LTSR: Conway to Bay View on Michigan's
newest tourist railroad
by Hank Brown and Jim Lindholm

After a mad dash from Wisconsin, the sight of Bay View, near Petoskey, Michigan, was a welcome relief. As we passed Conway Siding on Friday night, Bob Carr, operator of the Little Traverse Scenic Railroad, was busy preparing his passenger train for the next day. Several motor cars were resting on trailers nearby, waiting for Saturday morning to arrive. Saturday started with the excitement of greeting old friends and meeting new ones. The weather appeared to be against us as the weather-guessers predicted rain for the whole day. We met at 8 a.m. , signed waivers, and began unloading our cars. After much waiting, and some confusion, the ten car parade of motor cars followed the LTSR train as it began its climb to Bay View.

The LTSR operates a stretch of former Michigan Northern (ex-Penn Central, exx-Pennsylvania Railroad, exxx-Grand Rapids and Indiana} trackage that runs from Conway, MI to Bay View. Bay View is one mile north of Petoskey in the heart of northern Michigan ’s vacationland. The railroad uses a vintage SW-l switch engine which was coupled to a much more vintage coach which has been very nicely restored for excursion service. When patronage demands it, a couple of converted freight cars with bench seats can also be pressed into service. The railroad is hopeful of expanding service down the old C&O line from Petoskey to Charlevoix (16 miles), but the politics of the situation don't seem to be positive. One of the LTSR employees, who had run the last freight on the Michigan Northern before it went out of business, indicated that he moneyed property owners in Bay View, through whose back yards the tracks run, have stymied the railroad's efforts to run further south.

The fog had settled in and obstructed all three lakes, but it didn't dampen our spirits. Once into Bay View, we passed within an arm's length of the beautiful homes which line the Lake Michigan shore line. People lined the street with cameras clicking, having probably never before seen such a sight. We turned our cars and headed north through Conway and Alanson, where the tracks ended in front of a station, now filled with antiques. The "Bean Palace" was across the street, so 25 hungry MCCAers headed for lunch.

After lunch, we made several trips to Conway and back to Alanson. At 5 p.m. , we went out ahead of the train to see the Petoskey station, which had recently been renovated. All ten cars headed south, climbing the grade through Conway and passing Crooked Lake and Round Lake , which were now visible. A light drizzle was falling as we approached the new crossing at Highway 31 in Petoskey. After a short grade and on a heavily ballasted track which would have derailed an inexperienced operator, we reached the station. A local art fair was blocking our further progress, so we returned to Conway and supper.

The 40 people who attended the meet really enjoyed Bob Carr's hospitality on the Little Traverse Scenic Railroad, despite the rain.

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 Last Edited 28 January, 2018