The track jamboree was interrupted by the weather and crews worked inside instead on that Saturday, and got a number of ties in on Sunday. July 4 weekend the crews were on holiday. Next Saturday is the first "Summer Tour". The first trip is sold out (for advance sale) and the last trip is selling well.

The October Fall Color Tours are also selling spectacularly well. In 2014, this event sold out in August, and it's very likely to sell out in July this year. One weekend operates during Tecumseh's Appleumpkin festival, and it's sold out.

The Board also meets this weekend and I've asked them to consider having the "Friends of the Southern Michigan Railroad" seek additional lightweight coaches. Using the Society's second South Shore coach (#36) isn't viable because there isn't time to do the needed repairs. It could certainly be moved to indoor storage while a truck is on hand.

About indoor storage - you know what I say: get railroad, get land, get carbarns.

The "Friends" owns 45 acres of property on the south side of Clinton. I can speak for the Friends, being on its board and having financed much of it. I expect at some point we'll be installing Carhouse 1, a regulation IRM-style barn, perhaps 75x400 feet. Overkill today (that'll change) but far cheaper per square foot than building several small buildings. Here I wild-guess some potential locations.



You also notice the three extant buildings: a small office, a 2000sf workshop (with tall roll-in doors) and a large 21,000sf factory/warehouse. Here I drew tracks into the existing large doors. The green dashed line shows the original Clinton passing siding; this arrangement would allow that to be restored someday intact.

About electric operation:

Yes SMRS has two electric cars - South Shore #1 and #36. SMRS is not the kind of place that tears apparatus off EMU's; both are intact. I don't know how SMRS would feel about electrifying the Jackson Branch, but The Friends have a fair bit of property. For kicks, I put in a "trolley loop" in orange with broad curvature to suit interurbans. Note a potential spur in the northwest to Clinton's Tate Park, a big festival site. The Friends have also invited a couple of electric museums to store important cars in our building, so streetcars may be on the property too. Power is not a problem, the building has two complete sets of 480v "delta" service and most of the kit needed for a substation.