I know the former north-south rail line that runs up Old 131 north of Grand Rapids used to be a Pennsy line at some point. I live near the town of Stanwood, MI. where the line is just a trail now. Does anybody have any time frames and details about the Pennsy days around here? Did it go back to the steam era? There still are a few concrete loading docks and small bridges left that look like they date pretty far back. I’m interested to see what used to be here as far as railroading. Thanks! ----Rob
opriginally started as the Grand Rapids and indiana it connected to the east west mainline at ft. Wayne. It went all the way to Macinac city and the chief Wampum ferry to transport cars across the Macinaw straits to St. Ignace. If you are in the Grand Rapids area there is a GR&I chapter of the PRRT&HS that can tell you a lot more. Also check the PRRT&HS web site for recent keystone magazines that has had quite a lot on the GR&I in the past couple of years.
I used to live in Petoskey and have visited there all my life as my father was raised in the area and I still have relatives there.
The Pennsy, as stated earlier the former GR&I, ran on the tracks through the downtown area of town on a diagonal to the street system. The tracks crossed the main intersection of town on a small triangle and entered what is now called Pennsylvania Park. This used to be the passenger station tracks. The station itself still exists as a stone office building one block north of the main intersection of town. At one time, during the summer tourist season, there were as many as a train per hour running to the various resorts around the area.
North of the downtown there was a junction with the Perre Marquette RR (later C&O)that came up from below the bluff in the resort area called Bay View.
There was also a branch line that ran around Little Traverse Bay to Harbor Springs. This branch left the main at a place called Kegomic which is now an area of shopping centers and business. I remember this area from childhood as there was a tannery located here that really stank. You can still see places where the branch ran along the bay, through what is now Petoskey State Park, and on the north side behind the resort area of Wequetonsing just to the east of Harbor Springs. This was a push/pull operation as there were no turning facilities at Harbor Springs.
The line later became the Michigan Northern RR. It continued northeast to Mackinaw City and a connection to the Soo Line by way of the last hand fired ferry across the Straits of Mackinaw to St. Ignace in the upper penninsula. The ferry was called the Chief Wawatam if my memory is correct.
I will be happy to provide more information from my memory if you want to contact me. If you are in the area I would also suggest a visit to the historical society located in the old Perre Marquette station on t