Celebrating the 10th year anniversary of the Northern Michigan RailRoad Club
Route Map | Historical Society |
PROTOTYPE CAR
The Detroit & Machinac Railway was know as “The Turtle Line”. The railroad had three different heralds; the Turtle, Diamond and “Mackinac Mac”, but the “Turtle” herald was the only one to appear on D&M revenue producing freight cars. Mackinac is a shortened form of the Native American word michilimackinac meaning big turtle. The strait’s area between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron had an island that appeared to have the shape of a turtle, which led the Native Americans to believe that the turtle contributed tolife’s beginning.
In 1898 the Detroit & Machinac Railway purchased the first series of Refrigeration Cars from the Michigan-Peninsular Car Company and Foundry locatedin Detroit, Michigan. There were three cars in the first series and the road numbers were 2000 to 2002. The car sides and ends were painted White and the roof was painted Black. All the car graphics were Black. Car road name was done in large lettering and it had a single color turtle herald.
In 1899 the Michigan-Peninsular Car Company and Foundry merged with twelve other smaller car manufactures to become the American Car and FoundryCompany. A few years later the Detroit and Machinac Railway purchased the second series ofRefrigeration Cars from the American Car and Foundry Company. There were five cars in the second series and the road numbers were 2003 to 2007. The car sides were painted White and the car ends and roof was painted Black. All the car graphics were Black. Car road name was donein large lettering and it had a two-tone color turtle herald.
About a decade later the Detroit and Machinac Railway purchased a third series of Refrigeration Cars from the American Car and Foundry Company. We do not know how many cars were in the third series or all of the road numbers. We do have a photo of car number 2011, the car had White sides with Black car ends and roof. The car graphics were done in Black and road name was not done in smaller style lettering. The car had the Black single color turtle herald same as the 2002 car; however the road number was below theturtle and the word “refrigeration” was removed.
2013 NMRRC CLUB CAR
Since we were able to obtain Builder Photos of both the “2002” and 2003” cars we decide to do a two car set. However our club membership do not collect or operate “Turn of Century” freight cars so we chose to go with a Steam Era Classic 40’Wood-Side Composite Refrigeration Car. We are using the Scale “O” Weaver model that has molded doors and ladders. The car sides will be painted Classic Reefer White and have proto-typically accurate Black lettering and turtle graphics. Both cars will have a Black roof; the 2002 car will have White ends and the 2003 car will have Black ends.
These cars are now sold out and we are sold out of all previously produced club cars. Watch for our 2015 boxcars to be announced.
Northern Michigan RailRoad Club 