Timetable: Detroit & Mackinac Ry. - Valentine Lake Branch - La Roque to Valentine Lake

Single track branch line. This was part of the original Alpena & Northern railroad main line which was purchased by the D&M. After the purchase, the D&M built their northern division from La Roque to Cheboygan. At that point, this route became a branch line and was abandoned shortly thereafter when pine was depleted in Presque Isle and Montmorency counties. The Valentine Lake branch had many branches and spurs. One was from the Valentine Lake area west into Otsego County. (Note: Maps indicate that this line was parallel and near the Boyne City, Gaylord & Alpena line but the Valentine Branch was pulled up prior the the construction of the BCG&A.).

Key:  BB=Bascule Bridge | C=Coal | CS=Car Shop | D=Open during the day | DN=Day and night | DT=Double Track | EH=Enginehouse | H=Half Interlocked | I=Interlocker | J=Junction | LB=Lift Bridge | N=Open at night | P=Passing Track w/40' car capacity | RH=Roundhouse #stalls | S=Scales | SB=Swing Bridge | T=Turntable | TC=Telegraph call | W=Water | X=Crossing | Y=Wye | Yard=Yard

Notes

At May Lake Junction, a short branch line to the lake diverted from here. At McPhee a wye connected to a 3-4 mile long branch line which went southeast into the forest.

Time Line

1893. December 18. The A&N is completed nearly to Lake May. [DFP-1893-1218]

1893. December. The A&N mixed freight train north of Alpena stops on demand at Cathro, Bolton, Posen, Hoffman and arrives at South Rogers City, described as the "terminus". The train consists of a "neat and comfortable" coach divided into two compartments, engine and freight cars. Percy Hackett is the conductor and John Millen general superintendent. The road is already doing a good business in both passenger and freight. [AAN-1893-1220]

1894. January 10. The A&N main line has now reached McPhee, just inside of Montmorency County, where it turns on a wye. [AAN-1894-0110] On January 5th, the A&N train was returning to Alpena when, at one of the crossings near a sharp curve, a sleigh heavily loaded with wood was stuck on the track and the team was unable to pull it off. Just then the train came around the curve going at the rate of about 30 mph. When engineer Kennedy first saw the blockade, he was unable to stop the train. He reversed his engine and then both he and the fireman jumped. When the teamster saw the engineer and fireman jump he concluded they knew what was best to be done under the circumstances, and he followed. The three men landed in the snow with only a sprained shoulder among the three. The engine picked up the load of wood and scattered it in all directions, smashing the sleigh. The engine remained on the track. [AAN-1894-0110]

1894. June. The extension of Alger, Smith & Co.'s railroad from Lake May [Presque Isle county] into this county [Montmorency] is now being rapidly pushed forward. About 250 men are at work and it is expected that the line will be completed to Valentine Lake, six miles north of Atlanta, by the 1st of August, when the road will then run their passenger and freight train daily to and from Alpena. This will give the people of Atlanta and vicinity good connection with Alpena and which will receive much patronage. At Valentine lake the road will branch, one branch running east to Brush Creek timber and the other branch running west into township 31-1 east, where the company owns considerable pine timber. Alger, Smith & Co., estimate that they have from six to eight years lumbering in the north part of this county. [Atlanta Tribune-1894 via DFP]

1900. A log train consisting of an engine and twelve cars left the rails on White's log road, on the Valentine division of the Alpena & Northern railroad, and ran into a ditch. The accident was caused by rails spreading. [DFP-1900-0220]

1900. May 2. The fire on the Valentine Lake branch, 60 miles from Alpena, has subsided. A log train stopped three times to remove trees that had burned down and fallen across the track. [PHTH-1900-0502]

1900. A railroad bridge on the Valentine branch of the D&M burned due to a forest fire. The coaches were left on one side, while the engine was left on the other. About 40,000,000 feet of logs were a total loss along the line. [LSJ-1900-0516]

1903. September 5. The Valentine branch of the Detroit & Mackinac railroad is being take up and the material will be used in the extension of the road to Cheboygan.[DFP-1903-0905]