So, driving home from work today I happened to see a train was stopped on the tracks that run parallel to M-37 leading north into the thriving metropolis of Grant Michigan (pop. 900) where I live. I was able to catch the front of it in town next to the bar just as it started to take off, and I took some pics. I REALLY need to start carrying my nice digital camera with me, seeing as all the pics I have taken of trains so far have been with my camera phone and therefore leaving much to be desired as far as picture quality goes. But for your enjoyment here are a few I took. correct me if I am wrong (as I am sure someone will) but I'm pretty sure this is an EMD SD40-2. Why it is running with the doors to the engine compartment open I am not sure. It was not just running a little ways and then stopping, the train (3 engines and a good number of cars, mostly hoppers and tankers) was taking off from Grant and heading up to Newaygo here is the second engine in the line, also an EMD SD40-2 I believe, actually I confirmed it GLLX (Great Lakes Locomotive) 3002 and 3003 are SD40-2's ex CP here is the 3rd engine in the line, a GATX Rail Locomotive Group EMD GP38-2 formerly of Conrail. From the best I can tell GLLX and GATX are short lines that run between Lansing and Manistee or Marquette or both. Old maps of the area still show the tracks as belonging to C&O, but the local lines are the only one I've seen run the tracks probably because it wouldn't be profitable enough for CSX to run. I should have gotten some pictures of the cars, but I didn't. like I said they were mostly covered hoppers and tanker cars. The train was close to half a mile in length I would say (from when I saw the end of it I had to drive halfway through town to find the front) now I suppose I could have chased the train up to Newaygo and taken some pictures of it coming around the bend by the Sandmolds systems plant or crossing the trestle over the Muskegon River, both of which would have been great shots. but at over $4 a gallon for gas, I couldn't afford the extra drive. Enjoy
The shutter plungers might not be working and the open doors are helping cool the engine from overheating.
that makes sense, I looked GLLX up and they only have about 5 or 6 locos so I don't imagine they can take one out of service without interrupting their runs, so like most smaller companies in the US, IMPROVISE, hehehe, it seems to work though
They're leasing companies, not railroads. GATX is huge, but a lot more into rolling stock than locomotives.
