This cache is located at "Thompsonville Junction" on the abandon right of way where the Ann Arbor and Chesapeake and Ohio railroads crossed. As of 5/22/14, the cache is on the caboose.
Two railroads once crossed a few feet from this site. The actual diamond crossing was preserved and moved to the end of the track displaying the "Thompsonville Junction" caboose. This cache was incorrectly named and labeled when it was created. It was also mislabeled (a different way). As of 3/30/2014, the name is now correct. The label will be corrected on my next maintenance visit.
Pere Marquette (left) and Ann Arbor (right) depots at Thompsonville, courtesy of RRHX
The first line to reach Thompsonville was built by the Frankfort and South Eastern Railroad, building a line from Frankfort to Beecher, at the south edge of Thompsonville, meeting the line built by the Toledo, Ann Arbor and Lake Michigan Railroad, from Cadillac. In 1890, the Toledo, Ann Arbor and Northern Michigan Railroad bought the TAA&LM, and purchased the F&SE in 1892. The TAA&NM was reorganized in 1895 as the Ann Arbor Railroad. The line served railroad car ferry routes across Lake Michigan which were put in to service to avoid congestion in the Chicago rail yards. Several boats owned by the AA were in service until 1982. The AA was owned or controlled at different times by the Wabash Railroad, the Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Railroad, Conrail and the State of Michigan. The line between Yuma (near Mesick) and Frankfort was abandoned around 1991.
The second line to reach Thompsonville was built by the Chicago and West Michigan Railroad in 1890 when a line was extended from Baldwin to Traverse City. The C&WM was operated and later owned by the Pere Marquette Railroad, which became part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad in 1947. C&O abandoned the line from Baldwin through Thompsonville to Traverse City in 1982.
Sources:
The history of the Ann Arbor Railroad can be found on this site:
RRHX: Ann Arbor Railroad
Pere Marquette Historical Society
Pere Marquette Railroad
Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad
RRHX: Thomsponville
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