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Loop Line - Cascade Junction to Ishpeming
This was a 14.2 branch line in Marquette County from Cascade Junction (near what was later Gwinn) to the area of Ishpening at Lake Superior Mine, via Palmer and National Mine.
The branch was built very early in 1865. It was removed from milepost 6.1 near what is now Empire Mine, to milepost 10.0 near what is now Tilden Mine. The section from Cascade Junction to Palmer was removed in the 1980's.
| Station | MP from Cascade Jct. | Notes |
| Cascade Junction J-C&NW Main Line | 0 | J |
| (Junction) J-CNW New Richmond Mine spur | 3.4 | J |
| Old Richmond Mine | 4.3 | |
| Star West Mine | 4.5 | |
| (Junction) J-CNW Watson Mine spur | 4.6 | J |
| Isabella Mine | 5.0 | |
| Palmer | 5.3 | |
| Palmer Mine | 5.4 | |
| (Junction) J-Connection to DSS&A Palmer line | 5.6 | J |
| Maitland Mine | 5.8 | |
| West End Mine | 6.0 | |
| (Junction) J-CNW Saginaw Mine spur | 10.4 | J |
| (Junction) J-CNW Tilden Mine spur | 11.1 | J |
| National Mine | 11.9 | |
| (Crossing) X-DSSA branch crossing | 12.1 | X |
| Winthrop Junction J-CNW Salisbury Mine spur | 13.3 | J |
| Holmes Mine | 13.6 | |
| Lake Superior Mine | 13.8 | |
| (Junction) J-CNW Main Line | J | |
Key: C=Coal | D=Open > Day | DN=Open Day and night | EH=Engine house | F=Diesel Fuel | HI=Half Interlocked Crossing | I=Interlocked Crossing | J=Junction | N=Open at night | P=Passing Track w/40' car capacity | Q=Quarry | RH=Roundhouse # stalls | S=Scales | T=Turntable | TC=Telegraph call | W=Water | X=Crossing | Y=Wye | Yard=Yard
Notes
Time Line
1865. Line is built by the Chicago & North Western south from near Lake Superior Mine to Holmes Mine. [MRL]
1871. Line is extended from Holmes Mine to Cascade Junction, completing the loop. [MRL]
1917. The line is abandoned and removed in the middle, between mileposts 6.1 and 10.0. [MRL]
1995. The C&NW was sold to the Union Pacific, and then to the Wisconsin Central in 1997.
1980's. The line came under control of the Mineral Range railroad, from Winthrop Jct. to the National Mine area.
Bibliography
The following sources are utilized in this website. [SOURCE-YEAR-MMDD-PG]:
- [AAB| = All Aboard!, by Willis Dunbar, Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids ©1969.
- [AAN] = Alpena Argus newspaper.
- [AARQJ] = American Association of Railroads Quiz Jr. pamphlet. © 1956
- [AATHA] = Ann Arbor Railroad Technical and Historical Association newsletter "The Double A"
- [AB] = Information provided at Michigan History Conference from Andrew Bailey, Port Huron, MI
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