Large Scale Central

The railroad that wasn't

Funny tidbit from the home page - http://wluctv6.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=166900

The railroad was built, but it was never used.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at 7:07 a.m.

NEGAUNEE TOWNSHIP – A series of miscalculations in the 1890s led to one of the most expensive transportation blunders in U.P. history.

More than 100 years after it flopped, the story of the railroad that never ran is still capturing public interest. The Iron Range and Huron Bay Railroad was the subject of a presentation at the Michigan Iron Industry Museum Tuesday.

Author and historian Robert Dobson chronicled how investors underestimated the cost, distance, and steepness of the terrain.

The project went bankrupt without a single train completing the journey.

“In the last year as they finished everything, and all the bills came in, and they found out there was no ore to haul from the Champion Mine, they were another one million two hundred thousand dollars in debt, so it really cost over two million dollars,” said author and historian, Robert Dobson.

The Tuesday afternoon series at the museum continues next week with a look at life in the heyday of Fayette.

“…investors underestimated the cost, distance, and steepness of the terrain.” - sounds like a lot of garden railroads I know :lol: .

-Brian

Sounds a lot like mine…lotta money invested and hasn’t made a dime yet…but I sure have fun…:wink:

some of those very reasons are leading to the fall move and rebuild.

Ken;
The figures are just in. Two seperate auditors agree. The IPP&W increased it’s profits in the first half of 2008, over last year’s first half, by 100 %.

All vice presidents have been rewarded with 50% wage increases.

So you see there is hope…

So, Fred, is my check in the mail…??

And since the “Invasion” played no small part in that should the rest of the engineers and conductors be expecting similar treatment?

As Vice President of Shotty Little Jobs, I hereby designate my bonus check to Aunt Mary’s Home for Wayward Girls. We have to do everything to encourage them. I mean, support them… uh, help them, yeah, that’s it.

Wait a minute, 50% of 0.00 is… Those poor girls.

Sigh.