Steam & Excursion > GTW Pacific at Muskegon - mid '50s

Pacific # 5629 rests in the blue light of evening at Muskegon Heights MI after pulling train #21 in from Detroit.

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Wow. Photos at Muskegon, my retirement hometown, are hard to come by. This image would appear to be at the GTW Peck Street station, at the northeast corner Peck St. and Laketon Ave., in the midtown area. The Trunk used that station, along with Pennsy, in later years rather than its earlier downtown depot, which is now a pleasant airbnb location: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/33373153?source_impression_id=p3_1685021536_4dtR1nfFtXIoK8ie
And it would not appear to be the Union Depot downtown, not used by GTW.

GTW tracks ran directly east out of Muskegon from the Peck Street station right along the north edge of Laketon Avenue. The ROW is today a paved walking / hiking  / biking trail. The Peck Street station and the ROW were within the city limits of Muskegon, although they closely skirted Muskegon Heights, just to the south. The site of the Peck Street station when demolished (sorry do not have a date) was a car wash. But later the site was included in the overall grounds of Hackley Hospital, later the Mercy Health Hackley Campus. That hospital subsequently closed, and is now being redeveloped into a new community healthcare facility, and a new school.

The GTW 5629, later to be famous as an excursion engine while owned by Chicagoan Richard Jensen, was a regular powering trains into Muskegon from Durand and Detroit. Including overnight trains with sleeping car service. So neat to see it in this scene - thanks.

MC



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/25/23 06:48 by ironmtn.