Friday, December 9, 2016

PM: Pere Marquette Railroad

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

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