN tall box cars within their fenced in property and there were another 7 TTX tall box cars sitting on the siding just outside the facilities property. It’s really nice to see that much rail traffic at the facility. It seems that rail service to USG is really booming.

They are loading around 5 cars a day.

Do you know how often the GDLK switches them out?

Dowagiac Train Dude wrote: ↑

Sun May 22, 2022 1:35 pm

1TrackMind wrote: ↑

Sun May 22, 2022 1:12 pm

Dowagiac Train Dude wrote: ↑

Sun May 22, 2022 11:12 am

I drove through Otsego yesterday and the USG Paper Mill had 17 TTX and 1 CN tall box cars within their fenced in property and there were another 7 TTX tall box cars sitting on the siding just outside the facilities property. It’s really nice to see that much rail traffic at the facility. It seems that rail service to USG is really booming.

They are loading around 5 cars a day.

Do you know how often the GDLK switches them out?

Generally 5 days a week.

Derailment north of martin. About five cars on the ground.