| LOWELL & HASTINGS ENGINE HOUSE |
| The L&H locomotive No.2 had air brakes. When the new track was completed into Belding the work train with engine No.1 was the first train to arrive from the south. November 27, 1899 The Belding Banner. |
| While doing my research on the L.&H., I thought their engine facilities were some where in Lowell proper but couldn't confirm this. In the meantime I found out that the L.&H. did not build over into Lowell until 1890. The company had built from the Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee Railway at Segwum on the south side of the Grand River to Freeport in November of 1887. When support to build on south to Hastings deteriorated, the company decided to get support from the Lowell people to build north into Lowell proper, which they did. In September, 1890, the Lowell Journal reported a meeting held at Music Hall on the extension of the Lowell & Hastings Railroad. A written proposition was presented on agree- ment to build their road from the roundhouse across Grand River to the foot of Washington and side tracks from there to the rear of Wisner Mill. This was my first clue that the engine house was on the south side of Grand River. My suspicions were confirmed when I saw an 1894 map of Lowell township showing the L.&H owned 18 acres of land just to the east of Segwum. On January 7, 1891 the Lowell Journal writes: "On Thursday the Lowell & Hastings Railroad is expected to commence business at their own depot on Front. But while man proposes some other man opposes and the strongest is usually victorious at first, anyway, so when the Lowell & Hastings started from their roundhouse to run over to town they were met at the junction by employees of the Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee Railroad who informed |
| them that while the Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee Co. would permit them to cross for construction purposes they would not be allowed to cross the tracks with passenger or freight traffic. Hence the game was blocked for awhile. But on Monday arrangements had been completed so that they were permitted to use their own depot and at 11:15 a.m. the first train left Lowell for the south. Quite a number of our people who had business in Grand Rapids took this train out. By leaving on this train you land in Grand Rapids at 12:10 p.m. and leaving there at 6:26 p.m. returning. You can be home at 7:20 p.m. giving you six hours in the city or by going by one road and returning by the other if you have only a little business that requires only a short time to transact, you can get around more quickly." By the middle of July the L.&H. completes their track to Wisner Brothers Mill and the first week of August the side track to the Lowell Cutter Co. and Charles McCardy and Williams Bros. is completed. In the middle of August, 1891 the railroad company is surveying a line to cross the Flat River to serve the King Milling Co. The route will start south of their depot, go west be- tween G. Kopf's factory and E.W. Avery's residence, than south of the cutters company buildings and across the north end of island park to west Water Street. |
| 1894 Lowell Township Map |
| View north towards Grand River Dr. Main line goes right and the interchange track is on the left. The Lowell & Hastings engine house was located on the property between the two tracks. |
| South view towards the proceeding photo taken above. L.&H. engine house and turn table were on the left. |
| View of the hole left by the turntable. The engine house was at my back. Date of these three photos October, 1995. |
| West view of the L.&H. depot located at Washington and Front Streets in Lowell. Photograph from a 1893 portfolio of photographs of Lowell at State of Michigan Library. |
| I caught Mid-Michigan No.5967 through the windshield March,1994 on the interchange track. Grand River Dr. east view. |
| In Grand Trunk days, this junction was known as "Malta." The diamond has been removed and a new connecting track in the background swings west to connect with the Grand Rapids & Northeastern Railroad to Grand Rapids. The site of the Lowell & Hastings tiff with the D.,G.H.&M. in 1891 has passed into history. North view 1997. |
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| Lowell & Hastings No.1 |
| Lowell & Hastings No.2 |
