I was just looking-over an out-of-date railroad atlas (2003) and it shows the CN still has the former Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic main in-service east of Marengo Jct. (Wisconsin) into upper Michigan. Does the CN still operate that segment today?
Those intrigued by the DSS&A have inquiring minds.
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The answer to your question is no. The ex-DSS&A line operates only as far west as Baraga Michigan which is on US 41 south of Houghton Michigan. The DSS&A main west of Nestoria Michigan has been abandoned well before it became WC. I am sorry I do not know the fate of the WC line from Bergland to White Pine Michigan which was a spur of this line and continued to operate as a part of the Soo Line after the DSS&A abandonment. The DSS&A became part of the Soo Line on January 1,1961.
My family used to camp at Van Riper State Park near Champion Michigan in the1950’s.It was on the DSS&A main line which ran along the North Shore of Lake Michigamme. The DSS&A was not a busy line even in the 1950’s.In the morning you could see the Milwaukee Road powered Copper Country Limited pass by. It became a DSS&A train at Champion, then a local east bound ore train powered by a lone Baldwin switcher about 11:15 then nothing until the eastbound freight to Marquette about 3:45 PM powered by a Baldwin AS- 616. The westbound would come by about 7:45 in the evening with the same single AS-616. You planned the fishing and swimming around the trains.
Sorry Aricat,
The answer is “yes”- The Canadian National does in fact operate the former Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic from Marengo Junction over to Bergland to reach the White Pine branch to the copper plant there. The branch though is on borrowed time as the White Pine plant announced it will be closing in July 2010.
In short after the DSSA merger by the SOO the Western Division was abandoned as such-
1972- Trackage rights between Ashland and Duluth suspended over Burlington Northern
1977- Soo petitions ICC to abandon all trackage north of Baraga
1980- Soo abandons between Nestoria and Bergland though the track is not removed
1982- After two delays line north of Baraga is abandoned by the Soo
1987- All ex-DSSA lines sold to Wisconsin Central
1989- Rail between Sidnaw and Bergland is removed by contract. Sidnaw-Nestoria is sold to the ELS.
For much more information on the DSSA, I recommend John Gaertner’s book “The Duluth South Shore and Atlantic Railway- A History of the Lake Superior District’s Pioneer Iron Ore Hauler”
May I suggest you get Mike Walker’s “Railroad Atlas of North America: Great Lakes West” edition? These volumes are super! They go for about $25.00, and show everything, past and present. They are sold, on-line, and by Kalmbach and Carstens.
I didn’t discover the UP, and the “Youpers” until 1995. I love the place! Days of running alongside active, and abandoned, rail lines are my forte. Even the car-storage tracks intrigue me. The people are extremely friendly, and speak “Ontarian” better than the Canadians in Ontario do! Caveat: Do Not Pick Up Hitchhikers. The UP is Michigan’s “Incarceration Capital”, and your hitchhiker might be an escaped felon. Do carry a .357Magnum, at least. Great snowmobile trails, too! Try a “Pastie”! Catch the E&NS before it discontinues service to the north and the Soo Line Ashland (WI) dock, before the local fools dismantle it.
In Marquette, I suggest trying the following:
Historic Vierling Saloon & now brew-pub - http://www.thevierling.com/history.htm - esp. the boiled whitefish.
The City-owned Marquette ‘Tourist Park’ - http://www.mqtcty.org/parks.html
I can ‘t find a website or reference to what used to be the ‘‘Port O’ Call’’ pub or bar - but it was afriendly place some years ago.