Whitehall-Shelby MI Question

[Trains2Planes]

Does anyone have any pics of the abandoned line around Whitehall, Montague and up towards Shelby? When was the line abandoned?

[i995impalass]

Start Here

And Here

[bctrainfan]

You may be aware that this is now the William Field Memorial Hart-Montague Trail State Park. Info for the trail says rail service ended in 1981, ROW was purchased by William Field and donated to the state to create one of the first rail to trail projects in Michigan. Trail opened in 1991. Its been years since I last rode it, but it is a great ride on paved trail through some beautiful country.

[Jetlink]

It is a great trail. Was in the process of being entirely resurfaced in October when I rode it. It was approximately 1/3 complete then and the crews were still working. I had to detour around the work crew for a mile or so. It also connects to the Berry Junction trail which goes Montague to Berry Junction where the rails are still in use. Looks like a connector from Berry Junction into Muskegon is also in the works. There also is a spur trail in Montague that runs another mile or two to the west on the north side of the inlet. Ends rather abruptly in what I believe to be the old industrial contamination sites in the area.

[iandt]

If you ever get a chance, visit the old passenger depot in Whitehall, I'm sure it will answer most of your questions. I was there last summer, inside is a small but enlightening museum including railroad artifacts, photographs, and nautical charts that show all the spurs and industries in the area. Also, if you never get a chance to bike the whole trail, at least ride along it and visit some of the towns along the way, like New Era. It's amazing how the importance of the railroad in these small farming towns is clear by the rail trail being the main street of town, while even today, only one road goes in and out!

[Saturnalia]

There also is a spur trail in Montague that runs another mile or two to the west on the north side of the inlet. Ends rather abruptly in what I believe to be the old industrial contamination sites in the area.

Spur went to the old DuPont chemical plant, and yes is contaminated accordingly. This plant is actually the originally home of C&M 3049.

[Raildudes dad]

There also is a spur trail in Montague that runs another mile or two to the west on the north side of the inlet. Ends rather abruptly in what I believe to be the old industrial contamination sites in the area.

Spur went to the old DuPont chemical plant, and yes is contaminated accordingly. This plant is actually the originally home of C&M 3049.

Track also went to Hooker Chemical , later Oxychem. They made Agent Orange - real nasty site. The only materials from the plant that didn't go to a hazmat landfill were some railroad ties and the 2 axle 50 -ton GE that went to the C&M

[Jetlink]

There also is a spur trail in Montague that runs another mile or two to the west on the north side of the inlet. Ends rather abruptly in what I believe to be the old industrial contamination sites in the area.

Track also went to Hooker Chemical , later Oxychem. They made Agent Orange - real nasty site. The only materials from the plant that didn't go to a hazmat landfill were some railroad ties and the 2 axle 50 -ton GE that went to the C&M

That's exactly what I suspected RDD. Thanks for the confirmation.

[J T]

Where the bike path ends at Whitbeck Rd, how far west did that industrial spur actually continue? Looking at a satellite image right now and it appears that it may have gone as far west as Lamos Rd. where it looks like it crossed, hooked south and ran parallel along the west side of the road. Also, did it split just west of Whitbeck and hook south for a bit there too?

(the road along the right edge is Whitbeck)

[Saturnalia]

Oh it did way more than just cross Lamos - that's where the plant was.

Map is oriented as west = up

[Raildudes dad]

The DuPont plant made Freon. When it's use was banned, the plant closed and was torn down. The byproduct of the process was carbide lime. It's the white area south of the plant in the aerial photos. It's sterile, nothing will grow on it but its non-toxic, non hazardous. The Hooker site on the other hand is "hot" and under tight security.

[J T]

Oh it did way more than just cross Lamos - that's where the plant was.

Map is oriented as west = up

West should never be up. Incorrectly oriented maps suck.



But anyway, thanks for that. I've never known anything about what was at the end of that spur.

[Saturnalia]

Map is oriented as west = up

West should never be up. Incorrectly oriented maps suck.

I agree. Except on this style, which is a track map, and is hence oriented in a way as to fit the most stuff on one 8.5 x 11" sheet of paper.

In my screenshot, I didn't capture quite the whole page.

If you still don't like it, well I can't really help you Mr. Baldilocks.

[J T]

Looks like it works fine in the proper orientation. Imagine that, someone with a lot of hair couldn't figure that out.

[Saturnalia]

Looks like it works fine in the proper orientation. Imagine that, someone with a lot of hair couldn't figure that out.

How does this make you feel?

[EWRice]

This thread got me thinking about the hooker site. For those that are not familiar, look up "This is not a chocolate factory" on youtube. Scary stuff. You don't have to go to Egypt to see pyramids.

[J T]

This thread got me thinking about the hooker site. For those that are not familiar, look up "This is not a chocolate factory" on youtube. Scary stuff. You don't have to go to Egypt to see pyramids.

Thanks for the link. Until this thread, I'd never heard of any of this....and I've been in Michigan for most of my life.

[Saturnalia]

This thread got me thinking about the hooker site. For those that are not familiar, look up "This is not a chocolate factory" on youtube. Scary stuff. You don't have to go to Egypt to see pyramids.

Thanks for the link. Until this thread, I'd never heard of any of this....and I've been in Michigan for most of my life.

[EWRice]

I had always heard that White Lake, and surrounding areas, were poluted. I did not know it was this bad. I started looking into it when I was researching the Old Dutch Refinery on Laketon and the hundreds of abandoned oil and gas wells in Muskegon Twp and Laketon Twp (another interesting subject).