Passenger Trains > Some more of the 110 MPH Michigan Trains

A friend and I ventured over to Lawton, Michigan, Friday afternoon, August 28, to see if we could catch any of the 110 MPH Amtrak Trains that pass through there in the late afternoon.

Under ideal conditions, I should be able to catch three trains there in the afternoon, all three between 6 and 7 PM.

#359 westbound due out of Kalamazoo at 6:20 PM; #358 due into Kalamazoo at 6:28 PM; and #364 due into Kalamazoo at 7:12 PM. The Depot in Kalamazoo is about MP 144, out here in Lawton it's right around MP 162, so just short of 20 miles west of the Kalamazoo Station.

They have been installing new ties through here and surfacing the line. I was out this way a couple weeks ago and the trains were passing through here at restricted speeds. Today when I first got there, there was a Signal Maintainer in one of the control bungalows and I was able to talk with her for a few minutes. I asked her if there was still any slow orders on the track through there. She said there was, but it was caused by signal malfunctions. So we hung around waiting to see what would develop.

In the video the first train is Amtrak #358, it was flying, and kicking up a whole bunch of dust. The second one was #359 doing not too bad, and the third was #364 doing a little better than #359.

I know in the past I've gotten questions about just how fast these trains are traveling. I might be able to get a little more accurate with the speeds of these trains.

Somebody give me an idea of how fast they think #358 was going.

Ron
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/28/15 20:55 by Ron.

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2.86 seconds for five 85 foot coaches to pass the camera = 101 mph for the first train (358).

#358 - 106 MPH.
I got it at 108 when I first hit the trigger, but let go of the trigger, and ended up with 106 MPH as it passed by me at the crossing.

I heard from a friend that lives there in Lawton. He said the slow order is still on, but I think it's a couple miles further east and this guy was slowing down.

#359 47 MPH, and he would be accelerating, and #364 52 MPH, would be slowing down.

Ron

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Is the station still there?  These were taken 7/4/85.  Gerry

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Are both diesels on line together?    Or is it strictly pull-pull operation?  Nice little video.   Interesting with the "gun".

GPutz Wrote:
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> Is the station still there?  These were taken  7/4/85.

 Gerry

Yes....it's still there. This was taken on June 22, 2013. But it looks the same today. It's an American Legion Hall now.

Ron

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Tominde Wrote:
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> Are both diesels on line together?    Or is it strictly pull-pull operation?

Both are on-line working.

Ron

In the first video, it appears to be an ordinary grade crossing. Is that correct or only because the crossing system is cropped. I thought high-speed rail required upgraded crossings?

kansas1 Wrote:
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> In the first video, it appears to be an ordinary grade crossing. Is that correct or only because the crossing system is cropped.
> I thought high-speed rail required upgraded crossings?

I cannot answer about what should be there. I can show you what IS there.

The first photograph is County Road 665 - MP 162.95 Amtrak Michigan Line, Lawton, Michigan, the crossing you asked about. But the view is looking to the north. The video is looking to the west/south. The other side of the road/crossing is pretty much the same. Gates/Bells/Flashing Red Lights and that Yellow Sign that you can almost see here, that says HIGH SPEED TRAINS.

The second photograph is Walker Street - MP 160.88 Amtrak Michigan Line, Lawton, Michigan.

I'm only showing Walker Street here because both crossings are pretty much the same, except that County Road 665 is on single track and Walker Street is on double track.

I've probably been out there at least a dozen times and I know I have better photographs of all of the crossings through there, but I cannot find them. The next time I go out that way I'll be sure to get photographs of the four or five crossings through that area.  And save them where I can find them!!

Ron

 

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Thanks for the photos.

This seems to indicate four quadrant gates are required with 110 mph trains. http://conferences.illinois.edu/traffic/2010pdf/file_5_stead.pdf