The old troop sleeper depot was relocated about one block eastward. It is behind the local Historical Society building, at the corner of Court and Cuyler Streets. It was put on a set of freight car trucks and is on a short section of track just under the car.
I’m not positive when the track between Mackinaw and Cheboygan was taken out of service, but probably was in 1984. The car ferry Chief Wawatam ceased operations in I believe August 1984, so there was no reason for the D&M to run to Mackinaw after that date. I can’t remember if the tracks to Mackinaw were torn out already when this passenger train was in town in 1989.
I rode on a different Bluewater excursion in 1983 (Elephant Express) that went to Mackinaw City, and I remember that the section from Cheboygan to Mackinaw was down to a 10 mph speed limit and the brush and trees were scraping against the sides of the coaches. It took an hour and a half to go the last 15 miles on the northbound trip.
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