This thread is going to be used for discussion of all things related to the Great Lakes Central (GLC) Railroad operating in Michigan. It consists of a few lines throughout Michigan. They are active on most days of the week hauling freight to Durand, Owosso, Clare, Cadillac, Traverse City, Petoskey, and a couple of other locations throughout the state. They do not operate in the Upper Peninsula. Their fleet consists of many GP-35s, GP-38s, and SD-40s, some of which are used for parts to keep their other engines running. In fact, they're receiving a few new 35s in the upcoming weeks! No extremely interesting horns or engines on the rails, but there are some strange crossings. Highlights include some WCH and GS Type 2 E-Bells, a plethora of WCH Mechanical Bells, and some Teardrop Bells in the Cadillac Area. Most lights have been updated to LEDs, however some incandescents remain around the lines.
I frequent the Cadillac to Petoskey and the Cadillac to Williamsburg (Traverse City) subs, as I live a few miles from the switch interconnecting those lines, and even live about 3 miles from a couple of crossings. On the days that the engines to to Traverse City, I can often hear the horns from my house, and I've caught several trains in my hometown of Kingsley and at my property with amazing echos in Manton.
The GLC is one of the more well-known small railroads in Michigan, and they have quite the history. The GLC name was conceived in 2006 after the Tuscola & Saginaw Bay Railroad was purchased by Federated Railways, Inc. Most of the rails are ex-Penn Central, and even some of the Engines were used by Penn Central.
Complete trackage and lines consist of: Former Ann Arbor Railway track from Ann Arbor to Cadillac, known as the Ann Arbor to Cadillac Line, the former Pennsylvania Railway Track from Cadillac to Petoskey, known as the Petoskey Sub, former Pennsylvania Railway Track from Walton to Traverse City, known as the Traverse City Sub, and the former Chesapeake and Ohio Trackage from Grawn to Williamsburg, known as the Grawn Sub, which is very seldomly used, if at all. GLC also operates on former New York Central Track from Owosso to Fergus, known as the Owosso Sub, and former Grand Trunk Western Railway Track from Ashley to Middleton, known as the Ashley Sub. A small portion of old CSX Ludington Subdivision trackage is used to serve a plastics facility in Clare. This line is still known as the Ludington Sub. GLC does not travel on this sub to Ludington or Manistee.
There is a Class 1 Interchange at Howell with CSX and CN Railroads, and a shortline with the Huron and Eastern Railway at Durand is also used.
A Complete list of engines can be found here: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoList.aspx?id=GLC
In this sub, I will post GLC news, videos, and other information, such as pictures.