Whats year did th GT yard @ Leonard and Plainfeild

Any historical questions can be posted here. Answers would certainly help as well :)
i995impalass
Yooper Foamer
Posts: 1527
Joined: Wed Aug 30, 2006 12:00 am
Location: Marquette, MI

Whats year did th GT yard @ Leonard and Plainfeild

Unread post by i995impalass »

when did the GT close down shop there, and did they do any major work there, or just the little things brake shoes/ pads, ect.

User avatar
trainjunkie47
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1692
Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2006 11:38 pm
Location: Westland, MI

Unread post by trainjunkie47 »

What city i995impalass? I do not know where you are talking about.

User avatar
J T
Hates Supper
Posts: 11367
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 7:23 pm
Location: Grand Rapids
Contact:

Unread post by J T »

That would be Grand Rapids he's referring to. I wish I knew the answer to that as well. I DO know that the Choo Choo Grill at the corner of Leonard & Plainfield has been in operation as a hamburger joint since the late 40's. The BEST burgers in town, and if you get a chance to stop in for a bite, you'll see TONS of RR memorabilia (both local and national)...but I'm sure that's probably been mentioned here before.

User avatar
tsinoms
Adult Gerber Baby
Posts: 1650
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2006 3:56 pm
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Contact:

Unread post by tsinoms »

ahhh choo choo grill loved that place, that is right next to the GRE line. I remember one i saw old passenger cars from the steam age. but i did see a thing that looked a platform? That may be it!! hope I helped :)
This is my life. There are many like it, but this one is mine.

If this is a problem get used to it.

i995impalass
Yooper Foamer
Posts: 1527
Joined: Wed Aug 30, 2006 12:00 am
Location: Marquette, MI

Unread post by i995impalass »

sorry trainjunkie47, yeah JT and tsinoms know what I mean, yea in Grand Rapids. I have a pic of a GT loco there ill pull up and post, but its not mine i just found it browsing around, but ill look for it when im at home, back to work for me ~chris PS Choo-Choo is the best place for burgers!

Raildudes dad
Roadmaster
Posts: 4753
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2005 9:12 am
Location: Grand Rapids, MI

Unread post by Raildudes dad »

There was a steam roundhouse there at one time. At the end of the Trunk, the engine house was a chain link fence :( In the steam era, they ran pushers both ways out of GR- west to just east of Fruit Ridge and east to Dewey (just east of M-21). The original depot was downtown where the Post Office is today. The depot on Leonard & Plainfield was built in the 50's? The concrete structure west of the tracks west of the Choo-Choo is what's left of a coal dock. There was a coal yard on Taylor and the cars were spotted on top and emptied into the bins you can see today.

User avatar
J T
Hates Supper
Posts: 11367
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 7:23 pm
Location: Grand Rapids
Contact:

Unread post by J T »

Thanks for the great history info! :-D

One question..the old spur that went to the post office, that they JUST ripped out in the last year or two...was that the line to the old depot? Also, did that line continue on through downtown, or just stop there (as it did at the P.O.)?

Raildudes dad
Roadmaster
Posts: 4753
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2005 9:12 am
Location: Grand Rapids, MI

Unread post by Raildudes dad »

Not sure which track you say was ripped out in the last year or 2. The track to the depot was were Canal Park is and the park by the 6th Street dam. That track has been gone a long time - 10 years or more? The depot was on a stub track. It ended there. The interurban crossed the Bridge Street bridge there too.

User avatar
J T
Hates Supper
Posts: 11367
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 7:23 pm
Location: Grand Rapids
Contact:

Unread post by J T »

The track that goes in back of Water Works and runs parallel with Bond St (one block east of Monroe), that USED to go all the way to the P.O. In the last year or so, they've either paved over it or ripped it out (south of Newberry). Just as recently as a couple of years ago, I saw a train servicing the post office (the tracks went under 196 and it was quite common to see a few boxcars sitting there).

I have one of those Metro city wall maps from about 10 years ago, and on it shows the track I speak of, but actually going along the river bank near the park you mentioned. The section of track that goes to the P.O. along Bond is NOT on this map. Hmmm....

User avatar
cnw8835
Grain Train Fetish LOLZ
Posts: 4734
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2006 6:19 pm
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Contact:

Unread post by cnw8835 »

The line is paved over in a few spots, but for the most part is still visable at least down to Fairbanks St. I'm not sure how much is south of Fairbanks St. now with that building thats going up there now.

i995impalass
Yooper Foamer
Posts: 1527
Joined: Wed Aug 30, 2006 12:00 am
Location: Marquette, MI

Unread post by i995impalass »

JT that siding use to go to GR press and they get a boxcar every day or other?, Reguardless it was used until the Press moved and as far as I know the line ended at the highway. But how it curves there at the park, I almost think it use to follow the river banks and go into downtown GR. Can anyone back that up?

Raildudes dad
Roadmaster
Posts: 4753
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2005 9:12 am
Location: Grand Rapids, MI

Unread post by Raildudes dad »

The track down to the Press was (is) refered to as the Bond Street spur. Sackner Products was there and B&G Terminal formerly Berkey & Gay Furniture (Now Waterworks Condo's). There was a runaround south of Bond Street. The track at one time went to Michigan Street (pre-freeway & Press). I don't remember tracks south of Michigan but there was a walkway "1 track" wide for the first block south (late 50's). MDOT built a bridge over the tracks and when the Press built there in 64? they ended the track under the bridge and built their loading dock under there. There's a conveyor from there that goes under the parking lot into the paper storage in the basement. They tried to keep 30 days of newsprint on hand. They recieved about 325 cars per year, a little over a car a day. Problem was they would come in 12-14 car blocks. They p****d and moaned if they had to pay demurrage (could only get 3 cars at the dock at a time).

The track along the river went south from the curve at the real Waterworks (Coldbrook Street pumping station) The pumping station was also an coal fired power plant at one time. The power plant provided elelctriclity to the city street lighting system plus the pumps. They had their own run through spur for coal and there was (still?) is evidence of a diamond to the west. The GTW team tracks / outdoor dock/ramp was were the Canal Park is. The GTW freight house was on Monroe south of 6th. The tracks ended at the depot on Michigan. They did not go further south. There was a power canal south of Michigan Street.

User avatar
J T
Hates Supper
Posts: 11367
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 7:23 pm
Location: Grand Rapids
Contact:

Unread post by J T »

Awesome. Thanks for the history lesson! :D

Raildudes dad
Roadmaster
Posts: 4753
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2005 9:12 am
Location: Grand Rapids, MI

Unread post by Raildudes dad »

If I can remember it, it isn't history :lol:

Grandville
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 151
Joined: Fri Dec 08, 2006 10:28 am
Location: Grandville, MI

Unread post by Grandville »

Here's a few photos I took Nov 2004 along Bond Ave
Grand Rapids Press:


Image

Image

Image

i995impalass
Yooper Foamer
Posts: 1527
Joined: Wed Aug 30, 2006 12:00 am
Location: Marquette, MI

Unread post by i995impalass »

I belive G-ville in your 2nd pic there is a building being built there.

User avatar
J T
Hates Supper
Posts: 11367
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 7:23 pm
Location: Grand Rapids
Contact:

Unread post by J T »

Oops, my mistake...I incorrectly stated that track went to the P.O. under 196, but I should have said the GR Press. Image

Post Reply