Work in progress on the Michigan Southern. I'm modeling the MSO as it was in the summer of 2010.
Above White Pigeon, MI. The track curving to the right leads to PRM Trucking (aggregates) and Tracy Imports (logs). The track curving left is the White Pigeon Paper lead.
This view is to the left of the above, showing White Pigeon Paper. The paper mill is right on the bank of the Pigeon River, which is where the edge of the scenicked area is at the moment.
Approaching Sturgis, MI from White Pigeon in the west, the line passes Penguin Plastics, which is set back a bit, towards West Chicago Rd.
The line crosses Broadus Street just past Penguin Plastics. You can see International Paper in the background, and there's lots of scenic work to be done.
Here are some views of the wye at Sturgis, with International Paper on the northwest side of the crossing.
The line crossing the MSO main is the old GR&I that runs from Abbott Labs' baby food factory just out of frame to the north and goes south about 2 3/4 miles, past a now-defunct scrap yard to serve a single customer near the Indiana state line.
The MSO interchanges in White Pigeon with the Grand Elk Railway, part of the Watco holdings. The GDLK local from Kalamazoo shoves a cut of cars across Rt 131 onto the Michigan Southern three times a week. Here's what that looks like with the scenery partially done:
The chop-nose GP9 is from Jointed Rail on commission, and the WAMX GP40s are available from RRMods.