USA Pics
- Thread starter Dermmy
- Start date
Sabertooth
New member
wow...wooow
thats all I can say about that story
thats all I can say about that story
Boom and Bust!
(Hypothetical; let's hope it's not reality!)
Part 1:
Summer 2009: With the worsening of the economy and the midwest industrial base particularly hard-hit, the Class I railroads such as BNSF and CN are resorting to storing their power. With their own yards filling at a frightening pace, they resort to temporarily relying on shortline railroads; including the HESR (Huron & Eastern), to help out. The HESR offers its track space at their expansive Durand, Michigan yard, for a fee of course. So what's bust for the Class I's turns out to be a boom for the shortlines!
I snapped this picture in late June 2009. Of course I realize I was trespassing, but no one was around and it's not every day you see this much power in Durand, Michigan. Once Durand was the center hub of Michigan railroad activity for the Grand Trunk Western (GTW) and the Ann Arbor (AA or as locals call it the A2) railroad. I had to hurry and take this picture and get out of there though as I heard the horn of one of the GLC GP35s coming from Owosso further up the line to the north. Probably the Grain Train heading south to the Osmer Siding interchange with the A2. But notice the original Illinois Central, Grand Trunk Western, and Wisconsin Central liveries of some of the CN units. Also the BNSF had some ATSF and BN livery colors. I might go back and try to get more images later after the GLC train passes.
Picture taken from my GLC route on 03/29/2009. Very early WIP shot of the Durand yard.
(Hypothetical; let's hope it's not reality!)
Part 1:
Summer 2009: With the worsening of the economy and the midwest industrial base particularly hard-hit, the Class I railroads such as BNSF and CN are resorting to storing their power. With their own yards filling at a frightening pace, they resort to temporarily relying on shortline railroads; including the HESR (Huron & Eastern), to help out. The HESR offers its track space at their expansive Durand, Michigan yard, for a fee of course. So what's bust for the Class I's turns out to be a boom for the shortlines!
I snapped this picture in late June 2009. Of course I realize I was trespassing, but no one was around and it's not every day you see this much power in Durand, Michigan. Once Durand was the center hub of Michigan railroad activity for the Grand Trunk Western (GTW) and the Ann Arbor (AA or as locals call it the A2) railroad. I had to hurry and take this picture and get out of there though as I heard the horn of one of the GLC GP35s coming from Owosso further up the line to the north. Probably the Grain Train heading south to the Osmer Siding interchange with the A2. But notice the original Illinois Central, Grand Trunk Western, and Wisconsin Central liveries of some of the CN units. Also the BNSF had some ATSF and BN livery colors. I might go back and try to get more images later after the GLC train passes.
Picture taken from my GLC route on 03/29/2009. Very early WIP shot of the Durand yard.
Last edited:
brickbuilder711
yard yobs
Why hope for the economy to get THAT bad? 
Anyway, neat pic!
Anyway, neat pic!
Why hope for the economy to get THAT bad?
Anyway, neat pic!
As in, let's hope it's a hypothetical situation and not reality, as in a work of fiction obviously! But thanks for bringing it to my attention so I could clarify it a bit more.
Part 2:
So, I got off the yard property and waited for the GLC Grain train to pass and went back to get another. I thought I'd better not press my luck by taking anymore. Railways don't like trespassers. Normally I wouldn't but this was just such an unusual situation. Those GTW units look like they've had a recent fresh coat of paint, along with the warbonnet BNSF units. There were some dirty locos I passed though on my way back to my car. Let's hope things get back to normal and this yard is pretty much empty once again...normally the case during a good economy.
Part 3:
A month later I was taking a business trip from Flint, Michigan to South Bend, Indiana. We took off from Bishop Airport in Flint and as we gained altitude the flight path took us over Durand. I looked down and to my great relief all of the stored power was gone and the yard was looking pretty much back to normal, but for a few stored older boxcars. Those locomotives are now out driving the economy on the Class I railroads and getting goods and services to people and industry!
Thus concludes my screenshots for today. More to come on my GLC thread.
Last edited:
Gary_Evans
Still plays with Trainz
The diesels that pull long lines of freight cars across the land require regular maintenance which they recieve. In addition, an occasional problem will arise prompting train crews to park their power on a repair track and leave a note on a squawk sheet informing the shop crew of the problem. Here are a few classic notes found in the cab:
(Train crew) Dynamic brakes don't work at any speed.
(Shop crew) This locomotive is not equipped with dynamic brakes.
(Train crew) Something loose in cab.
(Shop crew) Something tightened in cab.
(Train crew) Evidence of leak in crankcase.
(Shop crew) Evidence removed.
(Train crew) Alternator volume unbelievably loud.
(Shop crew) Volume set to more believable level.
(Train crew) Locomotive dances up and down when brake applied at 89MPH.
(Shop crew) Could not reproduce problem in enginehouse.
(Train crew) Dynamic brakes don't work at any speed.
(Shop crew) This locomotive is not equipped with dynamic brakes.
(Train crew) Something loose in cab.
(Shop crew) Something tightened in cab.
(Train crew) Evidence of leak in crankcase.
(Shop crew) Evidence removed.
(Train crew) Alternator volume unbelievably loud.
(Shop crew) Volume set to more believable level.
(Train crew) Locomotive dances up and down when brake applied at 89MPH.
(Shop crew) Could not reproduce problem in enginehouse.
jadebullet
might be back?
LoL, those are great.
ex-railwayman
New member
Euphod...I wasn't blowing smoke. I sincerely liked how you moved the independent camera into the interlocking tower to take that shot. I wouldn't have thought of that...well...maybe...Keep the screenies coming.
Cheers,
Fred
Yeah, I agree with you Fred, it's nice to know that guys like Euphod are taking unusual style screenshots for us all to view, pity that lots more Trainzers don't do the same, where's all the photographic creativeness gone to these days.....Good on ya Ed, keep 'em coming young man.....
Cheerz. ex. :wave:
As in, let's hope it's a hypothetical situation and not reality, as in a work of fiction obviously! But thanks for bringing it to my attention so I could clarify it a bit more.
Thus concludes my screenshots for today. More to come on my GLC thread.
Them are pretty sweet....I love how ya have them stored units on them lines....Very cool :Y:
Reminds me of these pix here down in Homewood IL
Ground Shots
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=206254&nseq=4
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=156983&nseq=16
After the SD45`s were cut up, their remains were shipped off to a local scrap yard.
Last edited:
jadebullet
might be back?
That pains me WCL, it really does.
hpoznanski
Splat, I hit alps!
I want to congratulate the USA pics thread on reaching the 300 page mark!:clap: :Y:
Bulldog1653
New member
I only have one thing to say when locos are scrapped. "That ain't good!"
Epoche3bis4
absolute TRS22 Fan
Cheers Epo
No no no....I did it to show what the CN has done to a great RR....Yeah I know it sux....Now others can know how CN treats em.....
Really? Firefox only says 113 for me. I guess I had 40 posts per page turned on.
jadebullet
might be back?
Wow, that is an amazing shot Epoch.
Leadfoot866
a.k.a. CommanderHobo
Agreed. It's fantastic!:Y: