Southern Michigan Railroad Society
Encyclopedia
The Southern Michigan Railroad Society is a railway museum
in Clinton, Michigan
, United States
. It has preserved 13.5 miles (21.7 km) of track and a variety of railroad equipment including the only GMDH-3 locomotive ever built. Trains are operated on a seasonal schedule.
, and starting in June 1981 they published a newsletter, "The Cross Tracks". In 1982 when it was learned that Conrail would abandon their Clinton Secondary Track they founded the nonprofit Southern Michigan Railroad Society, a volunteer membership organization, "to back an attempt by local citizens to purchase and preserve the former New York Central Railroad
's Clinton Branch rail line."
In 1983 the Society purchased the former Clinton Engines building, located adjacent to the railroad at 320 S. Division Street from The Village of Clinton. In July 1984, they reached agreement with Conrail to purchase the railroad, for $100,000.
In 1985, a small "track speeder"
motorcar had been donated to the Society, and during Clinton's Fall Festival, speeder rides were improvised for the public. This was successful. The Society was able to obtain other motorcars, and for several years operated a successful passenger service while they gathered funds to truck in full-size equipment. At the height of motorcar operation, there were two "motorcar trains" of up to 5 motorcars running simultaneously between Clinton and Tecumseh.
The first large equipment to be obtained was a operating Plymouth locomotive and two cabooses. Within a few years, this was augmented with a pipe gondola car fitted for carrying passengers. Later, a 1920 Chicago South Shore interurban car was added to the train. Additional locomotives arrived, including a former Western Maryland Railway
GE 44-ton and the GMDH-3.
In September 2009 a hostile takeover attempt was launched against the Society by a Tecumseh-area property developer and lawyer.
, through Tecumseh, Michigan
, to Lenawee Junction, Michigan. This line is the second railroad constructed in the State of Michigan, and the first branch line. It was originally the Palmyra & Jacksonburgh Railroad, running between Palmyra (near Lenawee Junction) and Jackson, Michigan
.
The railroad also runs 5 miles (8 km) between the towns of Clinton and Tecumseh and 6.5 miles (10.5 km) from Tecumseh to the rural railroad junction of Raisin Center, then two more miles to rural Lenawee Junction, an interchange with the freight and passenger Adrian and Blissfield Rail Road
. Most trains operate between the two towns, permitting stopovers. In October, "Fall Color Tours" use the longer 6.5 miles (10.5 km) segment to Raisin Center.
A notable feature of the line is Bridge 15, a Howe deck truss bridge listed in the National Register of Historic Places
.
The train typically includes a South Shore car, passenger gondola and caboose, powered by either a 44-ton diesel or the GMDH-3 diesel-hydraulic.
A train of motorcars is held in reserve and used on special occasions.
Railway museum
A railway museum is a museum that explores the history of all aspects of rail related transportation, including: locomotives , railway cars, trams, and railway signalling equipment.See List of railway museums...
in Clinton, Michigan
Clinton Township, Lenawee County, Michigan
Clinton Township is a civil township of Lenawee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,624 at the 2000 census. The village of Clinton is located within the township....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It has preserved 13.5 miles (21.7 km) of track and a variety of railroad equipment including the only GMDH-3 locomotive ever built. Trains are operated on a seasonal schedule.
History
The Society began as the "Lenawee Area Railroaders", an informal association of railway buffs and modelers. They held monthly gatherings in Tecumseh, Clinton and Adrian, MichiganAdrian, Michigan
As of the 2010 census Adrian had a population of 21,133. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population was 84.1% white, 4.4% black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 5.9% from some other race and 4.0% from two or more races...
, and starting in June 1981 they published a newsletter, "The Cross Tracks". In 1982 when it was learned that Conrail would abandon their Clinton Secondary Track they founded the nonprofit Southern Michigan Railroad Society, a volunteer membership organization, "to back an attempt by local citizens to purchase and preserve the former New York Central Railroad
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
's Clinton Branch rail line."
In 1983 the Society purchased the former Clinton Engines building, located adjacent to the railroad at 320 S. Division Street from The Village of Clinton. In July 1984, they reached agreement with Conrail to purchase the railroad, for $100,000.
In 1985, a small "track speeder"
Speeder
A speeder is a maintenance of way motorized vehicle formerly used on railroads around the world by track inspectors and work crews to move quickly to and...
motorcar had been donated to the Society, and during Clinton's Fall Festival, speeder rides were improvised for the public. This was successful. The Society was able to obtain other motorcars, and for several years operated a successful passenger service while they gathered funds to truck in full-size equipment. At the height of motorcar operation, there were two "motorcar trains" of up to 5 motorcars running simultaneously between Clinton and Tecumseh.
The first large equipment to be obtained was a operating Plymouth locomotive and two cabooses. Within a few years, this was augmented with a pipe gondola car fitted for carrying passengers. Later, a 1920 Chicago South Shore interurban car was added to the train. Additional locomotives arrived, including a former Western Maryland Railway
Western Maryland Railway
The Western Maryland Railway was an American Class I railroad which operated in Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. It was primarily a coal hauling and freight railroad, with a small passenger train operation. The WM became part of the Chessie System in 1973 and ceased operating its lines...
GE 44-ton and the GMDH-3.
In September 2009 a hostile takeover attempt was launched against the Society by a Tecumseh-area property developer and lawyer.
Heritage railroad
The railroad runs 13.5 miles (21.7 km) from Clinton, MichiganClinton, Lenawee County, Michigan
Clinton is a village in Lenawee County in the Irish Hills area of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,336 at the 2010 census. The village is located within Clinton Township....
, through Tecumseh, Michigan
Tecumseh, Michigan
Tecumseh is a small city in Lenawee County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated where M-50 crosses the River Raisin, a few miles east of M-52. Tecumseh is about SW of Detroit, south of Ann Arbor and north of Toledo, OH....
, to Lenawee Junction, Michigan. This line is the second railroad constructed in the State of Michigan, and the first branch line. It was originally the Palmyra & Jacksonburgh Railroad, running between Palmyra (near Lenawee Junction) and Jackson, Michigan
Jackson, Michigan
Jackson is a city located along Interstate 94 in the south central area of the U.S. state of Michigan, about west of Ann Arbor and south of Lansing. It is the county seat of Jackson County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 33,534...
.
Adrian and Blissfield Rail Road
The Adrian and Blissfield Rail Road Company is a Class III short line railroad which operates of railroad track between Adrian and Riga, in Lenawee County, Michigan. It was incorporated February 6, 1991, with company headquarters in Westland, Michigan...
. Most trains operate between the two towns, permitting stopovers. In October, "Fall Color Tours" use the longer 6.5 miles (10.5 km) segment to Raisin Center.
A notable feature of the line is Bridge 15, a Howe deck truss bridge listed in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Operations
Operations typically run from May to October and December, usually operating between Clinton and Tecumseh. Special events include Clinton's Fall Festival in late September, color tours between Tecumseh and Raisin Center in October, and a "Santa train" in December.The train typically includes a South Shore car, passenger gondola and caboose, powered by either a 44-ton diesel or the GMDH-3 diesel-hydraulic.
A train of motorcars is held in reserve and used on special occasions.
Collection
Among the Society's equipment:- The two Ann Arbor ALCO RS-1ALCO RS-1The ALCO RS-1 was a 4-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by Alco-GE between 1941 and 1953 and the American Locomotive Company from 1953 to 1960. This model has the distinction of having the longest production run of any diesel locomotive for the North American market.The carbody configuration of...
locomotives, #20 and #21. #20 is located in Shepherd, MichiganShepherd, MichiganShepherd is a village in Isabella County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,536 at the 2000 census. The village is within Coe Township.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land....
in static display. Both units are believed to be in operational condition. - The only General Motors GMDH-3 diesel-hydraulic locomotive ever built. It is not currently operational.
- Former Western Maryland GE 44-ton switcherGE 44-ton switcherThe GE 44-ton switcher is a 4-axle diesel locomotive built by General Electric between 1940 and 1956. It was designed for industrial and light switching duties, often replacing steam locomotives that had previously been assigned these chores...
#75, in operation on most trips. - Two 1920 Chicago South ShoreSouth Shore Line (NICTD)The South Shore Line is an electrically powered interurban commuter rail line operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District between Millennium Station in downtown Chicago and the South Bend Regional Airport in South Bend, Indiana...
cars, #1 and #36. - The former Pullman sleeper "Emerald Vale", later used by the Ann Arbor Railroad as a work train car.
- New York Central caboose #21692.
- New Haven Railroad caboose #C305, for a time repainted as Penn Central #19882, a caboose which ran on this line.
- A large collection of "track speeder"SpeederA speeder is a maintenance of way motorized vehicle formerly used on railroads around the world by track inspectors and work crews to move quickly to and...
railway motorcars.
External links
- Southern Michigan Railroad Society Web site(new site available 10-17-09, current with updated links)
- Photos of Society equipment
- The line's truss bridge
- Map of railroads in Lenawee County
- Data about nonprofit from justgive.org
- Southern Michigan Railroad Society on Arborwiki