News Briefs - March, 2003

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E&LS derailment...

The Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad Channing-Crivitz Turn derailed in the Crivitz, WI yard Sunday March 30.  Engine 1220 and 402 were shoving cars into the passing track when the second car from the head end fell between the rails derailing the first car and the 402.  The cars were partially derailed, but the the

The E&LS derailment near Crivitz [Greg Bunce]

402 was completely derailed with both trucks buried in the cinders and coming to rest at a 15 degree angle.  This comes after the Marinette-Menominee Job 1 derailed on its way back from Crivitz on Thursday afternoon.  The rear two cars derailed and the last car came to rest with the roof close enough to the ground to touch.  Hulcher from the Twin Cities re-railed them Friday afternoon.  You can always tell when the frost goes out of the ground, the derailments start.  Photo of the 402 follows.  From Greg Bunce.

Coal Trains to Litchfield to Resume...

Hillsdale radio station WCSR  announced on Friday (3/28) the
resumption of service on the IN Litchfield Branch.  Coal service is to resume by the end of April.  The plan calls for 30 car unit trains to Hillsdale, then 15 at a time to Litchfield since there is no longer a run around track there.  Jay Williams mentiones that he is not sure exactly how the railroad will handle this, as there is no run-around track at Litchfield.  Info from Jay Williams.

CN derailment in Battle Creek...

Neil Becker reports on the listserv that CN derailed a westbound coal train near Bellevue in Battle Creek around 4 am 3/30/03.  No injuries were reported.  Cleanup is well underway.  The location is north of Bellevue near Hall Street, just a few hundred feet from where the double track starts to parallel Battle Creek Hwy and signals protect both directions.

Hamtramck Yard happenings...

Michael Koprowicz reports that there is much to see in the Hamtramck Yard on the old GTW.  The CN yard hosted a variety of things today (3/29) including the 4633, a GP9R locomotive in "Operation Lifesaver" paint and a rare old steel caboose, the 79197.  Track crews were also noted laying continuous welded rail near Milwaukee Jct.

FN tower closing report...

Ron on the Lower Peninsula board reports that effective 0900 hours, Monday, March 31, 2003 the CR Operator position at FN Tower (in Trenton) will be abolished and the control of FN will be transferred to the CR Bridge Operator. The CR Bridge Operator operates on and may be reached on AAR channel 46 46.

New UP engines pass through...

Anthony Rzucidlo reports that six brand new Union Pacific locomotives were spotted in the CSX Rougemere Yard in Dearborn this afternoon.  The new units in order of road numbers were: 3902, 3913, 3916, 3917, 3918 and 3918.

Caboose Action at Rougemere...

Nathan Nietering reports that Chessie Cabooses number 903141 and 904139 were at Rougemere on the 23rd of March.  903141 is a wide vision with faded Chessie marks, but intact roofwalks and ladders.  904139 is a bay window with clear Chessie logo and safety cross.  Both cabooses are former C&O.  As a side note, besides 6361, 2570 and 2801, 2574 was at the Rouge in scheme 7.
 

Bluewater Announces Amtrak Trip...

The Bluewater Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society has announced a special passenger excursion on Amtrak on April 26th.  Participants will be bused from the Dearborn Amtrak station at 8:00 a.m. to Sarnia.  After processing through Customs, they will arrive at the Sarnia depot to board the VIA International and proceed through the CN tunnel under the St. Clair river.  They will ride the train to Battle Creek, where they will get off and wait for the Detroit-bound Amtrak train from Chicago (70 minute layover).  Scheduled arrival at Dearborn is 7:05 p.m.  Cost $70 per person.  Tickets can be purchased by check or credit card, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekdays by calling 248-541-1000 or 1-8000-594-5162.

New CSX Paint Scheme showing up more often...

Anthony Rzucidlo reports that three locomotives in the new CSX paint scheme have been observed in the Rougemere Yard located in Dearborn.  The units that were in the yard were 2570, 2801 and 6361.  At most one locomotive would be in the yard wearing the new paint scheme of blue and gold.
 

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw heads for Duluth...

Wednesday morning (3/19) the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw was breaking ice on mid Lake Superior heading for Duluth. The Mackinaw reports ice as thick as 18-inches with random ridging that is reaching 10-feet above the surface of the lake.  These conditions are not unusual for the Mackinaw, though she has become stopped at times. Pressure ridges will cause the Mackinaw to stop and the vessel will have to back and ram to pass through heavy fields. While passing through western Lake Superior the Mackinaw was forced to use its bow propeller to free her self from heavy ice.

The Mackinaw is expected to arrive in Duluth on Friday and dock at St. Lawrence Cement. There the vessel will under go repairs to one of her six engines and wait for the first ships to begin moving.  The Mackinaw will depart western Lake Superior on Monday if conditions look favorable for downbound convoys to reach the eastern end of Lake Superior with out escort. The big icebreaker will spend Tuesday and Wednesday of next week preparing Whitefish Bay for the opening of the Soo Locks.   Info from Boatnerd.com via the OreRail group.

F7 locomotive spotted at Rougemere...

Steve Guido reports that he observed an old F-7 locomotive, without trucks, loaded on a flatbed car on a CSX train at Rougemere Yard in Detroit.  The unit was dark maroon and had no markings on it other than the letters "JG".  He feels that it may possibly headed to a museum.

FN's final days...

Nathan Nietering reports that FN tower in Trenton is still open but probably not for long.  The radio tower on site has been fully erected.  New signals are still turned, and CN crews are still working on the Shore line electrical box near the tower.

New welded rail...

Dan Meinhard reports that the CN was laying welded rail in certain locations between Emmet and Imlay City on the Flint Subdivision.  The crews were happy that the weather is starting to break and warm up a little.

Shipping season in the UP...

Even though the shipping season through the harbor at Maruqette has 16 days to go, Greg Peet makes an interesting observation.  He understands that the Coast Guard has brought an icebreaker into southern Lake Michigan for the first time in many years.  He also has heard that Lake Superior is nearly frozen over this season which is pretty rare.  It should make the start up of the season very intersting.  3/9.

CMGN 9210 leaves town...

Paul Cameron reports that Central Michigan Railway has sold GP-8 #9210 and it is heading south today (3/7).  9210 left Bay City for Durand this morning to be forwarded to the CN.  It has been reportedly sold to an elevator in southern Illinois. This leaves its sibling 9209 out of service at North Bay City with major generator problems.  9209 is also looking for a buyer.  These two GP-8's on the CMGN lasted just over ten years, having entered service later in 1992.
 

Amtrak to limit use of Acela name...

WASHINGTON (AP) - In a marketing about-face, Amtrak will begin using the brand name ``Acela'' to describe only its premier high-speed train, Acela Express.  Until now, conventional trains that ply the Northeast Corridor along with the high-speed trains have been known as ``Acela Regional.'' Starting March 17, they will be called ``Regional.''  Critics say that under the current system, some passengers step onto a conventional ``Acela Regional'' train expecting to enjoy the swiftness and amenities of the heavily promoted ``Acela Express'' service, only to be disappointed.  From the New York Times.

More News Briefs from February...