History of a railroad

[GRandIfan]

I am retired and just began involvement in model railroading.  Since Michigan is my home state I am interested in the history of the Grand Rapids & Indiana railroad.  Does anyone know where I could locate a definitive history of the GR&I?

[SouthPenn]

You could start here

And here

And here

[gmpullman]

Hi, GR&I fan

Besides the two sites Penn mentions there's a quick blurb at Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Rapids_and_Indiana_Railroad

Occasionally there are some neat photos posted at Shorpy, too.

http://www.shorpy.com/node/11426?size=_original#caption

 

I have an old issue of the PRRT&HS Keystone that features an article about the GR&I after the PRR bought it in 1918. It is the September 1983 issue and looks at the PRR's Grand Rapids Division in 1942.

Sometimes these magazines can be found on ebay.

 

Good Luck, Ed

[GRandIfan]

Thanks for all the help. I've got enough to keep me busy for a while

[Enzoamps]

Hi and hello from Mason (Lansing).

There is a series of books, Images of America.  I like them a lot.

https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/series/images-of-america-books

They have published them for MANY communities/townships/towns/cities in Michigan and all over the country.  A pictorial history of a town, or in Michigan things like the Grand River Road.  I don't know if they did one on your railroad, but if it had an impact on a community, the book of that community would have at least some mention and photos.  Your RR served many communities, so maybe...

They do have a few about particular railroads:

https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Products/9780738556697

Detroit's Central Station got its own book.

I see 274 books about Michigan.  The one for Brunswick, MD had a whole section about the B&O RR there, not to mention photos of my gransparents, Great GPs, and other distant past relations.

[ndbprr]

Your timing is impecable. The GR&I has a chapter of the PRRT&HS that publishs(sp) a quarterly newsletter and has the winter meeting 12/17 at a members home in Grand rapids. send me a message and I will give you the contact information.  Most of the members are from the southern part of the lower peninsula.  I am in the Traverse City general area.   Dues are about $15 per year.