Posted by Alex Huff on 2/23/2015, 2:35 am, in reply to "D&M at Mackinaw City" from MichiganRailroads.com
D&M replaced Penn Central at Mackinaw City effective 4/1/76, the day Conrail took over selected parts of the various bankrupt eastern railroads. It is my understanding the last cars went across the boat in August, 1984.
Posted by Alex Huff on 3/2/2015, 10:10 am, in reply to "Re: D&M at Mackinaw City"
The key is that the D&M purchased all of the track in Mackinaw City.
The effective date was probably April 1, 1976, Conrail start-up day.
The owners of the D&M bought the property as a real estate play.
They were chagrined to find out MIGN intended to use the boat.
The state paid D&M a subsidy to switch the boat and manage it.
That was logical as D&M owned the boat slip.
The state owned the boat as no one else wanted it.
Toward the end, MIGN formed a subsidiary, Boat Company, to manage the boat.
To my knowledge, D&M continued to switch the boat and was paid by the state.
D&M ultimately got what it wanted, property with no railroad track, suitable for development. MIGN just delayed things.
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...
