Copper Mining in Keweenaw County, Michigan

Chelsea4884

New member
I'm considering modelling the copper mining industry in the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan ca 1880-1900. I don't see gobs of appropriate content, mostly DRGW narrow gauge stuff, and zero mining facilities that mimic the techniques used. But I do not mind compromising a bit to capture the flavor, style and operation of this crazy period in US history. I have the DEM of the whole peninsula in place but I have not otherwise started work. Is there any interest in collaboration? I'm not sure what that would look like. Maybe you could just point me to assets and other resources. I've done considerable research on the history of the area, and visited many times.

Any ideas?
 
What era is it? 1800s or 1900 - 50s? Most of the DRGW narrow gauge content is 1900+ but there are a decent amount of 1900- content out there. I have not seen any Keweenaw RR content at all but that doesn't meen reskins or new models won't show up if you can get support.

I would love to see this completed. Copper mining is something that I haven't seen in Trainz yet and I very much would love to see an other era route with it on it.
 
I used to live in the UP. Spent a number of fall trips to the Copper Country. Gorgeous! I didn't know the copper mines use rail. Interesting. I know they dug a LOT of holes in the wood looking for copper and you have to be careful wandering around up there in the bush. OpenRailway.org was not very helpful. I know there was standard gauge going into Houghton-Hancock. You might want to check out the USGS histoical maps. I just looked and there is a 1915 topo available.
 
In the book, All Aboard I found the Hancock & Calumet, all of 4mi. and the Mineral Range Railroad Co.
 
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...You might want to check out the USGS histoical maps. I just looked and there is a 1915 topo available.

Brilliant! That map is priceless! Beyond the Hancock area, I found maps to cover the area of interest dating from 1938-1954, which show all the lines I am interested in: Mineral Range RR, Copper Range RR, Quincy & Torch Lake, Keweenaw Central, Calumet & Hecla RR. If I could find one more 1915 map to cover east and north of the one you found, I'd be in clover. These will be so handy imported into my TransDEM model. We're off!
 
What era is it? 1800s or 1900 - 50s?
About 1890-1910.
...there are a decent amount of 1900- content out there.
Thinking of anything in particular? Point the way!
Copper mining is something that I haven't seen in Trainz yet and I very much would love to see an other era route with it on it.
Yeah, the process in the UP was unique in the world, and the 1900-era structures, esp the shaft houses, do not resemble anything I can find on Trainz.
I do plan on allowing myself considerable license to get started, including: using not-strictly-appropriate mine buildings; modeling branches that may not have actually operated contemporaneously; keeping the model narrow-gauge long after the prototypes converted to standard gauge.
 
A little more digging and I Couldn't find any more 1915 maps. Here is a link to the area maps but only maps for around the 40's Although I did notice that they have indications for abandoned rail grades. Might be useful for extrapolations. I did locate this older 1909 map of the area. Hope it is some help.
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Torch Lake is not in the UP, my family rented a cabin on it back in the 60's, C&O/PM track about 100' from it, two trains a day, you could see the old log pilings under the water.
 
No they didn't. The only ore-hauling railroad in the UP that used articulateds was the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range, who used giant 2-8-8-4 Yellowstone and 2-8-8-2 articulateds.

someday someone will invent a way to convey humor and sarcasm in email... I failed at it miserably here. Most if not all of the Keweenaw mines were probably closed by the time the big articulateds hit the rails.
 
someday someone will invent a way to convey humor and sarcasm in email... I failed at it miserably here. Most if not all of the Keweenaw mines were probably closed by the time the big articulateds hit the rails.

That's the problem with being autistic, the tendency to take things literally.
 
Wow, this is terrific. I also found the US Library of Congress online collection of Sanborn fire insurance maps for every town up there, surveyed every few years from the late 1800's, including fairly detailed track placements. So handy. You can see these towns boom then bust even as you turn the pages.
 
The Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range RR operated north and east of Duluth in Minnesota's arrowhead area. They did not operate in Michigan. (See Wikipedia)

The major roads in the upper peninsula of Michigan, in the 1900's, were the Duluth South Shore & Atlantic (a Soo Line predecessor), Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie (the Soo Line), Chicago & North Western, and the Milwaukee Road. Copper was big early but iron ore surpassed it until it died the the 1960's. There is still a taconite (an iron ore) operation outside of Marquette, Michigan, Interestingly, the largest known undeveloped taconite deposit in the world is on the Wisconsin, Upper Michigan border. There is still large undeveloped deposits of various minerals in that region.

Your may find the Michigan RR website interesting,
http://www.michiganrailroads.com/.
 
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I remember the last days of the mines in Ishpeming and Negaunee. The trains would come through Marquette and load the ore freighters at the dock downtown. The the tracks were covered in taconite pellets almost like they were ballasted with the stuff. FWIW they make great slingshot pellets. I do remember Riding my motorcycle to Sault St. Marie and watching the ships come through, mostly from Canada and the Mesabe range in Minnesota (Duluth). As the mines closed a lot of good people lost their jobs and many never could find work again at anything close to what they were making in the mines. One of my favorite teachers in high school was a machinist who went back to school and got a degree to teach. Learned a lot from him. Unfortunately I wasn't into trains at the time. I did do a lot of photography, but not of the trains.:':)'(
 
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