Abandoned Michigan Railroads

[Todd Cline]

Yes, the line to Paw Paw was really fun in the 1990's. They had a dinner train, not my idea of fun, but they also ran a sightseeing train where for an extra couple of bucks you could ride in the caboose. Everytime we went there we were the only ones in the caboose. I suppose the rest of the crowd was too buzzed from the free wine-tasting at the winery tours to do much more than sack out on the coach seats. It was always a great ride. We always were able to get the coupola seats up top. Really nice old historic piece of railroad there. I'm suprised the rails are still in place. If you want to learn more, just google Fruit Belt Railroad. Also, Kalamazoo,Lake Shore& Chicago RR. It would take several pages here if I were to tell you the entire story.

Todd

[Todd Cline]

Someone mentioned the Little River RR. I was a member there when they were in Pleasant Lake IN. back around 1979 or so. The 110 was just freshly rebuilt for the first time. The track was lousey, but it was a lot of fun! We stalled out a Fairmont motor car just south of Angola one day and 110 showed up with its train. We had to toss that thing into the weeds, conductor John Marty just about blew a gasket! I'd get more into that, but John passed away recently, so out of respect I'll keep mum. Want to read more about John Marty, check out Indianarailroads.com
He WAS a legend in his own time!


Todd

[AC60CW]

Finally got ahold of my father (he was on vacation). The plant I thought was Fisher was Tecumseh Products. There was also a tubular plant more to the eat, he thinks they made frames for chainsaws. Next was the lumber company and coal yard next to that. The grain elevator was still shipping into the late 60s early 70s. It stopped sometime while he was away to California for a few years (getting married and creating yours truly...lol).

As for them trucking the steam out. It was sold for scrap and it was the scrappers truck. The replacement diesel was a NW2. He said the newspaper took alot of pictures the day it was trucked out, so there should be some on microfiche if not hardcopy still.

[Eric Berger]

On the Clinton Branch, I think another customer may have been Wacker, on Sutton Road. I noted that there's a switch there, and a short spur which goes to about where the fence is, leading me to believe that they too may have been a customer.