A Run Over The "Clair"

Instead of my normal update post, I had promised to do something a little different. This post we are going to follow a manifest train over the road from Port Huron to Bay City (Bay Yard) from the crews view perspective.

       Power on today's M-PHBA-15

Train Departure - (East Staging)

Coming out of staging the we enter a broad curve with a slight grade before reaching the first online station of Gerhard.

 Curve coming out of staging towards Gerhard. Scenery required....

Train Passing - (Gerhard, Michigan)

Approaching the east siding switch at Gerhard where we have been authorized to occupy the "GRAYS" DTC block. We see the rail lines future next to the concrete silo.

Staying on the main we continue on through Gerhard.

Rolling along soybean and corn fields west of Gerhard. Soon these crops will be harvested and on their way to

market via this very rail line.

Continuing west, we see the setout track for the Grays Lake Local and continuance of the passing siding from Gerhard.

Train Passing - (Grays Lake, Michigan)

Entering Grays Lake we see the power for the "Grays Lake Local" tied up on the industry spur to our right and the passing siding coming back into the mainline.

Passing thru town we approach the Quincassee Creek truss bridge in need of some serious engineering work.

Train Passing - (Grays Lake, Michigan)

Crossing the bridge, we reach the east wye switch. In the distance is the sugar beet plant with stored cars on the east leg of the eye. 

Curving through Upper Huron we see the east leg of the wye to the right with railcars on it, and the west wye leg straight ahead which continues to Port Belle.

West leg of the wye converging back into the mainline. From this point to Bay Yard the line has a gradual declining grade.

Train Departure - (Edsel and Weiss, Michigan)

                   Helix - Turn 1

                  Helix - Turn 2 

Transitioning from Edsel to Weiss. Neither stations are modelled beyond the sign in Turn 2.

Train Arrival - Bay City (Bay Yard)

Train slows prior to reaching the end of Weiss DTC Block limit, where Yard Limits begin.

Passing the "BAY AEI" reader site prior to reaching the east yard lead switch for Bay Yard.

Diverging onto the East Yard Lead at Bay Yard.

Proceeding at 10mph we see main 1 and 2 to the right.

      Beginning of the east yard ladder.

Yardmaster lined us for the "Yard 01" track.

Bringing the train to a stop, the journey from Port Huron to Bay City is complete. In the distance we see the Bay City Division office which will also be our off duty point.

Our next post here in a few day will walk through each station diagram from east to west on layout. I had hoped to put that content in this post, but it ended up being too much for a single post. Stay tuned!

GM