Coopersville-Grand Haven

Any historical questions can be posted here. Answers would certainly help as well :)
Trains2Planes
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2014 11:15 am

Coopersville-Grand Haven

Unread post by Trains2Planes »

What would have been the busiest period for trains to travel thru Coopersville when the tracks ran all the way to Grand Haven? During the busiest era, how frequently were they used and how long were the trains? Also in the 1980s how often were they used before being abandoned and how long were the trains? I grew up in Coopersville in the 1980's and don't ever remember seeing a train once.

User avatar
AARR
Ann Arbor RR Nerd
Posts: 37900
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:39 pm
Location: Washington, MI

Re: Coopersville-Grand Haven

Unread post by AARR »

I think it was abandoned around 1983 and the line had around 180ish cars the last year.
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...

EWRice
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 468
Joined: Fri May 10, 2013 7:07 pm
Location: Muskegon, MI

Re: Coopersville-Grand Haven

Unread post by EWRice »

I would think that the busiest time would have been when the GTW car ferry was still in Grand Haven. Most of the people I know who grew up in Spring lake from the 1950's on always joked about the trains through town. They called it the B&FERR (back and forth empty) because it was usually nothing compared to what the C&O was moving through GH. Sadly, I missed out on seeing any trains in SL. We moved there in the late 1980's. I do remember the tracks and crossing lights on Pine st in Ferrysburg for Johnston Boiler. When they pulled those tracks out there was an article in the paper explaining why Johnston would no longer ship by rail; to much damage to the boilers while in route to customers.

User avatar
AARR
Ann Arbor RR Nerd
Posts: 37900
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:39 pm
Location: Washington, MI

Re: Coopersville-Grand Haven

Unread post by AARR »

A small fertilizer company in Marne received 6-8 cars annually until it burned down around 200?. Maybe it received more in earlier era's.
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...

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

Re: Coopersville-Grand Haven

Unread post by Raildudes dad »

Klein Fertilizer in Marne. They would get 100 tons in a car and the plant man and his helper would hold the empty 60 lb bags under spout of the bagging machine then sew the tops shut hour after hour until the car was empty.
Grand Have. to Coopersville was pulled in 1976. They would have gone further east I except GM pointed out they had an agreement for rail service. Track was unused until 1989 and the C&M started up

User avatar
trnwatcher
My name ain't Steven
Posts: 4855
Joined: Sun May 11, 2008 6:22 pm
Location: Grandville MI
Contact:

Re: Coopersville-Grand Haven

Unread post by trnwatcher »

The car ferries where moved to Muskegon in 1933 and traffic west of Marne dropped drastically. Most of the trains reentered the GTW line at the connection to the GRIM/Pennsy line at Penn Jct. Marne west probably saw maybe a daily local/way freight each day. By the late 50s that frequency was down drastically as even the line to Muskegon saw a west bound one day eastbound return the next. Locals worked from GR west to GH, with Muskegon still having switch jobs service the local business right up until the track was abandoned.
Steven F. Shick
http://www.youtube.com/user/trnwatcher
http://www.trnwatcher.net

I.T. guy/Railfan
"The true railfan has two favorite railroads....the Baltimore & Ohio and another one." - Charles S. Roberts

User avatar
SD80MAC
Ingersoll's Mr. Michigan
Posts: 10430
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:59 pm
Location: Grand Rapids

Re: Coopersville-Grand Haven

Unread post by SD80MAC »

Didn't the elevator in Coopersville receive some cars sporadically into the early 1980s?
"Remember, 4 mph is a couple, 5's a collision!"
http://flickriver.com/photos/conrail680 ... teresting/
Image

Post Reply