Been searching high and low for a small, interesting steam era shortline thats easy on the budget for equipment purchases and doesnt run in a real hilly terrain. I found this while watching my old Glory Machines video tape today. The East Jordan and Southern ran from East Jordan Michigan where it served an iron works and saw mill, to Bellaire Michigan where it interchanged with the Pere Marquette. I am searching for track plans/maps, pictures ect. I plan to use an old IMP models brass Wabash mogul to represent EJ&S #6, built in 1909 by Pittsburgh. I think one of Labelle's wood combines would pass for thier combine they used for mixed train service till the very end. I have a room that is 111" by 100" that I will use 3 walls of. shelf depth is 24" other than right above my work bench where i can make it a tad deeper. I will need this for the PM interchange as from the video it appears the EJ&S track went thru a Y turnout and connected both left and right to the PM interchange track, thus allowing them to turn the #6 to head home each trip. I would put a small armstrong turn table at East Jordan, the other end. The whole line was only 18 miles long. They ran #6 and her mixed daily train till august of 1961 when it all came to an end. Mogul #6 is preserved under cover in East Jordan, the depot even still exhists from pics I have found. If anybody knows of more pics, info in books ect. Please let me know. Thanks Mike
LHS mechanic and geniune train and antique garden tractor nut case!
I've been digging around trying to find information on the EJ&S, too, to put together an article for the PMHS's newsletter Tracks, once I finish my current research on the St. Joseph Valley RR. at the south end of the state.
If I come across anything useful, I'll post it here.
-Fritz Milhaupt, Publications Editor, Pere Marquette Historical Society, Inc.http://www.pmhistsoc.org
I just found your posts today through a Google search. I'm also planning to model the EJ&S and trying to find as much information as I can on it. My grandfather worked for the EJ&S after WWII until it closed in 1961. This summer I found a few 8x10 B&W photos of the line my grandmother still had and it reinvigorated my interest. Fritz, I see that you did publish an article on the EJ&S in the September-October 2014 PM Tracks. I would love to get a copy; I will email you separately through the PMHS website. Mike, is the Glory Machines video you refer to by Herron Rail Video? What volume? It's been almost three years since your posts so you may be aware of this information by now, but here is a list of the EJ&S resources I am aware of:
Hope this is helpful. I'd love to hear about any other information sources you know of. Mike, have you started your EJ&S layout?