South Haven Q&A

[MQT1223]

Anyone have any information on customers, track layouts, track removal info in regards to the South Haven area? I assume both branches were gone by 1980 or so? Did the PM or NYC do any interchange here of any kind for Kalamazoo area freight or did the two lines not even connect in any way, I know they got close.

Any particular reason why South Haven was bypassed by the mainlines where as all of the main ports from basically Ludington down (Saugatuck/Douglass to my knowledge was never a major port) had a major rail presence? Was the C&WM trying to get somewhat close to Kalamazoo since it was probably the largest city that the PM did not serve in the Lower Peninsula?

[GRHC]

The line from Kalamazoo to South Haven was taken out in 1971 or 1973 depending on the source and the line from Hartford to South Haven was abandoned in December of 1986. The lines did connect in downtown South Haven however I do not know if there was any interchanging of cars at that location.

Topographical map 1975

[Standard Railfan]

Here is a map of South Haven dated 1912. The Map shows the MC and PM Fruit Belt tracks cross but no interchange.

https://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/U ... /Michigan/

The book “The Pere Marquette in 1945” does not show any interchange at South Haven but does show 600 plus cars exchanged with the MC at Grand Junction in 1939.

[GRHC]

And here’s a topographical map from 1972 which shows what would be at that time the Penn Central yard and it does seem to show that the tracks of both railroads do actually connect.

Side Note: there was a miles long siding that that came off the PM/C&O branch where it crossed under I 196 which served the Palisades nuclear power plant.

Back in approximately 1985 I explored the line from Hartford to South Haven unfortunately by that time the line was dormant.

[Standard Railfan]

I looked at the NOAA historic charts website. Maps back to the 1930s show a connection but what looks like two separate yards.

I would expect that there would have been some interchange there but I doubt it amounted to much.

1934: https://www.historicalcharts.noaa.gov/ ... =76-8-1934

1964: https://www.historicalcharts.noaa.gov/ ... =76-1-1964
There appears to be a building sitting where the connection shows up in other years

[MQT1223]

Here is a map of South Haven dated 1912. The Map shows the MC and PM Fruit Belt tracks cross but no interchange.

https://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/U ... /Michigan/

The book “The Pere Marquette in 1945” does not show any interchange at South Haven but does show 600 plus cars exchanged with the MC at Grand Junction in 1939.

Was the "Fruit Belt" a subsidiary that was in town or was it just the name of the section of track? Given the area that South Haven is in would that have meant that a lot of produce would've went out by freighter?

600 cars seems low even today... although I forgot about Grand Junction when thinking about this post so that would make more sense.

[MQT1223]

The line from Kalamazoo to South Haven was taken out in 1971 or 1973 depending on the source and the line from Hartford to South Haven was abandoned in December of 1986. The lines did connect in downtown South Haven however I do not know if there was any interchanging of cars at that location.

Topographical map 1975

DE07226F-6082-4815-9FD6-CD694B0B363F.jpeg

Wasn't there some decent but unique business on the former NYC? I remember somebody near the village of Kendall that shipped out mint by rail? Guessing in an insulated or refrigerated boxcar?

I was unaware that the PM held on as late as it did. Is there any information as to what CSX/Chessie may have served that late on the branch? I doubt it could've been much, especially when looking at the communities along the way such as Covert. Most of the business no doubt would've been east of the junction at Harford by this time no doubt.

Street running down Maple St. sure must've been a sight. I wonder if any photos of such a move exist today? Looks like the PM depot is where the Yacht Club now sits, as only the NYC depot and freight house remain in their original locations. Not sure what classifies as who's yard, but the Yacht Club is built on one of them. The trailer park sits on the NYC side of things which is surprising to me given the amount of stuff railroads were allowed to dump into the ground back then. I'm guessing these "yards" were more or less a series of glorified sidings?

I'm guessing the "tank" on the one map is a water tower for steam locomotives?

I was unaware of the spur to the nuclear plant. What do you figure they got by rail? Was it used in the construction of the plant or was it used later for bringing in supplies out of the nuclear plant such as radioactive water?

[Standard Railfan]

I’m not sure if “Fruit Belt” was just the name of the branch or if it had roots in an earlier railroad.

[GRHC]

I would assume the trackage that went to the Palisades nuclear power plant was for the initial construction of the plant. I did follow the line right up to the gates of the power plant and saw that the trackage ran right up next to the plant.


In the early days of the lines fruit and lumber were transported to South Haven to be put aboard ships bound to Chicago and Milwaukee.

Some of the major industries in South Haven included Cable Nelson Piano, S.E. Overton, Casavant Organ, and Marshall Casting Companies.

When I explored the PM/C&O line there was an 84 lumber distributor which had a rail siding as well as a large heavy industrial plant and one other nondescript looking factory that still had their rail sidings intact.

The Historical Aerials website has aerial photos of South Haven taken in 1955 and in 1976 that are of a pretty decent quality.
The aerials from 1955 clearly show the New York Central yard with freight cars. The aerials from 1976 shows parked cars on the Palisades siding just off the PM/C&O branch line.
https://historicaerials.com/?layer=map& ... -86.106730

[GRHC]

I’m not sure if “Fruit Belt” was just the name of the branch or if it had roots in an earlier railroad.

The link below should tell you what you want to know.

https://issuu.com/swmspark.com/docs/nov ... s/13858561

[MQT1223]

I would assume the trackage that went to the Palisades nuclear power plant was for the initial construction of the plant. I did follow the line right up to the gates of the power plant and saw that the trackage ran right up next to the plant.


In the early days of the lines fruit and lumber were transported to South Haven to be put aboard ships bound to Chicago and Milwaukee.

Some of the major industries in South Haven included Cable Nelson Piano, S.E. Overton, Casavant Organ, and Marshall Casting Companies.

When I explored the PM/C&O line there was an 84 lumber distributor which had a rail siding as well as a large heavy industrial plant and one other nondescript looking factory that still had their rail sidings intact.

The Historical Aerials website has aerial photos of South Haven taken in 1955 and in 1976 that are of a pretty decent quality.
The aerials from 1955 clearly show the New York Central yard with freight cars. The aerials from 1976 shows parked cars on the Palisades siding just off the PM/C&O branch line.
https://historicaerials.com/?layer=map& ... -86.106730


60997A11-DC4F-4033-AA0F-A7A5738DBD21.jpeg

What side of the power plant was the spur on? I can find no trace of it on maps…

[GRHC]

The siding or branch to the power plant if you will left the South Haven branch South of South Haven just after it crossed under I 196 next to the trailer park.

The line to the power plant came in from the east and ran along the north side of the plant.

[MP73point4]

1909 KLS&C pass showing "Fruit Belt Line" nickname.

[MQT1223]

The siding or branch to the power plant if you will left the South Haven branch South of South Haven just after it crossed under I 196 next to the trailer park.

8B608AA0-C54D-43D3-9FC6-1ED192004BCD.jpeg



The line to the power plant came in from the east and ran along the north side of the plant.

5CBD365E-47CC-49D0-8126-EC19F54BC41A.jpeg

Oh wow that’s really obvious now. It’s also a paved trail. I always wondered why it looked like rail but I thought it was simply built to follow the highway. I see the grade now…