I can recall a few instances where we put out protections for festivals. One time we had agreed to curtail movements for about an hour for a parade in the city of Romulus. They didn't want a train "parading through" the middle of theirs! It was somewhat comical though in a way. We had a northbound make the customary stop south of Northline Road when waiting for the signal at Romulus. However, the head end crew took it upon themselves to cut off the power and run up to town to watch the parade. Even though the signal at the diamond wasn't lined, as they approached it activated the crossing gates anyway and the gates came down right in the middle of the parade! The city fathers were not too happy about that!!

Once for a festival in Holly we put out an order to "sound horn frequently and look out for heavy pedestrian and vehicular traffic." The speed around the curves at Holly was only 15 MPH anyway. I copied the order for southbounds at Kearsley. I remember one of the other operators copying it at Carleton called me on the message line and wanted to know how to spell "pedestrian" and "vehicular!!" I guess he was too embarrassed to ask the dispatcher!

One time we also had to hold trains on the Ludington Sub between Freeland and Mershon when Reagan flew into Tri-City airport and his motorcade would be crossing our tracks.