Abandoned Main Lines

[Stitch]

Are there any intact abandoned mainlines in Michigan? What I mean by intact is just right of way but overgrown and track gone or in fragments? If not are there any large fragments left that could still be photograghed? Or are all the mains still in use?

[LSRC]

Well it depends on what you consider a "mainline". The line to Greenville used to be a mainline, but now its *almost* abanoned. (I think). Take Alpena for example. Alpena used to have 2-3 railroads. The grades are there for most, and in some places the track is too. The old riverfront yard was just recently torn out. I have the perfect picture comming sometime this fall is a secret location.

[SD80MAC]

The old Grand Trunk Western between Ionia and Owosso is pretty well preserved. The track is gone but most of the ballast is still there, and not too many things are in the way of the old ROW. Seems like all it'd take is some brush clearing, restructuring of a few bridge and it would be ready for service again.

There's also the old CSX Steelcase spur that used to go south just west of Fox. The line was "abandoned in place" and all track is still there, save for a few crossings. The crossings still in-tact still have the flashers, but they're bent inward.

SE of Grand Rapids is the old KB&E. A portion of it is now used for power lines, so that part of it is pretty easy to spot. Farther south the grade is pretty much still there, but in Middleville and a few other spots there has been a lot of development, which would make rebuilding hard.

East of GR in Elmdale there's a very small section of the old PM Turkey Trail still intact, maybe like a few hundred feet. It was connected to the current CSX main until sometime last winter (near as Mr. Hall and I can tell). Otherwise north of Elmdale the grade is intact, with lots of ballast still on the ground. There's even a few mileposts, not to mention piles of rails and ties. Where the tracks used to cross the road in Lowell, the cicut boxes are still there! There's a house being built on the right of way south of Pratt Lake now.

Anyone know the condition of the old GTW west of Coopersville? I know that up until maybe 8 years ago the tracks were still across 31 in Grand Haven, then they were still intact next to the Apple Bee's, and I think they're still there, just buried. And how about the old GTW west and east of Greenville? I imagine it was pulled up before the Owosso-Ionia line.

[tsinoms]

the NS to steelcase they now have boxcars there

[Railnut]

CSX in Port Huron..from 24th Street to the water front. This was the PM's main line to the boat yard..been innactive since 2005, but mostly in place.
Dave C

[i995impalass]

Anyone know the condition of the old GTW west of Coopersville?

East of the Delphi Plant about 50 feet, theres a siding into the plant where we store a few locos and cars, but the main line dosent go much past the switch mabe 100-200 feet past it

[Raildudes dad]

East of the Delphi Plant about 50 feet, theres a siding into the plant where we store a few locos and cars, but the main line dosent go much past the switch mabe 100-200 feet past it

West of Coopersville has been gone since about '76

There's also the old CSX Steelcase spur that used to go south just west of Fox. The line was "abandoned in place" and all track is still there, save for a few crossings. The crossings still in-tact still have the flashers, but they're bent inward.

44th Street flashers have been gone for 2 years.

Otherwise north of Elmdale the grade is intact, with lots of ballast still on the ground. There's even a few mileposts, not to mention piles of rails and ties. Otherwise north of Elmdale the grade is intact, with lots of ballast still on the ground. There's even a few mileposts, not to mention piles of rails and ties.

RA received permission to pull the rails in Nov 2005, and rails & ties were gone by end of December.

[i995impalass]

West of Coopersville has been gone since about '76

150' past 64th ave to the West is what I ment, ends just behind the Delphi plant

[SD80MAC]

East of the Delphi Plant about 50 feet, theres a siding into the plant where we store a few locos and cars, but the main line dosent go much past the switch mabe 100-200 feet past it

West of Coopersville has been gone since about '76

There's also the old CSX Steelcase spur that used to go south just west of Fox. The line was "abandoned in place" and all track is still there, save for a few crossings. The crossings still in-tact still have the flashers, but they're bent inward.

44th Street flashers have been gone for 2 years.

Otherwise north of Elmdale the grade is intact, with lots of ballast still on the ground. There's even a few mileposts, not to mention piles of rails and ties. Otherwise north of Elmdale the grade is intact, with lots of ballast still on the ground. There's even a few mileposts, not to mention piles of rails and ties.

RA received permission to pull the rails in Nov 2005, and rails & ties were gone by end of December.

-That's why I said save for a few crossings.

- Well, atleast last spring there were still plenty of ties and rails stacked along the ROW.

[Stitch]

Thanks for all the info.

[GT1970]

I work at Steelcase in the Systems Plant, the line that you are speaking of crosses 36th street near the intersection with Eastern. The line runs at an angle Northwest to Southeast. There is a run a round track on this line. There are two spurs off of the run a round. One goes straight south and ends near the coal fired steam generating plant. The other goes north from the main line and goes into the old Desk Plant. I have been inside the desk plant and the rail line had about enough room for two 50 ft. boxcars. The floor around the rails was raised so that the cars could be unloaded right onto the floor. The front of the desk plant can be seen from 36th street on the south side of the road. If you are not aware, Steelcase has sold this property to Ashley Capital. So I am not allowed to go into any of these buildings. The building I am in has also been sold, and it is being rented until it closes in May. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO COME ON TO THE PROPERTY! The new owners do not want anyone trespassing.

[TrainWatcher]

The old Ypsi-Ann Interurban... tracks till inplace from NS to Visteon Plant next to I 94.

[J T]

I work at Steelcase in the Systems Plant, the line that you are speaking of crosses 36th street near the intersection with Eastern.

Actually, they were talking about the line that comes of the CSX line and goes to the Steelcase plant over on the southeast side of town. That line then crossed Broadmoor and went about a 1/2 to 1 mile east.

[SD80MAC]

Update: drove over the old Broadmoore crossing where CSX used to enter Steelcase. Tracks in the boulevard are GONE! Must've recently been ripped out.

[J T]

Update: drove over the old Broadmoore crossing where CSX used to enter Steelcase. Tracks in the boulevard are GONE! Must've recently been ripped out.

I THINK I saw them working on removing those back in October/Nov. I crossed them once a week as I did some lawncare work at a business down in that area. I could be wrong, though. Maybe they were doing some other construction work.

[i995impalass]

Update: drove over the old Broadmoore crossing where CSX used to enter Steelcase. Tracks in the boulevard are GONE! Must've recently been ripped out.

JT's Right they have been gone for a while OCT/NOV.

[tsinoms]

well I can remember when Conrail, long live it!, owned it and ran trains. Me and russ were LITTLE and we had seen a Conrail train stopped with big power but that is all I can remember. Now every school morning we go on 32nd st. and look to see NS crossing things, like on CSX crossing gates, there and look and if you walk down a little you'll see where the track has been ripped. But happy the are activly us the spur!!!!! Get great rolling stock shots every day!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[i995impalass]

has anyone every seen where the tracks use to be off of clay and 44th to that warehouse on the corner, then it went back to the south, had a siding for the 84 lumber, and Gordon Food's warehouse and across the street.

anyways When was all that pulled?

[TrainWatcher]

The old Ypsi-Ann Spur in Ypsilanti is still in place from the NS Michigan Line south to the Visteon Plant, right where the old car barn is there is a storage building now for the Jaycees.