Railroad: Manistique and Lake Superior Railroad Company

The Manistique & Lake Superior railroad was created in 1909 to purchase and operate the Manistique & Northern from Manistique to Shingleton, a point on the DSS&A. In 1911, the line was extended four miles to Doty and a connection with the Munising Railroad. 

Manistique & Northern railroad → Manistique & Lake Superior Railroad → Operations ended

Built: 1909 - Bought Manistique & Northern line from Manistique to Shingleton.

Line Operated: 59 Years

Control: 1911 - by Ann Arbor railroad.

Operations Ended: 1968 - Abandoned

Reference: [MRRC]

Photo info: M&LS 2380 on the turntable at Old Manistique in 1950. [David Fulkerth collection.

Notes

Almost from the start, this railroad was controlled by the Ann Arbor railroad and was later abandoned in 1968.

This railroad's nickname was "The Haywire".

Time Line

1897. The Manistique & Northwestern railroad is built from the wharf at Manistique to Shingleton via Steuben, 34 miles. [MRL]

1900. The railroad builds its Hiawatha Spur to Hiawatha and Hiawatha Mill, a distance of 6 miles. It is abandoned in 1930. [MRL]

1902. The M&NW is reorganized as the Manistique, Marquette & Northern. [MRL]

1897. The railroad builds the Steuben branch, from Steuben to Pages, 7 miles. The branch is removed about 1920. [MRL]

1897. The railroad builds the Scotts Branch, from Scotts to Ackers, 11 miles. The branch is removed about 1925. [MRL]

1908. The M&N is reorganized as the Manistique, Marquette & Northern. [MRL]

1909. The Manistique & Lake Superior purchases the M&N.

1911. The M&LS is extended from Shingleton to Doty, to interchange with the Munising railroad (LS&I). [MRL]

1920. The railroad builds another branch, the McCafferty branch, from Steuben of about 5 miles. It is removed about 1930. [MRL]

1964. The Escanaba Daily Press reports that the Manistique & Lake Superior Railroad lives on traffic it gets from the Soo Line and hauls to Manistique for ferry movement by its parent Ann Arbor Railroad across Lake Michigan. It is in trouble if a proposal by the Soo Line to use a route from Marquette south through Eben and Rapid River. The M&LS is opposing the Soo's application. [EDP-1964-0321]

1968. The M&LS is abandoned. [MRL]