Coopersville and Marne Railway explained

Railroad Name:Coopersville and Marne Railway
Marks:CPMY
Locale:West Michigan
Start Year:1989
End Year:Present
Predecessor Line:Central Michigan Railway
Hq City:Coopersville, Michigan

The Coopersville and Marne Railway is a non-profit[1] tourist railroad and common carrier in West Michigan. It connects with the Grand Rapids Eastern Railroad. The company owns the track, which runs from Walker, Michigan to Coopersville, Michiganin Kent and Ottawa counties.It runs excursion trains from Coopersville to Marne and back and services one customer, near the end of the line, with freight cars of lumber.

, one car on the train will be handicapped accessible in the near future.[2]

As of 2022, the handicap-accessible car is still under restoration. No completion date has been announced.

As of 2023, the handicap-accessible car has completed restoration and is operational.[3]

Locomotives

NumberOriginal OwnerTypeBuilderBuild DateNotes
20United States Army20-ton SwitcherWhitcomb Locomotive WorksUnknownNon-Operational, stored.
1395Canadian National Railway4-6-0Montreal Locomotive Works1913Non-Operational, cosmetically restored and on display.[4]
2394Vermont RailwayRS-1ALCO1942Non-Operational, poor candidate for restoration. Former Tuscola and Saginaw Bay Railway.
3049DuPont Chemical50-ton SwitcherGeneral Electric1957Operational, secondary locomotive used on the railroad.
5208Chesapeake and Ohio RailwayNW2EMD1949Non-Operational, used as a parts engine for #7014.
7014Grand Trunk Western RailroadSW9EMD1952Privately owned. Operational, main locomotive used on the railroad.
7209Consumers Energy125-ton Center Cab SwitcherGeneral Electric1949Gifted to CPMY in February, 2023, as part of the J.H. Campbell generation facility's planned 2025 closure. Was used as a switcher for coal gondolas at the facility. Source[5]
Source[6]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: About Us . December 22, 2023 . Friends of Coopersville and Marne Railway.
  2. News: Renovation project aims to make Coopersville and Marne Railway accessible to everyone . Grand Rapids Press. 15 September 2008.
  3. Web site: December 22, 2023 . FAQ . December 22, 2023 . Friends of Coopersville and Marne Railway.
  4. Web site: Doria, Rosendale . Adriana, Katie . August 7, 2024 . Historic locomotive restored, on display in Coopersville . Wood TV 8.
  5. Web site: 125-ton locomotive donated to Coopersville train friends group.
  6. Web site: Coopersville & Marne Railroad Company.