Railroad: West Michigan Railroad Co.

The West Michigan Railroad Company (WMI) is a short line railroad that operates in southwest Michigan. It’s owned by Hamilton Hartford Group LLC, led by Linus Starring. The railroad traverses a standard-gauge branch line of the former Pere Marquette Railway heading east from Hartford, Mich.

History

Years before Hamilton Hartford’s ownership, the West Michigan Railroad Company was established in 1995 by Pioneer Railcorp when the line was purchased from the Southwestern Michigan Railroad. The ex-PM branch at the time served the towns of Hartford and Paw Paw at a distance of 15 miles. By 2013, Pioneer filed for abandonment on the Lawrence to Paw Paw section of the railroad. Having kept an eye on developments taking place and waiting for the opportunity, Starring and his associates formed Hamilton Hartford to acquire the West Michigan. An Offer of Financial Assistance was filed, using Great Lakes Locomotive LLC as the acquirer to discuss negotiations with Pioneer. On November 4, 2015, Hamilton Hartford became official owners of the 4.25 miles of track east of Hartford. The remaining Lawrence to Paw Paw section was sold for scrap during the negotiation process.

Reference: Trains.com January 30, 2023