News Briefs - July, 2001
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Timetable Finally Goes Into Effect...
According to the Conrail Technical Society, the new Norfolk Southern Dearborn Division employee timtable #3 is going into effect on August 5th, 2001. The "ghost" employee timetable #2 from June 17th, 2001, which was distributed but never went into effect, is to be "properly disposed of" and employee timetable #3 is to be "secured and in place for service".
Traverse City/Petosky TSBY Operations...
Wayne Kuhl reports on TSBY operations in Traverse City/Petosky: RRMichigan list-serv: I believe that the crew goes to both Traverse City and Petoskey every day, except Saturday and Sunday. It may be just Traverse City as the traffic from the Petoskey line doesn't always show up on the southbound train. There are several shippers at both locations with Traverse City area having more shippers. Traverse City has the following: a scrap dealer using DJJX hoppers, a lumber dealer in Grawn and Bates, and cherry growers (usually BNSF boxcars, but not always) are the main ones. On the line towards Petoskey is the Elmira Cement transloader, and a plastics plant in Petoskey.
NS Issues Timetable, but doesn't put it into effect...
According to the CRTS, the
Norfolk Southern new Dearborn Division employee timetable, which was
distributed and supposed to take effect June 17, 2001 (see below)
was not put into effect, with no reason given. NS' Dearborn
Division covers much of Michigan. Additionally, the Dearborn
Division/Pittsburgh Division division post is moving to CP-94 on the
Cleveland line.
New NS Dearborn Division Employee Timetable...
Norfolk Southern has put out a new Dearborn Division employee timetable effective on June 17th, 2001. It is the size of the former Conrail freight schedules that went in the booklet back in the late 1980's. The main features worthy of mention are that it provides tonnage ratings for each line; it includes the Cloggsville Line; and and shows Rule 261/CSS on the Cleveland Line. Harvard, White and the other former towers now have New York Central-style control point "CP" numbers. Also, the Chicago Line now is burdened with many speed restrictions over diamonds and curves that were not in place during the Conrail days, this is particularly so over the segment west of Elkhart, IN and affects mainly Amtrak trains with 60 and 70 MPH slowdowns in former 79 MPH territory. (From CRTS).
Amtrak 365/Via 85 Train Delays At Port Huron...
Beginning July 16th and continuing for four weeks on Mondays,
Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Canadian National will be carrying out track
work on its Grand Trunk line west of Port Huron, Michigan. Train
365 (Via Train 85), The International, will wait at Port Huron for open
track, then will continue to Chicago on its regular route. The
amount of the delay has not yet been determined but will be announced
soon. (Source: Amtrak via Dave Williamson at the Blue Water
Chapter, NRHS).
Capital No Longer Stops in Elkhart...
Starting next week (7/9/01),
Amtrak passengers won't be able to board a train here bound for
Washington, D.C. Though the Capitol Limited train will continue its
twice daily run through Elkhart, it will no longer stop at the downtown
station on Tyler Street effective next Monday, an Amtrak official said.
Two other Amtrak trains, which connect Elkhart with Chicago, New York
City, Boston and Philadelphia, will continue daily stops here, said
Kevin Johnson, a spokesman for Amtrak in Chicago.
The change is the second reduction in Amtrak service in Elkhart in the
last couple weeks. On June 22, Amtrak ceased staffing its ticket office,
which also meant that passengers could no longer check baggage here
before boarding their train.
Johnson said the nationwide intercity rail passenger service implemented
the schedule change so it could guarantee that the Capitol Limited will
arrive in Washington's Union Station in time for passengers to connect
with other trains bound for Jacksonville, Fla.
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