West Michigan Railroad
Encyclopedia
The West Michigan Railroad is a shortline railroad
subsidiary of Pioneer Railcorp
. It began operations in 1995, replacing the bankrupt Kalamazoo, Lake Shore and Chicago Railroad on an ex-Pere Marquette Railway
line between Hartford and Paw Paw, Michigan
. That company had taken over operations in 1987 from CSX Transportation
.
, a predecessor of the Pere Marquette Railway
, opened the line from Paw Paw west to Lawrence in October 1877 and to Hartford in March 1883, as an extension of an older line from Lawton to Paw Paw. It was initially built as narrow gauge
; the successor South Haven and Eastern Railroad standard gauge
d the line (along with an extension from Hartford to South Haven) in April and May 1899. The Pere Marquette gained control in April 1903, but the line temporarily left that system when the Kalamazoo, Lake Shore and Chicago Railway
leased it in April 1907, intending to electrify it as an interurban
. Michigan United Railways
leased the line from 1911 to 1916; operations then reverted to the KLS&C until 1925, when the Pere Marquette took it back, having never been electrified. It abandoned the segment from Lawton to Paw Paw in 1942, and in August 1987 the Southwestern Michigan Railroad d/b/a Kalamazoo, Lake Shore and Chicago Railroad began operations between Paw Paw and Hartford. (Hartford to South Haven has also been abandoned.)
Pioneer Railcorp subsidiary West Jersey Railroad operated a Salem County-owned line between Swedesboro and Salem, New Jersey
from September 1988 until May 1995, when the lease was reassigned to the Southern Railroad of New Jersey
. Three months later, the West Jersey began operating, under a directed service order, the line of the KLS&C, which had entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 1993 and suspended operations in May 1995. In October the West Jersey Railroad changed its name to West Michigan Railroad, and later that month it bought the line.
Shortline railroad
A shortline railroad is a small or mid-sized railroad company that operates over a relatively short distance relative to larger, national railroad networks. The term is used primarily in the USA and Canada...
subsidiary of Pioneer Railcorp
Pioneer Railcorp
Pioneer Railcorp is a holding company for a number of American short-line railroads. Other subsidiaries offer locomotive and freight car leasing to its own railroads and to third parties, and also freight car cleaning. Pioneer also has interests in real estate and newsletter publishing.The...
. It began operations in 1995, replacing the bankrupt Kalamazoo, Lake Shore and Chicago Railroad on an ex-Pere Marquette Railway
Pere Marquette Railway
The Pere Marquette Railway was a railroad that operated in the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada. The railroad had trackage in the states of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and the Canadian province of Ontario. Its primary connections included Buffalo; Toledo; and Chicago.The company was...
line between Hartford and Paw Paw, Michigan
Paw Paw, Michigan
Paw Paw is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 3,363. It is the county seat of Van Buren County.-Overview:...
. That company had taken over operations in 1987 from CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
.
History
The Toledo and South Haven RailroadToledo and South Haven Railroad
The Toledo and South Haven Railroad was a narrow gauge railroad that connected the Michigan communities ofLawrence, Hartford and South Haven. It filed for incorporation April 1, 1876 and was bought by Fred M. Steele and re-named the South Haven and Eastern in 1894...
, a predecessor of the Pere Marquette Railway
Pere Marquette Railway
The Pere Marquette Railway was a railroad that operated in the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada. The railroad had trackage in the states of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and the Canadian province of Ontario. Its primary connections included Buffalo; Toledo; and Chicago.The company was...
, opened the line from Paw Paw west to Lawrence in October 1877 and to Hartford in March 1883, as an extension of an older line from Lawton to Paw Paw. It was initially built as narrow gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
; the successor South Haven and Eastern Railroad standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
d the line (along with an extension from Hartford to South Haven) in April and May 1899. The Pere Marquette gained control in April 1903, but the line temporarily left that system when the Kalamazoo, Lake Shore and Chicago Railway
Kalamazoo, Lake Shore and Chicago Railway
The Kalamazoo, Lake Shore and Chicago Railway operated on track laid between Kalamazoo and South Haven, Michigan. Much of the track has been removed and is now known as the "Van Buren Trail"....
leased it in April 1907, intending to electrify it as an interurban
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
. Michigan United Railways
Michigan United Railways
Michigan United Railways was an interurban which owned and leased numerous lines in the state of Michigan during the early twentieth century.- Corporate history :...
leased the line from 1911 to 1916; operations then reverted to the KLS&C until 1925, when the Pere Marquette took it back, having never been electrified. It abandoned the segment from Lawton to Paw Paw in 1942, and in August 1987 the Southwestern Michigan Railroad d/b/a Kalamazoo, Lake Shore and Chicago Railroad began operations between Paw Paw and Hartford. (Hartford to South Haven has also been abandoned.)
Pioneer Railcorp subsidiary West Jersey Railroad operated a Salem County-owned line between Swedesboro and Salem, New Jersey
Salem, New Jersey
Salem is a city in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the city population was 5,146. It is the county seat of Salem County, the most rural county in the state of New Jersey. The name Salem is related to the Hebrew word shalom, meaning "peace".The town and...
from September 1988 until May 1995, when the lease was reassigned to the Southern Railroad of New Jersey
Southern Railroad of New Jersey
The Southern Railroad of New Jersey is a small short-line railroad company based in Winslow, New Jersey. Trains operate between Winslow Junction and Pleasantville and between Winslow Junction and Vineland...
. Three months later, the West Jersey began operating, under a directed service order, the line of the KLS&C, which had entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 1993 and suspended operations in May 1995. In October the West Jersey Railroad changed its name to West Michigan Railroad, and later that month it bought the line.