Patterson Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Patterson Railroad is a defunct railroad that existed in Michigan
during the early 1870s. The company incorporated on September 21, 1870 and filed articles on October 3 to construct a line between Patterson Mills (now Belding
) and Kiddville
(defunct; lay to the north-east across the Flat River
). The Patterson completed a 1.67 miles (2.7 km) in July 1872, at which point the property became part of the Detroit, Lansing and Lake Michigan Railroad, whose line it met at Kiddville. The DL&M would later become part of the Pere Marquette Railroad, which also built a line (the Grand Rapids, Belding and Saginaw Railroad
) south from Belding.
The Belding–Kidd line continued to exist throughout the 20th century, eventually becoming part of the Greenville
–Lowell
line operated by the Mid-Michigan Railroad
, a Rail America company. In December 2007 Mid-Michigan petitioned the Surface Transportation Board
to abandon the line. The grade is to be converted to a rail trail
.
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
during the early 1870s. The company incorporated on September 21, 1870 and filed articles on October 3 to construct a line between Patterson Mills (now Belding
Belding, Michigan
Belding is a city in Ionia County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,877 at the 2000 census. Belding is a small rural city surrounded almost entirely by farmland...
) and Kiddville
Otisco Township, Michigan
Otisco Township is a civil township of Ionia County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 2,243. Township offices are located in the community of Smyrna.-Communities:...
(defunct; lay to the north-east across the Flat River
Flat River (Michigan)
The Flat River is a tributary of the Grand River in the western part of the U.S. state of Michigan. It rises as the outflow of the six lakes system in Belvidere Township, west of Edmore in Montcalm County. It flows mostly south and slightly west through Montcalm County, Ionia County, and Kent...
). The Patterson completed a 1.67 miles (2.7 km) in July 1872, at which point the property became part of the Detroit, Lansing and Lake Michigan Railroad, whose line it met at Kiddville. The DL&M would later become part of the Pere Marquette Railroad, which also built a line (the Grand Rapids, Belding and Saginaw Railroad
Grand Rapids, Belding and Saginaw Railroad
The Grand Rapids, Belding and Saginaw Railroad is a defunct railroad which operated in the state of Michigan at the turn of the 20th century.The company formed on September 26, 1898, with the intention of owning a line from Greenville to Hastings via Belding, Lowell and Freeport...
) south from Belding.
The Belding–Kidd line continued to exist throughout the 20th century, eventually becoming part of the Greenville
Greenville, Michigan
Greenville is a city in Montcalm County of the U.S. state of Michigan. Portions of the county are associated with the Western region while others are more closely associated with the Central Michigan region. The population was 8,481 at the 2010 census...
–Lowell
Lowell, Michigan
Lowell is a city in Kent County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 4,013. The city is in the northern portion of Lowell Township, but is politically independent...
line operated by the Mid-Michigan Railroad
Mid-Michigan Railroad
The Mid-Michigan Railroad is a railroad owned by RailAmerica, having been acquired in 2000. It operates of track in Michigan.-History:The company incorporated in 1987, for the purpose of acquiring railway lines from the CSX Corporation. The company was owned at inception by RailTex, a Texas-based...
, a Rail America company. In December 2007 Mid-Michigan petitioned the Surface Transportation Board
Surface Transportation Board
The Surface Transportation Board of the United States is a bipartisan, decisionally-independent adjudicatory body organizationally housed within the U.S. Department of Transportation. The STB was established in 1996 to assume some of the regulatory functions that had been administered by the...
to abandon the line. The grade is to be converted to a rail trail
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
.