Detroit Connecting Railroad- A Day on a Shortline

It’s a sunny day on April 28th 2015, and we are in Detroit Michigan watching the Adrian and Blissfield’s railroad in the city, the Detroit connecting railroad. The Detroit Connecting Railroad operates on approximately 2.5 miles of ex-Grand Trunk Western. Here we see them after gathering their interchange calling the CN dispatcher for permission into the east yard.

The Detroit Connecting tracks run from a couple miles south of The Canadian National’s Milwaukee Junction where they run around the southeast leg of the wye, and into Canadian National’s east yard to swap cars.

Today’s train for the CN consist of 1 tank car and 6 loaded scrap gondolas. The pickup will be just 2 cars, a tank car and an empty scrap gondola.

After making the set out, Adrian and Blissfield 836 heads to the other end of the yard to retrieve the interchange. ADBF 836 is an SW-900 that was built in 1953 for the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific Railroad as an SW-8. After working on the Rock Island, it headed to Kalamazoo Michigan and worked at the Checkers Motor company plant switcher, it worked as Checkers Motors #1. The 836 finally found its way to the Adrian and Blissfield after being rebuilt as an SW-900. This switcher has a classic look, with New York Central inspired lettering, logo, and of course the classic end stripes on both ends of the unit. This switcher also has a classic sounding S3L horn.

After making the pickup, the ADBF once again calls the CN dispatcher as they head back to their home rails.

After rebounding Milwaukee junction cab first, the ADBF crosses Milwaukee Avenue on their way to drop off cars and end their day.

Overall I had a great time following this little short lines operations through the great city of Detroit. It was a perfect day, and I gathered most of the shots I wanted. It is always neat to see such a classic locomotive earning its keep, the ADBF's DCON really has a classic feel to it.

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