TRRS 549: Rail and Sail Action at St. Joseph, MI

Рет қаралды 34,967

3 жыл бұрын

ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN - 21 AUG 2020
It's a fairly busy morning near the mouth of the St. Joseph River, as three trains, one commercial tug-barge and dozens of recreational boaters cross paths. The CSX swing bridge provides a focal point for the action, closing off the waterway to most watercraft for each train. Then, when the cement barge goes to leave, its like threading a needle as the vessel slowly inches through the narrow opening.
This edition features Amtrak's Pere Marquette and CSX Manifests Q326 and Q327, as well as the integrated tug-barge Samuel de Champlain and Innovation. Finally, we chase Q326 back for Grand Rapids.
CSX Q327 @ St Joseph
Consist:
- CSX 3078 [ES44AH]
- CSX 354 [CW44AC]
- CSX 3242 [ES44AH]
- 68 Mixed Carloads
Location/Time:
- CSX Grand Rapids Sub, St Joseph, MI, St Joseph River Bridge, on 21Aug2020 at 11:01 EDT
CSX Q326 Chase
Consist:
- CSX 817 [ES44AH]
- 134 Mixed Carloads
- CSX 3065 [ES44AH] DPU
Location/Time:
- CSX Grand Rapids Sub, St Joseph, MI, St Joseph River Bridge, on 21Aug2020 at 12:12 EDT
- Grand Junction, EE SDG, Kal-Haven Trail xing, at 13:24
- Fennville, New Richmond Rd xing, at 13:52
- Waverly, 120th St xing, at 14:41
- Vriesland, 64th St xing, at 14:58
Thanks for watching! Make sure to leave a like and subscribe, for more from the Thornapple River Rail Series! Your support keeps this channel rolling - don’t forget to leave your thoughts and questions in the comments below!
Also like TRRS on Facebook! / thornappleriverproduct...
Videography Equipment:
- Primary: Sony FDR-AX53 4K Camcorder
- Aerial Platform: DJI Phantom 3 Advanced Drone
- Radio Scanner: Uniden Bearcat BC125AT
- Edited with: Cyberlink PowerDirector 16
Created by Alex Christmas. Copyright 2021, as the Thornapple River Rail Series, All Rights Reserved

Пікірлер: 73

@jerrysinclair3771 3 жыл бұрын

Your swing bridge explanation from 2:45 to 4:00 is the best I have seen. It is always fascinating to me that bridge engineers of the late 1800s had this figured out...but not without a lot of trial and error. Still 100 year old swing bridges are common throughout the world and you made them all proud.

@JLange642 Жыл бұрын

Just saw this in my recommended videos this morning- my mother just moved back to her hometown near Ann Arbor, MI. after 51 years living in Benton Harbor. I spent many hours down at Silver beach in those decades and only once caught a train crossing the bridge. NEVER caught a large ship passing through-and here you get both in a single day! Fabulous video! Thanks!

@bradfordsmith1758 3 жыл бұрын

This is not your typical railfanning video. This is planned and artful cinematography. Very, very well done. Thank you for the quality entertainment!

@njjeff201 3 жыл бұрын

He’s a genius!

@JohnK3ZX 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for showing and describing the details of the swing bridge operation. I finally was able to see things I have been curious about for years.

@NapierNimbus 3 жыл бұрын

Brilliant, really excellent, great pictures and sound, and so pleased you showed the full length of the huge freight train at the end.

@StormySkyRailProductions 3 жыл бұрын

Outstanding video has a little bit of everything, Enjoyed watching.

@njjeff201 3 жыл бұрын

Great shots, great editing, great narration!! I used to live in Bergen County NJ 2 blocks from CSX line. We had trains seems like almost every hour or so. I’ve seen derailments, suicides, accidents, hot box fires, even a stranded car left on the tracks. Put a few coins on the tracks as a kid!! I even remember cabooses

@tbd6 3 жыл бұрын

04:14 The reveal of the lighthouse as the bridge opens is fantastic.

@ThornappleRiverRailSeries 3 жыл бұрын

Wasn’t planned when I set up that shot, but once I saw it I knew I had to use it!

@misterflibble6601 3 жыл бұрын

First time I have ever seen the actual processes and procedures to open and close a swing span... ever, let alone in such detail and high quality video! Excellent narration is provided too! Fantastic! Coverage of the departure of the tug/barge cement carrier is just as detailed and well done as coverage of the trains. This kind of quality and professionalism should be what every KZfaq video aspires to

@RT-qd8yl 2 жыл бұрын

This is easily one of the coolest videos I've ever seen on youtube. I've lived in the area for decades, and always wondered how the swing bridge actually worked. Watching Innovation was the icing on the cake! Truly something for everyone in this video, thank you so much for making this!

@gosmoothgolight7567 3 жыл бұрын

Awesome mix of rail and Great Lakes shipping lore ... as so many here have said already; great presentation! Thanks for putting this together :)

@samonator6546 3 жыл бұрын

Back with commentary, well done!

@dennisb-trains23 3 жыл бұрын

Super video. I never had seen that bridge operate before. Pretty cool. Thanks for posting. Great job.

@alanpecherer5705 2 жыл бұрын

I never knew the bridge mechanism tweaked the rail ends upwards such that the rotating rails will clear the stationery rails. I just figured there was a sufficient gap. Nicely shot & explained!

@ThornappleRiverRailSeries 2 жыл бұрын

Some bridges do just have a gap and instead have a secondary locking mechanism to ensure the bridge doesn’t move, but the lift rails provide positive alignment and make for a smoother transition, so they’re preferred.

@moosemanmagee4495 3 жыл бұрын

This is fantastic! As good any pbs documentary I ever seen and seen a lot! Ty

@kevbrown2589 2 жыл бұрын

This chap has some very nice newsreels.

@squibrail4014 3 жыл бұрын

I don't ever remember being over there when a train was going over the bridge. One day I'd like to catch one at that location. Thanx for making the video and including the barge footage.

@williamjackson5767 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you .My three favorite things in one video perfect.

@rtrobinson88321 3 жыл бұрын

Great video, the swing bridge was my favorite part.

@robertmcgregor1514 3 жыл бұрын

Great documentary of an amazing bridge and its operation

@bodrodz 2 жыл бұрын

Awesome video! Great job as usual. Thanks

@unclespongehead 3 жыл бұрын

Well, that was fun! Great job Alex!

@SuperRede4u 3 жыл бұрын

Alex, This is one of your best videos to date. Where do I start? The excellent camera work (including the closeup of the swing bridge), the professional voice over that was well written and presented or the nicely varied trains /ships /trains bookends? So many KZfaq'rs could learn a thing or two from your professional presentations. Kudos to you!

@chrisretusn 3 жыл бұрын

Always enjoy you videos. This retired sailor especially liked the nautical theme.

@torbinator9729 3 жыл бұрын

Glad to see some new videos, your series is excellent!

@alcopower5710 3 жыл бұрын

One of the best videos I’ve seen in a long time…….keep the wonderful content coming 👍

@PaulCashman 3 жыл бұрын

What a fantastic job with this. Top-notch from end to end. Great to see another swing-bridge, too. This is like the smaller cousin of the legendary Fort Madison swing-bridge (which you covered several years ago)...except it's reversed: this bridge only closes when trains are due, and the FMD bridge only opens when barge-traffic is due. (The new-ish Virtual Railfan live camera there is great for watching that.) Again, great job!

@dougkubash8673 3 жыл бұрын

really enjoyed the video!

@jrand2148 3 жыл бұрын

Glad you're back love your videos

@albertvieira6635 3 жыл бұрын

I'm going to echo on the comments and State job well done keep up the good work I give you an A+ job well done

@neil442 2 жыл бұрын

Trains ,swing bridge , boats something for all here all on one video ! Nice camera work too -plenty of details for the model making men -and plenty of action for the rest! Got to be a winning combo ?? Regards

@Nicola636128 3 жыл бұрын

Good video, well done!

@charleskesner1302 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent video.

@gabrielreliat907 2 жыл бұрын

Excellent!

@rjames45_3 3 жыл бұрын

awesome video i used to live near St.Joesph Michigan!

@timdodge7845 6 ай бұрын

nice video, waiting for your next ones to follow in 2024

@Brianrockrailfan 3 жыл бұрын

great video

@290wayne 3 жыл бұрын

Great video... Nice narration....

@kens.3729 3 жыл бұрын

AAR Railroad Group from STL went to Chicago, got on Amtrak Pere Marquette to St. Joseph, MI. 👍

@fullscale4me 3 жыл бұрын

My hometown!

@jamesburnside3023 3 жыл бұрын

Fine video

@PlanesTrainsBoatsOnline 3 жыл бұрын

Nice train, great video, Gave you a SUB

@scr2392 3 жыл бұрын

Yaaa your back

@donavonrobbins1908 3 жыл бұрын

Think I just saw that barge paßsing through the straights the other day. Been catching a lot of activity thee lately.

@josephwirtz8352 2 жыл бұрын

7:18 “Buzzing the tower” train style…

@axilla364 3 жыл бұрын

lake Michigan does experience tidal changes, they are just very small.

@john5321 3 жыл бұрын

Disappointed the Maritime professionals did not sound 1 prolonged blast for change of status (underway) and 3 short blasts for operation of astern propulsion...ty for the excellent train video!

@denisetindall1487 2 жыл бұрын

I like train videos on KZfaq 👍

@kirkzevola5004 2 жыл бұрын

Does the bridge have a horn?

@cnhollysub6496 3 жыл бұрын

Great video. Was that CSX power in the siding at Grand Junction?

@ThornappleRiverRailSeries 3 жыл бұрын

Helpers for the coal trains. The single loaded coal gon was brought in by a manifest as it had been setout as defective somewhere on the BNSF. So it was set to rejoin the fleet.

@cnhollysub6496 3 жыл бұрын

@@ThornappleRiverRailSeries OK, they talk about the pushers being there on the Bangor, MI camera. Thank you for replying.

@tedzehnder961 Жыл бұрын

You could finally write that book if you had a job as a bridge operator.

@malcolmtucker8611 3 жыл бұрын

What were those covered gondolas in the last train carrying? They seemed like high sided gondolas but I could be wrong.

@ThornappleRiverRailSeries 3 жыл бұрын

They’re for coal ash. The former power plant in Muskegon is shipping out their ash so they don’t have to entomb in there. The lids keep it from blowing away

@daviddebello7609 3 жыл бұрын

So how do the bridge tenders get out to their control cabin? Do they close the bridge and walk back at shift change, or do they leave the bridge open and use a boat?

@ThornappleRiverRailSeries 3 жыл бұрын

In the past, they crew changed with the bridge closed to river traffic. Now, there is a control bungalow south of the bridge, so they never need to actually go out to the old control house on the bridge.

@emknapp6713 3 жыл бұрын

In today’s era of PSR I’m surprised there is still a bridge operator on site. I’m sure it won’t be long before it remotely controlled from a desk in Jacksonville, FL.

@ThornappleRiverRailSeries 3 жыл бұрын

They installed a new control bungalow south of the bridge some years ago from which the operator controls everything. This was done to modernize the controls and make it capable of remoting. It sounds like the Coast Guard may have taken exception to that though due to the volume of recreational traffic in summer. They still abolish the tender job in winter when the bridge legally closes except upon request.

@BlakesTrainsandMore4014 2 жыл бұрын

When will the metra racetrack video be done

@AmyLExtraordinaire 2 жыл бұрын

in my 20ish times taking the Pere Marquette I have never seen it run single level cars before. Do you know why this might have/does happen??

@ThornappleRiverRailSeries 2 жыл бұрын

Sometimes the Supers are needed to cover for routes on the Long Distance network.

@travis5376 3 жыл бұрын

Something else interesting, I belive the ship at 5:20 is actually a barge that was once the last remaining steam powered ship on the great lakes (I can't remember it's name)

@ThornappleRiverRailSeries 3 жыл бұрын

You’re thinking of the St Mary’s Challenger, which was indeed converted into a tug-barge as well.

@emknapp6713 3 жыл бұрын

Last Steam Powered Ship on the Great Lakes? SS Badger Ferry out of Ludington still runs on coal fired steam.