Chicago & Lake Michigan Railway

Synopsis
The Chicago & Lake Michigan Railway is a Railway line Running from Chicago, IL to Traverse City, MI.

Synopsis:
The Chicago & Lake Michigan Railway Company was was one man's vision for a major trunk line to bypass a congested Chicago rail scene, as well as provide the first link between the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and The Windy City VIA the East shore of Lake Michigan. The Railroad Attracted a great deal of Attention, particularly from the farmers who lived along Michigan's West Shore. Soon Enough Money was brought in and Construction Started in Earnest. But in the Haste to Build the Railroad, it was poorly located: problematic and expensive to operate, Its Many trestles, sharp curves, and susceptibility to The Elements have made it a pricey maintenance nightmare. Financial Troubles became apparent before the Road even Reached Manistee, Projected Headquarters. but the railroad slowly materialized, and opened for buisness in 1925. However, when the Railroad began pursuing the Extension to Mackinac City, they discovered that the ground beyond the city was too soft for railroad tracks. so the line to traverse city became a branch line. The First Engine, #1, was acquired secondhand from the Short Lived Superior Range Railway, which had also acquired the engine secondhand from the Short Lived Trans France Railway, a failed Company in France which had also floundered. #1's arrival, as well as the Purchase of several railcars signalled the beginning of service on the "Windy City Road". The Locals quickly became acquainted with this small Railroad, and often assisted it when in need. at one time, to cover its debts, most of the rails were taken up and sold, leaving nothing but the rotted ties. But somehow New Rails were acquired, and the trains were running once more. For a while at first, daily trains were operated—I should have said train, not trains—which left Chicago during the morning, Reached Manistee in the Afternoon, and back down to Chicago in the evening. It never was a Railroad that bothered much about regular hours for leaving and arriving. Its trains left when they got good and ready, and made no rash promises as to when they would arrive. And while this railroad, which had become known as "The Lake Michigan Dummy" had not lived up to the expectations of its owners, there was something delightfully informal about this friendly little railroad, and there was a certain element of chance about riding on it that added to the zest of the trip. It did not always stop at the same place, but you could flag it down anywhere simply by holding up your hand, and it would slow down and let you get on. No one could keep from having kindly feeling for anything so obliging.

Civilian Ownership and Excursion traffic
Despite its success amongst the civilians and farmers it served, the Railway was still In debt, and Eventually the People of Manistee were so involved with keeping the Line open they Bought the C&LM in 1927 and ran it themselves. This was a victory for the people of Michigan's west shore, but the survival of the railroad was still in question. Even on the first day of operations, the Railway had trouble. On the same day that the Civillians purchased the railroad, locomotive #12 hit a sun kink on The Traverse City Branch and derailed, tipping onto its side. Thankfully nobody was hurt but it was a poor start for the C&LM. One of the nicknames the railroad had earned during its years of operation was the "Crippled & Little Money ", a play on words for the initials of the Chicago & Lake Michigan, and it really was living up to the name. Targeting tourists to augment passenger Traffic, the Railway ran inaugurated its first (and only) Named Train, under the name "Windy City Flyer". After the retirement of Locomotive #1 in 1948, Engine #12 was used on the enthusiast excursions while #2 was relegated to freight traffic. over time, these Excursions would come to be the only thing keeping the little Railway afloat. well into the 1950s, Engine #12 remained a fan favorite, yet its large size and the broken down quality of the tracks led to frequent derailments, most of which were minor and quickly corrected. #12 ran until 2022, when a tender axle snapped in half, forcing the engine into retirement. While the C&LM has promised that #12 will return to the rails, it is unknown exactly when the locomotive will operate again.