The Reappearing Rail Spur

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BL2-1843
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The Reappearing Rail Spur

Unread post by BL2-1843 »

A former Ann Arbor Railroad rail spur in Howell has reappeared after not being seen in nearly 60 years. A short dead end spur was built in the 1960s to be used by Detroit Edison to bring in electrical poles for a storage yard on the southwest side of the main line just east of the railroad viaduct on the east end of Howell between there and Ann Pere diamond. This short track would only hold two cars and is just across the tracks from what is now Burger King parking lot.

A recent brush and tree clearing project by DTE under the electrical wires that follows the R of W has almost totally exposed the rails and bumper post which is still in place after the switch was removed from the main line many years ago. Never thought I would see this track ever again, especially at my age. This is being cross posted what I earlier posted on the CSX Train Sightings link for GLC.

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AARR
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Re: The Reappearing Rail Spur

Unread post by AARR »

I love finding old spur tracks in the weeds
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J T
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Re: The Reappearing Rail Spur

Unread post by J T »

Would be cool to see some pics of this.
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~Z~
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Re: The Reappearing Rail Spur

Unread post by ~Z~ »

Sounds like it's in this spot on the north side of Industrial Drive, east of the building at 2135 Industrial?
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Chip
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Re: The Reappearing Rail Spur

Unread post by Chip »

You can find a similar spur off of CN on the Wyandotte/Riverview border just south of Pennsylvania Rd. that used to lead to the old dump. The rails were ripped out of the road ages ago but beyond the fence you can see the rails in certain parts of the year.

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amessmann
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Re: The Reappearing Rail Spur

Unread post by amessmann »

Was there ever a signal near this location? I vaguely remember heading east on Grand River, looking south up the embankment, and seeing a signal, this would've been around 2012. The nearest signal currently sits south of Catrell Dr.

Steamlogger
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Re: The Reappearing Rail Spur

Unread post by Steamlogger »

I was in Howell today and took some photos of the spur.

Looking north with old spur on the left.
Looking north with old spur on the left.
Looking north with old spur on the left.
Cut end of old spur.
Cut end of old spur.
Cut end of old spur.
Old spur in under brush.
Old spur in under brush.
Old spur in under brush.

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Re: The Reappearing Rail Spur

Unread post by Steamlogger »

Here is the Scrap Shredder that BL2-1843 was talking about in another post.
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Re: The Reappearing Rail Spur

Unread post by Conrail Quality »

Not to derail the thread (no pun intended) but there is still part of an old spur/siding in Three Rivers. Sets off of Mechanic St in the woods/tree line where the old Michigan Air Line used to run. On the east side of the former diamond. I think this is where the old green Pen Central box car sat when I was a kid in the mid 1980s. I was back in that tree line a few years ago and just about tripped over the rails.

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BL2-1843
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Re: The Reappearing Rail Spur

Unread post by BL2-1843 »

While the photos from Steamlogger does show the old rail spur in Howell just to the south of the dead end of Industrial Drive, am sure that he will agree that the photos don't give it justice over seeing it in person, especially if you walked through the brush to the dead end bumper post that is only a few feet away from the small building now there. Thanks for taking the photos.

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