THE BLACK RIVER VALLEY MODEL RAILROAD WEB SITE

While visiting Petoskey, Michigan recently, my grandson and I took advantage of an unusual visit by an excursion train. The Tuscola & Saginaw Bay Railroad tracks through the center of town, played host to a pair of T&SBRR GP35s and their consist of twelve privately owned and restored railroad cars. The former railroad right-of-way is now Pennsylvania Park and easily accessible to the public. We spent nearly two hours on Sunday morning, August 6th, 2006, photographing the locomotives and passenger cars. The photographs below are the result. They presented in the order the cars appeared in the consist. Enjoy!

Two Tuscola & Saginaw Bay Railroad Company GP35s, the City of Durand #390 & the City of Owosso #391, provided the motive power for the excursion train. They were the first locomotives I have ever seen from this railroad. The yellow & dark blue paint scheme, though conventional, could be striking when newly applied. Far from showroom new, both units showed signs of hard use.

First in the consist, directly behind the locomotives and coupled backwards, was the Algonquin Park. This car had the prime spot on the siding at the beginning of the second block of Pennsylvania Park. A handsome vista- dome observation car in stainless steel and sky blue. Unfortunately, I could find no markings to indicate origins.

Grand Trunk & Western "Silver Lake" BMCX #899 was next. The gray, dark blue and yellow/gold paint looked factory fresh on the car parked in the shade of some trees in the park.

The "Silver Quail" one of the California Zephyr cars was next in gleaming stainless steel. There wasn't enough room to get the whole car in the photograph so the next one shows the identification numbers.

Here is a close-up of the identification numbers on the "Silver Quail".

Fourth in line and the last car in the improved section of Petoskey's Pennsylvania Park was the "Royal Street" an observation car from the Louisville & Nashville's Crescent Streamliner. Again, I could find no identifying marks or numbers beyond the drumhead crest in the next photo.

A close-up of the "Crescent" drumhead on the "Royal Street." This car marked the end of the first four car section in Pennsylvania Park and was easily approached from Bay Street.

First in the next section beyond Bay Street was the restored Frisco Pullman, "Cimarron River" in silver-gray and red. The paint looked factory fresh on the car, but no identifying marks beyond the road and car name.

A restored Pullman Sleeper owned by Northern Sky Charters, "Northern Dreams" was behind the Frisco Pullman. Resplendant in in red and silver, the car was immaculate. The number 8007110 appeared on the car, but no other markings were visible.

This restored Vista Dome "Northern Sky" was coupled directly behind it's sister Northern Sky Charters Pullman Sleeper. The paint looked factory fresh, but I could find no road numbers.

A beautifully restored Louisville & Nashville Pullman, the "Oliver Hazard Perry" followed the two Northern Sky Charter cars above. Striking in its dark blue and gold colors, this car is one of my favorites. There were no identifying markings beyond the road name and Pullman designation.

Southern Pacific was represnted by the "Birch Grove" a restored Pullman car. The red, silver-gray and stainless steel car sparkled in the sunshine.

Nothern Pacific Vista-dome, CB&Q, #PPCX800290 had the Northern Pacific North Coast Limited logo on its side. The two-tone green and and stainless steel car stood out despite its subdued coloring.

This restored Georgia heavyweight observation car sported a beautiful royal blue and gold paint job. This was actually the first photograph I took of the cars that Sunday. We came upon the display from the rear and then had to find a parking place.

A fitting end to a great time and this little essay is this photo of the "Georgia's" drumhead and observation deck.

I hope you enjoyed this brief summary of our 'train watching' day in Petoskey. I know Zachary and I did. It isn't everyday that a train visits his grandmother's home town.