With a tip of the hat to Catskill Mountain, I'll start posting updates to activities at the Southern Michigan Railroad Society, a heritage railway and museum preserving part of the NYC branch between Jackson and Toledo. SMRS is on the web at http://www.southernmichiganrailroad.com.

Last weekend was the first tie crew effort of the season with a lot of new hands. Teeth were cut and some ties were replaced.

Continuing a long pattern of having a booth at train shows, SMRS volunteers attended a non-train show - a local community showcase. We were well received with some good contacts.

Thursday the weed spray truck toured the line. While SMRS has members certified to do weedspray, the equipment is labor intensive, and the best chemicals are expensive in small quantity. Meanwhile the commercial rigs have gotten very efficient (and they buy in bulk) - and their prices have gotten worlds better over the years. We hired the job for the first time in our history. Hats off to Asplundh, for letting us coattail on other work they were doing in the area.

This Sunday is another tie gang effort. This time, we aim to debut our Geismar power spiker, graciously donated to us by the Western Railway Museum.

In 2012 this group was trying to acquire Lake States/Detroit and Mackinac RS2 469. I haven't seen much more about this. Any updates?

Last Saturday was a continuation of crew training. It was well attended.

Our Gift Shop manager is completely reorganizing the museum and gift shop, partly to improve visitor enjoyment, improve flow and enlarge the gift shop area. We also discovered the museum roof needs some work.

As discussed earlier, the power spiker got its debut, and it worked like a champ. Here's a photo with most of the track crew that day. Clay Saren photo.

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Since 2012 there have been management issues, as well as more than doubling of ridership now making more capacity a priority, it's embarrassing to say we've been busy but that's the answer.

Robert,
Are you commuting from California to Michigan to work on the SMRR?

Is this the same railroad that was subject to the hostile takeover attempt a few years ago?

It is indeed

Last weekend SMRS had a sellout opening day with double the number of crew needed to run the train. This allowed some cross training to occur!

Crews have been busy reorganizing space in the "little" barn at the new property, as well as the "big" barn. Painting was getting done too! The track crew has also been replacing bolts along the main line.



This Sunday a crew heads out to replace ties near Bridge 22, the scenic trestle between Clinton and Tecumseh. They'll be meeting at the new property at 10am.

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SMRS is making a BIG comeback and the biggest since it's inception 30 years ago.

#469 still sits at Saginaw and is still owned by Waymore Power last anyone knew, and was being "held" as they did not want to really scrap it considering it's history. The Ann Arbor Alcos #20 and #21 are going to be taking center stage quite soon, watch for updates on that thread I posted.

This Saturday, SMRS will be running a private memorial train. A very active member passed, and he wanted his ashes scattered along the track.

Crews will also be doing a general cleanup in the shop building.

The new spiker performed spectacularly on its recent run, except for a small hydraulic leak. The part is on its way and crews will fit it this Saturday.

Are you still in need of volunteer help? I may be interested.

Yes, SMRS always needs new volunteers!

Last weekend the Southern Michigan Railroad crews ran a private memorial train for the family of long-time member Bob Wheeler. Crews also did general cleanup around the building.

The GE 44-ton, Western Maryland 75, got some attention to its fuel filters (what a messy job!) - and to its motor contactors, which had been failing to connect some motors.

A few members were interested in Alco RS-1 locomotive Ann Arbor #21, and went to the other end of the railroad to take a look at it. (the Southern Michigan Railroad is severed just north of its interchange, so heavy equipment lives near that location.)

This Saturday, June 13, is the last of the Spring Wildflower Trains. The last one sold out, but this one has not. Ads were shut off due to a misunderstanding, and forecasts were calling for rain. The Board is also meeting that evening.

Its good to see that the major political drama/power stuggle for this organization, seems to be in the past now. I have always had a few questions about this interesting operation:
-Is there any chance that the severed southern track could be temorarily solved with a flyover track built on top of the (Norfolk Southern?) main to move the equipment out?
-There are a few electric traction pieces here and some nice side-of-the-road railroad. Any chance of overhead wire and trolley operations?
-Is a building in the future for the equipment?

Thanks!

Has the railroad thought about approaching the railroad about installing one-way-low-speed diamonds? Virtually no maintenance for the mainline railroad. However, it still would be a very expensive endeavor as approach and controlled signals would have to be installed on both railroads.

The spiker is very interesting. Is this a new unit? How about a model number and manufacturer?

Clay Saren is telling me he has a track jamboree planned for this weekend, both Saturday and Sunday. He has set out 30 ties and expects to get them all in. Work is schedued to work in the shady areas on the hotter of the two days. The spiker will be in use, otherwise the work is by hand. Rallying point is the new "Pallox" facility as usual, then off to work in the area north of the wood trestle.

I'm told the Spiker is a Geismar PSD-2. However its documentation is from "Modern Track Machinery", perhaps the subject of a merger. It surprises me they are not more common, as it is little more than a hydraulic pump and jackhammer on a seesaw on a trolley. The unit is not made to be deadheaded for long distances over rail, so must be trucked or transported on a larry car with rail ramps, as WRM does. This unit is not new, but is the next best thing, having been Joel Cox'd. Joel is the track department head at the Western Railway Museum, and takes very good care of their units. WRM donated this unit. I painted it.