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DIRECT From The EDITORS! Welcome to the Chessie Chapter Online! We're glad you have decided to drop by, and hope that you will find us a useful and accurate resource. Here at the CC, we've been working hard to catch CSX power leading trains across the pristine countryside and cityscapes of Michigan. Now into SPRING and the photogenic greenery, we've recently made a number of excursions to CSX trackside around the state to see the blue and gold in action. Both editors are now back in southeast Michigan to bring you updates from alongside CSX mainlines traversed by autoracks, mixed freights, and various other special commodities! We will continue to monitor action and changes on CSX across the state, and bring them to you here through these coming months. We hope that you'll take the time to look around this website at the wealth of information we have to offer, and consider becoming a member! Joining is as easy as clicking "Join Now" on the left column, and you're instantly approved to access all sections of the website! Have a CSX locomotive or Michigan question or sighting? Feel free to post it in the Rail Bulletin. Due to some problems with non related posts, etc., we are monitoring the Rail Bulletin, so keep posting and we'll get it on the Bulletin within a couple days. A unique feature completed by CC Staff are pages featuring the operations along four CSXT Michigan Subdivisions, comprising the Pere Marquette Detroit-Grand Rapids-Porter (Chicago) mainline. The most recent addition and also the last subdivision is the Detroit Subdivision, which along with the Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Terminal, and Plymouth Subdivision pages are now up to give you an idea of where and when to find trains on these lines. The pages include train lists and times, timetables, scanner channels, and paragraphs full of helpful operating and railfanning information. We've also been keeping our eyes on three segments of ex-CSX track in-state which were leased away during fall 2005, including trackage in Muskegon, Saginaw, and the Baldwin Subdivision through picturesque west Michigan. We are fortunate to be one of the few sites on the web which hosts information about Marquette Rail, the shortline which has taken over operations along the old Baldwin Line. We've also retained the old CSX information, and are constantly updating Marquette news as we follow along with their operations. Click over to Chessies Road, our Plymouth Diamond section, which today is a very detailed guide to railfanning the Plymouth area. We're on top of the predecessor updates here at the CC, and we regret to report that as September, all three Chessie System painted RCPHE4s have officially been been retired. For more information on CSX predecessor movements, please click on the Rail Bulletin or CSXT Predecessors. This page offers information about the location, paint schemes and other facts about these now TWO remaining predecessor painted locomotives, and these are easily recognizable with the latest updates in a different font on that page. From our past issues, many will remember the Locomotive Spotlights, where the Chessie Chapter featured a CSX locomotive class in detail. From all past editions of the newsletter, the Feature Locomotive Spotlights are now up and aboard this website, complete with updated information and photos. These are expertly written and feature some unique history and context. Most recently added was a special online-only spotlight on C&O SD40 #4617, which visited us here in Michigan in April 2005, and its unique heritage. Click HERE to see this spotlight! Over the past months, new locomotives & cabooses have been sighted, updates indicated, and Editor trips taken. These are now up and aboard the website. Presently, we are adding photos to the Locomotive photo section on a weekly basis, and monthly photo additions to the Caboose photo section. Recent updates have been ongoing in our caboose sighting and update section, The "TAIL" End (including the 175th C&O Anniversary Caboose #904000!); and we may be the only website anywhere with a comprehensive roster of the 29 Chessie Safety Cabooses. We will update this editors and news section every month, or as news comes in. Thank you for stopping by, and enjoy the Site. Please stop by the recently revamped and reopened Passenger Log (our guestbook) to let us know you've stopped by! Unfortunately, the old one was deleted, so if you signed before, feel free to add something new! Also, remember to take our poll, and a special thanks to the Historical Societies and other railfan sites who have made us a link. In all due respect, pay them a visit by clicking the Railroad Ties, our LINKS page. From all of us here at the Chessie Chapter, be Safe in your Railfanning, and have a great day! -THE EDITORS  HISTORY OF THE CHESSIE CHAPTER THE CHESSIE CHAPTER is based in Dearborn, Michigan, home of Rougemere CSX Yard, where EDITORS Mike and Nate work hard year round to bring you the latest CSX locomotive and Michigan updates, here at Chessie Chapter Online. THE CHESSIE CHAPTER was created in 1997-1998, and our first issue was launched in January 1999. However, we sent out the revised first issue in January 2000. The Chessie Chapter, a quarterly published newsletter, went to press from January 2000 until July 2003, at which time the printing of the issue halted, and all further updates were posted online. Occasionally, collaboration of the editors still brings about a simplified issue of the Chessie Chapter newsletter. Our goal is to photograph the remains of CSXT's Predecessors, preserve the past, and look to the future! Please share our Railfanning with others, and enjoy the site! Lastly, The Chessie Chapter has created a website division "CSXT Structures", dedicated to the remaining active structures from CSXT's predecessors. Check it out by switching through The Junction. If you would like to email us, you can send mail to one of the editors below, or the regular Editor Nathan Nietering: Editor Mackinac Mac:
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