I think it's time for a Friday Night Lights posting, and tonight's candidate is the lighthouse at Holland, MI.. The light is nicknamed Big Red, and I won't give any clues as to why. Here she is (does a lighthouse have a gender?) soaking up the evening sun as one of several sailboats that we saw glides past. There was quite a crowd at Lake Michigan's shore that evening, as if everyone knew this wouldn't last. It was the last day of September, and they were right. Those Michiganders are so smart. Me, I'm a Hoosier by birth so I just follow them around...
Tags: Holland MI USA
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The Erie-Lackawanna and the C&O used to have a shared trackage arrangement between just north of Hammond and Griffith, IN. Here's the EL getting a roll-by from the operator as he heads east. This location was just north of 159th St in Hammond. When I was young I used to work at Sears and would spend my lunch hour here. I would say something about getting lucky, but I'm not sure if everyone knew what I meant. Afterall, I did say I was young.....
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If you've ever been fortunate enough to travel along Michigan Hwy 26 in the Keweenaw Peninsula, you've probably enjoyed about every mile of it. M-26 hugs the north shore of the peninsula that juts out into Lake Superior. It's a short highway, running from Copper Harbor to Eagle River. Eagle Harbor is one of the few signs of civilization you'll see, a village of about 55 Michiganders. One of their pride and joys is the lighthouse perched on the entrance to the harbor that bears the same name. Built in 1871, it is now a nice museum while still serving as an aid to navigation, maintained by the Coast Guard. The light was once provided through a fourth order fresnel lens, but now twin airport type beacons flash an alternating red and white light. We shot this light for the first time back in September of 1989. It's been over twenty years since I was last there and the itch to return to the Keweenaw is growing again.
Tags: Lighthouse Michigan Upper Peninsula Lake Superior Eagle Harbor
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The light at Cana Island Lighthouse was first lit in 1870, making this light 150 years old this year. It's still an active aid to navigation, tended to by the Coast Guard, and is also an active museum that allows you to climb the tower steps to the lantern room. Amazingly, the original 3rd Order Fresnel lens is still doing its job, which is quite rare, as many classic and priceless French glass have been replaced by airport type beacons. Back in 1997 when this picture was taken, you could walk to the light without getting your feet wet. Today, with Lake Michigan at record levels, you'll get much more than your feet wet if you try to walk it. I understand that Door County does have a tractor that will pull a wagon across the causeway, but I've never been there when it was running. The two visits to Cana Island has yielded no results. Try, try again...
Tags: Wisconsin Cana Island Lighthouse Door County
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St Croix was where the Milwaukee Road trains got back on their own rails and headed east. There was still an operator on duty and train orders were the sop, note the train order signals on both railroads. That's the BN curving off to the left while the Milwaukee headed to the right. I don't why there are two drawbridge signs, one under the other. The storm clouds that had been with us all weekend are now ahead of us waiting to give us fits on our way back to Chicago.
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