Grand Rapids Terminal Subdivision
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Regularly Scheduled Trains
Q326 CSX (Chicago - Grand Rapids - Detroit) Daily
Mixed freight which is called for Barr Yard in Chicago at 2300. They usually arrive at GR before Noon. They get switched out and a new train is assembed, power is recrewed, and depart for Detroit during the early-mid afternoon. They work at Lansing Ensel.
Q327 CSX (Detroit - Grand Rapids - Chicago) Daily
Mixed freight which departs Detroit Rougemere during the early afternoon, and arrives at GR around 1900. They get switched out and a new train is assembled, power is recrewed, and depart for Chicago Barr Yard around midnight. They work at Lansing Ensel.
Q334 CSX (Grand Rapids - Toledo) Daily
Mixed freight which departs Grand Rapids after midnight, and arrives in Toledo (Stanley Yard) during the morning or early afternoon.
Q335 CSX (Toledo - Grand Rapids) Daily
Mixed Freight which departs Toledo Stanley Yard during the early morning, arriving into Grand Rapids during the middle afternoon.
X500 CP Rail (Chicago - Detroit - Montreal) Mon-Wed, Fri-Sat
Containers and mixed freight which departs Chicago during the nighttime hours. Travel times vary, though they often are in Grand Rapids during the 6am-9am hours. Recrews at Grand Rapids and Detroit.
P370 Amtrak (Chicago - Grand Rapids) Daily
The Pere Marquette, which departs Chicago at 1720 and arrives into Grand Rapids at about 2230.
P371 Amtrak (Grand Rapids - Chicago) Daily
The Pere Marquette, which departs Grand Rapids at 0735 and arrives into Chicago at about 1030.
Z151 Marquette Rail (Baldwin - Grand Rapids - Baldwin) Mon-Sat
This is the symbol used on CSX tracks south of Milepost 3.6 on the Ludington Subdivision by Marquette Rail's interchange train. They will come down the Ludington Subdivision and around the wye into Wyoming Yard, make their setout of outbound cars, then pickup their block of general mixed freight and lime cars (from K905) if necessary before returning north. They are called for departure at Baldwin at 2200 and usually are in Wyoming Yard at night.
Unscheduled Trains
K351 CSX (Chicago - Detroit)
Coke empties from Chicago to Rougemere in Detroit. An occassional run. Uses standard CSX/NYC hoppers.
K352 CSX (Detroit - Chicago)
Coke loads from Detroit to Inland Steel in East Chicago, IN. An occassional run. Uses standard CSX/NYC hoppers.
K357 CSX (Detroit - Chicago)
Coke Express loads to East Chicago's Inland Steel from US Steel/Delray Connecting in Detroit. Runs one to five times a week.
K904 CSX (Grand Rapids - Toledo)
Empty Lime train forwarded from Marquette Rail (Manistee) to the CSX at Wyoming, then back to Walbridge. Normally, these cars are just added to a Q334, but occasionally run as their own train.
K905 CSX (Toledo - Grand Rapids)
Loaded Lime train which is forwarded to Marquette Rail at Wyoming Yard, bound for Martin Marrieta in Manistee. Generally runs once a week.
K908 CSX (Thornton, IL - Grand Rapids)
Loaded stone train for Third Coast Distributors in Grand Rapids. Runs as needed.
K909 CSX (Grand Rapids - Thornton, IL)
Empty stone train from Third Coast Grand Rapids back to the quarry at Thornton. Runs as needed.
K910 CSX (Thornton, IL - Lansing)
Loaded stone train for Third Coast Distributors in Lansing. Runs as needed.
K911 CSX (Lansing - Thornton, IL)
Empty stone train from Third Coast Lansing back to the quarry at Thornton. Runs as needed.
E445 CSX (West Olive, MI - CSX Coal Fields)
The most common symbol for CSX coal empties going east from West Olive on the Fremont Subdivision. Trains will use this symbol unless they have already received another load assignment. In that case, they will use a different N-series number. Empties run every few days east to Plymouth, then south.
N900 Series CSX (CSX Coal Fields - West Olive)
Loaded coal trains to Michigan use N900 series numbers. Some are bound for Essexville, MI (north of Bay City and Saginaw), while others are bound for West Olive on the Fremont Sub. West Olive bound trains will go north from Toledo to Plymouth, then turn west toward Grand Rapids where they will get a recrew. Some common symbols are N904, N905, N909, N914, N915, N920, and N923. These trains tend to run every few days. (see note about D800 series coal train below) Essexville bound trains are normally symbol N956 and normally operate with BNSF power.
G Series CSX (Grain Trains)
G Series Symbols on CSX indicates Grain Trains. On the GR Terminal Subdivision, an empty grain train will come from the east to Wyoming Yard, then get picked up by Marquette Rail destined for the MAC elevador at Newago. A loaded train will be handed off in the reverse fashion, and then head east. Additionally, power for grain trains arriving or departing the large elevadors on the Plymouth Sub at Webberville or Grand Ledge get power assignments from Wyoming. These lite engines will use a G series symbol for their train.
D800 Series CSX (Grand Rapids - Grand Junction - West Olive - return)
Western coal loads coming from west of Chicago on the BNSF use symbol N903 or N910 until they reach Grand Junction, MI. They will then change symbol to D801-D803 to continue on to West Olive, then will go to Grand Rapids lite engines with that symbol for servicing. Returning, the lite engines carry a D801-D803 symbol until they pick up their empties at West Olive, then will regain their N900 number. This power is normally from the BNSF. Usually, one coal run to West Olive and back a day will operate.
Local and Yard Jobs
D700 CSX (Grand Rapids - Holland - Benton Harbor Turn) Sun-Sat
This is the local which works the line from Wyoming Yard west. Cars for these industries and the Mid Michigan interchange are blocked in the west end of the yard. Mon, Weds, and Fri, they work to Holland then south down the line, while the other days they work to Holland and then north to Haarlem on the Fremont Sub. They are called for Grand Rapids at 2100, which makes this a night run.
Even though it is often said that railroading is a mere shadow of what it has been in days past, there are still plenty of yard and local jobs based out of Wyoming to keep crews busy and cars on the move around town! Below is a list of various local and yard jobs around town, and their days of operation. Power for locals is generally provided by a single Geep, usually a GP38-2 or GP40-2. Yard jobs are switched by GP38-2s or MP15ACs, or any other power they have sitting around. Some yard switching jobs are done in Remote Control mode, so a "team" of an R/C receiver locomotive and a powered locomotive will switch these jobs (Symbol RCO). Two locals use Chessie cabooses for backup and switching moves; these are Y103 and Y221.
Symbol Days Shift Main Duties
Y103 Wed-Sun 1st West End Even/Grandville
Y194 Wed-Sun 1st RCO - East End Even
Y195 Fri-Tue 1st RCO - East End Odd
Y201 Mon-Sat 2nd West End Even
Y221 Mon-Fri 2nd Middle/Service Track/017 transfer
Y223 Mon-Fri 2nd Spot/turn power; double outbounds; airtests; extra yard work
Y290 Mon-Fri 2nd RCO - East End and mainline customers
Y295 Mon-Fri 2nd RCO - RIP Job/Shop tracks and BIDS facility
Y303 Wed-Sun 3rd West End Even/NS transfer
Y320 Mon-Fri 3rd East Side GR industries/Fox & Alto turn
Y321 Mon-Fri 3rd Middle Odd/West Side GR (east of Wyoming)/GRE interchange (former Y106)
Z739 Mon-Fri 3rd NS This is the NS transfer job from Hughart Yard to the GRE via CSX at Pleasent St. and the Ludington Sub.
1st Shift begins at 0730, 2nd begins at 1530, 3rd begins at 2330.
A complete list of Grand Rapids train symbols, including all possibilities for N series (Coal) and G series (Grain) trains is available from The Midwest Railfan HERE.
