The Society decided to stop for some switching on our trip south to Raisin Center.
Southern Michigan Railroad Society 35 ton ML switcher 1 (nee Hayes-Albion) built by Plymouth in 1938, the group's first locomotive acquired in 1985.
This one-of-a-kind GMD-3 hydraulic switcher was built by General Motors in 1963, ex. GMD demonstrator 275, exx. South Simcoe Railway, exxx. General Motors 1128, nee McKinnon Industries.
Southern Michigan Railroad Society transfer caboose 75053 (nee Grand Trunk Western, built from a boxcar) was the car that needed to be moved across the crossing to the north.
The GMD-3 would be moved as well.
Our engine passed the GMD-3.
Everything was almost ready for the move.
Our engine heads for the switch.
Our engine at the J 34 Milepost.
The switching move was ready to take place.
After the switching move occurred, the engine headed to the north end of the train to push our train to Raisin Center.
We said goodbye to the GMD-3 as we started our journey to Raisin Center.
RR Crossing One Mile sign south of Tecumseh.
A car was pacing our train.
We ran by the Tecumseh golf course.
Milepost L 7 and J 35.
The River Raisin has curved a gorge south of Tecumseh.
Three views as we head south.
Two trees in bloom.
A field ready for planting.
Another whistlepost sign.
Another little pond along our route.
Milepost L 5 and J 37.
This crossing of the River Raisin is a 254 foot long, 10.5" wide structure that carries a single track and is comprised of two deck girder spans {each 44 feet long} at the south end; a single span seven pin connected Pratt deck truss {116' 10.5" in length} with pinned connections and inclined end posts; and a third deck plate girder span {50 foot in length} at the north end. The bridge is approximately forty feet above the River Rasin.
This bridge was built by the Detroit Bridge and Iron Works in 1869 and was known as Bridge Number 15.
A railroad telephone booth.
Milepost L 3 and J 39.
More trees in bloom down along the road.
A beautiful Michigan spring day!
Our train was approaching Raisin Center.
The former approach signal for the former Norfolk Southern {Wabash} railroad crossing.
The little station building at Raisin Center, MP 2.2, at the former crossing of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern and the Wabash route from Detroit to Fort Wayne. Our stop here would be for a photographs and a bathroom break.
The southern end of the Southern Michigan Railroad Society track here.
The single restroom here got plenty of work from our passengers during our stop.
I walked over to the Norfolk Southern mainline where an interlocking tower used to be located, but alas, there were no trains due to trackwork west of here. I then walked to the north side of Raisin Center.
Both sides of the signal.
The train and signal.
The look up the tracks to our north.
Our train at Raisin Center.
Our train was ready to head back north to Clinton.
A Norfolk Southern truck came off the tracks at the grade crossing.
More of the beautiful spring Michigan afternoon as we headed back to Clinton.
The "A" signal mast for the crossing at Raisin Center that can never take place again.
We rode by the GMD-3 at Tecumseh on our way back to Clinton.
Soon we were back in Clinton and our trip on the Southern Michigan Railroad Society trip was over. Elizabeth and I had some stops to make before our 6:00 PM train ride in Blissfield.
The Drive to BlissfieldWe drove back south to Tecumseh and found the old station just one short block east from where we did the photo halt on our southbound trip earlier today.
The Tecumseh Lake Shore and Michigan Southern/Detroit, Toledo and Ironton station built in 1885. From here I wanted one more picture which I could not get from our train trip today.
The old diamond in the street of the former Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Railroad, and our route we went over today. From here we went to Adrian where we stopped at Subway for sandwiches to go. More of my research would pay off for us here.
Adrian and Blissfield SW1200 1223, ex. ADBF 23, exx. AEX SW1200 999990, exxx. Saginaw Valley SW900 9999 "Village of Rochelle", exxxx. Huron and Eastern 5323, exxxxx. South Central Tennessee 5322, nee Bellefonte Central 5323 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1953, was in front of the shops.
The Wabash station in Adrian. From here we drove to Blissfield for our last train ride of the day.
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