Mason and Oceana Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Mason and Oceana Railroad was a short (35-mile-long) narrow-gauge line in the U.S. state of Michigan
. Organized in 1887 and in operation from 1887 until 1909, it served the counties of Mason
and Oceana
in the northwestern quarter of Michigan's Lower Peninsula in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The railroad operated on a three-foot gauge; its 32-mile-long main line stretched from near Ludington
southeast to Crystal Valley, and the former railhead of Goodrich, Michigan (not to be confused with the Goodrich, Michigan
located in Genessee County). The short line used geared Shay locomotive
s.
The Mason and Oceana was originally built by the Butters family, at a cost of $178,000, to help exploit the old-growth timber
resources of Michigan. The M & O's service area, in southeastern Mason County and northern Oceana County, lacked rivers used in other parts of Michigan to transport heavy logs to sawmills. Instead of water transport, local loggers used the M & O to carry logs to the Butters Salt and Lumber Company sawmill in Buttersville, near Ludington.
The Mason and Oceana had expansion plans to extend its main line to Hesperia
in 1901, but the extension was never built. After the first-growth timber resources of the Mason and Oceana's service area had been exhausted, there was no longer any reason for the tiny railroad to continue in operation. It was abandoned in 1909. At least one of the M & O's narrow-gauge engines was sold to the White Pass and Yukon Route
narrow-gauge line in Alaska
.
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. Organized in 1887 and in operation from 1887 until 1909, it served the counties of Mason
Mason County, Michigan
Mason County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 28,705. The county seat is Ludington.-History:...
and Oceana
Oceana County, Michigan
-US highways:* US-31* US 31 Business Route is a spur serving downtown Hart.* US 31 Business Route loops through downtown Pentwater, returning to mainline US-31 at both ends.-Michigan State Trunklines:* M-20* M-120-Intercounty Highways:*B-15...
in the northwestern quarter of Michigan's Lower Peninsula in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The railroad operated on a three-foot gauge; its 32-mile-long main line stretched from near Ludington
Ludington, Michigan
Ludington is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 8,357. It is the county seat of Mason County.Ludington is a harbor town located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Pere Marquette River...
southeast to Crystal Valley, and the former railhead of Goodrich, Michigan (not to be confused with the Goodrich, Michigan
Goodrich, Michigan
Goodrich is a village in Genesee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,353 at the 2000 census. The village is a suburb of Flint located within Atlas Township.-Geography:...
located in Genessee County). The short line used geared Shay locomotive
Shay locomotive
The Shay locomotive was the most widely used geared steam locomotive. The locomotives were built to the patents of Ephraim Shay, who has been credited with the popularization of the concept of a geared steam locomotive...
s.
The Mason and Oceana was originally built by the Butters family, at a cost of $178,000, to help exploit the old-growth timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
resources of Michigan. The M & O's service area, in southeastern Mason County and northern Oceana County, lacked rivers used in other parts of Michigan to transport heavy logs to sawmills. Instead of water transport, local loggers used the M & O to carry logs to the Butters Salt and Lumber Company sawmill in Buttersville, near Ludington.
The Mason and Oceana had expansion plans to extend its main line to Hesperia
Hesperia, Michigan
Hesperia is a village in Newaygo and Oceana counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. About half of the village lies in Newfield Township in Oceana County and half in Denver Township in Newaygo County...
in 1901, but the extension was never built. After the first-growth timber resources of the Mason and Oceana's service area had been exhausted, there was no longer any reason for the tiny railroad to continue in operation. It was abandoned in 1909. At least one of the M & O's narrow-gauge engines was sold to the White Pass and Yukon Route
White Pass and Yukon Route
The White Pass and Yukon Route is a Canadian and U.S. Class II narrow gauge railroad linking the port of Skagway, Alaska, with Whitehorse, the capital of Yukon. An isolated system, it has no direct connection to any other railroad. Equipment, freight and passengers are ferried by ship through the...
narrow-gauge line in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
.