NS Yard in Grand Rapids MI

[Anonymous]

I was through Grand Rapids MI a while ago. Came in from the south on Freeway 131, and was amazed to see a rather large, active freight yard patrolled by NS switchers. I always thought Grand Rapids was primarily a C&O/CSX city. Does anyone know the origins of this NS yard prior to Conrail and PC (Pennsylvania or NYC)?

Meanwhile, I couldn't locate the C&O/CSX yard in nearby Wyoming. Is it still in existence/operating? I understand CSX has downgraded operations through the Grand Rapids area, and now even CP run through trains are to be diverted to NS via Ft. Wayne.

Thanks,

John Baie

[CShaveRR]

You were looking at the former PRR's yard in Grand Rapids. Lots of auto parts cars for the nearby body plants (GM).

Wyoming Yard should still be around. Take I-196 west from the center of town, exit at Market Street. Head back in toward town, and watch for entrance on right (beyond the wastewater plant). Can't vouch for how thoroughly the yard is posted or patrolled.

The foot of Judd Street (off Chicago Drive) might be a good public place to observe the east throat of the yard. I'm sure, though, that the action is nowhere near what it used to be!

[JoeKoh]

John
cp has entered an agreement for trackage rights with ns. so that cp crews can run the trains.they(ns) are also looking at building a wye in Butler Indiana but havent started yet.I'll get more info asap.[;)]
hope this helps
stay safe
Joe

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the information. Interesting.

[Anonymous]

From what friends back home tell me, the CSX Wyoming yard is still busy. The above directions are right on. The NS yard is really dependant on the local auto industry..I am told most of the switching is done in Elkhart, the Grand Rapids yard is basically for the locals to use. A friend said that it takes about 30yrs senority to hold Grand Rapids with the NS

[Anonymous]

The yard you saw was indeed the former PRR Hughart Yard. Its origins are with the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad of which Hughart was a director of some sort at the end of the 19th and early 20th century.
The yard today is a shadow of its former self, with one train to Elkhart and back a day and one local southward to the Kalamazoo area. It is also a base for a switcher that worls the GM/Fisher Body plant at 36th Street in Wyoming. In PRR and PC days this yard made trains for Cadillac and Mackinaw City, Muskegon and Fort Wayne and was a very busy place. It had a mini hump of sorts with a set of signals along the north lead to relay information to the engineer via a searchlight signal. Flashing aspects as well as colors conveyed information as to stop, back up, kick, etc.
Today the yard makes up one train for Elkhart and switches out the inbound from the same city. It does have a rather sucessfull Transflo Facility that serves a large area of west Michigan with bulk dry goods of all sorts. Flour, plastics, sugars, cement among other commodities are unloaded here.
The CSX Wyoming Yard (where I work) is not as busy as C&O days but still has switchers working 24/7. The CP traffic is NOT GOING ANYWHERE for the time being and remains the reason most of the crews that call Wyoming their home still work here. CP continues to run their usual contingent of trains east and west along with at least a daily extra or two. CSX runs freights to Toledo Stanley Yard, Detroit Rougemere, Barr Yard Chicago, Muskegon Michigan and Baldwin, Michigan. Local traffic continues to grow with new customers at Fruitport, Michigan recieving newsprint and a new ethanol plant going in out near Lake Odessa. A new Lowes lumber reload center went online this past year at Grand Ledge.
Ya wanna know anything else about Grand Rapids and west Michigan fell free to email at [e-mail] or visit Michiganrailroads.com
Doktor No
Switchman Wyoming Yard

[Anonymous]

Doktor No: Thanks for the detailed info. The part about the hump at the PRR yard was particularly interesting! How many freights used to originate out of the C& O yard in the PRR/PC time period? Also, when was the old PM station in Grand Rapids closed in favor of the later passenger facility in Wyoming?

[MP173]

Doc:

Is that you? From the CSX Yahoo message board of a few years ago?

If so, glad to see you. I have wondered about you.

If this is the good doctor, we have added quite a resource to the group.

ed