EJ&E Heritage Unit

[PatAzo]

Just for info, back by the silos is where the Jackson to Niles line crossed. Just east of Three Rivers was where they diverted to Elkhart later.

So where did this branch go off to on the northeast side of Niles? Looks like it may have crossed the existing line, but I see no evidence of a ROW beyond it to the northwest.

niles.jpg

The Air Line was promoted as a Chicago to Buffalo competitor (via Canadian connection) to the Vanderbilt's. The NYC took control of the Air Line about the time the Jackson-Niles segment was completed. References say until the MC was double tracked they did directional running. I suspect passenger trains used the track coming northeast from Niles. Freight went through the yard and came out to the Air Line on the right of way you circled. This was the era when locomotives rarely ran past the next division point. In the left of the circle you can see where the air line yard was pointing 90 degrees from the MC main.

So we are not completely off topic the EJ&E heritage unit passed through Waupaca WI today.

[Super Chief]

The Air Line was taken out 1937. Traveling M-60 you can see the roadbed real well. When you get to AL Jones road west of Three Rivers you are on the ROW eastbound into town. At that same road westbound is where the original roadbed is observed under the power lines. MDOT used the actual roadbed east to get into town. Behind Home Depot the roadbed shows up again and crossed the Saint Joesph River on the unrepainted Michigan Central Bridge on Broadway Street .