Ramona Branch

Ramona Branch
Overview
Status a short section exists as a siding connecting with the CN railroad in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Locale Kent County, Michigan
Termini Oakdale Station, Grand Rapids
Reeds Lake
Stations 2
Services 1
Operation
Opened August 1888
Closed 1924?
Owner Grand Rapids, Lansing and Detroit Railroad
Operator(s) leased to Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad
Technical
Line length 2.53 mi (4.07 km)
Track length 2.53 mi (4.07 km)
No. of tracks 1
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) Standard gauge
Operating speed 0 mph (0 km/h)

The Ramona Branch was a railroad branch line in Kent County, Michigan. First placed in service in August, 1888[1] , it ran 2.53 miles (4.07 km)[2] starting from its connection at its western end with the Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad (now a CN line) at Oakdale Park Station in southeast Grand Rapids, Michigan. It ran in a northeasterly direction to end at the popular resort Reeds Lake in East Grand Rapids, Michigan.[3] It is a separate line from the Grand Rapids & Reeds Lake Railway line that connected to Ramona Park in the same area.

Remnants

The line was abandoned. Remnants remain in a railroad spur along Ramona Street in south east Grand Rapids, Michigan, as well as in several paths and walkways. The former course of the line can be seen on city maps, as several streets are interrupted by the former course of the railbed.

References

  1. ^ Twenty-Third Annual Report of the Commissioner of Railroads for the State of Michigan, 1895
  2. ^ Poor, Henry Varnum. Manual of the railroads of the United States. 27. New York: H.V. & H.W. Poor. p. 895. OCLC 6020508. http://books.google.com/books?id=XaooAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA895&lpg=RA1-PA895&dq=%22Reed's+Lake%22+%22Detroit,+Lansing+and+Northern%22&source=bl&ots=HyQ8m5ZG_9&sig=h_lCj2Mg2bMCf8VHICssxQAqjpQ&hl=en&ei=evfiSvb4IpDO8Qadk8zzAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CBYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%22Reed's%20Lake%22%20%22Detroit%2C%20Lansing%20and%20Northern%22&f=false. Retrieved 24 October 2009. 
  3. ^ Baxter, Albert (1974) [1891]. "CHAPTER XLV: NAVIGATION" (Google Books). History of the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan : with an appendix--History of Lowell, Michigan. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Grand Rapids Historical Society. p. 522. OCLC 2841595. http://books.google.com/books?id=DWN5AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA162&lpg=PA162&dq=%22grand+rapids+and+reeds+lake+street+railway%22&source=bl&ots=7Zh5nkVoMe&sig=MT96I33-_SIh9zsoryb2WfpovQE&hl=en&ei=9U7jSpjlIIauMKKk3cAB&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CA4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22grand%20rapids%20and%20reeds%20lake%20street%20railway%22&f=false. Retrieved 24 October 2009. "The landings at Reeds Lake are now reached by street railway extensions and by the Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad."