This weekend was a welcomed getaway to a family members graduation party in the Chicago Metro area. My go to travel between my home in Metro Detroit and the rest of the Midwest is Amtrak’s Wolverine service. Here’s a report of my travels.
I boarded Amtrak's Wolverine Service train 351 at 5:56 AM EST Sunday at Troy, MI. This portion of the trip is on CN’s Holly Subdivision. Soon after boarding we were on our way fairly quickly. Trains are held to a maximum of 50 MPH until Moterm (Ferndale, MI) or 8 Mile Rd where you enter Detroit City limits. speed drops down to 30 MPH.Continuing down the Holly Sub we approach the slow turnout at Milwaukee Jct. Trains are limited to 5 MPH. Once clear of Milwaukee Jct. with a station stop at Detroit's New Center station. We continue down CN track eventually crossing over to Conrail Shared Assets at West Detroit. A new turnout put in service a few years back now allows trains to divert at 30 MPH compared to the former 10 MPH limit. Our next stop Dearborn where we enter MDOT owned trackAfter leaving Dearborn we travel at a track speed of 79 MPH for about 10 minutes. We begin to slow for Wayne Jct. A diamond with CSX’s Saginaw Subdivision. and surrounded by yards of NS and CSX serving Ford's busy Wayne Assembly Plant. We proceed through at 45 MPH.Proceeding stops of; Ann Arbor, Albion go without a hitch. Incremental Train Control System (a form of PTC) is well aged here. Having been in operation for about 25 years on this stretch of track. It seems most of the bugs have been worked out.Amtrak announced back in May that it increased maximum speeds from 79 to 110 MPH west of Albion. This extended 110 MPH operation an additional 45 Miles. Here is where Amtrak’s Horizon Fleet is really showing it’s age. At these speeds the 32 year old cars exhibit moments of excessive lateral motion. Especially through switches and it can be uncomfortable at times.After completing all our stops in Michigan and being held a few minutes for counterpart 350. We cross into Indiana. Passing through Michigan City reaching the end of State owned track at Porter, IN. We switch onto Norfolk Southern’s Chicago Line at 10 MPH. Cruising through Northwest Indiana we maintain a leisurely average of 45 MPH. For a Sunday morning it was fairly busy we passed multiple freights before crossing into Chicago. Once within Chicago limits we pass the currently clogged NS intermodal terminals of 63rd Street and 47th Street. We slide through with no problem.We arrive at Chicago Union Station 15 Mins early at 10:32 AM CST. Overall we made very good time considering all the stops along with some slow orders plus getting held in a siding for 350 northeast of New Buffalo, MI. Extending 110 MPH up to Albion seems to have helped decrease travel time.
Despite some early teething problems. I’m impressed by the new Siemens Charger locomotives not only was the acceleration faster than GE’s Genesis locomotives. They seem to hold speed better. At least from my point of view. Overall this was a pleasant ride. NS dispatchers did a great job of keeping us moving through Porter all the way to CUS
Thanks. Route west f Detroit I traveled frequently.
SD60MAC9500Overall this was a pleasant ride. NS dispatchers did a great job of keeping us moving through Porter all the way to CUS
Great post! Looks like there will be room for easy improvements.
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