Michigan AuSable Valley Railroad
{{Infobox rail
|railroad_name= Michigan AuSable Valley Railroad
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|image= Michigan_AuSable_Valley_Railroad_front_Engine.JPG
|image_size= 300px
|image_caption= Front view of the 971 engine
|locale= Huron National Forest
|start_year= 1994
|end_year= 2017
|predecessor_line=
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|gauge= {{RailGauge|16in|lk=on}}
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|hq_city= Fairview, Michigan
|website= {{URL|http://www.michiganausablevalleyrailroad.com/}}
}}
The Michigan AuSable Valley Railroad was a {{Track gauge|16in|lk=on}}, 1/4-scale ridable miniature railway, located in Fairview, Michigan. The railroad ran through the scenic Huron National Forest and the Comins Creek valley.{{cite web |author= Michigan AuSable Valley Railroad |date= n.d. |url= http://www.michiganausablevalleyrailroad.com/index.html |title= Home |publisher= Michigan AuSable Valley Railroad |access-date= October 17, 2015}}{{cite news |url=http://www.9and10news.com/story/26677137/mtm-on-the-road-michigan-ausable-valley-railroad |title=MTM on the Road: Michigan-Au Sable Valley Railroad |publisher=WFQX |date=October 1, 2014|accessdate=August 12, 2017}}{{cite web |url=http://www.michigan.org/property/michigan-ausable-valley-railroad |title=Michigan AuSable Valley Railroad |publisher=Pure Michigan |accessdate=August 12, 2017}}{{cite web |url=http://oscodacountymi.org/michigan-ausable-valley-railroad/ |title=Michigan AuSable Valley Railroad |date=January 7, 2015 |accessdate=August 12, 2017 |publisher=Oscoda County Chamber of Commerce}}{{cite web |url=https://www.discoverlivesteam.com/railroads/US-clubs.htm |title=Riding Scale Railroads in the US |publisher=discoverlivesteam.com |accessdate=August 12, 2017}}{{cite journal |url=http://192.168.1.1:8181/http://trn.trains.com/~/media/files/pdf/2017/2017rtt.pdf |title=Ride this Train |journal=Trains Magazine |publisher=Kalmbach Publishing |year=2017 |edition=2017 |accessdate=August 12, 2017}}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rao2AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA194 |title=Oddball Michigan: A Guide to 450 Really Strange Places |first1=Jerome |last1=Pohle |date=May 2014 |isbn=9781613748961 |page=194|publisher=Chicago Review Press }}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V4qbF4ejo7gC&q=%22Michigan+AuSable+Valley+Railroad%22 |pages=186–187 |title=Guide to Tourist Railroads and Museums |others=Trains Magazine |author=Kalmbach Publishing Company |author-link=Kalmbach Publishing Company |publisher=Kalmbach Publishing Company, Books Division |date=March 1, 2000|isbn=9780890244241 }}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_WtmR573vRYC&q=%22Michigan+AuSable+Valley+Railroad%22 |pages=187, 208 |title=Guide to Tourist Railroads and Museums|publisher=Kalmbach Publishing Company, Books Division |author=Kalmbach Publishing Company |date=February 1, 2001|isbn=9780890244258 }}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qQjxHGqcBaEC&q=%22Michigan+AuSable+Valley+Railroad%22 |pages=210, 435 |title=Tourist Trains |author=Kalmbach Publishing Company |publisher=Kalmbach Publishing Company, Books Division |date=February 1, 2004|isbn=9780871162076 }}{{cite web |url=https://medium.com/@jasonwolverton/the-worlds-longest-miniature-train-ride-7df737cde9c5 |first1=Jason |last1=Wolverton |publisher=A Medium Corporation |title=The World's Longest Miniature Train Ride |date=May 26, 2014 |accessdate=August 13, 2017}}{{cite web |url=http://www.american-rails.com/mcgn.html |title=Michigan Train Rides And Museums |publisher=American-Rails.com |accessdate=August 13, 2017}} The railroad operated continuously from 1994 before closing permanently in 2021{{cite web |url=http://www.michiganausablevalleyrailroad.com |title=Closed for Maintenance and Repairs until Memorial Day Weekend 2020 |website=Michigan AuSable Valley Railroad |access-date=December 19, 2018}} due to COVID-19 and deteriorating infrastructure, trestles and roadbed.[https://mavrailroad.com/ Michigan AuSable Valley Railroad {{mdash}} Closed indefinitely due to Covid-19]
History
File:Michigan_AuSable_Valley_Railroad_Engine_House.JPG File:Michigan_AuSable_Valley_Railroad_Black_Bear_Trestle.JPG
The railroad was created by Joanne and Howard Schrader. They began construction of the Michigan AuSable Valley Railroad station and the {{convert|72|ft|m|adj=on}} engine house in 1994. In 1995, seven passenger cars from the Pinconning and Blind River Railroad were restored for use on the line. The cars are named after area counties and other points of interest in the Huron National Forest. From 15 April to 2 December 1996, the Michigan AuSable Valley Railroad constructed two wooden trestles and a {{convert|115|ft|m|adj=on}} wooden tunnel. The longest trestle spanned over {{convert|220|ft|m}}.{{cite web |author= Michigan AuSable Valley Railroad |date= n.d. |url= http://www.michiganausablevalleyrailroad.com/history.html |title= History |publisher= Michigan AuSable Valley Railroad |access-date= October 17, 2015}} The railroad meandered through jack pine country near the valleys of the Au Sable River.
The Schraders were publishers, distributors and operators of a railroad catalog.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=avFVAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Michigan+AuSable+Valley+Railroad%22 |title=Railroads |others=Railfan & Railroad |volume=21 |author=Carstens Publications |author-link=Carstens Publications |publisher=Carstens Publications |year=2002 |page=21}}
Trainorders.com reported in 2017 that the Schraders retired from operating the railroad and the catalog. The facility, owners' residence and acreage was listed for sale in 2017,{{cite web |url=https://www.weichert.com/71427576/ |title=Michigan AuSable Valley |publisher=Weichert Realty |accessdate=August 12, 2017 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813055239/https://www.weichert.com/71427576/ |archivedate=August 13, 2017 }} together with the affiliated railroad catalog store.{{cite web |url=https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?2,4233671 |title=Schrader's Railroad & Catalog For Sale |publisher=Train orders |access-date=August 13, 2017}}{{Better source needed|date=May 2018}} The railroad was sold to Kings Lights of Texas{{Cite web |title=Log into Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fkingslights22 |access-date=2023-05-22 |website=Facebook |language=en}}[https://www.facebook.com/search/posts?q=michigan%20ausable%20valley%20railroad Valley Railroad] Facebook {{user generated source|date=March 2023}}
Locomotives
File:Michigan_AuSable_Valley_Railroad_Slug_unit.JPG
The Custom Locomotive Works in Chicago constructed a pair of miniature F-7 A diesel locomotive units for the Michigan AuSable Valley Railroad over a period of nine months. The front locomotive contains the engine while the slug unit balances the weight. The units have a combined weight of 11,000 pounds and length of {{convert|30|feet}} long; they are {{convert|58|inch}} high. The powered unit has an 80 hp Perkins diesel engine driving 16 wheels and supplying power to an air-brake system.
Locomotive No. 5661 is a 4-6-4 oil-fired steam engine, known as the "Hudson", built in 1961 by E.C. Eddy of Fairview. The locomotive originally ran on the Pinconning and Blind River Railroad. It now runs on the AuSable on selected Sundays and holidays.{{cite web |author= Michigan AuSable Valley Railroad |date= n.d. |url= http://www.michiganausablevalleyrailroad.com/locomotives.html |title= Locomotives |publisher= Michigan AuSable Valley Railroad |access-date= October 17, 2015}} The Hudson steam locomotive was restored circa 2002.
The trackage was laid by family and friends. It was serpentine, sometimes with parallel and crossing tracks, making a surprising {{convert|1.5|mi}} trip, approximately 18 minutes long. The railroad used over 5,500 railroad ties. In 1995 four switches were added to the route.
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
{{Portal|Trains|Michigan}}
{{Commons}}
- [http://www.railroadmichigan.com/ausablevalley.html Photos], at Michigan Railroad Photo Collection hobbyist site
- [https://railroadcatalog.com/ Schraders' Railroad Catalog]
{{Coord|44.6737315|-84.0508437|display=title}}
Category:1994 establishments in Michigan
Category:Amusement rides based on rail transport
Category:Backyard railroads in the United States
Category:Heritage railroads in Michigan
Category:Miniature railroads in the United States
Category:Minimum-gauge railways
Category:Rail transport hobbies