Near Bellville Michigan

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wagnew0923
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Near Bellville Michigan

Unread post by wagnew0923 »

West of Bellville, Mi just East of the Ford Rawsonville Plant near Rawsonville Rd and Textile there is a spur that goes to the plant then the line continues North for about a mile to another plant that has a spur. Now if you are on Textile Rd you can see that this line actually crossed the road even though the crossing was paved over and because North of Textile road the line continues and has a spur to a plant North of Textile Road. Now here is my question. Did this line that crossed Textile Road continue on even further, possible crossing the river and I 94. If it did where did this line go, who did it serve and are there pictures. Also if it did cross the river I will head out and find trestle remains.

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AARR
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Re: Near Bellville Michigan

Unread post by AARR »

If its the track I'm thinking of it ended at the plant on the other side of the road. I'm not sure what the plant was originally but when I first became aware it was a Christian Book Publishing company. I don't know what it is now.

A picture of the current end of line was recently posted in Where Am I?
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...

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Michael
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Re: Near Bellville Michigan

Unread post by Michael »

I don't believe that spur went any further than what is in place now, at least according to old aerials and topographic maps.
According to google the building that was serviced by rail on Textile Rd is now ITC http://www.itc-holdings.com/itc-michigan.html

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ConrailMan5
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Re: Near Bellville Michigan

Unread post by ConrailMan5 »

I have heard rumors that that spur was once considered to be extended to the Michigan line. The idea was to connect the roadrailer facility with the wabash line from willow run. That way the trains could enter the line directly from that facility.
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James Sofonia
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Re: Near Bellville Michigan

Unread post by James Sofonia »

From what I read up on, the village of Rawsonville, directly North of the end of your line, had tried to get a railroad to come in. Maybe this is part of that intent. But by the late 1800s the town started to die down, then in 1925 they built a dam across the Huron River forming Belleville Lake. Most of the homes and business were flooded and are underwater. No reason for the railroad to go there now. I wonder if you went diving there could the remains of an underwater city be found?

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Michael
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Re: Near Bellville Michigan

Unread post by Michael »

Here is a topographical map from 1953 showing the Ford plant wasn't built yet nor the spur going to it.
Image

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