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With the ongoing signal projects CN has been performing in the Detroit area, a signal bridge has been installed between 7 Mile and Outer Drive in Detroit. Nolan is a mile north of this location where track becomes single track and is controlled by track authorities. On this side of Nolan is Yard Limits controlled by Flint. Maybe CN has decided to make the Mt Clemens Sub signaled trackage? The principle of the various projects lately seem to be for CN to streamline their operations.

7 Mile New Signals by tcamp7837, on Flickr

I'm not from the area but I was told the Mt. Clemens Sub. is being upgraded for CTC..

The entire Mt. Clemens Sub is going to become CTC, there will be several new control points, Milwaukee Jct will have its own on the Mt. Clemens leg, Nolan will be given a power switch instead of a spring switch, the siding in Mt. Clemens will be upgraded to power switches and allow for very limited meets as the siding is only about 3000', holding signals will be installed in between those points, North and South Haven will be upgraded, and there may be an additional holding signal installed in between Mt. Clemens and Haven, but I cannot recall. This will make the Mt. Clemens PTC-compliant, allow for a faster maximum speed, and eliminate the need for Track Authority to operate. Work is starting very soon, as in probably end of January.

ConrailDetr​oit wrote:With the ongoing signal projects CN has been performing in the Detroit area, a signal bridge has been installed between 7 Mile and Outer Drive in Detroit. Nolan is a mile north of this location where track becomes single track and is controlled by track authorities. On this side of Nolan is Yard Limits controlled by Flint. Maybe CN has decided to make the Mt Clemens Sub signaled trackage? The principle of the various projects lately seem to be for CN to streamline their operations.

Weren't all of the GTW dispatchers moved to Homewood, and consolidated down to just one or two desks? Who's controlling the yard limits in Flint?

kckorienek wrote:The entire Mt. Clemens Sub is going to become CTC, there will be several new control points, Milwaukee Jct will have its own on the Mt. Clemens leg, Nolan will be given a power switch instead of a spring switch, the siding in Mt. Clemens will be upgraded to power switches and allow for very limited meets as the siding is only about 3000', holding signals will be installed in between those points, North and South Haven will be upgraded, and there may be an additional holding signal installed in between Mt. Clemens and Haven, but I cannot recall. This will make the Mt. Clemens PTC-compliant, allow for a faster maximum speed, and eliminate the need for Track Authority to operate. Work is starting very soon, as in probably end of January.

That's pretty cool news. I wonder what if they'll install another signal at the north end of the Mt. Clemens Sub for trains coming out of the tunnel (for the Mt. Clemens Sub) that are too long to fit in the yard (and typically get TAs for the first couple hundred feet of the subdivision before leaving Sarnia)? Anyway, thanks for sharing the news, Kyle!

Flint Yardmaster controls all Port Huron, Pontiac, East Yard, Moterm, maybe more. Trains will no longer need to call the yardmaster to pass between Nolan and Milwaukee Jct. They will still need to call to enter East Yard.

This will mean Detroit Connecting will need to call the dispatcher for a signal to enter the Main at Milwaukee Jct and then the yardmaster to enter East Yard.

Westbounds at Tappan going onto the Mt Clemens Sub will simply have a clear signal to proceed.

That's pretty cool news. I wonder what if they'll install another signal at the north end of the Mt. Clemens Sub for trains coming out of the tunnel (for the Mt. Clemens Sub) that are too long to fit in the yard (and typically get TAs for the first couple hundred feet of the subdivision before leaving Sarnia)? Anyway, thanks for sharing the news, Kyle!

That will be part of the signal upgrade that is currently going on at CP Tappan.

As of today there are crews working in Mt. Clemens
just east Hubbard Street at the end of the siding there
(about where you would place a signal mast for the
siding). There's also the first part of an antenna mast
next to the track dept. building by the team track that
should be vertical by the end of today.