Overview
The Huckleberry Railroad is a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge heritage railroad located in Genesee Township, Michigan, near Flint. The railroad operates alongside Crossroads Village, both of which are owned and maintained by the Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission.
The railroad received its name due to the story that a person could jump off the train, pick wild huckleberries, and re-board the train without difficulty, as it traveled so slowly.
What is now the Huckleberry Railroad began operating in 1872 as part of the Flint River Railroad. The Flint and Pere Marquette Railroad later extended the branch line from Flint to Otter Lake. It later came to be known as the Otter Lake Branch. Eventually the track was extended by another 4.5 miles from Otter Lake to Fostoria, for a total of 19.5 miles from Flint to Fostoria.
The Pere Marquette Railway abandoned the Otter Lake to Fostoria line in 1932, and the Otisville to Otter Lake line a year later. The Huckleberry Railroad began operations in 1976 on the remaining line when the Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission opened Crossroads Village.
The train station used by the Huckleberry Railroad at Crossroads Village is the former Grand Trunk Western Railroad station from nearby Davison.
Huckleberry Railroad Locomotives
|
|
| Number
|
Model
|
Year Built
|
History
|
Notes
|
| In Service Locomotives
|
| HBRR 11
|
HSG
|
1968
|
Ex-Badger Ammunition Plant 585.
|
Operational. Shop switcher/MOW.
|
| HBRR 12
|
50 Tonner
|
1957
|
Ex-GLRX 60/RCBT 60/Bethlehem Steel 12.
|
Operational. Main diesel locomotive. Serial #33250.
|
| ARR 152
|
4-6-0
|
1920
|
Ex-HBRR 2/USAX 152/US 152/ARR 152.
|
Operational. Main locomotive for excursions.
|
| HBRR 571
|
HSG
|
1968
|
Ex-Badger Ammunition Plant 571.
|
Operational. Shop switcher/MOW.
|
| Out of Service/Inoperable Locomotives
|
| QTL 3
|
2-6-0
|
1894
|
Ex-QTL 3.
|
Stored dismantled. No future plans.
|
| P&RV 4
|
2-8-0
|
1904
|
Ex-Mineral de Chihuahua 4/Potosi & Rio Verde 4.
|
Displayed along the mainline.
|
| DRGW 464
|
2-8-2
|
1903
|
Ex-DRGW 464.
|
Currently stored serviceable. 15-year inspection to start soon.
|
|
Huckleberry Railroad Passenger Cars
|
|
| Number
|
Model
|
Year(s) Built
|
Notes
|
| HBRR 8
|
Coach
|
1875
|
Stored inoperable. Missing trucks.
Ex-Northwestern Pacific/Nevada California & Oregon. Built by Kimball Car. Interior and exterior have been restored.
|
| HBRR 9
|
Coach
|
1920s
|
Ex-Diamond and Caldor flatcar #243.
|
| HBRR 20
|
Open-Air Gondola
|
1920s
|
Ex-Coahuila y Zacatecas.
|
| HBRR 30
|
Open-Air Gondola
|
1920s
|
Ex-Coahuila y Zacatecas.
|
| HBRR 40
|
Coach
|
1890s
|
Ex-United Railways of Yucatan.
|
| HBRR 42
|
Coach
|
1890s
|
Ex-United Railways of Yucatan.
|
| HBRR 100
|
Coach
|
1880s
|
Ex-United Railways of Yucatan.
|
| HBRR 102
|
Coach
|
1890s
|
Ex-National Railways of the Yucatan/Catskill Mountain Railroad.
|
| HBRR 104
|
Coach
|
1923/1979
|
Former EBT flatcar #104.
|
| HBRR 112
|
Coach
|
1923/1979
|
Former EBT flatcar #112.
|
| HBRR 113
|
Coach
|
1923/1979
|
Former EBT flatcar #113.
|
| HBRR 260
|
Coach
|
1896
|
Ex-RGS.
|
| HBRR 306
|
Coach
|
1881
|
Ex-DRGW.
|
| HBRR 316
|
Combine
|
1996
|
Built at Huckleberry Railroad.
|
| HBRR 320
|
Coach
|
1882
|
Ex-DRGW.
|
| DRGW 711
|
Open-Air Gondola
|
1904
|
Ex-DRGW 711. Under restoration.
|
| DRGW 762
|
Open-Air Gondola
|
1904
|
Ex-DRGW 762. Under restoration.
|
| HBRR 0776
|
Caboose
|
1880s
|
Ex-Coahuila y Zacatecas.
|
|
Huckleberry Railroad Freight Cars
|
|
| Number
|
Model
|
Year(s) Built
|
Notes
|
| DRGW 0526
|
Caboose
|
1880
|
Stored in the shops.
|
| PM A621
|
Caboose
|
1923
|
Displayed by the depot.
|
| EBT 821
|
Coal Hopper
|
1914
|
Used for MOW and ballast.
|
| C&O 90865
|
Caboose
|
1926
|
Displayed along the mainline in Genesee Village.
|
|
Back to Michigan Shortlines
Back to Shortlines
