Today’s Flashback Friday is a quick glimpse back to the Chicago Milwaukee St. Paul and Pacific railroad station in Ontonagon. Once the terminus of the line’s famed Chippewa passenger route, the depot has performed only freight service for several years. The Chippewa now terminates its Chicago-Milwaukee and northern Michigan service at Channing.
The first photograph is an exterior view of the station. The second photo shows the crew as they pause for a moment in the sun before the return journey, the next stop of which will be Rockland or Mass. From left, James Benish, conductor; H. M. Leeman, engineer; L. Lindeman, fireman; F. J. Bender, Ontonagon agent; W. Schaltz, brakeman, and Donald Carey, brakeman. All crewmen are from Channing. The agent resides in Ontonagon. These images ran in the Daily Mining Gazette on this day in 1958.
My parents were both from Channing my grandfather Bob Tobin was a conductor and latter my uncle Don Rouse was the station manager . I have so many fond memories of going to my grandmothers house and having a full size train set.
Thank you so much for your comment! I’m glad these pictures inspired some good feelings!
The Channing crew is all familiar to me. I grew up with half these gentlemen s kids what trip down memory lane.
Thank you so much for reading our blog! I’m glad these pictures inspired a trip down memory lane. This is a big reason why we love to do Flashback Friday!