Manistee & N.E. River Branch

[James Sofonia]

The M & NE has been my favorite railroad to trace and follow what is left of it.



Recently I stopped where the River Branch used to cross M-66 in Kalkaska co. and had a look around. This point is 2.4 mi. South of Boardman Rd.



I found concrete footings from a old building aligned with the angle of the grade. Might anyone know if this was a station and what it's name was?



Ther River branch was built in 1910 from Kaleva to Greyling, and abandoned in 1924.

[AARR]

I love fossil hunting as much if not more so than railfanning. If I lived on that side of the state I'd join you in a hearbeat, Pixl!

I've fossil hunted a few of the old lines in the MI thumb area. MKT has pictures from our Road Rally's.

[J T]

I love fossil hunting as much if not more so than railfanning. If I lived on that side of the state I'd join you in a hearbeat, Pixl!

I've fossil hunted a few of the old lines in the MI thumb area. MKT has pictures from our Road Rally's.

Same here, Don. It always invokes the imagination in me when I see old RR grades and old railroad-related remnants.

Gregg P and I found what I believe to be the remains for tell-tale poles on the old Pennsy line near Penn Junction, just east of Marne and on the south side of the C&M tracks (the tell tale poles still exist on the north side of the tracks where they went under the GT line to Grand Haven). They probably hadn't been seen in 30+ years under all the overgrowth. I stood there for a few moments trying to envision what once was.

Which brings me to this thread (a google search for "Penn Junction, Marne" did actually):

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=16246

I never saw that thread originally and I may even bump due to some photos I have took recently of something mentioned. I see you posted in that thread as well, Don.

[SteveHiuzenga]

Friends of mine own a cottage on the Betsie....their drive way is the old railroad grade and in the river in their front yard the remains of the old trestle still sticking out of the water where the railroad crossed the Betsie

[AANscaleRunner]

I found concrete footings from a old building aligned with the angle of the grade. Might anyone know if this was a station and what it's name was?

The name of the town was McGee. There are more foundations to the south.

[James Sofonia]

The name of the town was McGee. There are more foundations to the south.

Was there a station here or just a town. All I could find of your McGee is a couple pictures of run down houses taken around 2008. No mention of a station.

[AANscaleRunner]

I'm not sure if there was a station or not. I remember my parents talking about the town. I'll have to ask them if anything was standing while they were growing up.

[J T]

Friends of mine own a cottage on the Betsie....their drive way is the old railroad grade and in the river in their front yard the remains of the old trestle still sticking out of the water where the railroad crossed the Betsie

That would be cool to see in person or at least see some pics of.

[James Sofonia]

Friends of mine own a cottage on the Betsie....their drive way is the old railroad grade and in the river in their front yard the remains of the old trestle still sticking out of the water where the railroad crossed the Betsie

The M&NE never crossed the Betsie R. but the C & O did in the area between Thompsonville and Interlochen. I've seen the trestle several years ago after they pulled up the tracks. I took a look on Bing and Google and it can still be seen. Maybe this is your friends house although the drive way isn't quite on the grade.

[James Sofonia]

A little West of Mesick the M & N. E. crossed under the Ann Arbor in a tunnel of sorts.




This is located 1/4 mile West of N9 Rd. just off M-115.







I've read some posts about this crossing. Thought I'd go down to Mesick and have a look around. I parked near this sign.




And I walked in along the edge of the pines.





Some parts of the West wall are still visible even though this railroad was abandoned 90 years ago.





A lot of foliage hides it now, need to take a picture early Spring.





Top of the abutment can also be seen.

[AARR]

I'm enjoying your posts, Pixl!

[Henry F. Burger]

I added a photo album called Ann Arbor RR show the area of Glengarry which is on the northeast side of this bridge. It has four maps/drawings of the area.
The concrete bridge show original was a wood trestle, which the Ann Arbor RR replaced with a steel bridge lowering the Ann Arbor RR grade about 8 feet when they replaced the Manistee River bridge.

[James Sofonia]

The concrete bridge show original was a wood trestle, which the Ann Arbor RR replaced with a steel bridge lowering the Ann Arbor RR grade about 8 feet when they replaced the Manistee River bridge.

Interesting. Can you post a link to more information or photos on this?

[Henry F. Burger]

There is no link no these pictures/drawings
They are from my collection, I added three photographs of the bridge being installed, L. Lundie was collection it came from, he was a shop mechanic in the Owosso shops, which worked wherever was needed.

I'm the web master for the Ann Arbor Railroad Technical & Historical Association, which has many items for the Annie and it continues to grow as it added more items.

[AARR]

I'm the web master for the Ann Arbor Railroad Technical & Historical Association, which has many items for the Annie and it continues to grow as it added more items.

Pixl - see my signature for the AARRT&HA website address. Henry has organized an impressive site!

[James Sofonia]

There is no link no these pictures/drawings
They are from my collection, I added three photographs of the bridge being installed, L. Lundie was collection it came from

Thanks for the replies guys, but I'm not getting something. I went to http://www.trainweb.org/annarbor/ and am not finding much at all in the way of pictures, or L. Lundie collection.

[Henry F. Burger]

The Lundie pixs on this web site, in photograph section, go all the way to the end of the collection.

[James Sofonia]

The Lundie pixs on this web site, in photograph section, go all the way to the end of the collection.

Ok thanks Henry, I see it now. But I don't think it is the AA/M&NE crossing. The lower grade passes thru at the wrong angle. Maybe some other RR or highway crossing under the AA.

[jringreatwhitenorth]

Thats very awesome information to see on the Manistee & Northeastern Railroad. The M&NE is basis for my fictional Leelenau County Railway. If it existed, the Leelanau County would run Lake Leelanau-Solon, Compemish-Hatchs, Platte River Jct- Honor, Honor-Empire Jct, and Empire Jct-Empire (Empire & Southeastern RR). and from spot 3 1/2 miles south of Lake Leelanau named Elton 6 miles to Leland.

[James Sofonia]

It would be interesting if someone can identify Henry's photo. Some overpass on the AA line.