I travelled to Detroit today and stopped in Kzoo for a photo of BO tower. It is still in operation...or at least the Amtrak ticket agent said it was. He indicated the tower will be closed in the future as there is considerable track work.
Can anyone give any info on the tower, operations, and the need for a tower at that location in 2014? Just doesnt seem to be much traffic there.
Ed
As I recall, trains off the Grand Rapids line (from the north), have to back up east on the Detroit mainline into the Kalamazoo Botsford yard, on a line that 8 daily Amtrak trains use.
The Grand Elk Railroad has a few freight trains moving North-South and East-West between 8:00 and 20:00.
Between 20:00 and 6:00 there is a lot more activity on the Grand Elk Railroad.
Watch my videos on-line at https://www.youtube.com/user/AndrewNeilFalconer
Ed, I don't know how much of this you'll be able to see without belonging to Trainorders, but...http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?2,3531642
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
Carl:Thanks for the link. I saw a sign for ITCS but didnt realize what it was for.
It was great to add another tower to my list and to take photos, even if there were no trains. The operator's parked car added to the "authenticity" of the tower. I always liked to see cars parked at towers.
How busy is the Grand Elk Railroad? Is there any normalcy of operations during daylight hours. I would make another trip to take a photo or two of trains.
I think the Grand Elk manages one daily round trip between Grand (Rapids) and Elk (hart), but I don't know when it goes. I saw this train at Elkhart once; I think it was in the afternoon (and I don't remember if it was coming or going...or whether I was coming or going, for that matter). You might have better luck somewhere between Elkhart and Three Rivers, or possibly up toward Kalamazoo again.
I lived in Kalamazoo 40 years ago, and I remember seeing GT going past BO tower toward the north. Does CN still get up into that part of town?
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