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Has anyone compiled a list of the excursions that the Bluewater Chapter NRHS ran?

I figure that I rode about a dozen, over the years, which didn't cover anywhere near the amount of rare mileage they ultimately managed to run over.

Fritz, I've never tried to make a list, but I've ridden a few trips up the old G.R.& I north of Cadillac. Actually, I think it was "Lake Central Tours" that organized them, but I think they borrowed cars from Bluewater. ( I could be mistaken ). They were great trips. I have fond recall of Tom, I want to say "Bile" but I'm not sure if I have the correct spelling, who was the regular conductor on those runs. That open baggage car was a great place to be! Met lots of good folks on the train as well. I remember this amish fellow who was a closet railfan. Then there was this guy with really thick glasses that was worried about driving at night through Lansing, and a few cute girls that made me wish I was a few years younger. Nothing like a train excursion.. Mainly for the historical enjoyment for me though, I've seen WAY too many old branch lines get torn up because they weren't deemed " Economically Feasible" … Next time you are stuck behind an overloaded semi on U.S. 131, Think about the old G.R.& I, (PRR) That's progress, right?

Todd

Lake Central Rail Tours. Used a couple coaches they owned and a couple TSBY ex VIA cars. No Bluewater cars. Tom B and Marc K were the 2 regular conductors. Ray Kammer, Denise and Ray Kammer Jr were LCRT. Yup, good times were had on those excursions

I grew up E. of Rochester along the old GTW Romeo Sub, and took a few Bluewater trips in the early '80s. My first was a Royal Oak-Birmingham-Pontiac trip to Durand and then on the GTW Saginaw Sub all the way to Bay City and return. The trip used Semta commuter coaches - the Pontiac-Detroit commuter trains were still running then - and also a mix of Bluewater's own cars. I believe Semta GP9s and 18s pulled the trip. This was probably about '81-82 or thereabouts.

I didn't ride these but they ran a couple of "Circle Tours" around former GTW lines sometimes in the '83-85 timeframe or so. These ran Royal Oak-Pontiac over the Holly Sub, then took the old Pontiac Belt Line to connect to the Romeo Sub to Richmond. They then turned south and ran to Milwaukee Jct. on the Mt. Clemens Sub before taking the wye to head back up the Holly to Royal Oak. I caught one of these heading timetable east at 24 Mile Rd. in Shelby Twp. - it had a couple blue GTW Geeps in front, and the chapter's fluted obs at the rear.

The Chapter ran a few steam trips from Allen Park to Ft. Wayne and return - once behind 611 (that I rode) and I believe behind 765 as well. These were quite the ride for a 12-13 y.o. at the time (me) and my first real trip alone without mom and dad along. Guess I was truly "free range" or whatever they call it now, going out of state through the corner of NW Ohio and NE Indiana along with all the other 'buffs.

I'm sure others that rode from that era can fill in the blanks, but these three of ones I knew of personally.