Railroads around Houghton Lake Michigan?

Were there ever any railroads that went though Houghton Lake? If so when did they stop operationg? Does any of the ROW still exist?

Many logging railroads were built near Houghton Lake. And yes, a number of the grades are still intact. Some are used as snowmobile trails. I recall seeing ancient ties embedded in one through a bare spot in the snow a number of years ago.

Closest active rail line is Lake States, which passes through Roscommon on its way to the end of track in Gaylord.

Here's topo maps of one of the old ROW's: (most likely GR&I)

http://mapper1.acme.com/save.cgi?lat=44 ... =2&dot=Yes

http://mapper1.acme.com/save.cgi?lat=44 ... =2&dot=Yes

http://mapper1.acme.com/save.cgi?lat=44 ... =2&dot=Yes

http://mapper1.acme.com/save.cgi?lat=44 ... =2&dot=Yes

and a logging railroad waymark a bit further south

http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM14TE

More Michigan Logging RR info :

http://www.geo.msu.edu/geogmich/RR-logging.html

and an excerpt from http://midforestlodge.com/history.htm
"...A logging railroad spur from Meredith along the present route of M-18 to a point six miles south of Houghton Lake, was known as the “Y”. One spur went west to Boyce Lake, another east to Headquarters Lake, and a third north to Houghton Lake, where logs were dumped from a 2000-foot staging trestle to the ice below.

The coming of the railroad in the 1870's brought many changes in lumbering methods. Prime tracts of remote timber became accessible. Private companies built grades and rails were dragged in by horses. Logs were loaded on flat cars and small locomotives pulled the flat cars to the nearest rollway. The logs were taken to Houghton Lake. The Muskegon Booming Company made the river drive downstream to the owner's mills in Muskegon. Much of this timber was used to rebuild Chicago after the Chicago fire of 1871. Men came to work in the lumber camps for $1.00 a day."

"GR&I, which built a branch line from Missaukee Jct. (four miles north of Cadillac) to Jennings, Lake City, and on towards Houghton Lake, with a branch to Falmouth. [MRC-7/87]"

"ST. HELEN HOUGHTON LAKE & WESTERN RAILROAD (MI) 3' gauge, Log 1888 to 1893, 11 miles"

Thank you for the help.


^you said some of the ROW's are used as offroad trails, can you tell me were some of theses are?

Does anyone know what time the logging railroads were abonded?