West Bloomfield Trail

West Bloomfield Trail. Exploring the Tale of the Rail. , Railroad locomotives thundered through this countryside , for more than 130 years. The Michigan Air Line Railroad was completed in 1884, a branch of the historic Grand Trunk Railroad that became a vital shipping network between manufacturing centers of the automotive industry in lower Michigan. As this railway was later abandoned, the rails were torn up and the quiet natural corridor preserved. The West Bloomfield Trail is a linear park about seven miles long that follows the former train tracks from West Bloomfield to Sylvan Lake, offering remarkable interaction with nature while enriching the community. , , You Auto Know , Some of the first refrigerated box cars, owned by George H. Hammond Company of Detroit, traveled frequently along this corridor. , , Top left image caption: , This steam locomotive was typical of those running along the Grand Trunk Railroad Air Line in 1909. In the background is a roundhouse and turntable that turned locomotives at the major rail intersection in Durand, Michigan, west of Flint. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia. , , Bottom left image caption: , This 1901 map shows Grand Trunk Railroad lines running from Chicago and Michigan through Canada to the eastern United States. Highlighted is the Michigan Air Line branch that ran between Richmond and Jackson, with segments now converted to trail. Courtesy of Citizendium. , , Top middle image caption: , The intact railroad bed before being dismantled and converted to the West Bloomfield Trail for walkers, runners and bicyclers. Photo courtesy of West Bloomfield Parks and Recreation. , , Center image caption: , A boardwalk crosses protected wetlands along the West Bloomfield Trail, following the rail path near Walnut Lake Road. "Rail-trails" preserve natural habitat, promote physical fitness and encourage community-building. , , Bottom middle image caption: , The Star Clipper Dinner Train was the last train to follow this rail path between Walled Lake and West Bloomfield, closing in 2008. The locomotive had a 1,500 horsepower engine and maintained a leisurely speed of ten miles per hour. Photo courtesy of Charles Freericks. , , Right images caption: , Wildlife along the trail includes the great white egret (left) and the Blanding's turtle (below). The turtle is an endangered species in Michigan and can live to be 80 years old. Photos courtesy of West Bloomfield Parks and Recreation.