So Cool
LSRC 4307 leads four other units southbound under the cantilever signal at Atwood Wye, leading a loaded grain train for Wixom, MI. as clouds roll in during what started out as a bright sunny day.
Rewind 10 years and this is what the Atwood Wye area looked like in Burton, MI. flic.kr/p/2kCS8NV when it wasn't cool. Two main was still there, and in daily use for train meets and D737 to use for customers.
At that moment in time in 2012 Flint to Saginaw had already fallen to the Lake State Railway in 2005, as CSX retreated south.
From the "railfan's" perspective of golly gee the LSRC is such a great catch because of "insert what ever you want here", lets take a side by side comparison of what the "railfan's" claimed was so much better, and we will just start from the time I hired at CSX in Saginaw in March of 2000
First there is the "LSRC has such cool power". Well I remember plenty of GP40-2s, SD40-2's, SD50's, and even SD70AC's (for all intents and purposes they look the same on the outside as there SD70M's) we even occasionally had SW1500's and MP15's. On top of that we had GP38-2's, SD60's, SD60M's, C40-8's, C30-7's, and the list goes on and on of what "railfans" claim is good power, but hardly anyone took notice.
Then there is the claim of lots more trains. Is there really? While I am sure the group running LSRC is doing a great job, as I see it first hand anytime I go home to visit. Is it really more?
In 2000 to 2005 during CSX between Saginaw and Plymouth one could see, two southbound road trains to Toledo. (becoming one train around 2002), Q296, Q5??, a pair of long distance locals D735 and D736. A pair of road freights Saginaw to Pt. Huron Q330, Q331. The Flint/Grand Blanc road local D737, the locals switching GM at Grand Blanc, coal and grain trains and more. On any given day between Flint, Saginaw and Plymouth you could see at least 8 to 10 trains. With LSRC you see essentially two (counting all the way from Saginaw to Plymouth not as crews but as trains) if no extras? On a really good day maybe 6.
What about traffic? While things happen out of CSX and LSRC's control, lets look.
Auto racks, CSX most defiantly even north of Flint. LSRC just now starting north of Flint, and in the beginning some south of Flint.
Grain trains, CSX you bet. LSRC, yes same ones as CSX, with the addition of ones from Standish.
Auto parts, CSX absolutely even to the end there were some left. LSRC even through no fault of there own, not so much.
Stone. CSX very much. LSRC at the beginning yes, although not sure how much they do anymore.
I could keep going on, but I think most get the idea. So what is so much cooler about LSRC? The paint job? Is that what makes the railroad and track they run over now So Cool?
So Cool
LSRC 4307 leads four other units southbound under the cantilever signal at Atwood Wye, leading a loaded grain train for Wixom, MI. as clouds roll in during what started out as a bright sunny day.
Rewind 10 years and this is what the Atwood Wye area looked like in Burton, MI. flic.kr/p/2kCS8NV when it wasn't cool. Two main was still there, and in daily use for train meets and D737 to use for customers.
At that moment in time in 2012 Flint to Saginaw had already fallen to the Lake State Railway in 2005, as CSX retreated south.
From the "railfan's" perspective of golly gee the LSRC is such a great catch because of "insert what ever you want here", lets take a side by side comparison of what the "railfan's" claimed was so much better, and we will just start from the time I hired at CSX in Saginaw in March of 2000
First there is the "LSRC has such cool power". Well I remember plenty of GP40-2s, SD40-2's, SD50's, and even SD70AC's (for all intents and purposes they look the same on the outside as there SD70M's) we even occasionally had SW1500's and MP15's. On top of that we had GP38-2's, SD60's, SD60M's, C40-8's, C30-7's, and the list goes on and on of what "railfans" claim is good power, but hardly anyone took notice.
Then there is the claim of lots more trains. Is there really? While I am sure the group running LSRC is doing a great job, as I see it first hand anytime I go home to visit. Is it really more?
In 2000 to 2005 during CSX between Saginaw and Plymouth one could see, two southbound road trains to Toledo. (becoming one train around 2002), Q296, Q5??, a pair of long distance locals D735 and D736. A pair of road freights Saginaw to Pt. Huron Q330, Q331. The Flint/Grand Blanc road local D737, the locals switching GM at Grand Blanc, coal and grain trains and more. On any given day between Flint, Saginaw and Plymouth you could see at least 8 to 10 trains. With LSRC you see essentially two (counting all the way from Saginaw to Plymouth not as crews but as trains) if no extras? On a really good day maybe 6.
What about traffic? While things happen out of CSX and LSRC's control, lets look.
Auto racks, CSX most defiantly even north of Flint. LSRC just now starting north of Flint, and in the beginning some south of Flint.
Grain trains, CSX you bet. LSRC, yes same ones as CSX, with the addition of ones from Standish.
Auto parts, CSX absolutely even to the end there were some left. LSRC even through no fault of there own, not so much.
Stone. CSX very much. LSRC at the beginning yes, although not sure how much they do anymore.
I could keep going on, but I think most get the idea. So what is so much cooler about LSRC? The paint job? Is that what makes the railroad and track they run over now So Cool?