Friday, December 9, 2016

PM: Pere Marquette Railroad Overview

Peter Dudley scratched researching Pere Marquette off my todo list:
Pere Marquette Railroad (PM) was established January 1, 1900, as the result of a merger between three railways -- Flint & Pere Marquette Railroad (F&PM, which had previously merged with Port Huron & Northwestern Railway in 1889), Detroit, Grand Rapids & Western Railroad (DGR&W, previously known as Detroit, Lansing & Northern Railroad), and Chicago & West Michigan Railway (C&WM).
Some lines in the combined system had been built in three-foot narrow gauge, but the new company rapidly converted all remaining narrow gauge lines to standard gauge (4 feet, 8½ inches).
After filing for bankruptcy, the reorganized company emerged as Pere Marquette Railway c. 1915. During the 1920s, the company came under the control of the Van Swearingen brothers, who also controlled Chesapeake & Ohio Railway (C&O).
PM merged with C&O June 6, 1947. After several more mergers, C&O became part of Chessie System during the 1970s. Since 1981, the line has been known as CSX Transportation.
Most of the former Pere Marquette mileage in Michigan has been abandoned.
Map from SpellerWeb
Vern Carraway shared another link

Brian Morgan has also posted a history.

Marquette Rail
According to my 1928 Railroad Atlas, Pere Marquette connected Ludington with Port Huron via Clare, Midland, and Saginaw. Now Marquette Rail (Genesee & Wyoming) turns south at Baldwin, MI, to use another Pere Marquette remnant to Grand Rapids. Shawn commented that a couple of trains a day, sometimes more, are run.

PM ran a ferry service to three towns in Wisconsin from Ludington, MI.



Update:
Carl Venzke posted

Viral Media posted
Former Pere Marquette Map
The 136 mile CSX Grand Rapids Subdivision is the former Pere Marquette Railroad (Chesapeake & Ohio Railway - Chicago Subdivision). Originally constructed in 1870-1872 from New Buffalo to Grand Rapids by Chicago & Michigan Lake Shore Railroad then extended to Porter Indiana in 1903. Trackage rights have always been used west of Porter on the former New York Central line (now NS), as far as Pine Junction.
This map of surviving Pere Marquette trackage in Michigan was created by Fritz Milhaupt of the Pere Marquette Historical Society. Fritz Milhaupt’s interest in railroads dates back to childhood trips with his father to visit railroad facilities and museums. Born and raised in Grand Rapids and a graduate of the University of Michigan, he has a strong interest in the history of Michigan’s railroads. He is a Charter Member of the Pere Marquette Historical Society; he has served as its webmaster since 1997 and as its Publications Editor since 2008. 

Gregory Taylor Mills commented on the above post
This is what was owned by the Pere Marquette in 1946 in Michigan (it owned more in Ontario) the last year it still operated as the PMRR, the C&O took over in 1947.

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