Matt Melzer and I met in the lobby of the Super 8 in Flint, Michigan and drove over to the Rodeway Inn to pick up Steve Grande's friend Randy then took off for Owosso.
In Corunna we passed the Shiawassee County Courthouse, a Michigan State Historic Site and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built from 1903 through 1904, it was designed by Claire Allen in the Classical Revival style.
A waterfall in Corunna. We drove to Owosso and parked.
Train Festival 2009 InformationFor four days in late July, the Steam Railroading Institute in Owosso, Michigan hosted Train Festival 2009. It was organized by Jason Johnson with many partnering organizations and started out as a fundraiser for the overhaul of Pere Marquette 2-8-4 1225. This turned out to be a gathering of steam engines from throughout the country, with Nickel Plate 765, Southern Pacific 4449, the newly-built Leviathan 63, Flagg Coal 75, Little River 110, Viscose 6 and other tank engines making the journey to Michigan. But it was far from just steam engines on display. Hourly and all-day rides, live steam, model railoads, shop tours, caboose and handcar rides were available and there was something for everyone, not only those interested in railways. Over the four days, 30,000 people attended the event.
I told Matt I would call him when I returned from the Little River 110 excursion then decided I wouuld first photograph Southern Pacific 4449 departing on the all-day trip to Alma. The train arrived and I walked down to find Southern Pacicifc 4-8-4 4449 on the point.
Southern Pacific 4-8-4 4449, built by Lima in 1949, moved forward to load more passengers.
Doyle McCormack, engineer of Southern Pacific 4449.
The steam train pulled down the tracks to load the rest of their passengers and I walked west looking for a good location to photograph it leaving Owosso and crossed Michigan Highway 62 to wait under a big tree in the shade.
Southern Pacific 4449 starts its trip to Alma this morning.
The steam train departing Owosso, after which I walked back to the boarding area where I found Bob and Elizabeth Alkire waiting in line to board Little River 110 and I joined them.
Little River Railroad 110 History
Little River Railroad 4-6-2 110 built by Baldin in 1911, weighs about 58 tons and is the smallest Pacific built for a standard gauge railroad. It wass custom-built for the original Little River Railroad in Townsend, Tennesse and ran until 1939 in what is now Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The engine hauled log trains from the forest to the lumber mill. In 1940, the engine was sold to the Smoky Mountain Railroad until the 1950's then in the 1960's, the it was abandoned in Shook's Gap, Tennessee. In 1972, the engine was purchased by the current Little River Railroad in Coldwater, Michigan where it has run longer than in regular service.
The 10:00 AM shuttle train had Great Lakes Central GP35 385, ex. Tuscola and Saginaw Ba 385, nee Ann Arbor 385 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1964, on one end and Little River 110 on the other. Once the train was deemed ready, we all boarded for our first ride at Train Festival 2009.
We waited for all the passengers to board. This morning's excursion was on the former New York Central line out towards Henderson.
Bob and Elizabeth.
We rounded the curve from the switch that Southern Pacific 4449 took to Alma.
Little River 110 was being pulled backwards by the GP35.
The location for a former siding.
Leaving Owosso.
Rounding the next curve.
The steam engine was working hard while it was pulled out to the turn-around point.
There were railfans all the way out.
We reached the turn-around point after 22 minutes and started the return journey.
Back through the trees.
By the fields.
The train steamed around the curve and headed back to the boarding area where I detrained.
Little River 4-6-2 110 back in Owosso. I met Matt and we drove to the Huckleberry Railroad in Flint, the story of which is above this one in the trip page.
Later back in OwossoOn the way back from the Saginaw Railroad Museum, Matt dropped me off at the Michigan Highway 52 grade crossing and I walked back to the tree to wait for Little River 110 to make its last trip of the day.
Little River 110 makes its way out of Owosso.
The steam train returned to Owosso.
It is a great little Pacific that put on a wonderful show today.
Great Lakes Central GP35 385. I walked back to TrainFestival 2009 and entered the grounds at 4:45 PM to start my visit.
