A British Train in America: The Boyne City Railroad
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- Опубликовано: 4 сен 2024
- When you think of a Michigan railroad, you probably aren't thinking something British, right? If I said the Boyne City Railroad you might think otherwise. The Boyne City Railroad had its humble beginnings as a backwoods northern Michigan shortline hauling timber and passengers with connections to railroads like the Grand Rapids & Indiana. However, as timber and other freight traffic began to decline, a change was in order if the Boyne City line was to stay open. That change was a conversion to tourist operations using a rather unique selection of equipment. From a 44 tonner and open-air passenger cars to a complete British steam train-set of an 0-6-0T and 3 British Railways coaches, the Boyne City Railroad easily stood out amongst the rest. However, no amount of unique scenery and trains could keep the line running forever. What happened to the Boyne City Railroad and where is everything they owned now?
Music Used:
Kirby 64 The Crystal Shards - Theater Index Theme
Kirby 64 The Crystal Shards - Training
Kirby 64 The Crystal Shards - Quiet Forest
Kirby 64 The Crystal Shards - Above the Clouds
Kirby 64 The Crystal Shards - End Credits
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4:36 - I appreciate how that Cirno really enhances the frustration for that overly toy-like livery (the green buffers & smokebox door don't even make sense!); always nice to learn another fascinating part of our great American rail history from your videos, Keep Up The Great Work!
Beautiful British tank engine.
Very interesting video. I considered covering the Flying Duchess for Remarkable Engines while the series was still new, but it's more fitting that you covered it, given most of your videos focus on Michigan related rail history.
It’s such a beautiful locomotive.
Here in Boyne City we remember those days with fond memories. I rode that train in 1978 just prior to the shutdown.
Gee would've I wanted to ride on that train. It would've saved me an expensive trip to the UK. I have always been a big fan of British trains.
I grew up in Boyne Falls my Grandmother lived in Boyne City. I rode the train many times to visit her. The Flying Dutches was such a fun way to travel.
It reminds me of an engine you might see on Thomas the Tank Engine. Really cool. I bet the British would like to have her back along with the passenger cars.
Frankly i wouldn't blame em, i mean just look at the loco now, although im sure they have plenty MK1 coaches to around
I’d agree with you on that, the engine looks a little like Thomas too!
@@knuckles1206 To be frank, the engine would be joining and already huge roster of preserved steam engines here in the UK. same for the coaches. having said that if they did come home im sure a railway would snap them up in no time.
The yanks can have little a coal shunter loco, as a treat
the problem is it's an industrial locomotive, and as thriving as the preservation industry is industrials really get the short end of the stick.
it's not uncommon to see ex-industrial locomotives painted in British Railways liveries because otherwise a lot of railfans don't really care, imagine if Cass Scenic had to paint all their engines in UP passenger grey to draw in the railfans...
Having spent summers on lake Charlevoix for…basically all my life, I’m surprised I’ve never heard of this! Pleasantly surprised to hear you talk about my favorite corner of the mitten state
There's an Irish steamer in New Jersey.
Cavan and Leitrim #3, Lady Edith. She's a 3 foot gauge 4-4-0T Built by RS&Co in1887. Neat little engine.
Source: I worked for the railroad that owns her. Pine Creek Railroad Museum in Farmingdale NJ.
I hear it's going back home to Ireland.
@@CelticRailwayTraveller It was supposed to be. It seems Jim Lubrant, the CMO at Pine Creek, lost contact with the folks over at Cavan and Leitrim. Not sure what happened, but one way or another it seems the deal fell through without conclusion.
@@PowerTrain611 I am pretty sure it is going home to Ireland. Besides, it isn't going to the C&L, It is going to the West Clare Railway.
@@CelticRailwayTraveller Last I heard from being directly involved with the source of this information, that is not true. However, it has been several years. It's possible the idea has been rekindled or revived with a different prospect.
From what I see, West Clare is the last operator of Narrow Gauge in Ireland, so I suppose that must be the case. Not sure where the disconnect came from there, my apologies.
@@PowerTrain611 Could you get in contact with Pine Creek and enquire about it please?
I've been to La Grange many times and have always wondered how and why it got there but now I know it's full story!
I would like to see that British tank engine in La Grange, Kentucky.
Interesting! That just reminds me of learning about Canada's Wakefield train which used a Swedish steam locomotive, a diesel switcher, and passenger cars.
We had a similar one in Maine that ran on the Belfast and Moosehead Lake
@@shanewalters2565 Cool! Unfortunately the closest thing to vintage European steam railroading in the United States is "Day Out With Thomas", but that illusion is easily ruined by a ton of vintage American equipment used. Also, the Hogwarts Express ride at Universal Studios Orlando, but it's just an amusement park ride, plus the fake Kings Cross station has safety fencing because it's a ride, not the real thing.
@@OwenConcorde Actually, you missed one, the Wales Light Railway in Alabama is the real deal
Nice to see that a lot of things from the railway got saved despite the line itself no longer existing. I was especially interested to see a British locomotive and coaches operating in the US (for the longest time, I didn't think you could do that because regulations and gauge), and even if the new livery is a bit... questionable, it's definitely great to see _Flying Duchess_ still being preserved. Hopefully one day, they might have her back up and running again!
Standard gauge is the same in the UK and US, and LNER Flying Scotsman even toured the US and Canada in the late '60s and early '70s.
What I find more unusual is that the Boyne City Railway ran Flying Duchess with so few modifications. Scotsman was fitted with automatic coupling, a cowcatcher, a bell, a different headlamp, and even a US-style whistle.
I would really like to see a US steam loco join it at the museum sometime... Maybe one of the steamers of the Kentucky Steam Heritage Corp. could pass by the museum sometime...
I remember driving through Standish multiple times and seeing those passenger coaches. Me and friend of the family Jerry would always wonder why foreign coaches were here in Michigan, now I know, thank you for the info.
That's incredible! My dad grew up right next to Meaford power station and offen used to ride up and down on the steam locos around the extensive sidings there. He must have rode on this loco many times
I used to go on ski trips with my family to Boyne. Always thought it was a good place for a scenic railroad, too bad it didn't work out.
It’s a beautiful railroad. The Flying Duchess is a beautiful British tank engine, it’s one of the few engines from different countries that is in the USA.
It may also be of interest that an A1X ‘terrier’ (the same class as the famous ‘Stepney’) may be found in Canada. I’ll have to look up the locomotive again to find out the name and number, as well as the location.
The Terrier in question is LBSCR #50 "Waddon" and he's at the Canadian Railway Museum with LNER A4 "Dominion of Canada" wearing his British Railways number of 60010 (the LNER engines got put through a TON of number schemes over the years)
@@jaredhebert942 Didn't 'DomCan' get cosmetically restored to LNER condition as part of "The Great Gathering" a few years ago?
@@TallboyDave it was yes
@barnabyjoy you're thinking of Dunrobin, built for the Earl of Sutherland's Railway which was later taken over by the Highland Railway
Charlevoix, Petosky and Horton's Bay are all mentioned in several of Ernest Hemingway's short stories and the Hemingway family had a cottage on Walloon Lake. See "Up In Michigan," " Big Two-Hearted River" and others.
Two the Mk1 coaches were NE24199 and NE24551 (if these were their BR numbers) both were Second Corridor coaches where the second class passengers were sat in 6/8 seat compartments with a passage way down one side. The seats were fitted with fold away arm rests that BR expected passengers to put away when the train was busy - they didn't. these 2 coaches were from the North Eastern region of BR hence the NE suffix to the numbers. This region covered the area that until 1923 had been operated by the North Eastern Railway between just north of Doncaster to the Scottish border. it was merged with the Eastern region in the mid-1960s.On the NE region the arm rests were sown shut allowing 8 passengers per compartment. I can't trace the third coach but looking closely at pictures I can tell it is a Corridor Composite coach (in the UK Composite means it has a mix of 1st Class and 2nd Class seating, specifically 3 compartment of 1st Class seats and 4 of 2nd Class), but which one it was I can't say with out further evidence and I can't find much on line.
I can help you with that! Most likely the CK 15055! I do not know how it got there, but was rusting away in some grass near 1600 Dutch Lane, Jefferson, Indiana. Looks like it has been scrapped, but you can still make out the clear roof profile and ribs from Apple Maps
Even way back then, that seemed to be a very rare railroad sight. Nice work!
I would’ve like to visit this former heritage railroad.
Funny thing is I found out about this railroad just 6 days ago before u uplode this great job.
I did not expect to come into this video and hear about a loco that came all the way from my home town but you never know what to expect when you watch one of these videos
I used to pass Meaford power station regularly on my way to work, but never knew about the steam locos. I'm sorry the Boyne City folded after fighting for so long. Such is life.
Good for you. Most of us are from the United States, even though you probably know.
Another British train in the United States, the first was the John Bull Locomotive that is now displayed at the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Area of Washington D.C. there along with a replica displayed at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, Pennsylvania.
We still have a British locomotive in the US, that one being Dwight D Eisenhower in Wisconsin alongside the Duchess
As far as I know the first British train to operate in the States was the GWR's King class pioneer 6000 "King George V" back in 1927 followed by the LMS's Royal Scot in 1933 and the LMS's Princess Coronation 6229 "Duchess of Hamilton" (which was masquerading as pioneer 6220 "Coronation") in 1938. Flying Scotsman was the fourth British loco to operate in the US actually. The LNER A4s 60008 "Dwight D Eisenhower" and 4489 Dominion of Canada and LBSCR Terrier "Waddon" were given as gifts in the 1960s and have not operated in the US (and never will). Other noteable British locos to operate here were GNR 1247 and a Scottish loco called Dunrobin. There have been some British narrow gauge locos that have operated here as well in the past but most of them are all back home now. Apologies for the long paragraph but I hope it was useful :)
@@18EStudios I understand there. The Flying Duchess is a beautiful former British Railway tank engine.
I went through La Grange in March and saw the Flying Duchess and I had no idea why it was there and where it had come from. This video was very informative and it definitely had an interesting story behind it.
Fascinating and surprising history.
That's insane I used to live next to la grange is often go see this engine and always wondered what it's story was thank you for sharing it
An American railroad that uses British equipment with knuckle couplings? Who knew one would be operating in Michigan of all places? How obscure to most outsiders
Oh, it's not SUPER uncommon in railway history; Flying Scotsman needed modifications of knuckle coupler, cowcatcher and 3-chime whistle for the USA Tour in '69-'70 (The Unlucky Tug made a great video on that, plus he might be making another for Southern Railway Schools class #926 "Repton" in the near future)
Knnuckle couplers were fare from uncommon in the UK for example all BR Mk1 Coaches had knuckle couplers from new And Gresley's A4s had knuckle couplers on the tenders as did Peppercorn's A1s aka 60163 Tornado. The use of knuckle couplers in the UK can be traced back at least 125 years.
Very curious bit of history that proves the model railway/railroad adage: there's a prototype (real life example) for everything. In other words you can have a combination that seems outlandish and it still works. Truly fascinating.
Never knew about that. Thanks for the education!
Imagine if Flying Duchess was turned into Thomas instead of BEDT/Strasburg Railroad 15
Sadly from what I've heard from family that still lives up in Boyne the Depot restaurant has closed for good and Google maps shows that the depot is in a fairly sorry shape and the coach there has been filled with rubbish. Truly a sad end for a restaurant I loved going to when I was up there due to it's railway heritage.
Your wrong I live in boyne city all my life 32 years yes the train depot is no longer a restaurant it’s still there and is remodeled that’s why when you google earth it it look run down but that was probably 5 years ago but next door at the train office is a wonderful restaurant and brewery called stiggs I highly recommend going there if you ever come back to boyne very good food there. There was rumors that an art gallery might take over at the train depot but nothing yet so far I think Covid has pushed a hold on everything. But it’s not going no where
I’m glad Dwight D Eisenhower isn’t the only British locomotive that has been preserved in the USA.
Those are the only 2. There is also Dominion of Canada and Waddon in Canada.
Interesting story. Thanks for presenting.
Very interesting, I’ve actually got a few pics and even a few second clips of flying duchess at TVRM
In the UK we have a massive tender engine for us anyway and he's called big jim
The belfast and moosehead railroad use to operate a swedish 4-6-0 steam locomotive from the 1980s to some time in the 2000s, don't quote me on the dates. The locomotive is now on static display in Tennessee, it seems unlikely that the engine will ever operate again. I am just glad it hasn't been scrapped.
Very, very fascinating! I never knew this railway existed before! It blows my mind to learn that there has been another British steam locomotive in operation in America during the 1970s! However, I always think of all the British steam locomotives to be brought over to America, Flying Scotsman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Repton and Flying Duchess, it's a great sin that SR Merchant Navy Class "United States Lines" has not been gifted to the US. Furthermore, the Rebuilt Bulleid Pacifics did look rather American if you just took away their smoke deflectors.
A wonderful railroad, with wonderful equipment, and the Flying Duchess too.
Pretty interesting! So this is basically “Wendell In America” but in real life ;)
Really interesting story. I once saw that engine in La Grange back in July of 2020.
An interesting story of a railway I knew nothing about. I hope the Robert Stephenson locomotive will survive, but I have to confess to hoping never to ride in a BR Mk1 carriage ever again! I travelled far too many miles in those things when they were in normal service. Their horrible seats and their riding on the original bogies are best forgotten!
For its size, the shunter it would be a decent hauler if it was restored with copper tubes and a copper firebox.
Thank you for the information
Knew those BR coaches looked familiar. I live 9 miles south of where their at in Standish.
Edit: Just went to see the Flying Duchess in La Grange on my way back from the National Farm Machinery Show. Pretty neat to see something that operated close to home.
If I could time travel, I would like to ride this train.
Phipps Media: the guy who said the joke
AmtrakGuy365: the guy who said it louder
What is ironic with American railroads now that I have watched this video is that it is said in the US railroad laws that it's illegal and dangerous for American steam engines to not wear cowcatchers while being out on the tracks, but they only modified Flying Duchess with an American engine coupler and nothing else. That tank engine doesn't have a cowcatcher in front. I'm not trying to make it sound like it's a bad tank engine, it's really nice. Had they modified that engine like how they did with Thomas during the Day Out with Thomas events, the irony I pointed out wouldn't be possible. But, I wouldn't say that's the only engine built for the US that has bufferbeams, but no cowcatchers. The engine that was named after 34th President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower, still had bufferbeams, but unlike Flying Duchess where she had only one minor modification, Dwight's locomotive had no modifications at all.
It's possible that they may have gotten an exemption seeing that the locomotive (and coaches) were essentially in captive service, never leaving their shortline and never intermingling with interchange traffic (there were no freight movements on the line during its life as a tourist railroad).
The third Mk1 might've ended up at the East Kootenay Railway at the Fort Steele Heritage Town in British Columbia.
That’s a different one. That’s one that was brought over with Dunrobin
One day soon I hope this line returns again
Awesome Video
Love the video I live close to where the engine is now in La Grange KY and always wondered how it got to Kentucky.
that final livery would be great if they had just not done up the buffers and smokebox.
how about a video on why GG1s are unsafe for complete restoration?
Mostly, PCB's in the transformers' insulating oil, and cracked truck frames (they're huge castings each running half the length of the body.
About 7-9 years ago another British steam locomotive was repatriated from a railway in America called Dunrobin. This locomotive is currently being restored at the UK heritage railway I work at for a large Victorian living history museum known as Beamish.
Dunrobin was repatriated from Canada. Also I’ll be visiting beamish in April is it possible to see dunrobin as last time I went it wasn’t
@@proudyorkshireman7708 its still in our engine shed at the Severn Valley Railway being restored
really good video!
This is a very interesting video! I wish I could see the Flying Duchess up close someday!
She should go with those 2 MK1 coaches through some magic buffers back to England. Or even Thomas could take them with the LNER coaches in Green Bay to the east coast of the US and load them up onto a ferry heading for England with Waddon and Camille already on it! After that, the ferry will take Camille back to France.
@@bluetraxdax2001 Well, I hope they run the Flying Duchess again someday.
@@TrevortheTrainFan Maybe they’ll run her on a heritage railway.
MICHIGAN RAILROAD CHANNEL?! YES PLEASE
Oh wow you learn something new everyday!
This is amazing!
Interesting story. A little bit of trivia about the MK1 coaches. The UK had real issues with bogie design, UK bogies used by the four UK rail companies prior to nationalisation, would require rebuilds at intervals (40,000 miles) that by US standards were unacceptable. After realising that the UK had nothing to offer when it came to a good riding, high mileage bogie, British Rail's engineering arm purchased the rights to the Commonwealth Steel Companies bogie design.
Whilst there was an eventual rework to get the weight down, they reduced UK passenger traffic cost with a good high mileage bogie with superb riding qualities.
Interestingly enough, that's the truck Lionel modeled on the MK1 coaches in their Hogwarts Express train set, even though they made coaches smaller than scale (53' long rather than 58' or 64').
@@RailRide I hope like the real thing it rides well. That is an interesting comment/ observation 😃.From memory the CCF bogie would give 250,000 miles of outstanding / good service prior to rebuild.
Remember kids, the FRA is no fun
There is a disused standard gauge line here in Virginia. Should we acquire her and restore/run Flying Duchess as a tourist railway in the Shenandoah Valley?
The Right of Way may later on become a Rail to Trail.Should be called Boyne Valley Rail Trail.
funny thing is theres to meaford no2s that left the same time duchess and the one of the same class now at the great central in the uk lol
Like . Amazine video. Iam suscribe in your channel. Getting from argentina
How and why have I never herd of this railroad
Great video and explanation! How is your kitten doing?
"The right train in the wrong place can make all the differnce in the world"
I always wondered "what the hell are these british coaches doing in standish michigan?" when i go past them on road trips. Now i know lol
I live 45 minutes from the A&A 18 is a lovely locomotive
I wonder if they are going to operate a summer train to traverse city. There were plans to do so in 2022.
I think it'll be cool if one day Flying Duchess maybe sold back to the UK
I like trains
Epic
This all but encourages my idea of a 2ft Welsh railroad in Wisconsin
As for what look I'd give _Flying Duchess_ if I could get rid of that ridiculous toy-like livery and the unnecessary horns? I'd personally go for either Maroon Red (think the LMS Princess Royal class during the late British Railways era) or Late-BR Brunswick Green. In both cases, lined, with black wheels, and full nameplates (ala Meaford No. 1 or _Ted Garrett JP DL MP,_ on the North Tyneside Railway) to make it much more aesthetically-pleasing and a good contrast to its aforementioned sister locomotive, while still paying tribute to its history!
That I never knew about! 😮
I do have an image of 7745 in Operation at TVRM Witha Mark 1 Coach
That is not the Michigan Central depot, D&M owned that way back when, also you definitely should make a vid about D&M/LSRC
It's so weird seeing a British engine in America
Well flying scotsman came to America
And a lms coronation
@@AlexTheLNERK3 that was on tour ta stay
@@jockdouglass3824 yes but still
Not to mention the MK1 coaches as well. Imagine seeing those coupled to a US coach.
That wasn't the only British locomotive in America in fact only 3 locomotives or more have been in the United States
British engines are the best, hope they one day get the Duchess running again
@@azaabazha Lol agree to disagree
@@Thomas__Blue both american and british are awesome in their own ways *chad face*
1:49
I'm sure Meaford Number 2 never worked for British Railways like that description suggests
What became of the Third Mk.1 Coach, though?
i didnt know about this and just looked at it on google maps, why did they connect the crosshead with the draincocks?
When I think Michigan steam, I think Pere Marquette 1225
Is there any footage of this Railroad
Too bad they couldn't market it as a way to save on fuel for travel between the points it served.
After seeing how it was almost scrapped and is now in a ... questionable... livery, part of me would like to see "Flying Duchess" repatriated to Britain and restored into her shunter days... and also fix those couplings.
intrestinggggggggg
18 is in the middle of a FRA mandated rebuild.
I think Flying Duchess should return home to the land of her birth
That engine look like the flying scottsman
Cool
Jesus I heard Boyne as Boeing lol
Holy crap
I didn't know that a British tank engine would be in the US
Thomas the tank engine wanted to see the world.
I gagged when he said reroad
Interesting
Hi
DONT FORGET THE S15
rip