One Trip on This Railroad Cost $65 Million | The Iron Range and Huron Bay Railroad

Рет қаралды 149,747

Жыл бұрын

In the late 1800s, construction began on a new railroad. It was a great idea - except for the ancient mountains standing in their way. This is the story of the Iron Range & Huron Bay Railroad in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. And it's one wild ride.
Thanks to the Baraga County Chamber of Commerce for supporting this video! To learn more about this area, click here: bit.ly/keweenawbay
✨ Want to support my work? Well, hey, thank you so much. You can learn more about how to keep this thing going at / alexisdahl .
☕ Find this series valuable, but Patreon isn't for you? You can also help keep this thing going at www.buymeacoffee.com/alexisdahl.
Find Me Elsewhere:
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• On Twitter, I occasionally share science news and the occasional thought: / alexiswrites
Key research sources I used to learn about the Iron Range and Huron Bay Railroad, the Huron Mountains, typhoid, the Canadian shield, and more:
IR&HB RR:
“The Railroad That Never Ran” by Robert D. Dobson
“True Tales: The Forgotten History of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula” by Mikel B. Classen
www.cbhhs.org/points-of-interest/
Typhoid:
www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-c...
www.acs.org/content/acs/en/ed...
Geology:
pubs.usgs.gov/gip/birth/birth...
www.usgs.gov/geology-and-ecol...
www.nps.gov/kewe/learn/nature...
Corrections:
4:36 - At minimum! The rocks that make up the mountains often date back much farther than 1 billion years.
04:59 - To be more precise, the Canadian shield is /part/ of the nucleus of North America.
#Michigan #UpperPeninsula #Railroad

Пікірлер: 238

@thezfunk Жыл бұрын

As someone who grew up 30 mins from the UP in WI, 'the middle of nowhere' describes almost the entire Upper Peninsula

@uprebel5150 Жыл бұрын

I live UP here too and you have to be more descriptive than that.

@uprebel5150 Жыл бұрын

That two-track that you turned around at looked great actually for the UP. However, never go drivin' out in the woods without at least a bow saw. I take a chainsaw and use it more than you would think.

@bold810 Жыл бұрын

(uuuppss) U.P.sss we not speak out loud about that. 😊😊😊😊😊

@66bigbuds 6 ай бұрын

That's what I love about it. Until you break down and have to walk out for 6 to 8 hours.

@crazykiller-qh9jn 2 ай бұрын

@@uprebel5150you ever hear of a town call Baraga county?

@eherrmann01 Жыл бұрын

I just found your channel yesterday and have been pretty much binge watching since. Your infectious enthusiasm is addictive, and being originally from Michigan, I find your topics fascinating. We need more channels like yours on KZfaq. Thank you.

@AlexisDahl Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! I really appreciate that.

@Nphen Жыл бұрын

@@AlexisDahl I am with Erik. I just found your channel and this is the 3rd video in a row I've started watching. Living near Lansing after nearly a decade in Grand Rapids and growing up near Detroit. Some of my wife's family grew up in the UP. I've only been there twice, but it's so amazing. Touring the Soo Locks was fun and could be a video on its own. So is the bike culture on Mackinac Island. And of course boating on the Great lakes. Cheers to more great content in 2023 and beyond!

@nathanaelkolb4024 Жыл бұрын

Ditto!!

@jasondk5127 Жыл бұрын

KZfaq led me here too! It's great!

@kkkk-wg6je Жыл бұрын

God bless the UP

@tallowisp8868 Жыл бұрын

Just imagine how the workers must have felt. Putting everything into building this thing, losing co workers to disease half way through and then it didn't even get used. Maybe I should remember that when I feel like a work meeting was wasted time and remind myself of how much worse it could have been.

@tomlund4951 Жыл бұрын

Gratitude as an attitude! You can’t go wrong! ✊🏻

@AngelRodriguez-ge8os Жыл бұрын

I’ve been living in WI for 4 and some years. While porcupine mountain and the surrounding forestland doesn’t exactly compare to the Cascades back from where I grew up, there’s something truly special about the region of Northern WI/UP

@texasyojimbo Жыл бұрын

What's weird is that Baraga County is "just down the road" in a sense from me... if by road you mean "US 41", since I live near Nashville, Tennessee.

@AlexisDahl Жыл бұрын

Ha, that's amazing! You also made me realize I've never looked up the full extent of US-41 - that's one heck of a road trip!

@amberyooper Жыл бұрын

@@AlexisDahl From the tip of the Keweenaw to the bottom of Florida...a very long drive...

@erbewayne6868 Жыл бұрын

The north end past Copper Harbor used to end in a turnaround and a driveway with a chain across it.

@uphunter39 Жыл бұрын

Being a frequent visitor of the "rock cut" although I'm not a mechanical engineer, I can assure you, there is no chance a train could make it back up that grade, having grown up in the Skanee area, the original old timers told me the train ran once to the dock and couldnt make it back up the grade, dock is easy to find, just follow the slate river to the mouth

@jdwusami Жыл бұрын

I visited the Cutback in 2020 as a fun getaway from Traverse City. Beautiful area in the fall.

@hexazalea1793 Жыл бұрын

8% isn't impossible for geared locomotives theyre built for torque and i've heard of a few doing 12

@AndrewAMartin Жыл бұрын

@@hexazalea1793 I've heard of Shays and Climaxes on logging railroads with those types of grades, but would they have been able to haul iron ore, and would they have been able to do it economically?

@norml.hugh-mann Жыл бұрын

@@hexazalea1793 they might be able to but not towing a load of ore cars

@hexazalea1793 Жыл бұрын

@@norml.hugh-mann Geared lomoctives were frequently used for logging and mining Alterativley im pretty sure Mallets are able to handle that absurdity

@cam1398 Жыл бұрын

I'm from the lower Mitten. Did some exploring in the U.P. this summer. So much untouched land and wild up there. Incredible to think that some of these towns were vastly more populated then, in late 1800's, than they are now. Many ghost towns and so much history along the mining corridors. Mining will have a new future in the U.P. this century, but I do hope the the vast majority is preserved for it's beauty.

@Watusifarm Жыл бұрын

I moved from Utah to northern Wisconsin just to be closer to the UP and Lake Superior. I love this place and I love its story.

@hoppes9658 Жыл бұрын

We don’t love you.Utah .

@alec4672 Жыл бұрын

As someone who lives near Hurley Wisconsin, just a short walk to the UP describing it as "the middle of no where" I'd say is entirely accurate 😂😂

@carlinglin7289 Жыл бұрын

Reminds of a joke, "The Five Phases of a Project: Enthusiasm, Disillusionment, Panic, The Search for the Guilty, The Punishment of the Innocent."

@stephenalexander6721 4 күн бұрын

6th phase, praise and honors for nonparticipants

@megmolkate Жыл бұрын

A friend who grew up in the L’Anse Baraga area once told me there was talk of building a blast furnace on Keewenaw bay. The boats that hauled ore down could and did haul coal back up, to an extent it is done to this day.

@acsoosub Жыл бұрын

IR&HB locomotives 301 & 302 went to the Algoma Central Railway in Ontario as ACR 25 & 26 in 1902

@stantaylor3350 Жыл бұрын

You should do a video of the smelting operation at Fayette on the Garden peninsula. The ore was mined at the Jackson mine in Marquette County then railed to Escanaba, then shipped to Fayette where it was made into pig iron, to be shipped to the steel mills on the lower great lakes. The state has been preserving the ghost town for over 60 yrs.

@miroadtrip Жыл бұрын

This was great, Alexis! I have to imagine many old men told stories in the bar about helping build that railroad for no trains ever to use it. Thanks for sharing this!

@AlexisDahl Жыл бұрын

Ha ha, I can only imagine! On the way back from our failed excursion into the mountains, we did end up stopping at a local bar, and several people already had their own stories about the rock cut/their own opinions on the railroad. I'd have loved to be a fly on the wall a hundred years ago!

@miroadtrip Жыл бұрын

@@AlexisDahl The things we could learn! Maybe we’ll be able to someday with a time machine 😂 Again, really great video!

@pauljohnson8528 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for this video. I used to work for the USFS on the Peshekee Grade and stopped by the Cut many times. This little corner of the world has a fascinating history.

@Brunoinski Жыл бұрын

My grandfather was a miner up there. He was in 2 cave ins and decided that was enough and moved down to SE Michigan

@vicbertfartingclack4559 Жыл бұрын

Great video - as always. This comment has nothing to do with this video, but I heard recently for the first time, about an ancient rock type known as Gowganda Tillite, a 2.4 billion year old conglomerate that can be found scattered around many areas in northern Michigan, including shorelines. It ties back to the snowball Earth glaciation. The more I read about this unique rock the more it fascinates me. Not that there is all that much to read on it. Anyway, just wondering if you’ve ever come across it.

@AlexisDahl Жыл бұрын

Thank you! Also, whoa, no, I hadn't heard of that. That sounds fascinating, though, and like there's so much to talk about there. I've added it to my list of ideas to look into!

@rorybellamy2533 Жыл бұрын

Now this is the history I have been waiting for, excellent thanks

@AlexisDahl Жыл бұрын

Thanks, Rory! I appreciate that.

@1.4142 Жыл бұрын

Sounds like the first time they tried to build the panama canal. Underrated channel.

@C.Schmidt Жыл бұрын

Gosh I'm just stuck on how sisyphean making Summit Rock Cut probably would have felt... a YEAR of work, maybe just dying, and on top of that not even getting paid!

@AlexisDahl Жыл бұрын

Right? Goodness. And all to look back and realize... it was more or less for nothing - or at least, definitely not for its intended purpose. What an endeavor.

@C.Schmidt Жыл бұрын

@@AlexisDahl yeah I can't imagine they were very happy when all was said and done. But either way, it made for a very interesting video!

@Omnifarious0 Жыл бұрын

It's interesting to me just how distinct the forests and the roads through them are in that general area. I could've told you that you were driving through the Midwest near the great lakes. Poplar and birch.

@AlexisDahl Жыл бұрын

I was struck by that, too, especially when I moved to the UP! The number of birch trees really jumped out at me.

@caodesignworks2407 Жыл бұрын

@@AlexisDahl The UP's birch tree population really stands out considering a whole lot of the birch trees in the LP were decimated by blight through the 90's. They've been recovering though

@timvb2 Жыл бұрын

I am a local from the area and had this been a sucess the area we live in would have been very urban and busy place.Kinda glad it did not happen.

@ericharsvick7421 Жыл бұрын

We are lucky guys for sure.

@vincentfontana7915 Жыл бұрын

Nice work Alexis and Merry Christmas to you and your husband. I'm in a fb group who model Lake Superior O gauge railroads. For us fellas, Upper Peninsula railroads are where its all at. I've shared your web with a few of the fellas I think they'll dig your videos I know I always look forward to the next on. You make your videos fun to watch and you know how to hold people's attention job well done. Keep up the good work and again wish you and your family a Merry Christmas God Bless.

@Engineer1980 Жыл бұрын

Your enthusiasm is wonderful! That, coupled with your knowledge and love of Michigan history and geology, make your videos worth watching. Keep it up!

@zzzubmno2755 Жыл бұрын

Well done. I have a History degree and a Geography degree. I love regional history and learning about geography of different places. Your little stories are a nice combo of both. They are fun to watch, so I am now a subscriber. Keep those vids coming, I look forward to seeing them.

@glasseyemarduke3746 Жыл бұрын

2:48 the room where it happened lol reminds me of a good play

@charliekeene2003 Жыл бұрын

That's pretty cool. Bad for the workers, though, that went through all that for basically nothing, but still a part of the past that shouldn't be forgotten.

@joshuamontgomery4992 Жыл бұрын

If you do Chapin mine make sure in research about the railroad from iron mountain to Escanaba. The owner of the mine and R.R. was a character. Last name slushinger.

@johnt6673 Жыл бұрын

This is my second video, she is such a cutie. Love her enthusiasm.

@JollyLamaCom Жыл бұрын

Great vid! I live in Hancock and had no clue about this. Look forward to more of your videos

@Geobeck Жыл бұрын

This is exactly the type of thing I love learning about ! awesome

@AlexisDahl Жыл бұрын

Shucks, thanks! I appreciate it!

@Vanta_Blue Жыл бұрын

Yay! New vid! And on an amusing topic too. I always enjoy hearing about how man's hubris made for silly projects.

@megmolkate Жыл бұрын

The boothill cemetery in Seney (south of town on the west side of CR 456) may make an interesting video.

@Soporbum42 Күн бұрын

This is great! My family spent every summer in Skanee just up the bay from this and learned a little about this train. Thanks for the video!

@joshuavissers9521 Жыл бұрын

Ha! Burt brought me there too, coincidentally. I recognized him before you intro'd him.

@AlexisDahl Жыл бұрын

Ha ha, that's wonderful. He's a great tour guide!

@monkeyearcheese420 Жыл бұрын

I love this area. Skanee (sp) is one of my favorite places on earth so far

@jenniferkatt7126 Жыл бұрын

This is so interesting! Lived in Michigan my entire life and love to see the history of our state! Good job!

@marknorthrup4897 Ай бұрын

The joy of your smile as well as the brilliance of your mind is encapturing (heh, if that isn't a real word then it should be). Well done! I learn so much each episode.

@wesley5k Жыл бұрын

Discovered you channel just yesterday and I'm hooked. We visited the Upper Peninsula this past summer and this adds so much more history and insight to many of the places we visited and some that we wish we had. Thank you for your research and delightful presentation.

@DavidSmith-fs4nt Жыл бұрын

Every one of your shows to pop up on KZfaq I've been watching. You do a great job researching and you have great enthusiasm.

@davidbroschay3917 Жыл бұрын

Such unique and interesting land formations and stories on this area of our continent. The western U.P. is my favorite area to visit. Thank you for expanding my mind on this channel!!

@MustangsTrainsMowers Жыл бұрын

Another video you could record is the the steam engine that they call Skookum. It was used on a logging railroad in the PNW until one day it went out of control down a grade and off of a curve. They tried to get it back on the tracks but it was took much for their limited resources. The railroad closed and the engine was left there before being partly dismantled and hauled out by a group I believe in the 1960’s. The owner had plans to restore it but he died. It changed ownership several times over the decades until it was finally restored to running about 2 years ago. I don’t remember it’s engine number.

@MustangsTrainsMowers Жыл бұрын

Deep River Logging #7.

@robertfindley921 Жыл бұрын

Love these old stories. Keep it up!

@nooneknows6060 Жыл бұрын

Nicely Done! Your vids are steady improving . I love the way you balance information and entertainment.

@AlexisDahl Жыл бұрын

Thank you! I really appreciate that.

@willkosmider2027 Жыл бұрын

I have very much enjoyed your video productions. I look forward to your continued video info in all of the interesting aspects of the Upper Peninsula. Thank you!

@kevinthorrington2131 Жыл бұрын

I was born and raised a yooper. Don’t live in the UP now but visit during the summer. I was born in Grand Marais on south shore of Lake Superior. Great video!!!

@stantaylor3350 Жыл бұрын

I worked with Peter Thorrington at the Tiden, he was from Grand Marais. Relative? If he is, tell him I say hi.

@kevinthorrington2131 Жыл бұрын

@@stantaylor3350 Pete is the middle brother, I'm the youngest. I'm almost 60.

@astrorad2000 Жыл бұрын

Great video and super enthusiasm! Thank you!

@jonlangford7622 Жыл бұрын

Cool story plus old rocks, thank you.

@hokyry111 Жыл бұрын

Wow. They tried so hard, and got so far! But in the end, it doesn’t even matter…

@AlexisDahl Жыл бұрын

If copyright restrictions weren't a thing, that song would have 100% gone in this video.

@peacefulpossum2438 Жыл бұрын

😂😂😂

@moneycake1494 Жыл бұрын

The story I have been told is that the train actually left from Champion and fell into the Peshekee river swamp. The tracks went through few miles of swamp which I imagine was just as difficult to build on.

@amberyooper Жыл бұрын

Yes, building a stable roadbed across a swamp was always a tricky thing back in the old days. It took a lot of fill to make it solid enough for the weight of the trains.

@kentowens2179 Жыл бұрын

Nice video. You present yourself and the info very well, and have a pleasant voice. I enjoy listening to you and enjoy your subject matter. Thank you!

@nickphillips2125 Жыл бұрын

Most interesting. Thank you, Ms. Dahl

@michiganprospectors Жыл бұрын

Michigan has some of the best natural beauty in the World. For many years as I travelled the World, I dreamed of coming back to Michigan. Here I am once more in this amazing land.

@randygyulay5114 Жыл бұрын

Another great piece of history.

@jamestnov41945 Жыл бұрын

Once again Alexis a fascinating episode.

@wendylarson2375 Жыл бұрын

As you introduced this story, I was thinking is that the Champion kibosh? Yup. Love your channel having grown up in Escanaba and graduating from Tech. I miss the U.P. I love your stories and have learned so much from your adventures. Thank you.

@Cedrus_ Жыл бұрын

i never learn about Michigan so i love how you talk about it as much as you do

@BarfusWOW Жыл бұрын

my wives uncle lives in northern ontario, when he expanded his house he ran into a chunk of the canadian shield.... needless to say .. he now has a house with a big rock in the basement (it's fucken massive). that stuff.. does not move easy.

@joewaun894 Жыл бұрын

I just found your channel this morning and man i love it awesome woman of science making great videos about Michigan being from Michigan. i really think our state is "slept on" its really a gorgeous state and i love your videos bringing attention to it

@merkin313 Жыл бұрын

you are an amazing story teller! I'm from Michigan and i love your channel!

@JulianOShea Жыл бұрын

Great adventures and beautiful part of the world.

@medicmule Жыл бұрын

Fascinating. Being from Southend Indiana, I have always loved the UP's outdoors. I never even heard of this track.

@nerdgarage Жыл бұрын

It's Michigan --- EVERYWHERE is the middle of nowhere (especially in the UP).

@joelb8653 Жыл бұрын

I live in a village no one knows exists and I'm only a half hour from the capital. Yes I live in Nashville, no it's not in Tennessee.

@GxAce Жыл бұрын

Awesome channel! Keep up the good work. Michigan is the best place haha.

@ronjon7942 Жыл бұрын

Ahhh, the Canyon Falls of the Sturgeon River - my favorite place on my favorite river! I was so happy to see it at the very end of this episode. I’m moving back home to Land o’ Lakes, WI, right on the border south of Watersmeet, from Tempe, Arizona. As much I love the desert, the dryness, and especially the heat, I’ve to return to where I grew up in order to help out my parents. I may have grown up in northern Wisconsin, but my heart is in the UP (well, and in Arizona), but I’m so looking forward to going back to my UP stomping grounds, I bought a couple white water kayaks to bring back with me, specifically, as it happens, to run Canyon Falls during the high waters of springtime.

@skimusic3773 Жыл бұрын

Thank you! My late husband did land research and took me along to see the places he researched. You might look into the power structures here - we looked at "hidden" dams from long ago in some very cool spots.

@sammythompson3694 Жыл бұрын

We have hidden dams here in NC started as mill ponds like the Great Dismal Swamp is a millpond . In the bible belt mill ponds can be seen from the sides of paved roads with a crumbling brick structure next to it. I'm old now and enjoyed this video too.

@paulboring9053 Жыл бұрын

You are very good at this. Exceptional. 👍

@arocker23 Жыл бұрын

This is a fascinating video!

@HandsWithLegs Жыл бұрын

Woah, didn’t expect this to be about champion! That was my favorite rock hunting place in college! If you know exactly where to look you can find beautiful clusters of jet black schorl tourmaline in a really spectacular area!

@DaKnottyYooper Жыл бұрын

These videos are wonderful!!! Yooper Approved!!!

@elainebelzDetroit Ай бұрын

Michigan history can get pretty wild.

@rjcoady21 10 күн бұрын

My family worked for the LS&I railroad in that area.

@timrev8 Жыл бұрын

Thank you!!

@winterburden Жыл бұрын

Thanks, that's so cool!

@mykabe Жыл бұрын

UNDERRATED! Subbed

@JohnFrenchtheArtist Жыл бұрын

County Road 607 in Marquette County is better known as the Peshekee grade. We've been on it dozens of times, but I never knew the historical foundation of this rough and winding road. Very cool!

@robertharold2503 Жыл бұрын

Hurray for Michigan…full of interesting stories

@petersmafield3474 Жыл бұрын

I was 16 in 1962 I drove my mother from Port Huron in the Thumb of Michigan to the Upper Peninsula to Christmas, Michigan. I went swimming in Munising Bay with a large group of very large bowlders. Each was at least the size of two small trucks. It was a place where the local teenage kids went swimming and play away from adults. We stayed at the Knott Pine motel and bar and eat at the Christmas Inn that had a brown bear in a pen at the back. The bear was given honey-sweetened Kool-Aid by tourists in Pop bottles which he drank as a baby would. This helped pay for the expenses of the bear. For those who think the bear should have been released, you need to remember that it was found abandoned as a very small cub and would not have been able to fend for itself in the wild.

@erbewayne6868 Жыл бұрын

I drove from port Huron thru Christmas to Houghton many times in late 60's and early 70's I remember a gale blowing off the lake with the westbound lane covered by 6 ft of snow.

@johntmcdonough176 Жыл бұрын

my location on face book is ( In the middle of nowhere) and in all my travels I have found railroads abandon many grades and switches. Most of them are impassable to drive on but can be walked with care.

@JohnDoe-vy5hh Жыл бұрын

I didn't know Michigan had an Iron Range too. I live on the Mesabi Iron Range in Minnesota.

@amberyooper Жыл бұрын

I obviously need to spend more time checking out the Huron mountains. I usually just go to the Keweenaw for my summer trips. I have to go to Brockway Mountain every summer. To me, it feels like a very spiritual place on top of Brockway. I guess I should check out the Huron mountains and see what that feels like.

@AlexisDahl Жыл бұрын

Brockway is gorgeous! I completely see why that's on your list. I'm definitely no expert in exploring the Huron Mountains, ha, but from what I learned, I'd highly recommend it.

@jojobar5877 Жыл бұрын

She is very engaging and interesting. Great topics too. Subscribed

@silverforest4682 Жыл бұрын

Maybe you could do a report on the Huron Mountain club? No roads that a regular person can use, only club members.

@silverforest4682 Жыл бұрын

I should add that even we got to the end of the road, there was a guard box there with a guard. It would be interesting to know what they have in there

@jerrymoran8323 Жыл бұрын

Find the Two volumes of Superior Heartland to learn about early years of HMC as well as their anonymous philanthropic activities. Like many private clubs they seek solace to escape the same things you might find in the surrounding wilderness experience.

@buckruttin2246 Жыл бұрын

Excellent work! So awesome to see the U.P. being showcased. Thank you and please keep it up.

@MstrCorrin Жыл бұрын

You should come down to the Thumb area, we have a ton of quirky landscapes

@xPr1m3 Жыл бұрын

Super interesting. Another failed project that captures my interest is the Clinton-Kalamazoo canal (being from the area). It would be super cool to see a video about it.

@bobc8649 2 ай бұрын

There is a 90 page book on this. The Railroad that never ran by Robert Dobson. Lots of pictures and gps waypoints.

@gsilcoful Жыл бұрын

Very cool.

@bluekitty3731 Жыл бұрын

My great uncle had the family homestead in Baraga county, he made a fortune in logging and even during the depression would go to town everyday with twenty dollars in his pocket, the family lore has it that his fortune in gold coins is buried somewhere around the homestead!

@jasonstevens2984 Жыл бұрын

Great story,

@joesmith1574 7 ай бұрын

Those side by side ATV’s are pretty cool, aren’t they?!

@ericgolke9530 Жыл бұрын

Did you ever think of doing a episode on the Peshtigo fire?

@PIcoAirBearings Жыл бұрын

Reminds me of the SWLRT

@treed5679 Жыл бұрын

I grew up in Southern MI I honestly had no clue about the Huron mountains.

@gaziltapig Жыл бұрын

Nice to see you getting out there, and doing nerd stuff like us! See you out there, maybe!

@kickseek Жыл бұрын

Reminds me of the story of a railroad company in my hometown that went bankrupt before they'd finished building. One of the wooden bridges was dismantled and floated downriver to be cut into matchsticks!

@richardmourdock2719 Жыл бұрын

This retired geologist, lover of the U P. and michigan-o-phile (except when they play my Buckeyes) greatly enjoys your posts. You do a great job drawing folks to the Michigan woods and waterways. Looking forward to my next motorcycle trip that way and will definitely check out the railroad.

@generybarczyk6993 Жыл бұрын

In 1893 the U.S., and much of the world, was plunged into a depression -- the Panic of 1893 -- that devastated the U.S. economy, saw commodity prices, including that of iron ore, plummet, and led to the failure of many banks and the bankruptcy of numerous other businesses, including several major railroads: the Reading (reputed to be the biggest railroad in the world at the time), the Union Pacific, the Northern Pacific, and the Santa Fe, among others. The fact that the IR&HB was sold for pennies on the dollar may not be so remarkable, given that the effects of the depression did not really begin to moderate until 1897 and lingered for some years after. As usual, the economic bust came after a frenzied boom, so the business climate in 1890 and '91 would have looked very favorable for expanding the mine's infrastructure. When will we ever learn? Even so, from what I've read, the IR&HB would have had some grades in excess of 5% (5 foot rise/fall for every 100 feet of distance), where most U.S. freight railroads today aim for a maximum grade of 1.5% and grades of 3% are considered steep. Under the best of circumstances, the IR&HB still would have faced an uphill battle. I grew up in Toledo, and my family spent many a summer vacation at Michigan lakes, though less often in the U.P. I also did some railroading in the wayback, so I really enjoyed the report. Thanks.

@Howard-ur2rj Жыл бұрын

When I seen "Iron Range", got excited. But in Michigan !!?? Than i had to google some . Where i live is also the Iron Range, in Minnesota. Well , there is many "Iron Ranges", with 3 in Minnesota. At Hibbing ,Mn, I live in Mesabi Iron Range. Rich in history. Nevertheless, great vid and love the history. Thanks.

@pme166 2 ай бұрын

It would be interesting to see the Logo and learn more about the engines and cars they planned on using the line. Also the turns and pathway of the line would tell us much about the feasibility of rail. Narrow gauge rails can thru some pretty tight turns and bends, but your pictures of the ties, seemed to indicate it was a conventional width railroad. Final question, was any of their grade used by the DMIR that came much later? DMIR is famous for the big Yellowstone locomotives, arguably the most powerful steam engines made (video suggestion by the way).