Bad Axe, MI: Master Mix Feed Mill, Pere Marquette Depot and GTW Engine House

If you are here because of "Webster Junction: TP&W vs. KBS/Milwaukee/CTH&SE," then you need to go to there.

Elevator: (Satellite)

Depot: (Satellite)

Engine House: (Satellite, based on the topo map below.)

Since my Dad worked for Central Soya, anything with a Master Mix logo catches my eye.

William Johnson posted
In April of 1988, CSX still had a presence in the thumb part of Michigan's "mitten," operating the old C&O branch lines that I believe were originally owned by the Pere Marquette.  Bad Axe was one place where you could usually catch something, in this case, two Chessie System GP30s. The 4127 was originally B&O, while the 4207 was a C&O GP30M and was still carrying C&O reporting marks. As nice as the two Big Cats were, my next visit would present something even better, two high hood first gen GPs wearing the Pere Marquette inspired paint scheme of the Huron and Eastern.
William Johnson also posted

We can still see some remnants of the logo on the silos. The rail siding has been turned into Gold Street. The elevator is probably abandoned because there is a huge grain elevator in Pigeon, MI, which is also on this branch.

Street View, Jul 2024

Jim Kelling posted
Grand Trunk Western depot in Bad Axe, Michigan (ICC valuation photo from 1920) reposted.
Mark Hershoren shared

A power pole obscures our view of the bay window for the agent's office.

Street View, Jul 2024

I think the "witch's hat" is common for Pere Marquette Depots.

Street View, Jul 2024

See Pigeon, MI, for some information about this PM branch. I wondered thin if CSX was serving a branch or if it had been sold to a shortline. William's post answers that question. It is now owned by Huron & Eastern. In addition to owning the PM branch, H&E must have trackage rights on the Lake State Railway because that is also dark orange and because they list CN in Durand as an interchange railroad.

gwrr_hesr

It is not a roundhouse, but it is where GTW stored their locomotives at the end of this branch line. So I added the "roundhouse" label to these notes.

Jim Gilmore posted
GTW (D&H) engine house, Bad Axe, Michigan

PM had the north/south route so GTW must have add the route to the west. Both are now owned by HESR.

1970/73 Bad Axe East Quad @ 24,000