Hamilton/Allegan Abandoned ROW Q&A

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Bob Drenten
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Re: Hamilton/Allegan Abandoned ROW Q&A

Unread post by Bob Drenten »

Thanks for the Hamilton Block information. I had no idea!

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Re: Hamilton/Allegan Abandoned ROW Q&A

Unread post by GRHC »

Bob Drenten wrote:
Wed Apr 27, 2022 8:26 am
Thanks for the Hamilton Block information. I had no idea!
You had no idea because there never was a spur to Hamilton block. Upon further research I found aerial photographs from 1947 and 1955 although they were very grainy they show no signs of a siding. I did find aerial photographs of Allegan and once again the photos were very grainy but you could clearly see all of the pere Marquette trackage including the Y as well as the connecting track to the New York Central trackage. Also visible was the old interurban ROW.

I also found topo maps from 1955 and 1965 confirming the aerial photos.

The siding to the mill that was on the north side of the trestle in Hamilton was still intact according to a 1965 topo map.

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Re: Hamilton/Allegan Abandoned ROW Q&A

Unread post by MQT1223 »

GR H & C wrote:
Wed Apr 27, 2022 10:39 pm
Bob Drenten wrote:
Wed Apr 27, 2022 8:26 am
Thanks for the Hamilton Block information. I had no idea!
You had no idea because there never was a spur to Hamilton block. Upon further research I found aerial photographs from 1947 and 1955 although they were very grainy they show no signs of a siding. I did find aerial photographs of Allegan and once again the photos were very grainy but you could clearly see all of the pere Marquette trackage including the Y as well as the connecting track to the New York Central trackage. Also visible was the old interurban ROW.

I also found topo maps from 1955 and 1965 confirming the aerial photos.

The siding to the mill that was on the north side of the trestle in Hamilton was still intact according to a 1965 topo map.
Has anyone found any trace of that narrow gauge line that ran west out of Allegan to Swan Creek? I assume they interchanged in Allegan with the PM predecessor? Info on that logging line is very limited, virtually non-existant.
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Re: Hamilton/Allegan Abandoned ROW Q&A

Unread post by GRHC »

MQT1223 wrote:
Tue Jun 28, 2022 7:36 pm
Has anyone found any trace of that narrow gauge line that ran west out of Allegan to Swan Creek? I assume they interchanged in Allegan with the PM predecessor? Info on that logging line is very limited, virtually non-existant.
[/quote]

In the book railroads come and go in Allegan county by James J Green he gives a little history on that line and he talks about tracing the ROW. You should be able to find this at your local library and if it’s not at the branch you go to I’m sure they can get it from another branch for you.

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Re: Hamilton/Allegan Abandoned ROW Q&A

Unread post by J T »

Bob Drenten wrote:
Tue Apr 26, 2022 8:38 am
The Bear Creek trestle is gone. I was back there, east of Dunningville, about 7 years ago.
Any idea if there are remnants left of the trestle over Dumont Creek, just south of Mill Grove? In one of the Allegan Country railroad books I have there is a photo of a steam locomotive on that trestle. If you zoom in on google maps, there appears to be a bridge still standing in the vicinity of the trestle, but it doesn't quite line up with where the ROW was.
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Bob Drenten
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Re: Hamilton/Allegan Abandoned ROW Q&A

Unread post by Bob Drenten »

I haven’t been to Dumont Creek or Millgrove. My hunch is that all you might find are footings of the trestle, just like Bear Creek.

I miss that old line. I grew up a short walk from it.

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