Detroit Railfanning

[ogauge47]

8/1

A Dash 9-centric day down at Vickers Diamond in Northwood, OH yesterday





















And my friend Eric was conductor on CN M383, and asked me to take his photo

[rogruth]

Lucas,
You are certainly in a good area for train watching. Several railroads, run through trains and locos, interesting and varied scenery.
How far do you usually need to travel to get your photos?
A question not about trains.
In one photo, maybe more, there are what appear to be electrical transmission towers of a type I have not seen before.
There is one in the first photo above and several about 6 down. Is this a common type and/or new in that area?

[J. S. Bach]

...snip... In one photo, maybe more, there are what appear to be electrical transmission towers of a type I have not seen before.
There is one in the first photo above and several about 6 down. Is this a common type and/or new in that area?

They have three three-phase circuits, each in a Delta configuration; one wire above and two just below. They appear to be operating at 115 KV or maybe a little more. Note that "up" requires much less r-o-w than "side-by-side"; generally much less costly to build.

[rogruth]

Thanks, Dave.
Now explain 3 phase to me. Never quite got it.

[J. S. Bach]

Thanks, Dave.
Now explain 3 phase to me. Never quite got it.

I will let Wikipedia do the job. It will be easier and more accurate than if I tried.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-phase_electric_power

[rogruth]

Thanks, Dave. Probably more than I need to kmow but that helped.
Now I apologize to and return the topic to Lucas.

[J. S. Bach]

...snip... Now I apologize to and return the topic to Lucas.

Well, Lucas did post the photo. And you know what happens on MTJ threads!!!

[ogauge47]

Lucas,
You are certainly in a good area for train watching. Several railroads, run through trains and locos, interesting and varied scenery.
How far do you usually need to travel to get your photos?
A question not about trains.
In one photo, maybe more, there are what appear to be electrical transmission towers of a type I have not seen before.
There is one in the first photo above and several about 6 down. Is this a common type and/or new in that area?

The photos I posted were down in Toledo, OH, so about an hour drive from Detroit. Most of my pictures in the Detroit area are within a 30 minute drive, as my house is only 500 feet away from the northwest Detroit city limits.

[ogauge47]

8/3

A pair of ugly ducklings at CSX Rougemere. CSXT 911 and 1776.

[webenda]

Lucas,
You are certainly in a good area for train watching. Several railroads, run through trains and locos, interesting and varied scenery.
How far do you usually need to travel to get your photos?
A question not about trains.
In one photo, maybe more, there are what appear to be electrical transmission towers of a type I have not seen before.
There is one in the first photo above and several about 6 down. Is this a common type and/or new in that area?

Those transmission towers are interesting, Roger. They look rather Chinese to me.


I wish to thank you, Lucus, for all the wonderful photos of railroading around Detroit. I have seen many things in your photos revealing Detroit today that I never would have known about without your efforts to share them with us. Amongst my favorites are the images with Michigan Central Station in the background. It is a fascinating edifice of the Hey Day of American railroading.

[ogauge47]

Back with some catch-up

9/10

CN 9675 at Schaefer



NS 31M at Delray



CP T28 passing the soon to be deactivated Delray tower on it's way back to Canada



CP 141



9/12 in Durand, MI

CN M396



Great lakes Central



CN L502



L502 shoving into Durand Yard on the Port Huron Wye



After finishing it's work I caught L502 again in Gaines, MI



CN L514 on the High Wye in Durand



CN M398 passing the depot



10/5

Conrail River Rouge Yard job with two high hood GP38-2s





10/16 Flint, MI

CN M396 at Clifford Rd in Flint, MI



10/23

CN M382 at the Lincoln St Art park, the Fisher Building in background



10/24

CN M396 at Newberry Rd in Durand, MI



CN M398



CN L514 at East Durand



CN M397

[rogruth]

Lucas,
Nice photos as usual. The Menards sign looks like the one they sell.

Now I know you are relatively young to be on this forum but obviously you have been able to which railroad is which and where it goes.
I am sure that much has changed since I was your age.
I am from eastern Ohio along the river and none, repeat none of the railroads present in that area were there when I was your age.
CSX, NS and the present W&LE did not exist.
There were @ 25-30 trains a day through our small town including 8 passenger trains.

When I think about this is when I really start to feel old.

[ogauge47]

Lucas,
Nice photos as usual. The Menards sign looks like the one they sell.

Now I know you are relatively young to be on this forum but obviously you have been able to which railroad is which and where it goes.
I am sure that much has changed since I was your age.
I am from eastern Ohio along the river and none, repeat none of the railroads present in that area were there when I was your age.
CSX, NS and the present W&LE did not exist.
There were @ 25-30 trains a day through our small town including 8 passenger trains.

When I think about this is when I really start to feel old.

Thank you! The only thing I remember from being younger that isn't around is seeing all the old SOO Line locomotives on Canadian Pacific trains through Plymouth, MI on the CSX. CP moved over to NS (old Wabash) about a decade ago.

Since seriously watching trains, I have noticed a homogenization of locomotive models and paint jobs. I used to be able to see old CP Rail Multimark SD40-2s every day, as well as standard-cab GE locomotives on CSX and NS. Since the last few deliveries of brand new (better) locomotives to the Class 1's you are beginning to see less variety. Even over the past few months I've noticed the once common CN and BC Rail C40-8M cowl units have disappeared, replaced with shiny new ET44AC's.

It's getting to a point where it's a major railfan and photography event if a road train is led by an SD40-2. I bet the old railroaders never thought that would ever happen..

[rogruth]

Lucas,
You really got it in that last paragraph.

[ogauge47]

10/26

CP 241 at Delray



NS BD19 on the Boat Line

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2hAP8y3]

NS 31M



EJE 663 at Schaefer Yard



11/2

A Conrail caboose on NS B19 in Dearborn, MI



Conrail River Rouge yard job



CN M383 in River Rouge, MI



CN Oakwood interchange train on the old DT&I



GTW 4626 switching Schaefer Yard





CN M371 in Hamtramck