#sc-44

Meet at Kalamazoo

Here we see a couple of Michigan Service trains meet just west of downtown Kalamazoo. This line is former Michigan Central (NYC, PC, Conrail), now owned by Amtrak outright.

On my way to work finds number 350, an eastbound Wolverine, sitting still. I figured it was waiting for a westbound to clear the station so waited just a bit. It soon proceeded and rolled toward town.

I'd already heard another train whistling in town, and thus appears number 365, the westbound Blue Water. They pass each other in the distance, the second train passes where I'm standing, and I shoot it going away as it accelerates toward Chicago.

This spot is adjacent to both Kalamazoo College as well as Western Michigan University.

It may be cloudy, but even the absence of sunlight wasn't enough to dull the glossy new paintwork on these Bombardier bilevels and Siemens SC-44 Chargers.

Flying Wolverine

This is a westbound Amtrak Wolverine, number 355, streaking along between Augusta and Galesburg, Michigan, about a half hour late. The state has been working to bring track speeds up on the line east of Kalamazoo the last few years and it seems to have worked—this train is flying.

It’s difficult to make out in this GIF, but the train is powered by two Siemens SC-44s, one on each end. In addition, three new Venture cars have made their way into the train set—along with one car each of the types Horizon and venerable Amfleet.

Car Study

Here’s Amtrak train number 352, a Wolverine, crossing over the Kalamazoo River, just of the town of the same name. I was hoping to carefully shoot some of the new Venture-series cars, but no luck as these are the older Horizon type. The locomotive, a Siemens Charger, designated SC-44, is relatively new, however. The line, of course, is former Michigan Central.

Blue Water, Outbound

Here’s an eastbound Blue Water making its Kalamazoo station stop. Please note that this is a going-away sequence, as the train has a Siemens SC-44 on either end. The last image to shows a bit more of the wonderful former Michigan Central passenger station.

Blue Water, Inbound

To follow up on one of yesterday’s posts, we have the same train set making up the Blue Water, number 365, headed back to Chicago. The train is seen here just west of downtown Kalamazoo, having passed Kalamazoo College and is now adjacent to the campus of Western Michigan University.

Blue Water, Evening Light

This is Amtrak’s train number 364 headed to Port Huron and a connection with VIA Rail Canada.

It’s seen here on the east side of Kalamazoo, Michigan, after having split the wind at 110 MPH for periods of time between Niles and Kalamazoo. The line is the former Michigan Central, which was controlled by the New York Central.

Wolverine Push Pull

Here is an eastbound Wolverine: Amtrak number 350. The train can easily obtain its high speed of 110 MPH thanks to having a Siemens SC-44 Charger on either end—each with 4,400 horsepower (an embarrassment of riches). The train isn’t moving that quickly here however as it’s only just made its station stop in Kalamazoo and is beginning to accelerate through Comstock Township.