Old_MHM

Marquette and Huron Mountain

The Marquette and Huron Mountain was a steam powered tourist railroad operating on an ex-LS&I branch from Marquette to Big Bay, Mich. They had dreams of making it more than just a train ride - plans were to sell memberships in the railroad so one could buy a "job" there, and also they had planned to build a big resort at Big Bay, with speedboat rentals and so on. That never happened, and today the road's ex-LS&I 2-8-0 steam engines are scattered all over the country, some still operating. The Grand Canyon Railway has the 18 and the 29 in running condition, with the 20 for parts, while the 19 was on display in Las Vegas, NV at the MGM Grand Casino, but apparently is no longer? Other engines are working on other short lines or in museums.

NEW! I have rescanned all of the M&HM slides and also added 6 new ones ! The slides were rescanned with the Nikon 4000 ED scanner, and all dust spots and other problems were removed.

Would you like prints of most any of these slides? Go to Desert-Rails.com for details!

	In July of 1964 I made my first trip up to the Marquette and Huron Mountain in Marquette, shortly after the railroad had started operations.
	Here is the 23 just arriving at the station. July 1964, Marquette, Michigan. New Photo
	This is the caboose they had at the station, but I never saw it in service. Ex LS&I No. 7.
	The first time I rode the train was in July of 1964, and here the train has just arrived at Big Bay and has not yet turned on the wye for the return trip. This unit was the one that was on display at the MGM Grand Casino in Las Vegas - certainly a long ways from the wilds of Upper Michigan!
	And now the train is turned and ready to head back to Marquette. July 1964 at Big Bay, Michigan. New Photo
	Here is the station at Big Bay, and it looks like a new building built just for the railroad operations. It has now been converted into a lodge called "The Big Bay Depot Lodge" (thanks to Don Baird for the updated info and link!). This photo taken in July of 1964.
	And here we are arriving back at Marquette. July of 1964. New Photo
	Back at Marquette are 2 engines, the 22 and the 23, backing into the station. July of 1964.
	A couple of months later I chased the train but did not ride it, and here it is northwest of Marquette in September of 1964. New Photo
	For whatever reasons, the plans of the M&HM Railway didn't work out, and all of the engines were stored in a dead line, likely for several years by this time. Here is a shot of the 22, now being restored by the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in North Freedom, Wisconsin.
	A close up view of the 22. *New Photo*
	Here is the 19 in the dead line on November 9, 1969. New Photo
	Updated info January 26, 2006 courtesy of Bill Buhrmaster: This burned caboose was LS&I No. 6, a sister to the M&HM/LS&I No. 7 shown above. 37 years after taking this photo I finally know which caboose this was! Shown at Marquette, Michigan on November 9, 1969.

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