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5/17/2024
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Viewing Album:  CSS Wire Replacement - Michigan City Day 1
 
By:Gary Everhart
Dates:7/30/2011 - 7/30/2011
Album Info:The historic catenary replacement project on the Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad (Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, NICTD) starting over two years ago at the Illinois/Indiana border and heading to South Bend has now reached Michigan City, IN. A system wide catenary wire replacement occurs once every 30-40 years so for many of us, a once-in-a-lifetime event! On July 30th and 31, the replacement project reached the Michigan City street running section which uses a single wire for the 3 mile stretch instead of the more common catenary wire configuration with a messenger wire (support) and a suspended contact wire for the pantograph to touch. In a highly organized process, the older single contact wire was removed, a new wire pulled, stretched, aligned and tensioned for use all within a two day span and minimum disruption of traffic through town. According to August Greidan,.a consulting catenary engineer, the older contact wire in some areas had been reduced to less than half the thickness over the 30-40 years of abrasion from the pantograph. The new contact wire being installed is a bronze alloy 1 pound per foot thickness compared to the previous 0.6 pound per foot thickness and will greatly reduce outages and maintenance problems for the railroad. Truly a marvel of engineering and efficiency to see the crews in action!
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NICTD Catenary Maintenance Vehicle and Reel & Pole Trailer
Title:  NICTD Catenary Maintenance Vehicle and Reel & Pole Trailer
Description:  The primary piece of equipment during the wire pull in Michigan City was this two piece unit seen here at the beginning point of the wire pull on the west side of Michigan City..
Photo Date:  7/30/2011  Upload Date: 8/3/2011 6:55:22 AM
Location:  Michigan City, IN
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  RollingStock,Track,Action
Locomotives:  NICD MTW-100(MoW Equipment)
Views:  326   Comments: 2
NICTD Catenary Maintenance Vehicle
Title:  NICTD Catenary Maintenance Vehicle
Description:  This is the power unit with a moveable platform and pulling a reel and pole trailer with the new cable.
Photo Date:  7/30/2011  Upload Date: 8/3/2011 6:55:33 AM
Location:  Michigan City, IN
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  RollingStock,Track,Action
Locomotives:  NICD MTW-100(MoW Equipment)
Views:  192   Comments: 0
NICTD Reel & Pole Trailer
Title:  NICTD Reel & Pole Trailer
Description:  The trailer holds the large wire spools to be strung though the street running section of the Chicago South Shore and South Bend RR in Michigan City, IN.
Photo Date:  7/30/2011  Upload Date: 8/3/2011 6:56:05 AM
Location:  Michigan City, IN
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  RollingStock,Track,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  108   Comments: 0
Wire spools on the NICTD Reel and Pole Trailer
Title:  Wire spools on the NICTD Reel and Pole Trailer
Description: 
Photo Date:  7/30/2011  Upload Date: 8/3/2011 6:56:23 AM
Location:  Michigan City, IN
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  RollingStock,Track,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  127   Comments: 0
NICTD Catenary Maintenance Vehicle and Reel & Pole Trailer
Title:  NICTD Catenary Maintenance Vehicle and Reel & Pole Trailer
Description:  Beginning wire pull on 10th Street on the west side of Michigan City. Note the two security cars that blocked traffic when necessary for safety.
Photo Date:  7/30/2011  Upload Date: 8/3/2011 7:13:55 AM
Location:  Michigan City, IN
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  RollingStock,Track,Action
Locomotives:  NICD MTW-100(MoW Equipment)
Views:  184   Comments: 1
NICTD Catenary Maintenance Vehicle cable boom
Title:  NICTD Catenary Maintenance Vehicle cable boom
Description:  A close up showing the new copper colored wire running through the pulley at the top of the cable boom on the Catenary Maintenance Vehicle. To the lower right is one of the power transformers and power cable ready to be connected once the wire is set.
Photo Date:  7/30/2011  Upload Date: 8/3/2011 7:14:11 AM
Location:  Michigan City, IN
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  RollingStock,Track,Action
Locomotives:  NICD MTW-100(MoW Equipment)
Views:  190   Comments: 1
NICTD Catenary Maintenance Vehicle
Title:  NICTD Catenary Maintenance Vehicle
Description:  The Catenary Maintenance Vehicle proceeds down 10th Street as it pulls a new single wire for the Chicago South Shore comuter trains.
Photo Date:  7/30/2011  Upload Date: 8/3/2011 7:14:25 AM
Location:  Michigan City, IN
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  RollingStock,Track,Action
Locomotives:  NICD MTW-100(MoW Equipment)
Views:  446   Comments: 0
NICTD Catenary Maintenance Vehicle and Reel & Pole Trailer
Title:  NICTD Catenary Maintenance Vehicle and Reel & Pole Trailer
Description:  One of the trickier parts of the single wire pull is the double curve where the line moves from 10th Street crossing Chicago Street toward 11th Street in Michigan City, IN.
Photo Date:  7/30/2011  Upload Date: 8/3/2011 7:14:40 AM
Location:  Michigan City, IN
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  RollingStock,Track,Action
Locomotives:  NICD MTW-100(MoW Equipment)
Views:  155   Comments: 1
NICTD Catenary Maintenance Vehicle and Reel & Pole Trailer
Title:  NICTD Catenary Maintenance Vehicle and Reel & Pole Trailer
Description:  The Catenary Maintenance Vehicle curves onto 11th Street while pulling a new single wire for the Chicago South Shore and South Bend trains.
Photo Date:  7/30/2011  Upload Date: 8/3/2011 7:14:51 AM
Location:  Michigan City, IN
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  RollingStock,Track,Action
Locomotives:  NICD MTW-100(MoW Equipment)
Views:  193   Comments: 0
A temporary wire attachment
Title:  A temporary wire attachment
Description:  As the Catenary Maintenance Vehicle pulls the single wire down the street, the crew in the platform attaches it temporarily to the support cables with a pulley. Here they are approaching one of the attachment points close to the permanent yokes to be used later.
Photo Date:  7/30/2011  Upload Date: 8/3/2011 7:32:19 AM
Location:  Michigan City, IN
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  RollingStock,Track,Action
Locomotives:  NICD MTW-100(MoW Equipment)
Views:  167   Comments: 0
A temporary wire attachment
Title:  A temporary wire attachment
Description:  A crewman in the open platform on the Catenary Maintenance Vehicle opens up the permanent yoke in order to attach the temporary pulley holding the wire.
Photo Date:  7/30/2011  Upload Date: 8/3/2011 7:32:40 AM
Location:  Michigan City, IN
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  RollingStock,Track,Action
Locomotives:  NICD MTW-100(MoW Equipment)
Views:  143   Comments: 0
A temporary wire attachment
Title:  A temporary wire attachment
Description:  The crew members attach the temporary pulley and wire to the support cables from the Catenary Maintenance Vehicle platform.
Photo Date:  7/30/2011  Upload Date: 8/3/2011 7:32:53 AM
Location:  Michigan City, IN
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  RollingStock,Track,Action
Locomotives:  NICD MTW-100(MoW Equipment)
Views:  132   Comments: 0
A temporary wire attachment
Title:  A temporary wire attachment
Description:  Now hanging from the support wires, the temporary pulley holding the new wire is secured by a crew member.
Photo Date:  7/30/2011  Upload Date: 8/3/2011 7:33:15 AM
Location:  Michigan City, IN
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  RollingStock,Track,Action
Locomotives:  NICD MTW-100(MoW Equipment)
Views:  116   Comments: 0
A temporary wire attachment
Title:  A temporary wire attachment
Description:  Once the temporary pulley and wire are connected the Catenary Maintenance Vehicle moves on to the next support cable down the street.
Photo Date:  7/30/2011  Upload Date: 8/3/2011 7:33:30 AM
Location:  Michigan City, IN
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  RollingStock,Track,Action
Locomotives:  NICD MTW-100(MoW Equipment)
Views:  115   Comments: 0
A temporary wire attachment
Title:  A temporary wire attachment
Description:  A closeup of the temporary pulley and new wire hanging from the support cables above the middle of 11th Street.
Photo Date:  7/30/2011  Upload Date: 8/3/2011 7:33:45 AM
Location:  Michigan City, IN
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  RollingStock,Track,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  90   Comments: 0
NICTD Catenary Maintenance Vehicle and Reel & Pole Trailer
Title:  NICTD Catenary Maintenance Vehicle and Reel & Pole Trailer
Description:  After completing the installation of a temporary pulley for the new wire, the maintenance combo moves on down 11th Street to the next support cable.
Photo Date:  7/30/2011  Upload Date: 8/3/2011 7:34:02 AM
Location:  Michigan City, IN
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  RollingStock,Track,Action
Locomotives:  NICD MTW-100(MoW Equipment)
Views:  311   Comments: 0
Clearance over the Amtrak Crossing
Title:  Clearance over the Amtrak Crossing
Description:  One of the concerns was the clearance over the active Amtrak crossing while the pull was being done. Here crew members are measuring the height of the wire on the west side of the Amtrak crossing.
Photo Date:  7/30/2011  Upload Date: 8/3/2011 7:49:06 AM
Location:  Michigan City, IN
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  RollingStock,Track,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  87   Comments: 0
Clearance over the Amtrak Crossing
Title:  Clearance over the Amtrak Crossing
Description:  The height of the new wire is checked at the Amtrak crossing.
Photo Date:  7/30/2011  Upload Date: 8/3/2011 7:49:26 AM
Location:  Michigan City, IN
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  RollingStock,Track,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  100   Comments: 0
Clearance over the Amtrak Crossing
Title:  Clearance over the Amtrak Crossing
Description:  A boom is used to temporarily hold the new wire over the Amtrak crossing until it can be secured later.
Photo Date:  7/30/2011  Upload Date: 8/3/2011 7:49:45 AM
Location:  Michigan City, IN
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  RollingStock,Track,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  90   Comments: 0
Clearance over the Amtrak Crossing
Title:  Clearance over the Amtrak Crossing
Description:  The Wolverine finally arrives about 20 minutes late. The wire has plenty of clearance for the Amtrak train as it passes by.
Photo Date:  7/30/2011  Upload Date: 8/3/2011 7:50:11 AM
Location:  Michigan City, IN
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  RollingStock,Track,Action
Locomotives:  AMTK 90215(NPCU)
Views:  153   Comments: 0
Clearance over the Amtrak Crossing
Title:  Clearance over the Amtrak Crossing
Description:  A closer view shows plenty of clearance for the Amtrak passenger cars sliding under the newly pulled wire.
Photo Date:  7/30/2011  Upload Date: 8/3/2011 7:50:34 AM
Location:  Michigan City, IN
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  RollingStock,Track,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  106   Comments: 0
Clearance over the Amtrak Crossing
Title:  Clearance over the Amtrak Crossing
Description:  The rear loco for the Wolverine passes easily under the newly pulled wire across the Amtrak crossing.
Photo Date:  7/30/2011  Upload Date: 8/3/2011 7:50:46 AM
Location:  Michigan City, IN
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  RollingStock,Track,Action
Locomotives:  AMTK 35(P42DC)
Views:  157   Comments: 0
Clearance over the Amtrak Crossing
Title:  Clearance over the Amtrak Crossing
Description:  A closer view shows plenty of clearance for the Amtrak passenger cars sliding under the newly pulled wire.
Photo Date:  7/30/2011  Upload Date: 8/3/2011 7:51:02 AM
Location:  Michigan City, IN
Author:  Gary Everhart
Categories:  RollingStock,Track,Action
Locomotives: 
Views:  92   Comments: 0

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