Abandoned Track in Genesee Township

[Racer]

I was looking at the route map of the Huckleberry Railroad and discovered on the east-end of the line (next to the reversing loop) that there is a railroad track that goes next to Mt. Morris Road and turns South before Vassar Road. The tracks disappear in deep woods towards Mott Lake. Anyone know the story on this abandoned line?

[SD80MAC]

If you're talking about the north end reversing loop, that's part of the old Huckleberry main line that used to go farther. They disconnected it because after 464 went out of service years ago, #2 wasn't able to pull the train over that portion of the line (grade was to steep IIRC). AFAIK most of it's still there.

[Racer]

If you're talking about the north end reversing loop, that's part of the old Huckleberry main line that used to go farther. They disconnected it because after 464 went out of service years ago, #2 wasn't able to pull the train over that portion of the line (grade was to steep IIRC). AFAIK most of it's still there.

I didn't know the line actually went further than it is now. I see the line curves south, but how far did it go, when was it abandoned, and was there ever plans of reviving it?

[Michael]

There is a little history of the line on their website but it looks like the line once went NE from Flint to Otter lake and beyond. What is left is just a small portion of that 15 miles.
http://michiganrailroads.com/RRHX/Maps/ ... eCoMap.htm

As far as the part that curves south at Mt Morris road, it doesn't seem like it goes too far.
Old USGS topo maps (pre 1965) and aerials show that it was just a spur off the main line that went about a mile to a gravel pit that was in what is now the Genesee Recreation area.
Later in the 1970's the spur was modified and shortened again to look like this.

[GreatLakesRailfan]

There is a little history of the line on their website but it looks like the line once went NE from Flint to Otter lake and beyond. What is left is just a small portion of that 15 miles.

I've always heard the Huckleberry line referred to as the 'Fostoria Branch'. It's not a railroad term, but a (railfan?) reference to the fact that it ran up to Fostoria, Michigan at one time.


I was not aware of any track left beyond that which is operated by the Huckleberry Railroad. Thanks for the information guys.

[saxman]

I worked at the Huckleberry Railroad from 1980 until around 2000. The East Loop left the old PM main line at just after the main entrance to the Cummings Center off of Mt. Morris Rd. and paralleled Mt. Morris Rd. for about a half mile before turning south. It turned south at the east end of a small lake at the Cummings Center. Once it headed south it went about another 1/4 mile to the loop switch. At this point the railroad was built through and abandoned sand pit. Little effort was made to create a right of way and the track was laid from one sand ridge to another. About a 1/2 mile from the east loop switch, the track began to turn east and loop back to the switch passing by what was the Wolverine Campground which was accessed off of Irish Rd.

Keeping the track in alignment over the sand ridges was a headache. Most of the ties were ties salvaged from the old PM main. There was a steep grade to get over the sand ridges that we affectionately called Sandy Patch Grade. Typically, we would run counter clockwise around the loop taking the downhill route down Sandy Patch. When I started in 1980, we would alternate direction on each trip. Number 2 was capable of handling the grade. I think it was about 1983 we stopped alternating around the loop. When 464 came on line, we were still using the loop.

Sometime in the early 90's it was decided to scale back the railroad to its current configuration.

I grew up on Mt. Morris Rd. not far from what is now the Cummings Center. During my youth, it was a hog farm. Kurtz gravel had a sand pit on both sides of Mt. Morris Rd. there. I do not recall any tracks in old loop area of the Huckleberry. However , the way the sand ridges ran it did suggest at one time there was trackage there.

[SD80MAC]

Thanks for clarifying that!

[Racer]

Thanks for the interesting background and history, Saxman! Since they never removed the tracks themselves, have there been any talks about re-activating that portion of the line?

[~Z~]

Thanks Saxman for clarifying... i went to Huckleberry RR as a kid a number of times in the late 80's and could have sworn there was more to the line than just a straight run with a small loop at each end. This extra trackage that was abandoned makes much more sense now.

[saxman]

Yes the track was left in place when the east loop was abandoned. It did not take nature long to reclaim the right-of-way either. Within a couple years one couldn't walk the old east loop.

As far as I know, there has been no discussion as to reopening the east loop. The whole shortening of the railroad and creating the new loop at Cummings Center was the result of a report by a consulting firm on how to get more tourists and reduce costs. The Huckleberry remember is run by the Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission which in turn means it is a government run organization and thinks as such.

Crossroads Village and the Huckleberry Railroad has been the one and only success story for the Flint area since the recession of 1979/80. My personal thoughts have always been that it could be more if it were leased by the county parks to a group who could operate it more as a business then part of the park system.

The shortening of the railroad was a turning point for me and my involvement with the "Huck". It just wasn't the same run anymore. Several of the people I hired with in 1980 had moved on and to me that was what made the Huck the Huck. It was time to move on and I did. I miss running and firing the steam locomotives. I have fond memories of breaking the D&RGW 464 in after its rebuild. It was a great engine to run and easy to fire, the first Christmas at Crossroads (with no cab curtains on #2) and establishing the first Railfan's Weekend with my friend Rob from Illinois who started in 1980 when I did.

[R.E.A.P.E.R.]

Thanks for the interesting background and history, Saxman! Since they never removed the tracks themselves, have there been any talks about re-activating that portion of the line?

I worked at the Huck from 2006 to 2012. During that time, we made a few trips out there and removed most of the joint bars on the rails to use them on the current operating section. Just before I left, I helped remove the loop switch. So IMHO no, it won't happen. As said above, since it is run by a government, whenever an idea come up (such as this) my co-workers would go "But that would make sense". Meaning, it won't happen to a government run entity.

[intocable83]

Speaking of the Huckleberry Railroad, just came across a few pictures and a very short video they posted on their Facebook page of a bridge replacement. Kinda neat to see.