Rails Around the Thumb
Rails Around the Thumb by T. J. Gaffney, published by Arcadia Publishing in 2012, presents a visual exploration of the significant role railroads played in Michigan’s Thumb region. This edition, comprising 127 pages, features a collection of images that highlight the historical importance of railroads beyond their agrarian roots, showcasing their involvement in local industries and transportation.
Readers will find a rich assortment of photographs that capture a bygone era when railroads were integral to community life. The book illustrates how local citizens relied on trains for daily routines and economic activities, with references to notable routes like the “Polly-Ann.” Many images included have rarely been seen, offering a glimpse into the past and preserving the legacy of railroading in the Thumb. This work serves as a valuable resource for those interested in the history of transportation and local heritage in the Midwest.
Official synopsis Publisher
Discover how important railroads once were to Michigan’s Thumb region in this wonderful collection of images. Although the area is best known for its agrarian roots, the railroad operations were involved in so much more, from light industries that fed the auto industry to shipments of fish from Saginaw Bay into eastern markets. Return to a time when everyone knew the route of the “Polly-Ann,” local citizens identified the time of day by the sound of a train whistle, and the arrival of a train crew nearly doubled a town’s population. Many of the images in this book have never been seen before, or, if so, only in a family’s living room, soon to be returned to grandpa’s trunk in the attic. These images surfaced to introduce future generations to what railroading in the Thumb once was. In an age when many of
these railroad lines have disappeared, it can be hard to believe how many once crisscrossed this area.
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