Railroad: Onaway & North Michigan Railway Company

This railway was built in 1901 by the Lobdell & Baily interests to bring hardwood from southwest Presque Isle into their factories in Onaway. The railroad crossed the D&M on the west side of Onaway, and went both northeast and southeast from there into the forests. It was a standard gauge line.

Built → Onaway & North Michigan Railway → Ended/Removed

Built: 1901 - lines into the forest around Onaway.

Operated for 29 years.

This was apparently a common carrier railroad but affiliated with Lobdell & Emory company in Onaway.

Operations Ended: 1930 - dissolved.

Reference: [MRRC]

Photo Info: Onaway and Northern No. 2 near Onaway. This was a Lima built Shay. [Stoner collection, UMB]. The logs on this train are hardwoods, taken from the forest southeast of Onaway. They are being transported to the Lobdell Emery plant in Onaway.

Notes

In addition to this line, Lobdell & Emery also depended on other railroads to harvest hardwoods from the forests in the area. There are several rate disputes between the company and the BCG&A and D&M railroads from the Hillman area.

Time Line

1901. August 15. Incorporation. The Onaway & North Michigan Railway Company was incorporated by the owners of the Huron Handle & Manufacturing Company. On September 9th of the same year, the Lobdell & Baily Manufacturing Company purchased all the interests of the HH&M Co. including the railway. This road had been constructed for the chief purpose of transporting forest products to the L&BM Co. plants in Onaway. There were 3 miles constructed as of January 1, 1902 and 6.5 miles by April 2, 1902. [MCR-1902]

According to early Onaway maps, the O&NM lines went northeast and southeast of town, crossing the D&M east of the Black Lake branch switch.

1902. Three miles were built during the year with 35-pound steel, and about 10,000 ties were used. The length of the road at present is about 6 1/2 miles, and it has no passenger or freight cars, being used exclusively for logging purposes. This road is owned entirely by the Lobdell & Baily Manufacturing Co. [MCR-1902]

1903. Log trains on the Onaway & North Michigan railroad were kept busy all night bringing in people rescued  from the forest fire along the track. The smoke was so dense as to be suffocating, and cinders and charred embers filled the air. [LSJ-1903-0430]