Hot Spots

[Anonymous]

I'm Wondering about any good Hot Spots to go train watch around my home town of Grand Haven other than Holland and Grand Rapids that I could go to in a day?

[CShaveRR]

Hi! I grew up in Grand Haven, and remember well when there were two railroads, and passenger service, there.

To your question: I'd say that the nearest busy main line (other than CSX, which you've been watching at Holland and GR) is the old GTW line. It would be a longer trip than Holland or GR, but you could intercept it at:

Schoolcraft, down 131 from Grand Rapids. The station and the crossing of NS (ex-Conrail) is a few blocks east of the highway.

Battle Creek, at the Amtrak station. Besides CN, you'd get most of Michigan's Amtrak service.

Trowbridge, near East Lansing, where the CN crosses CSX's Grand Rapids-Detroit main line at grade. I've been there, but can't remember precise directions.

Finally Durand, the Mecca for all true GTW fans. Just head into town and head for the depot, which is now a railroad museum. You might catch some Tuscola & Saginaw Bay, or Central Michigan, while you're there.

All of these places are within a couple of hours of you via the Interstates; I doubt that there would be much reason to use anything else (I'd have suggested M-21 east of Grand Rapids to get to Durand, but much of that GTW line is gone now. I'm one of the lucky ones who rode from Grand Haven to Durand well after passenger service was gone; my articles on one of the trips were in the Tribune during 1969 or 1970.

Good luck!

Carl

[CShaveRR]

Hi! I grew up in Grand Haven, and remember well when there were two railroads, and passenger service, there.

To your question: I'd say that the nearest busy main line (other than CSX, which you've been watching at Holland and GR) is the old GTW line. It would be a longer trip than Holland or GR, but you could intercept it at:

Schoolcraft, down 131 from Grand Rapids. The station and the crossing of NS (ex-Conrail) is a few blocks east of the highway.

Battle Creek, at the Amtrak station. Besides CN, you'd get most of Michigan's Amtrak service.

Trowbridge, near East Lansing, where the CN crosses CSX's Grand Rapids-Detroit main line at grade. I've been there, but can't remember precise directions.

Finally Durand, the Mecca for all true GTW fans. Just head into town and head for the depot, which is now a railroad museum. You might catch some Tuscola & Saginaw Bay, or Central Michigan, while you're there.

All of these places are within a couple of hours of you via the Interstates; I doubt that there would be much reason to use anything else (I'd have suggested M-21 east of Grand Rapids to get to Durand, but much of that GTW line is gone now. I'm one of the lucky ones who rode from Grand Haven to Durand well after passenger service was gone; my articles on one of the trips were in the Tribune during 1969 or 1970.

Good luck!

Carl

P.S. I read your other post. I'm not sure about the parking situation at most of these places...there's plenty of room at Schoolcraft, but I'm unsure of the legality. The Durand station is a museum, and parking, though not easy to get to, is OK once you do. I think Amtrak's station stop is near Trowbridge, so you should be OK there, too.

I just took a look at your signature...if you are whom I think you are, I remember your grandfather from when he was the agent at Grand Haven!

[Anonymous]

Dang it seems everyone in West Michigan knew my grandfather and yes it was Denver Todd SR

[CShaveRR]

Not only that...I knew his brother, the dispatcher, and went to college with said brother's daughter.

[Anonymous]

It's kinda funny listening to my dad tell his stories about how he got to ride the train for free down to my great grandparents house down in bangor where my great grandfather was the station agent

[CShaveRR]

This is getting good--talk to me at
[e-mail]

I hope the tips about the GTW line are useful.
Carl