This cache is on former right of way at the east junction of the Chesapeake and Ohio and Grand Trunk Western railroads. The right of way is now part of the Fred Meijer Heartland Trail and is not accessible to motorized vehicles. The GT grade veers off to the east at this point where the C&O grade (and FMHT) veer to the south east.
Grand Trunk Western depot, Greenville, about 1970, by photo Charlie Whipp
The second railroad to reach Greenville was built by the Toledo, Saginaw and Muskegon, between Ashley and Muskegon. In 1887-89, a railroad line originally known as the Toledo, Saginaw and Muskegon, was constructed between Ashley and Muskegon. Rails reached Carson City in September of 1887, Greenville in November of 1887, Cedar Springs and Muskegon by the end of the year. Construction continued in 1888 for ballasting, sidings and depots. On August 1st, 1888, a lease of the TS&M to the Grand Trunk Railway of Canada was completed. A mail and express train and a mixed train (freight with passenger service) was operated daily between Owosso (over the Ann Arbor Railroad to Ashley) and Muskegon. The line was known as the Turkey Trail because it meandered like a turkey and also because it allegedly never made money.
Crew at the Grand Trunk Western Depot. Interlocking tower is to the right.
In 1928, GTC was merged with other Michigan Grand Trunk subsidiaries into the Grand Trunk Western, itself a subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway. In 1930, GTW secured trackage rights between Grand Rapids and Muskegon over the Pennsylvania Railroad (former Grand Rapids and Indiana) Muskegon Branch. Service on the Turkey Trail was reduced to way freights and mixed trains. In 1946, with heavy service operating over the PRR, the portion of the line between Greenville and Muskegon was abandoned.
Mixed train service continued leaving Durand, to Greenville and back each day until the end of 1955. On January 1st, 1956, this was reduced to a single way freight turn daily. On January 11th, 1983, the last train left Greenville and the line was abandoned between Greenville and Carson City. The rails are still in place from Ashley to Carson City and were being occasionally operated from 1982 by the Tuscola and Saginaw Bay and since 2006, between Ashley and Middleton by the Great Lakes Central.
The TS&M depot and an interlocking tower were about two hundred yards west of Lafayette Street. The main line was the southern leg of the wye interchange with the PM/C&O. The interlocking tower was moved to Coopersville, Michigan, and restored. The cache MHT Series #2 (GC4AXED) was placed at the site of the depot. Thanks to Chane Gang for that cache.
Greenville, 1921 plat. PM depot is in blue, TS&M in green.
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