Last Passenger Train Into Muskegon Michigan. C&O 4-30-71

Come and ride the last passenger train into Muskegon Michigan. Hear the recording I made 39 years ago on April 30th 1971. I have included photos of GP9 6088 which pulled #203 the last passenger train into Muskegon. At the time I did not own a video camera. See heavy weight coach 725 in both the unrestored and restored condition. See a night shot of this train at Holland Station and a shot of the Holland Depot as it is today serving Amtraks Pere Marquette. This train likely would not have lasted that long if it hadnt been for the hauling of freight. No it wasnt a mixed train(freight & passenger). It would leave as a passenger train. Arrive in Holland where after it let its passengers off(If there were some besides my Dad dead heading= Railroad for employee traveling on a pass). The 6088 or 6084 would take the train to the house track where my Dad would clean it. It would wait until number 8 the Grand Rapids-Chicago train to arrive. After #9`s departure, the 6088 would head to Waverly yard and haul freight north to Muskegon. This was known as the Waverly Muskegon Local. Once in Muskegons North Yards,(now Michigan Shore RR) the loco would be assigned either to the Fremont job where it switched the Gerber Baby Food Company or be doubled with either a GP7 another GP9 or a GP30 or GP35 for the Hart Job. This ran through Montague to service the Hooker, DuPont or Union Carbide(when it made acetylene for DuPonts neoprene rubber production) then up to Hart where it serviced the canneries and frozen food factories. Today that line is the Montague Hart Bicycle trail. At about 4:30pm the 6088 would drag a freight south to Waverly in Holland Michigan. This time as the Muskegon Waverly Local. Once the cars and caboose were spotted. The 6088 with crew inside would couple onto 203`s cars and wait for #9 the Chicago-Grand Rapids Train. The Conductor & Brakeman had a change from their freight clothes to their passenger uniforms. This was done in a separate, but under one roof baggage room and crew room at the east side of the depot. Today both buildings are joined together. It is now a transportation center and an Amtrak stop for its Pere Marquette. At about 9:30pm, #9 would arrive to let of and take on passengers if there were any. Frequently there were none except my Dad who dead heading home. So it is this unique freight arrangement that actually made the Money for the C&O or the train would have been discontinued long before Amtrak. The C&O did have a 90 car freight called #333 &334 or CSX D727,D727 called the Cannon Ball. Today the Cannon Ball is operated by the Michigan Shore RR. So according to ICC regulations, a Loss of Service notice was tacked to the C&O Muskegon Depot listing every train on the C&O-B&O that was to be discontinued with appeal processes listed. Thus on April 30th 1971 about 100 years of passenger service ended. The C&O Muskegon Depot was completely restored and is now the Tourist Information Center. Passenger service resumed in the 1980s with the MDOT State of Michigan funded Amtrak Pere Marquette. As for train service in Muskegon? Unlikely!

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• US Passenger Trains
• Trains. Historic Trains
• GP9
• PreAmtrak C&O
• History

[GP30777300ER]

where was the final destination Detroit or Chicago?

[strobx1]

@GP30777300ER The final destination was Muskegon from Holland Michigan. The other final destination was Grand Rapids Mich. The C&O never to my knowledge ran a straight Detroit-Chicago train. There was a "Pere Marquette" which ran from Grand Rapids to Fort Street Station in Detroit and a Pere Marquette that ran from Grand Rapids to Chicago. This is now Amtrak 330 & 331. The Muskegon train connected @ Holland for Grand Rapids (east) or Chicago(West)

[MetrolinkFan800]

Sucks, I can only hear the train. ):

[strobx1]

I was only 16 at the time. We did not have video recorders, or digital cameras. Video Cameras were around but cost 1000's and were bulky and weighed a lot. 35mm movie were around, but lacked sound for the most part which we didn't have.The price of Video camera was well out of reach for the average family. I am sorry that you are "disappointed" and failed to recognize the historical significance of this 39 year old audio recording. If you respond back to me PLEASE be kind as I was to you. Ok?

[Rtchugg]

I think one of those GEEP's where saved

[ACLTony]

The "goose horn" is actually a Leslie A-200. These were nicknamed "honkers" by railfans.

[Intocable8306]

Thanks for sharing this awesome piece of history!