Roundhouse Mystery

mikekmac · Unread post by **mikekmac** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:16 pm

I'm looking for some help focusing a fuzzy memory.

In the late 1980s I had occasion to drive up to Alpena via US 23. I have a memory of taking note, at some point along the way, of a railroad roundhouse that was visible from the highway. I see that Lake State Railway now owns this route, operated as the Huron Subdivision. But there's not much information about their infrastructure on their web site.

I wonder if anyone here can confirm that there was such a roundhouse somewhere between Bay City and Alpena, and, if so, where it was and whether it's still standing.

-Mike

SteveTJ · Unread post by **SteveTJ** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:30 pm

The one I think your talking about is in Tawas City. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think its still there. I sort of remember seeing it when I drove thru town. I have always hoped of seeing a train go down the tracks that run thru town.

mikekmac · Unread post by **mikekmac** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:40 pm

I'm pretty sure you're right. This matches my memory closely enough:

http://home.frognet.net/~mcfadden/wd8ri ... dhouse.jpg

If I can nail down the location, so I know it could actually be seen from 23, that would clinch it.

SD80MAC · Unread post by **SD80MAC** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:41 pm

I thought it was torn down and a Walmart built over it?

SteveTJ · Unread post by **SteveTJ** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:45 pm

Although my memory of being up there last summer is still foggy, I think there is one of those walmart supercenters north of there. If your ever in Tawas and looking for some good pizza, G's is the place to eat. Right on the main drag thru town, across from the pier.

mikekmac · Unread post by **mikekmac** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:47 pm

Rats. It's gone. If you look at the -map- of Tawas City in Wikimapia, you can see where the roundhouse's yard was. But switch to the hybrid view and you'll see that the site is now occupied by a Super Wal-Mart, with the LSR tracks snaking around the back of the property.

http://www.michiganrailroads.com/RRHX/R ... I(D&M).htm

Anyway, thanks for the assist.

SteveTJ · Unread post by **SteveTJ** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:53 pm

That sucks. But after all the times I've driven up and down 23, I do remember seeing it in the past.

Todd Cline · Unread post by **Todd Cline** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 10:49 pm

And yet one more reason to boycott Wal Mart. Land up there isn't so scarce that the only place they could find was the D&M Tawas City roundhouse/yards. Lots of other places they could have built on. Apparently LSRC wanted to sell the land, but it would have been nice if some of the structures could have been saved/reused.
Just my 2 cents......

Todd

GTW6401 · Unread post by **GTW6401** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 10:56 pm

If your ever in Tawas and looking for some good pizza, G's is the place to eat.

Theres also a G's pizza in Downtown Bay City, and on M-24 near Lake Orion.

LSRC · Unread post by **LSRC** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 11:48 pm

It was a while ago that the LSRC sold the Tawas yard. The yard and most buildings were torn up and the Wal-Mart built. However the old roundhouse still remained. It housed the two passenger cars that are on display in Standish now along with whatever else. Probably 2-3 years ago they brought in a construction crew and just like that the roundhouse was gone. I did get photos before the roundhouse was torn down.

My father used to be big into rail photography. Now he just lets me do the shooting and he enjoys my work (although I've been pushing him to start again). However he has many slides of the operations in Tawas including the turntable and an RS2 poking her head out of the roundhouse. Someday I'll get around to scanning all of the negatives and posting them on here.

-Jim

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Roundhouse Mystery

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