WELCOME to Michigan?
Escanaba_MI-88 by Edmund, on Flickr
Escanaba & Lake Superior, Escanaba, Michigan.
Cheers, Ed
Hi Flo', could I have a bottle of 'Ale Absurd', from the Jolly Pumpkin Brewery in Ann Arbor, please and one for anyone who'd like to try it.
Evening Guys, I'm pleased we are in Michigan, since I've always been interested in The Ann Arbor Railroad, famous for it's Ferries. The diagonal mainline route from SE to NW stands-out well on a map. If the CSS had not grabbed my attention so much, I would just have modelled the AA instead.
Thing is, I'm not too sure which parts remain in use today. I'm also a bit puzzled as to why the RR was abandoned not too far short of the Ferry Terminals at Frankfort. I would have thought that some Freight remained, even if transhipped from Rail to Sail. I suppose the CSX route from Ludington does all the work, as Water Level Route shows in his post.
I have got SPV's Great Lakes East and West Atlases, but I lose the track of the AA between them, satelite maps and old railroad maps. Also, I suspect my 1997 Atlas is out of date? I know there are sadly, abandoned RR's all over, but Michigan seems to have lost more than it's share. Have a nice evening, regards, Paul.
"It's the South Shore Line, Jim - but not as we know it".
Good afternoon gents! Cold, rainy day here today. Good day to run a bunch of errands I had on my to do list. As promised, I'll provide more info on Michigan as I'm able and I might as well start with something that is both railroad related and here in my hometown. Here is a bit more info on the S.S. Badger:
Built and launched in 1952 with her sister ship the S.S. Spartan at a combined cost of $10,000,000. They are the last and largest coal fired ferries built in the U.S. She is 410'6" long, 59'6" wide and weighs 6650 tons. Her dual 4 cylinder steam engines generate 7000 hp. The Badger is unique as one of the only (or possibly only?) moving National Historic Landmark and is registered as a NHL in two states. Her route across Lake Michigan from Ludington MI to Manitowac WI is officially a segment of US Highway 10.
Her internal storage originally intended for railroad cars is now used for cars, trucks, buses, etc.
Visible in the far right of this photo, you can see the old vehicle ramp that led to a platform at the top level of the stern. This space is now enclosed and no longer used for vehicles. I'll close with a short video about the Badger they show onboard. One minor issue I have to point out is they state in the video that the sister ship S.S. Spartan never sailed after 1979. I know for a fact I saw her sail as a kid in the early 1980's. However for every time I saw the Spartan sailing, I saw the Badger sail 5 times. There was a third, slightly smaller vessel also periodically sailing then (S.S. City of Midland). I think the Spartan and City of Midland must have only been used sporadically. I've seen the insignia on the smokestack of the vessels show C&O, the Chessie System sleeping cat, and now LMC (Lake Michigan Carferry).
Have a great day guys!
Mike
We are finally visiting what I consider to be my home state. I went to high school there and was stationed there three separate times while serving in the U.S. Coast Guard.
Something with a railroad flavor:
The Chief Wawatam. The Chief was a railroad ferry operating between Mackinaw City and St. Ignace, Michigatn across the straits of Mackinaw. The ship was buildt in 1911 and served as a railroad car ferry until 1984.
I spent several winters assisting the Chief and fuel barges through the ice that builds up in the straits nearly every winter whiile I was the Chief Engineer on the CG Cutter Katmai Bay.
The photo is from the Roger LeLierre Collection.
Remember its your railroad
Allan
Track to the BRVRR Website: http://www.brvrr.com/
Flo, like Garry, I will also have a bowl of Corn Flakes and a cup of black coffee.
I hurt my toe yesterday, and I had a hard time sleeping because of it. I did not go to sleep until about 6:00 AM, and only had about five hours sleep. Hoping to feel better tonight.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I interviewed with Kellogs back when I graduated from college, did not get the job.
Spent a bit of time in Michigan when I was with Harley-Davidson doing training at dealerships in Gaylord, Port Huron, Pontiac and Detroit.
One of the PC X79 Boxcars I built out of a Railyard Models kit, these were financed by Kelloggs and reverted to Kelloggs after the PC/Conrail lease expired.
Rick Jesionowski
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
Good morning .... Coffee and a bowl of Kellogg's corn flakes please.
I have spent a lot of time in Battle Creek, MI. The Kellogg's plant is huge. When I was with GTW, it was served by GTW and PC. They had inbound grain and other ingredients, and, of course, outbound cereal in boxcars.
GTW has a large locomotive shop in Battle Creek located very close to the Kellogg's plant. All of GTW's major locomotive work was performed in the BC shops. GTW has a large classification yard in BC, also.
Below is a picture of part of the locomotive shops.
Below is a picture with the GTW passenger station in Battle Creek behind a freight train.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Mever been to Mitchygin... I hear they make Korn Flakes There...
Some people out in Boston tried to put one over on the RED STATES, and they dumped a train load of corn into the bay.
That is why we now have corn flukes.
: )
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
DoughlessWow, there is a well put together video on the LSRC website.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
hon30critterYou and your daughter did a great job of opening the Diner. Very creative!
Thank you. We collaborated from a distance of 3,273 miles to get it done.
She is awesome to help her silly old dad on a workday.
I love her so much.
Hi Kevin,
You and your daughter did a great job of opening the Diner. Very creative!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Thanks for the hot dog Ed!
The two-hour Big Brother tonight was just as boring as the rest of this season has been. Fortunately we are down to the final six now, so the gloves have to come off. Maybe the last three weeks can be salvaged.
CNCharlieExpecting frost tonight so my wife is out covering the flower pots.
We are expecting a cold front tomorrow night. It is supposed to get down into the 60s! Brrrrrrrrrrrr!
Good evening .
Here is link to an article about the Port Huron - Sarnia railroad tunnels (CN/GTW) . The first built in the 1890's and the second one in the 1990's. The locomotives in the 1890's were huge 0-10-0T's ... They were replaced with electric locomotives. Eventually, diesels were used.
http://industrialscenery.blogspot.com/2019/02/cngtw-st-clair-tunnels.html
Ed, a Coney Dog sounds good right now. I love them.
My wife has been to this place several times before we were married, but I've never gotten there.
It's on my bucket list.
The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.
York1 John
CNCharlie I offered but apparently I don't do it correctly.
I tried that tact with washing dishes. Didn't pass muster
Speaking of dishes — Top O' the Page!
Flint, Michigan-style Coney Dogs, a bag of Better Made chips (crisps) and a Vernor's on me
Detroit pharmacist James Vernor originally created this ginger ale in 1862, but was called off to serve in the Civil War. So he took the concoction and stored it in an oak cask until he finished the fight four years later. What he discovered inside that cask was nothing short of magic and Michiganders have been loving Vernors ever since. Also known as the cure for literally everything.
Good Evening,
Expecting frost tonight so my wife is out covering the flower pots. I offered but apparently I don't do it correctly.
Michigan, well it has been many years since I was last there. I once lived in Sarnia and my apartment was right on the St. Clair River. I could see the rail barges going across the river and the U.S. exit to the rail tunnel from my living room window. Quite a few times I travelled from Pt. Huron right up the U.P. and through Duluth as that was the shortest route home to my parents place in N.W. Ontario right on the Minnesota border. Lovely drive. That was back in the early '70s. I was working for Sunoco at the time.
Well I got the J4e Pacific back from the brass guy and it sure runs nicely. Sounds good too. I did find that there is a problem with the front truck derailing. I have a few ideas but I'll have to see him about fixing it. Not likely he ran it on curves to test. It literally crawls on speed step 1. I still am thinking about making my outside curves 24" but that means a lot of changes. Not an impossible task though and it would let the brass run better. The detail on that engine is amazing. The trailing truck journal covers are hinged and swing open. Why that is needed who knows but it sure is neat.
Someone is burning in a fire pit and it doesn't smell like wood. Sure makes a stink when they do that. I can't understand how fire pits are allowed in a city. It isn't as though the smoke can be contained to one yard.
Have a good evening,
CN Charlie
Never been to ND, AK, MI, IA, RI, or MS
I used to watch Apprentice, for a year or two and Chopped, a cooking show competition. Now I am down to Nascar, financial programming and the local weather.
There is good news on the horizon. A sequal to Borat!. Political incorrectness is right up my alley. The trailer features him with his Covid mask, and only a mask, and it's not on his face.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
York1Ed, that is a neat video of the tunnel work at Detroit and Windsor.
I agree. Many tunnels in North America have been "enlarged" mostly by removing a second track and lowering a central track where the roadbed could be excavated. In the case of the Detroit tunnel, of course, they had to scrape away a good deal of the concrete liner.
How'd you like to be on the grinder crew! I don't care how much PPE, hearing protection, dust control you have, THAT had to be rotten duty.
Here's what the last section of tunnel looked like before sinking into place.
Detroit_Tunnel_float by Edmund, on Flickr
These 260' sections were built by the Great Lakes Engineering Co., launched on the ways some 48 miles upriver then sunk into position. Those vertical towers have depth markings on them to aid the engineers in placing and aligning the sections.
Regards, Ed
So every year ( except this year) there has been a huge antique radio fest in Michigan. So I started going about 2010 or so. It was in Lansing. I love camping so there is a campground not too far from where the festival was. I had just gotten used to where all the good antique and thrift stores were in Lansing and they moved the fest to Kalamazoo. So i found a state park there, found all the thrift stores and antique shops and good eats and such. Then they moved it this year over towards Detroit, but it did not happen because of current conditions. I really like the areas I have visited in MI, I really like the Lansing Area. I was going to get to explore new area this year but noooo.
Hey Ed, Thanks for the Poster and the vid. The commentry prompted me to dig-out my Gordon Lightfoot greatest CD. I've been a fan of his since the early 70's when he first became known in the UK. All his songs including, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald", are still popular in British Folk-club scene. Paul
York1 I've never seen that show. Maybe I'll have to tune in tonight.
I am a total sucker for competition/reality shows. Watching people be mean to each other for $500,000.00 makes for good television (sometimes).
Post Hog! Post Hog!
Ed, that is a neat video of the tunnel work at Detroit and Windsor. There's a lot of information I've never heard in these videos.
SeeYou190 Tonight is a special 2 hour episode of Big Brother where three people are going to be evicted from the house. I really hope this shakes things up, because so far this has been the most incredibly boring season of Big Brother ever. This is the first television show epsiode I have looked forward to in quite a while. -Kevin
Tonight is a special 2 hour episode of Big Brother where three people are going to be evicted from the house. I really hope this shakes things up, because so far this has been the most incredibly boring season of Big Brother ever.
This is the first television show epsiode I have looked forward to in quite a while.
Doughless Wow, there is a well put together video on the LSRC website. https://www.lsrc.com/about/
Wow, there is a well put together video on the LSRC website.
https://www.lsrc.com/about/
That's a very interesting video of Lake State Railway, and how railroads can be successful by working with customers.
LazersI know we are in Michigan, but it's just around the corner - so the same must apply to the Coast of Michigan?
Aah, but when the weather be fair —
CSSnSB_Dunes2 by Edmund, on Flickr
- Douglas
gmpullmanLazers how come 'Michigan City' is in Indiana (home of the Fabulous Chicago South Shore Inter-Urban & Freight) and not in the State of Michigan itself? Always wondered mind, regards Paul Michigan City, Indiana, borders the Great Lake known as Lake Michigan. The word "Michigan" is believed to come from the Ojibwe word michi-gami meaning "great water". Cheers, Ed
Hi Ed, thank you. I know when I see vids of the S'Shore, the extremes of the weather amaze me. Whilst it is seasonal, in Summer beautiful Beverly Shores is like a Tropical Beach but in Winter when snow is coming off the Lake and the little Lighthouses and the Piers are all iced-up - it seems like Antarctica!
I know we are in Michigan, but it's just around the corner - so the same must apply to the Coast of Michigan? I love the coast line there and the Famous Lighthouses. As the tourist info says - they are Well Worth a Visit. Paul
More on the Detroit Michigan Central Railway tunnels and their enlargement in the 1990s:
Construction was an engineering marvel in its day. Digging a trench in the reverbed and sinking premade "tube" sections, "bolting" them together and covering the trench. A fascinating operation.
Read about it here:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-detroit-river-tunnel-1907-12-21/
Lazershow come 'Michigan City' is in Indiana (home of the Fabulous Chicago South Shore Inter-Urban & Freight) and not in the State of Michigan itself? Always wondered mind, regards Paul
Michigan City, Indiana, borders the Great Lake known as Lake Michigan. The word "Michigan" is believed to come from the Ojibwe word michi-gami meaning "great water".
Thanks for a great opening, Kevin. Be sure to tell your daughter how great the new sign is and that we all thank her for it.
It's 1:40 p.m. CDT. Grass cut, bank visited, gas station visited, grocery store finished, etc.
Now naptime!