From the historian/preservation POV, anything "not to miss" at these Michigan railroads?

Rob

Ironic that you want suggestions on historical/preservation sites and then mention Greenfield Village. Mr. Ford had his own ideas about what was historical.
By all means, don't miss the Henry Ford Museum adjacent to Greenfield with it's wealth of RR equipment. (4 or 5 steamers including an Allegheny.) Greenfield Village's re-constructed DT&I roundhouse is their centerpiece. I was impressed with the Niles Wheel Lathe and how they are re-building a 4-4-0. Their operating "Mason Bogie" was interesting though I don't know it's history. Then there is the crazy "Edison" which was a silk purse out of a sow's ear. That 4-4-0 engine, constructed for Mr. Ford out of a 0-4-0 switcher is the poster child of what NOT to do in historical "preservation."
The Huckleberry runs in a much more pure historical context. The locomotives are in original paint, the crews in uniform, the whole expedience with the museum very authentic.
Also ironic that Michigan has two such villages so close together.

Ironic in what way? I'd have used "laudable."

dave

Visit both and maybe visit the SS Badger too.

http://www.ssbadger.com/home.aspx

Which ironic?

As I mentioned, the "Edison" locomotive is a preservationist nightmare, so it falls into the ironic category.

The legitimate artifacts presented at the Ford Museum and Greenfield, as I mentioned, are must sees and laudable.

I am by no means an expert on the number of historical villages there are in the country; still I find it unusual that two of them should be so close together in one state.

The second one, although replication isn't without its merits for preservation of a sort. Ironic and unusual are very different things, although irony isn't as unusual as it once was, and irony has lost some of its quality as a result. Teens don't do it as well as William Sydney Porter....lack of life experience.

dave

Re:
Also ironic that Michigan has two such villages so close together.[/quote]

During a visit to the Huckleberry RR on July 25, I learned that houses situated in the village adjacent to the RR were in the way of Interstate 475 through Flint, but were placed on cribbing and moved to their current site through the efforts of a local General Motors executive who wanted the houses preserved, along with a passenger train operation that had equipment of about the same vintage as the houses.

Since standard gauge equipment of the same vintage was virtually nonexistent by the time site clearing for the interstate was about to begin, and narrow gauge equipment from Colorado, Pennsylvania, New England, and South America was available, former C&O right of way in Genessee Park was re-laid as narrow gauge.

I also learned that the 464, which was running that day and looked immaculate, had been brought to Flint from Knott's Berry Farm in California. A train crewman said Mr. Gene Autry had bought the 464 from the D&RGW. Since Mr. Autry had also bought the 463 and donated it to the city of Antonito, that means he helped keep both surviving Rio Grande class K-27 mudhens around.

So, why two such villages so close together? Maybe just that Dearborn was Ford country, and Flint was GM country, with similar ideas and separate funding sources.

That's an interesting story. Thanks for sharing.

The "Edison" isn't too much of an issue to me. It's a kitbash of a few old locos and the "harm" was done in 1929. The way I look at it, she is now 80 years after the fact and is as much a relic of Ford as she is of wherever her parts came from.

There is way too much good in Dearborn to let the "Edison" spoil it. And, she has the coolest tender around!

Rob

OK. You win the semantics argument on the use of the word ironic.

I will say I found it interesting that two cities so close together would have two such very similar attractions. Now having been appraised of the Ford/Greenfield and the GM/Huckelberry connection it makes more sense. In fact, it explains my underlying question.

I also find interesting how the Edison gets a free pass. I thought here the situation would be otherwise.

I visited both parks back in July.

I wasn't as impressed with the operation of the Huckleberry as I was Henry Ford/Greenfield Village. I think much of this stemmed from the train ride at the Huck - the narration was overdone, and then they proceeded to play music over the PA as the train headed back to Crossroads Village. (Sorry, I don’t think that blaring the “Petticoat Junction” theme over the PA system during the train ride is appropriate for a historical-themed park such as Crossroads. I want to hear that big SP six chime!) However, this was my only gripe. The equipment at the Huck is top-notch, and the village itself is fascinating. For $13 bucks, including the train ride, this was a heck of a deal.

Greenfield Village, by comparison, reminded me more of a Disney Park – and that’s not a complaint. It is well thought out, well laid out, but has a strong “amusement park” atmosphere. It’s expensive; we spent nearly $70 for admission and another $50 on food and drinks during the day.

The fascination…obsession, really….that Ford had with everything Edison can be a bit creepy. Everything that Edison ever touched, slept on, or thought about in passing has been acquired and put on display here. Everything is neat and tidy, and there are gift shops strategically located around the grounds (nothing about the park’s railroads or equipment for sale, not even a postcard).

One thing that I thought was very odd was that the Henry Ford will spend millions acquiring a building and erecting it on the grounds (like the roundhouse) but a hugely popular attraction, the Suwannee Steamboat, is “too expensive” to keep running.

If I had one bit of advice for the Henry Ford/Greenfield Village is take more than one day to see it. There is so much to see in the main building that I missed out on much of Greenfield Village. It would be much wiser to plan for two days, one each in Greenfield and another in the Ford Museum.

I have to agree with Jeff Terry that there is way too much to see at Greenfield Village in just a day. Of course, I was more interested in seeing the railroad portion of Greenfield Village when I arrived in Detroit July 23 on my way to Owosso. The rain that morning didn't help - but it didn't drive me indoors to the Henry Ford. The train, while operating with open cars, did afford some shelter so I rode once around and then made my way to the roundhouse and the nearby Smiths Creek depot. Unfortunately, only the 0-6-0 'Torch Lake' was operating that day, but the 'Edison' was just outside the roundhouse. Inside was the 4-4-2 Atlantic type with enough brass parts to make it look like a kit-bashed 12"=1'-scale model. Also inside was a 4-4-0 currently under restoration with the boiler separated from the frame and running gear. Also inside were two centercab (GE?) diesels used as shop switchers. On a siding out behind the roundhouse were several freight cars that included a UTLX tank, an outside braced DT&I boxcar, an unrestored C&O boxcar and another freshly repainted. I asked at the roundhouse if Greenfield had been asked to send a representative to Owosso, but they said they were unaware of any invitation.

By then the rain had cleared and I hurriedly made my way through as much of the village as I could before the skies again opened up and I jumped on the train a refuge. By the time the rain stopped there just wasn't enough time to see the rest of the exhibits. I would say that everything is well put together and well worth a visit. And as far as the 'Edison' is concerned, I agree a previous poster that at 80-years old it really has a history all its own. I don't think that is giving it a 'free pass.' Wish I had had more time to spend at Owosso - and enough time to visit the Huckleberry, also.