History of the ROW From Niles to Jackson

[Tim]

Meints in Michigan Railroad Lines says this relocation occurred ca 1901 from mp 17.0 to mp 21.3 and was constructed to reduce the ruling grade west from Jackson. It was 0.54 miles longer than the original route.

[Ben Higdon]

I once heard that the GTW wanted to purchase the Air Line before Conrail ripped it up. They wanted to run trains over their Jackson Branch to the yard in JXN, then turn them down the Air Line. I guess they wanted a second main to Chicago for re-routes, etc., but nothing ever came of it. Honestly, from several of the NYC old heads that I know, they said it was all just rumor talk "back in the day." Shortly after the MAL was ripped up in 1982, the GTW followed suit and did the same with their Jackson Branch. Most of the bridges are left on the GTW's Jackson Branch.

The Falling Waters Trail, of which I've ridden many times, is a great way to experience the former glory of the MAL. Doug Leffler (who won't share high quality scans above 17KB of his photos...and the others from Cecil Hommerding, which are part of his oh-so "holier than thou collection"...with anyone online) has some great shots of PC/NYC trains outside of Jackson on the MAL. I did some before/after comparison photos from the same spots and it's crazy how different everything looks today. Crazy to think it was double tracked from OD to Haires Junction. My former lady friend lived in the neighborhood located right next to where Haires was located and the right-of-way from both lines are still clearly visible.

At Spring Arbor (Lime Lake), which is part of the trail, the MAL had a booming marl business going. Several of the docks for the mining boats still remain. I guess they would send a rail-barge with several tracks on the main deck over to where a loading crane was, load the cars, then a tug would send them back to the docks, where they were picked up by a local freight. It's only possible to see the docks during the fall time, when all the weeds and foliage are dead. There's some cool Google Earth shots, where one can clearly see the docks to the northwest of the lake.

1. The GTW buying the Air Line is funny. Pretty sure the portion of the GTW Jackson Branch in Jackson was removed long before the Air Line was.

2. I'm not surprised Doug wouldn't be inclined to share photos when people with an attitude like this

3. A multi track barge? That sounds a little impractical considering the ROW cuts through the middle of the lake.

[AARR]

I once heard that the GTW wanted to purchase the Air Line before Conrail ripped it up. They wanted to run trains over their Jackson Branch to the yard in JXN, then turn them down the Air Line. I guess they wanted a second main to Chicago for re-routes, etc., but nothing ever came of it. Honestly, from several of the NYC old heads that I know, they said it was all just rumor talk "back in the day." Shortly after the MAL was ripped up in 1982, the GTW followed suit and did the same with their Jackson Branch. Most of the bridges are left on the GTW's Jackson Branch.

1. The GTW buying the Air Line is funny. Pretty sure the portion of the GTW Jackson Branch in Jackson was removed long before the Air Line was.

Your are correct, Ben. GTW abandoned Lakeland to Jackson around 1976. CR abandoned Jackson to Three Rivers in early 1980's.

[DelayInBlock]

2. I'm not surprised Doug wouldn't be inclined to share photos when people with an attitude like this.

The only one who has an attitude is him. He won't even share anything with his son. It's kind of pathetic. The photos that were taken by Cecil Hommerding should be in public domain and not stored up in boxes. I swear, when I die, my videos and photos won't EVER be in a collection. They'll be out and online for the whole world to see. The educational value of those photos is so important, yet they're locked away or distorted at low resolution online. I also find it funny how that whenever someone uses one of the Cecil Hommerding photos for educational purposes, after they have even given Doug credit, he throws a hissy fit saying, "I DID NOT GIVE PERMISSION TO USE THOSE PHOTOS!" or he has one of his "pals" to tell them for him.

Under copyright laws, using them for educational purposes is golden. Plus, how is someone going to sell a 17KB photograph of a steam train? It's just not happening. Last time I checked, Doug didn't take Cecil's photos. That isn't physically possible. So how is it Doug's right (unless he was willed the photos specifically) to deny the use of those photos for educational use? For him to get all upset over something so miner just blows my mind. Even when you try to access the crappy quality photos (which are already online) "Doug's way," he still is weird about it. Oh, and don't forget, it's always part of the "DOUG LEFFLER COLLECTION," whenever a photo is posted online, rarely giving credit to Mr. Hommerding.

My number one question is: What happens with he dies? Where will all of those precious photos and documents go? Will his wife or son get them? If so, what will their fate be? The only hope I have is that he has a change of heart and publishes everything in a book or online in HIGH QUALITY. Perhaps, even the New York Central Historical Society could make use of them...or at least keep them safe after Mr. Leffler graces Heaven's golden streets. Believe me, I'm not the only one who feels this way. Quite a few railroads don't hold Doug highly on their list in the Jackson area.

[DelayInBlock]

A multi track barge? That sounds a little impractical considering the ROW cuts through the middle of the lake.

The barge was two or three tracks wide, enough for about six to nine cars. There's a historical marker with pictures there. Mind you, I'm recalling all of this from memory. I can try and dig up more information later on.

[Saturnalia]

Some people are so uptight about their works it irks me. I hate when people complain about people linking to photos online that "aren't yours", including for Where Am I and Loco Roster Shots.

In my book, rule #1 about publicly shared internet works: linking/embedding is perfectly legal. If you don't want people linking/sharing/embedding, don't post publicly.

I love it when people embed my stuff. Every now and then one of my videos spikes, and I can use the analytics tool to find where it was embed. Usually a message board, Ive even had blogs. Hey - the view jump is just fine with me! Sharing your stuff is THE WHOLE POINT when you upload publicly to the internet.

People who cry otherwise make me steam.

[DelayInBlock]

Some people are so uptight about their works it irks me. I hate when people complain about people linking to photos online that "aren't yours", including for Where Am I and Loco Roster Shots.

In my book, rule #1 about publicly shared internet works: linking/embedding is perfectly legal. If you don't want people linking/sharing/embedding, don't post publicly.

I love it when people embed my stuff. Every now and then one of my videos spikes, and I can use the analytics tool to find where it was embed. Usually a message board, Ive even had blogs. Hey - the view jump is just fine with me! Sharing your stuff is THE WHOLE POINT when you upload publicly to the internet.

People who cry otherwise make me steam.

I second this.

[carrman]

Good to know Doug is as admired as he was back in the mid-80's when I met him.

[GP30M4216]

OK, back to the thread topic -

It's interesting that some traces of that original alignment between Homer and Concord can still be seen today, well over 110-years since the route was switched to the southern alignment. What is also interesting is this is in the same general neighborhood as the spot where M-60 diverges for a mile or two into a westbound and eastbound separated alignment, another mystery I've never been able to figure out.

Of course, not too many miles west of this Air Line grade re-route is the coal tower at Clarendon, still standing over 30 years after that last train rolled by and over 50 years since anything was powered by steam on the NYC. It's on private property but this time of year may be able to be seen from the corner of P Drive S. and 22 1/2 mile road. 22 1/2 mile road crosses the St. Joe River on an elderly truss bridge, another cool landmark in the area.

[sgavan]

Check out this Arial from Lime Lake near Spring Arbor. Appears to be footings for a large dock. If there was a barge for loading railcars or even a "ferry" with an apron... would be neat to see some photos of it.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.1873524 ... a=!3m1!1e3

<iframe src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1 ... 7676840032" width="600" height="450" frameborder="0" style="border:0"></iframe>

[MQT1223]

Check out this Arial from Lime Lake near Spring Arbor. Appears to be footings for a large dock. If there was a barge for loading railcars or even a "ferry" with an apron... would be neat to see some photos of it.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.1873524 ... a=!3m1!1e3

<iframe src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1 ... 7676840032" width="600" height="450" frameborder="0" style="border:0"></iframe>

Why would you need to ferry cars across an inland lake when you clearly cut right through the middle of it?

[GreatLakesRailfan]

Check out this Arial from Lime Lake near Spring Arbor. Appears to be footings for a large dock. If there was a barge for loading railcars or even a "ferry" with an apron... would be neat to see some photos of it.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.1873524 ... a=!3m1!1e3

<iframe src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1 ... 7676840032" width="600" height="450" frameborder="0" style="border:0"></iframe>

Why would you need to ferry cars across an inland lake when you clearly cut right through the middle of it?

The dock would be from the mining operations in the lake. The trail that crosses the lake now would be the old railroad grade, the dock was how they moved the rail cars to/from the "mine" (excavator on a barge in the middle of the lake). Go back up the thread, I believe there was discussion about the underwater mining ops on these (this?) lake earlier on this thread.

[w neal]

I posted my photos, now I'm waiting for someone to post one of this mystery NP reefer!

Yes, I recall the NP reefer. I sighted it at least a decade, maybe a decade and a half, ago. I recall it lying on a farm not too far west of the I-69/M-60 junction. Upon a search for it a few years later, it appeared to be gone. I was not happy.