Timetable: MCRR - Twin Lakes Branch - Grayling to Lewiston

This branch served Lewiston and logging interests in Crawford, Montmorency and Otsego counties. The railroad went north of Lewiston and served logging camps, mostly from the Hanson & Salling lumber interests. 

Key: C=Coal | CS=Car Shop | D=Open > Day | DN=Open Day and night | DS=Dispatcher | DT=Double Main Track | EH=Engine house | HI=Half Interlocked Crossing | I=Interlocked Crossing | J=Junction | N=Open at night | P=Passing Track w/40' car capacity | Q=Quarry | RH=Roundhouse # stalls | RT=Railroad Resort | S=Scales | TT=Turntable | T = Telephone | TC=Telegraph call | W=Water | X=Crossing | Y=Wye | Yard=Yard

Notes

In 1897, the Twin Lakes Branch hosted one first class round trip passenger train daily except Sunday. Train #93B left Grayling at 6:30 am, arriving at Lewiston at 7:55 am. Train #94B left Lewiston at 12:15 pm and arrived back at Grayling at 1:45 pm.  These trains stopped at Alexander, Judges and Dana, with flag stops at other stations such as Lovells. [ETT-1897]

In 1911 the branch hosted one round trip passenger train. #93 left Grayling at 6:30 am, stopping at Kneeland and Lovells. Alexander, Bucks, Judges and Dana were flag stops. It arrived at Lewiston at 7:55 am, or about one hour and 25 minutes. The return trip, train #94 left Lewiston at 12:05 pm and arrived at Grayling at 1:30 pm, stopping at Lovells, Alexander and Grayling. [ETT-1911]

In MCRR employee timetable #405 dated September 27, 1925, Bucks and Dana were no longer telephone stations.

The branch line hosted two second class trains (actually one round trip), No. 94 leaving Grayling at 5:00 a.m. and arriving at Lewiston at 7:10 am. It turned and left Lewiston at 10:50 a.m. and arrived back at Grayling at 1:00 p.m. This train ran only on Tuesday's and Saturdays, and apparently was a mixed train handling both passenger and freight traffic. [AS]

Grayling yard extended 1,000 feet east of the east wye switch. (1897)

The Clear Lake Branch left the Twin Lakes branch at Clear Lake Junction and proceeded north to Johannesburg. It was built in 1904. In 1912, the branch was removed. The portion north of Chamberlin to Johannesburg was transferred to the MC's Bagley branch so that rail service could be continued. [MRL]

Sources: = [MRL] plus additions.

Left, an Official Guide view of the Twin Lakes Branch from Grayling to Lewiston in 1909. The route had two trains north and a single train south each day. One of these trains also went north off of the branch to Johansenberg. All of these trains were likely mixed trains carrying passengers and freight (wood products).

Time Line

1891. The Atlanta Tribune says that the surveyors on the Twin Lake Branch from Grayling, have complete their work. An easy route was found, the distance being about thirty miles. Work will be commenced on the grade in a few days. "There will be no doubt but that the road will be extended in time through from Twin Lakes to Rogers City, crossing the proposed Alpena-Cheboygan railroad near Rainy Lake, in town 88, range 8 east. The route is a level one and through some of the best pine and hardwood lands in this neck of Michigan." [AAN -1891-0826] Note: The route was not extended beyond the woods north of Lewiston (called Twin Lakes at the time).

1891. September 15. The State Railroad Crossing board to-day approved the map of the Grayling Twin Lake & Northeastern railway through Montmorency, Crawford and Otsego counties. It will be the first road to enter Montmorency county. [DFP-1891-0916]

1892. This branch is built from Grayling to Lewiston by the Grayling, Twin Lakes & Northeastern, which was owned at the time by the Michigan Central railroad.

1892. On account of high hills, the MC has abandoned its plan to tap the Montmorency and Presque Isle timber belt by extending the Grayling branch, and is now making a survey for the extension of the Bagley branch. [SAG-1892-0323]

1897. December. The MC is building another branch to tap a large tract of pine and hardwood in Otsego County, which is owned by Salling, Hanson & Co. of Grayling. The new branch will be about 12 miles long and is to be laid with steel rails, which would indicate that it is to be a permanent line. It leaves the Lewiston Branch one mile east of Lovell station (Clear Lake Junction), and will run in a northerly direction. Salling, Hanson & Co. will erect a saw mill at the terminus of the road (Johannesburg) and will build up a new town. It was the intention of the firm to build a mill at Gaylord but they have been compelled to change their plans. [CCA-1897-1216]

1897. SNAPSHOT: The Twin Lakes branch scheduled one 1st class round trip mixed freight from Grayling to Lewiston daily except Sunday. The trip took about 90 minutes each way. This was called the "Lewiston accommodation". The train stopped at Alexander, Judges, Dana and Lewiston, with flag stops at the other locations. [ETT-1897-11]

1897. This branch line was dispatched by telephone, with phones at Grayling, Alexander, Bucks, Lovells, Dana and Lewiston. [ETT-1897-11]

1900. The Davidson Branch was built north from Vienna Junction 12 miles to Lundeen. It was substantially removed in 1929. [MRL]

1903. The GTL&NE is merged into the Jackson, Lansing & Saginaw railroad, a MC subsidiary. The JL&S was merged into the MC in 1916 and the NYC in 1930. [MRL]

1904. The Clear Lake Branch from Clear Lake Junction to Johannesburg is built. It is abandoned in 1912. The Chamberlain Branch, Tyler Branch and Spur were also built and operated during these years. [MRL]

1904. The Donnelly Branch was built off the Davidson Branch 13 miles to the end of the line. It was abandoned about 1925. The Davidson Wye Branch was also extended 7 miles and then abandoned in 1925. [MRL]

1907. The Twin Lake branch operated two round trip passenger trains each day. One from Grayling to Johannesburg (via Clear Lake Jct. and the Clear Lake branch) which left Grayling at 6:05 am. The second left Grayling for Lewiston at 6:30 am. On the way back, both trains combined at Clear Lake Junction and arrived at Grayling at 12:05 pm. The trains stopped at Kneeland (milepost 7.6), Judges (milepost 14.6), Clear Lake Junction (milepost 19.0) and Dana (milepost 24.3). [OGR-1907]

1911. July. Lewiston is in danger of forest fires on its borders. The MC has sent assistance to the town. [DFP-1911-0712]

1916. April. A huge tract of virgin timber is to be opened up in Otsego and Montmorency counties this spring. Most of the tract is owned by the Salling, Hanson Lumber Co. of Grayling which has already commenced operations there. The MC will build a four mile extension. [FLJ-1916-0415]

1920. The Mertz Branch was built off of this line from Mertz Branch Junction (6 miles northeast of Grayling). It was operated until about 1930. [MRL]

1933. The line is abandoned except for a 1/2 mile section near Grayling. [MRL] The remainder was abandoned in 1948.