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Bellaire Track Layout

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2018 11:36 pm
by MQT1223
Can anyone provide some insight as to how the track in Bellaire was laid out? I have seen some photos of the EJ&S interchanging on triple track yet the bridge north of the former location of the depot is single track. I have also been unable to tell if there was a full Wye in East Jordan for the EJ&S, and whether or not that Wye was located on a siding off the PM/C&O main or directly on the main itself.

Did the PM/C&O serve any customers in Bellaire? Did the EJ&S have any customers in Bellaire?

While were at it what happened to the Bellaire depot? Its my understanding it went to a resort somewhere and hasn't been seen since.

Looking to model the EJ&S in the mid to late 50's and info seems scarce online.

Re: Bellaire Track Layout

Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2018 1:14 pm
by Saturnalia
1929 Sanborn Map:
Bellaire.png

Re: Bellaire Track Layout

Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2018 3:20 pm
by trnwatcher
Saturnalia wrote:1929 Sanborn Map:
Bellaire.png
Google search?

Re: Bellaire Track Layout

Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2018 4:49 pm
by ~Z~
I've linked mqt1223 to https://www.oldmapsonline.org/ before; handy resource to browse old maps like the mqt3001 showed. You'll want to view the link above from a non-mobile device.

Re: Bellaire Track Layout

Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2018 9:12 pm
by MQT1223
trnwatcher wrote:
Saturnalia wrote:1929 Sanborn Map:
Bellaire.png
Google search?
Google searches have been very few and far at best. I mainly get photos of the trackage around the depot but nothing to the north or south of that.

Re: Bellaire Track Layout

Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2018 9:14 pm
by MQT1223
Saturnalia wrote:1929 Sanborn Map:
Bellaire.png
The only issue the Sanborn map has is I cannot tell how many tracks exist where. It does answer an important question that I had, the EJ&S had a wye in town. This confirms the existence of a small turntable in East Jordan.

Do you have a map of East Jordan by chance?

Re: Bellaire Track Layout

Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2018 4:32 pm
by Standard Railfan
The Library of Congress has pre 1930's Sanborn Maps online.

https://www.loc.gov/collections/sanborn ... ,+Michigan

Newer Sanborn maps are held privately by EDR. Many public libraries have subscriptions.

Re: Bellaire Track Layout

Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2018 5:07 pm
by MQT1223
Standard Railfan wrote:The Library of Congress has pre 1930's Sanborn Maps online.

https://www.loc.gov/collections/sanborn ... ,+Michigan

Newer Sanborn maps are held privately by EDR. Many public libraries have subscriptions.
Those maps are very enlightening. I'm sure some of that lasted well into the 50's, but most of the lumber industry save for what I believe were two lumber distributors lasted into the final year of operation.

Very disappointing that I was unable to find any maps with the East Jordan Iron Works on them. The East Jordan Lumber Company was long gone in the 50's, but looked to be a very expansive operation. They had at least 6 online customers as late as 1959 and they are as follows:

East Jordan Iron Works (Key supplier of revenue for the railroad, lead to the eventual shutdown of the EJ&S in August of 1961, receivers of clay, coke, sand and scrap iron)

East Jordan Co-op (vacant building still stands at the corner of Mill, State and 3rd Streets next to the Marathon Gas Station, receivers of oil, grease, fertilizer, briquettes and coal. Some of these loading areas can be seen today with the still extant transload ramp and unloading bays for coal and liquids)

East Jordan Canning (Located at the corner of State St and Depot St right across from the East Jordan Depot/Offices, still in business today as Burnette Foods, received stove coal on a semi regular basis)

Mt. Clemens Metal Products (Located at the corner of M-32 and M-66, I believe this building still stands today. Located across the Jordan River, unsure if the factory was served via a spur or transload operation, as a lumber spur crossing the river was once present into this area. Receivers of Hardwood Boxes and Coil Steel)

H. C. Atkinson Lumber (Unknown, but they received lumber if it wasn't obvious)

Alden Marketing and Lumber Unknown, but they received lumber products as well at fertilizer

Heck even the St. Luke Catholic Church got a load of building brick... shows you how much the railroad valued small or one time customers back in the day. The odd part about the church's load of brick was that it was handed off to the EJ&S yet the church was located next to the river on the North Side of Bellaire next to the PM/C&O main! Wish I had the story on that.

The EJ&S also received at least one or two flats of ties here and there and they were most likely unloaded near the depot on an unused spur.

Re: Bellaire Depot

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2018 10:01 pm
by KC
"While were at it what happened to the Bellaire depot? Its my understanding it went to a resort somewhere and hasn't been seen since."

Freight depot torn down on site.
Passenger depot moved to south of town along M-88 for use by Shanty Creek ski resort as warming hut for chair lift. Later burned down by
local fire department.

There's a nice aerial photo at Bellaire Public library from the 40's/50's shows some of the railroad, north of trestle was lumber yard, oil dealer.

EJ&S depot listed for sale in East Jordan:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeH4963n2bE

Kelly

Re: Bellaire Depot

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2018 11:21 pm
by MQT1223
KC wrote:"While were at it what happened to the Bellaire depot? Its my understanding it went to a resort somewhere and hasn't been seen since."

Freight depot torn down on site.
Passenger depot moved to south of town along M-88 for use by Shanty Creek ski resort as warming hut for chair lift. Later burned down by
local fire department.

There's a nice aerial photo at Bellaire Public library from the 40's/50's shows some of the railroad, north of trestle was lumber yard, oil dealer.

EJ&S depot listed for sale in East Jordan:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeH4963n2bE

Kelly
I knew the freight house was torn down but good to know about the Bellaire depot.

Surprised the EJ&S Depot is for sale, I was unaware of that and the large parcel of property it’s on. It looks decent on the inside compared to the exterior. I hope whoever buys it treats it well.