The Canadian National Railway operates freight trains over the Grand Trunk Western railroad tracks in Michigan.
The CN trains in Michigan are now less frequent and faster.
The dispatchers have been able to time the trains so they do not have to slow down as often for trains coming in the opposite direction on the single track stretch in the South Bend Subdivision from Penn, MI to Schoolcraft, MI.
The old diamond for the crossing in Schoolcraft, MI was replaced in March 2015.
There have been less Unit Oil Tank Car trains blocking traffic in the past 4 months.
Even the unit coal trains are running faster.
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How often do the unit oil trains run? Living a few miles west of you in NW Indiana there were a few oil trains, but nothing like the NS or CSX.
Ed
There used to be VMSX and CTCX unit oil trains each day, both East and West.
Many of these tank cars are put in Westbound Mainfest trains currently.
There is now just one or two of the oil trains each 24 hours.
The freight trains are running more frequently between 22:00 and 6:00.
For example on Wednesday night to Thursday morning, there were three trains running close enough to make the second train stop North of Vicksburg and the third train was moving slowly also.
Are they working on rebuilding or improving something in Michigan that would cause them to shift most of the traffic to between 22:00 to 6:00?
The CN plan now is to assemble extra long manifest trains to operate over the Port Huron, MI to Chicago, IL main line GTW tracks.
The number of Auto Carrier unit trains has decreased.
Is this because the backlog of automobile deliveries has been resolved?
Does the requirement for Positive Train Control at the end of 2015 result in CN managment consolidate several short trains into the less frequent long trains?
Are they proving that they do not need PTC?
They would still need PTC on the Amtrak BlueWater portion of the route.
Andrew Falconer The number of Auto Carrier unit trains has decreased. Is this because the backlog of automobile deliveries has been resolved? Does the requirement for Positive Train Control at the end of 2015 result in CN managment consolidate several short trains into the less frequent long trains? Are they proving that they do not need PTC?
PTC depends upon what is hauled - people and HAZMAT, not how many trains are operated. If you don't haul people or HAZMAT on a territory, it isn't required to have PTC.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Then they must be working hard on installing the PTC because there are numerous tank cars and hoppers with hazardous materials, plus the Eastern divisions have to carry passengers.
It has to be all the maintenance that is the cause for the 2 to 3 hour windows between any freight trains passing through the single track to double track stretch in Schoolcraft, then three trains within 30 minutes.
It used to be a train every 45 to 60 minutes.
Now they have gone back to freight trains about every 40 to 50 minutes for 4 hours, with a 2 hour gap for some other work, then the trains come back through.
The number of unit gondola and hopper trains carrying Powder River Basin coal from Wyoming over the BNSF has increased. There were two coal gondola trains closely spaced last week.
I can tell you over here on the Eastside. The Mt Clemens Sub is down to about 5-6 freights/day. Soon to be 4, as the 144/145 (Triple Crown) will be gone next month. About 10 years ago one could see upwards of 10-13 freights/day on the Mt Clemens Sub.
BaltACD Andrew Falconer The number of Auto Carrier unit trains has decreased. Is this because the backlog of automobile deliveries has been resolved? Does the requirement for Positive Train Control at the end of 2015 result in CN managment consolidate several short trains into the less frequent long trains? Are they proving that they do not need PTC? PTC depends upon what is hauled - people and HAZMAT, not how many trains are operated. If you don't haul people or HAZMAT on a territory, it isn't required to have PTC.
Only certain kinds of hazmat, TIH/PIH. (Toxic Inhalation Hazard/Poison Inhalation Hazard)
Jeff
The Eastern part of the GTW/CN has to handle Amtrak.
There are many hazardous materials in the Tank Cars that they move.
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