Lowell Street Trackage???
- MQT1223
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Lowell Street Trackage???
A discussion came up last night at Culvers regarding a spur that went through downtown Lowell in the middle of the street. Street running in Lowell, something I had never thought of...
The spur is easy to pick up where it enters the road, at the corner of Kent and Monroe in downtown Lowell off the old PM, however how far does this supposed street trackage go and where does it end? I always thought that the only rails that ever were on that spur went across Front St, where there is a clear patch in the road of a former grade crossing that goes into a modern warehouse.
Reminds me an awful lot of the spur that came off the PM in Grandville that went down Division, guess the PM was willing to serve no matter where the track had to be laid!
The spur is easy to pick up where it enters the road, at the corner of Kent and Monroe in downtown Lowell off the old PM, however how far does this supposed street trackage go and where does it end? I always thought that the only rails that ever were on that spur went across Front St, where there is a clear patch in the road of a former grade crossing that goes into a modern warehouse.
Reminds me an awful lot of the spur that came off the PM in Grandville that went down Division, guess the PM was willing to serve no matter where the track had to be laid!
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996.
Re: Lowell Street Trackage???
Are you saying there were two spurs that came off the curve, one crossing at Front/Washington and another following the Monroe Street alignment? Or are you suggesting a second spur came off the one that crossed over Front St?
Option 1 or 2?
Option 1 or 2?
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GRHC - you know every night I can imagine he is in front of his computer screen sitting in his underwear swearing profusely and drinking Blatz beer combing the RailRoadFan website for grammatical errors.
- MQT1223
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Re: Lowell Street Trackage???
#1 was my main thought, but your view makes me not rule out #2.J T wrote:Are you saying there were two spurs that came off the curve, one crossing at Front/Washington and another following the Monroe Street alignment? Or are you suggesting a second spur came off the one that crossed over Front St?
Option 1 or 2?
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996.
- Michael
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Re: Lowell Street Trackage???
From the 1978 USGS Topo
Re: Lowell Street Trackage???
A Kent County Atlas, visible here, shows a similar track arrangement as it existed in 1907:Michael wrote:From the 1978 USGS Topo
http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/ ... /Michigan/
Re: Lowell Street Trackage???
Very interesting! That shows a different alignment from the 1907 map. The 1907 map is actually consistent with what is evident in the pavement at the corner of Washington and Front. Hmmm...Michael wrote:From the 1978 USGS Topo
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimthias/
GRHC - you know every night I can imagine he is in front of his computer screen sitting in his underwear swearing profusely and drinking Blatz beer combing the RailRoadFan website for grammatical errors.
GRHC - you know every night I can imagine he is in front of his computer screen sitting in his underwear swearing profusely and drinking Blatz beer combing the RailRoadFan website for grammatical errors.
- MQT1223
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Re: Lowell Street Trackage???
Those rails must've been in the pavement for a long time, as that patch is fairly new.
Any idea what was served throughout the period? I'm counting 3 customers that were served over the time period of the two maps.
Any idea what was served throughout the period? I'm counting 3 customers that were served over the time period of the two maps.
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996.
Re: Lowell Street Trackage???
Happened to notice that the cross bucks at Jackson St are now gone. When did they get pulled? Some of the rail to the west of the crossing is gone but I'm pretty sure that the track on the east end of town hasn't been officially abandoned yet.
- MQT1223
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Re: Lowell Street Trackage???
We're pulled last fall when the rails east of Malta to Jackson were removed and sent to Muskegon for an expansion project. DNR is trying to get the last mile of ROW this year along with the southern half of the Elmdale Sub.Mark F wrote:Happened to notice that the cross bucks at Jackson St are now gone. When did they get pulled? Some of the rail to the west of the crossing is gone but I'm pretty sure that the track on the east end of town hasn't been officially abandoned yet.
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996.
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- Roadmaster
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Re: Lowell Street Trackage???
SB 118 has been referred the House Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Committee after being unanimously approved by the Senate. It removes a liability hangup that has prevented the DNR from purchasing these properties. If you bike, contact your rep and tell him / her to support the legislation.
Re: Lowell Street Trackage???
Does the DNR have designs on converting any of the Elmdale Sub between Malta and Elmdale or perhaps Freeport to a bike trail or are they just interested in Lowell to Greenville? I thought the Lowell to Greenville portion was already in the bag.MQT1223 wrote:
DNR is trying to get the last mile of ROW this year along with the southern half of the Elmdale Sub.
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Re: Lowell Street Trackage???
The Lowell To Greenville ROW has already been purchased for a trail. The DNR is ready to buy the east mile of the GRE ROW and Lowell to Elmdale once the legislation passes. There is no ROW left south of Elmdale.
- MQT1223
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Re: Lowell Street Trackage???
When I said last half I should've specified more. Malta to Elmdale is about all that's left of the former Elmdale Sub that's not under the DNR banner.
Elmdale to Freeport has been gone for so long its nearly untraceable in most places.
Elmdale to Freeport has been gone for so long its nearly untraceable in most places.
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996.
- Doktor No
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Re: Lowell Street Trackage???
AT one time the spur in question served the headstone/monument shop. I remember that being in place years ago. The piece left of the spur was used to unload plastic beads for Attwood. Wonder where that business went? Was in use when CSX had it up until maybe 10/15 years ago...
Curb Your Enthusiasm.
- GrandTrunkFan
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Re: Lowell Street Trackage???
There was also a couple boxcars that sat on that spur for a couple years IIRCDoktor No wrote:AT one time the spur in question served the headstone/monument shop. I remember that being in place years ago. The piece left of the spur was used to unload plastic beads for Attwood. Wonder where that business went? Was in use when CSX had it up until maybe 10/15 years ago...
Nick
- MQT1223
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Re: Lowell Street Trackage???
A friend of mine recalls some old reefers that were stored there too.GrandTrunkFan wrote:There was also a couple boxcars that sat on that spur for a couple years IIRCDoktor No wrote:AT one time the spur in question served the headstone/monument shop. I remember that being in place years ago. The piece left of the spur was used to unload plastic beads for Attwood. Wonder where that business went? Was in use when CSX had it up until maybe 10/15 years ago...
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996.
Re: Lowell Street Trackage???
Attwood changed corporate ownership around that time. After the sale, the plastic injection department was closed and rail service discontinued.Doktor No wrote:AT one time the spur in question served the headstone/monument shop. I remember that being in place years ago. The piece left of the spur was used to unload plastic beads for Attwood. Wonder where that business went? Was in use when CSX had it up until maybe 10/15 years ago...
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- Roadmaster
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Re: Lowell Street Trackage???
Legislation to allow the DNR to purchase Lowell to Elmdale and the piece from Grand River Dr to Montcalm Ave passed the Senate today. Off to the Guv for signature.
- Jetlink
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Re: Lowell Street Trackage???
''Raildudes dad wrote:Legislation to allow the DNR to purchase Lowell to Elmdale and the piece from Grand River Dr to Montcalm Ave passed the Senate today. Off to the Guv for signature.
OK, so assuming the Guv signs off on this, is the funding available and is the railroad (or surviving holding company) willing to sell? This sounds like a great step but I'm wondering if it seals the deal or not?
interested in trains
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Patiently waiting for LansingRailfan to antagonize me in his tagline
Re: Lowell Street Trackage???
Now to tear down that house on the ROW at Elmdale...Raildudes dad wrote:Legislation to allow the DNR to purchase Lowell to Elmdale and the piece from Grand River Dr to Montcalm Ave passed the Senate today. Off to the Guv for signature.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimthias/
GRHC - you know every night I can imagine he is in front of his computer screen sitting in his underwear swearing profusely and drinking Blatz beer combing the RailRoadFan website for grammatical errors.
GRHC - you know every night I can imagine he is in front of his computer screen sitting in his underwear swearing profusely and drinking Blatz beer combing the RailRoadFan website for grammatical errors.