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CSX files to deactivate signals on second Michigan line
It is surprising that the CSX has not sold the tracks in Michigan.
It is surprising that the CSX has not sold the tracks in Michigan.
Decisions of this type tells me that Management is on their toes,looking for ways to cut expensive expenses, like maintaining signals.
Look after the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves…eh !
Long overdue
WHEN I WAS STILL DISPATCHING TRAINS IN GRAND RAPIDS MICHIGAN THE WHOLE PERE MARQUETTE DISTRICT WAS FOR SALE!!! OF COURSE THERE WERE NO TAKERS. GREED AND MONEY PREVAILED. THIS WAS BETWEEN 1980 AND 1990. ALL TRAIN DISPATCHING OF THE ENTIRE CSXT SYSTEM WAS MOVED TO JACKSONVILLE FLORIDA BETWEEN JANUARY 1st 1988 AND THE END OF MARCH 1990. I RETIRED WHEN THE OFFICE IN GRAND RAPIDS WAS CLOSED. SHORT LINE RAILROADS NOW CONTROL FROM GRAND RAPIDS TO MANISTEE AND LUDINGTON; FLINT, SAGINAW, BAY CITY AND THE ENTIRE THUMB AREA.
So much for future passenger service Detroit-Grand Rapids.
Some railfans seem to forget that the railroads are not beholden to the wishes of the railfans. Especially those with fantasies about unfunded future Amtrak trains to nowhere. If there is little freight, odds are there is little need for Amtrak or an entire system of signals which require maintenance, which costs the railroad money. Unlike taxpayer funded Amtrak, private sector freight railroads need to turn a profit or go out of business. When Amtrak loses money, which is early and often, big government simply takes more from the taxpayer to cover the larger losses.
One more thing. Last time I checked, which was about 15 months ago, Detroit is mostly grass, trees, and weeds growing between chunks of broken concrete and buildings in assorted states of falling apart. In a few more years it will be nothing more than a placeholder on a map. Frog Station will be larger and handle more traffic.
Apparently CSX is doing what Conrail did with bypassing the old Michigan Central mainline, sending all the Detroit area traffic south to Ohio, and thence over their E-W main to Chicago. The old MC line is now owned by ATK and the State Of Mich.
The switch machines can be reused elsewhere on CSX.
Been wondering about traffic on CSX in Michigan. Was at Porter IN for 12 hours last September and the only traffic on the CSX line were the 2 Amtraks and a BNSF run through coal to Michigan City. No CSX whatsoever.
What is the Trains-Per-Day and tonnage hauled on this line? Do they haul “Hazardous” (Hah!) material? The EPA wouldn’t like that!
I agree with Jack Wilson…although there is next to nothing on the track currently, perhaps signal operation could be suspended instead of abolished, in case the state were interested in becoming a customer for passenger runs from Grand Rapids through Lansing to Detroit (or, if Detroit is really that hopeless, hang a left at Plymouth, connect with Wolverine service and go to Toledo).
And don’t judge the demand for such a service by what was there before Amtrak…I am speaking as one who was often the sole passenger between Holland and Chicago in early 1971–and look how busy those trains are now!
As for the BNSF coal trains seen at Porter, they are not for Michigan City–they serve the Consumers Energy plant at West Olive, Michigan. Just for the record.
When i was in high school in watervliet Michigan, 1970, i used to watch the Grand Rapids to Chicago, passenger train cruise by between 8:00 and 8:10 am. Every school morning. Mr Shaver…i probably watched you roll by…in that single coach behind a B&O E-8.
More gibberish from the Goose. No wonder everybody hates you!
Another rail trail in the making and more trucks on the road. Monopolies always get rid of the least profitable lines. Shortlines suffer high interchange rates. If they fail, the rail is scrapped and sent to China.
The more I read about Rails to Trails, the less I think of that movement. Jim Sekel, I’m afraid your right on the money for that observation. On “dark territory” speed id limited to 49 MPH. Which will give any traffic to the trucks unless the customer is a coal fired power plant or some other large commodity shipper or user.
Is NOT going to happen. Meeting in January with the signal department for placement of new signals from East End Lake Odessa to Ensle for 2014/2015.
NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. Signals will 99% stay in place.
Oh yeah, I only work here…
If you are going to take up signal system then why spend money on making signal upgrades.
CSX just in the past year or so has changed out signal heads and made other changes. Some one in Jax HQ needs to be explaining to the shareholders why the money was spent. Watch the pennies and then count the dollars.
It’s funny, the CSX folk put a ton of new ties and repaved nearly every grade crossing from Lansing to Lake Odessa this past summer. As far as traffic, trains are few. There might be 4 customers from Lansing to Lake Odessa.
At one time when they had the CP traffic you could see them running one after another at times right on the markers of the train ahead.