Sturgis, MI: Red Oak (RK) Tower: Penn/GR&I vs. NYC/LS&MS vs. NYC/MC

(Satellite)

Mark Hinsdale posted

"A Michigan Junction"

Admittedly, Sturgis, Michigan does not immediately rise to the forefront of knowledgeable railfans' consciousness when contemplating significant rail junction points. It's crossing of the Penn Central "Old Road" and GR&I (Grand Rapids & Indiana) Branches was not that frequently traversed. But, I came upon it in April, 1973, and was sufficiently intrigued to take a photo, and record the scene. Believe me, I wasn't often smart enough to do so; there are a multitude of places I witnessed in my early railfan years that I wish I would have photographed. But at least here's one fortunate exception to that personal shortcoming.

Looking east at "RK" Tower on the PC Hillsdale Branch ("Old Road") at the PC GR&I Branch Crossing, Sturgis MI. The diamond in the immediate foreground was a short remnant of the one time New York Central (Lake Shore & Michigan Southern) branch from Goshen IN to Battle Creek MI... April, 1973

I already have described the "Old Road" because Hillsdale, MI is the headquarters of the railroad, Indiana Northeastern, that now operates part of the NYC/Lake Shore & Southern Michigan route. But I believe that Indiana Northeastern no longer reaches Sturgis. The town is served from the west by Michigan Southern.

Remnants of the Penn/GR&I still exist to the north and south as industrial spurs. Both Mark and the 2005 SPV Map identify the NYC branch between Goshen and Battle Creek as LS&MS. But my 1928 RR Atlas labels it MC, which would be Michigan Central. It also became part of the NYC system.

Just to the north of these two diamonds would have been a diamond where the MC crossed the GR&I.

We see cars in a yard in the background of Mark's photo. That yard not only still exists, it is still being used.

Satellite

Jeffrey Dobek shared
Eric A Zerkle Track crossing to the far right is the line that ran from Battle Creek to Goshen and cut back in the early 30s from Sturgis to Battle Creek and in 1960 from Sturgis to Shipshewanna.
Carl Holsinger The track running through the middle is the GR&I.

Thomas Bowers posted
RK Tower looking south on the GR&I at Sturgis, Mi. No Date. S. Houts Photo
Troy Strane The tower came down in the late 70s. I climbed up in it just a few months before it was demolished. The Armstrong levers were still there.
Dennis Stanczak Check out that GN BSB DD boxcar too!
Archie W. Lhamon We took the tower down with a cable and engine.
Troy Strane I believe Conrail used the building between the tracks as the crew offices clear into the early 80s. I think it may have eventually burned down. The power and caboose were parked on the SE wye at night. Sturgis is all downhill to the west. The Quincy turn used to pull their train into the pass upon arrival at night and once all the crossings were blocked, they’d roll the caboose west by everything down the main on its own, leaving it west of the power for the next day. You could start and stop and start the caboose rolling again on its own on that grade. The Elkhart-Sturgis turn worked nights then. Power was always interesting. Mostly GP-7s on their last years of service and occasionally some disgustingly filthy F units just months away from the scrap yards.
Ray Peacock Troy Strane great recollections. I do remember the nighttime switching by the depot blocking traffic on M66.

Ben Higdon commented on Thomas' post
Under early Conrail this was the crossing of the Quincy Branch, GR&I Branch, and Goshen Industrial Track

Thomas Bowers posted
Here is another shot looking east on the LSMS at RK Tower, Sturgis, Mi. S. Houts Photo
Ray Peacock There's an NYC diesel in the yard, looks like the train's caboose on the main. Perhaps a '63ish yellow MOW vehicle over to the right. NYC would switch Sturgis daily back then. In this era, the NYC would've been used as a relief valve to the Air Line fleet of passenger and express moves, with occasional detours.
Ben Higdon assuming the crew is tied down I would guess early Conrail, as I’m pretty sure there was still a road train from Elkhart to Hillsdale through the PC years
Ray Peacock Ben Higdon Tower was long gone by then as was that line to Middlebury. Kinda looks like an Alco diesel down there..
Ben Higdon Someone commented on the other post that it came down in the late 70s, which is what I thought. Can’t figure out what that loco could be!
Ben Higdon That tall semaphore mast looks like it was intended for fast passenger trains. There was still one east of Adrian as of ten years ago (without blades)
Lee Lovelette thinking that is the power for the local that was based out of Sturgis....most likey a GP7 or 9 as that was the normal power for this area
Mike Snow Looks more like a F unit and a PC transfer cab on the main

St. Joseph County Historical Society of Michigan posted

STURGIS: The GR&I (later Pennsylvania)

PART FOUR

This is the tower, called Red Oak, that controlled traffic at the crossing of the LS&MS and GR&I in Sturgis. The camera is pointed south along the GR&I tracks.

In its peak years, the GR&I provided excellent north-south passenger and freight service at Sturgis. The road’s passenger schedule for September 22, 1918, for example, shows three daily northbound and three daily southbound passenger trains through Sturgis.

Going north, Nottawa could be reached in about 15 minutes, Mendon in 30 , Kalamazoo (36 miles) in one hour and 20 minutes and Grand Rapids (182 miles) in a little over three hours – rapid service, considering there were 10 scheduled stops between Sturgis and Grand Rapids. The scheduled stops were: Nottawa, Wasepi (where the GR&I crossed the Michigan Central’s Air Line division, which was completed in 1871), Mendon, Portage Lake, Vicksburg. Austin Lake, Kalamazoo, Plainwell, Shelbyville and Wayland; flag stops could be made at Perrin (near Perrin Lake north of Sturgis), Moline and Ross.

Going south from Sturgis, Howe could be reached in about 12 minutes, LaGrange in 25, Kendalville in one hour and 10 minutes and Fort Wayne (57 miles0 in two hours and 10 minutes. There were 11 stops between Sturgis and Fort Wayne, all scheduled: Howe, LaGrange, Valentine, Wolcottville, Rome City, Kendallville, Avilla, B&O Crossing, Swan, LaOtto and Huntertown.

Mike Breski shared

Tim Shanahan shared