Timetable: Pere Marquette - Saginaw Belt Line - West Belt Junction to PHNW Junction

This was a PM belt line around the west and south side of Saginaw. West Belt Junction was about 1/2 mile west of Mershon on the Ludington Subdivision. The line went south from there, crossing the MC/PM line at Fordney, then turning northeast and north along the river on the east side. A branch of this line also went east to the PM main line.

Key: BB=Bascule Bridge | C=Coal | CS=Car Shop | D=Open > Day | DN=Open Day and night | DS=Dispatcher | DT=Double Main Track | EH=Engine house | F=Diesel Fuel | HI=Half Interlocked Crossing | I=Interlocked Crossing | J=Junction | LB=Lift bridge | N=Open at night | P=Passing Track w/40' car capacity | Q=Quarry | RH=Roundhouse # stalls | RT=Railroad Resort | S=Scales | SB=Swing bridge | T=Turntable | TC=Telegraph call | W=Water | X=Crossing | Y=Wye | Yard=Yard

Notes

[REF] = [MRL]

Time Line

1889. June 17. Prominent railroad officials and businessmen toured the F&PM Saginaw Belt Line which has just been completed at a cost of nearly $600,000, and now completely encircles the Saginaws. After crossing the Saginaw River, the road passed the new Union Park and many large manufacturing establishments on both sides of the river. At Court street, the company has erected a handsome new depot. In South Saginaw, the Belt Line crosses the river again on a new bridge which is 450 feet in length, with an approaching trestle of 140 feet. The two spans are 130 feet each and the draw span is 190 feet. East of the bridge, the Belt runs on the east side down Main street to Mackinaw street, where it intersects and forms a part of what was formerly the St. Clair division, on which is continues to [Hoyt] junction where it reaches the main line, whence it runs to the depot. [SAG-1889-0617]

1889. July 30. The latest improvement made by the F&PM company is a belt line which begins at Crow Island, circles about East Saginaw and Saginaw City, and with the Bay City extension gives direct track connection with eighty-five manufactories and indirect connection with twenty-two other manufactories. It has fifteen stations, one the Court street station, a very handsome and complete depot. A new iron bridge across the Saginaw River, at the southern border of the city, was built to accommodate the belt line. [DFP-1889-0730]