This cache is located on the former right-of-way of the Grand Trunk Western Raiload, at the location of it's former station in Muskegon. There is not a physical container at the posted coordinates. To discover the location of the final cache, you must first solve the field puzzle below.
Part of a 1909 Map of Downtown Muskegon, showing the TS&M, MGR&I, and MLS. Map annotated by andonbray.
The Toledo, Saginaw & Muskegon Railroad was the last of four railroads to reach Muskegon. The track was completed into town in 1887, and terminated at Eighth Street. The TS&M neglected building a depot for many years, and it wasn't until 1909 that they constructed a Brick Passenger depot and freight depot. There was also a small ice house and two spurs to the Muskegon Boiler Works and the Grand Trunk Ferry Dock.
Postcard of the Grand Trunk Western depot at Muskegon.
For some reason, the original depot was razed and replaced by a new depot from Flint, Mich. in 1930. Today, the Passenger Depot, freight house and Muskegon Boiler Works buildings are still at the site. The brick depot is currently subject to a historic restoration project by the 'Downtown Muskegon Now' Group. The old boiler works are being restored by the City of Muskegon.
Image of the Muskegon Boiler Works, built in 1905
The Turkey Trail
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.
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 Field Puzzle, The posted location takes you to the Grand Trunk Passenger Depot. At the posted coordinates you must look for a 3 digit number somewhere on the depot. This number is ABC. Use this number in the formula below to get the coordinates to the final cache.
N43° 1C. (A + 1) 70
W086° 15. AC4
Sources:
TS&M History
RRHX Home Page
Muskegon Actors Colony
[ay]
