{"history":[],"article":{"id":"7642c990-c2a8-46d6-a59b-9b0cbd19b3b5","title":"Lake State Railway","slug":"lake-state-railway","content":":::summary\n**Railroad Name:** Lake State Railway \n**Logo Filename:** Lake_State_Railway_logo.png \n**Marks:** LSRC \n**Locale:** [Michigan](https://bliptext.com/articles/michigan) \n**Start Year:** 1992 \n**Predecessor Line:** [Detroit and Mackinac Railway](https://bliptext.com/articles/detroit-and-mackinac-railway) \n**Length:** 375 miles (604 km) \n**Hq City:** [Saginaw, Michigan](https://bliptext.com/articles/saginaw-michigan) \n**Website:** http://lsrc.com/ \n:::\n\n# \n**Lake State Railway** is a railroad operating in the [Saginaw Valley](https://bliptext.com/articles/saginaw-river) and northeastern quadrant of the [Lower Peninsula of Michigan](https://bliptext.com/articles/lower-peninsula-of-michigan).\nThe railroad moves large quantities of aggregate and limestone, as well as coal, grain, and chemical products.\nSome of the company's largest customers include [Dow Chemical Company](https://bliptext.com/articles/dow-chemical-company), [S. C. Johnson & Son](https://bliptext.com/articles/s-c-johnson-son), [Lafarge](https://bliptext.com/articles/lafarge-company), [ConAgra Foods](https://bliptext.com/articles/conagra-brands), [Archer Daniels Midland](https://bliptext.com/articles/archer-daniels-midland), [Conrad Yelvington Distributors](https://bliptext.com/articles/crh-plc), and [Consumers Energy](https://bliptext.com/articles/consumers-energy).\n# [LSRC SD40 and GP40s heading north along Neff Road near Mt. Morris in northern Genesee County, MI | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/2003///0101Image0005.JPG]\n\n# History\n2001, when its line past [Alpena](https://bliptext.com/articles/alpena-michigan) to Rogers City (the [Rogers City Branch](https://bliptext.com/articles/rogers-city-branch)) was removed.\nIn 2005, Lake State acquired 67 miles of trackage from [CSX Transportation](https://bliptext.com/articles/csx-transportation) around [Saginaw](https://bliptext.com/articles/saginaw-michigan), [Midland](https://bliptext.com/articles/midland-michigan), and Bay City.\nThis trackage is operated under the subsidiary [Saginaw Bay Southern Railway](https://bliptext.com/articles/saginaw-bay-southern-railway).\nIn late 2011, it was announced that the SBS would merge with Lake State, with LSRC being the surviving company.\nThe merger was strictly for railway accounting purposes; LSRC functions today as an Interline Settlement System (ISS) carrier, while SBS functioned as a Junction Settlement (JS) carrier through CSX.\nLake State will convert the former SBS lines to ISS.\nFollowing the news of the merger, Lake State has stopped painting the Saginaw Bay Southern logo on its locomotives.\nIn 2018, [Railway Age](https://bliptext.com/articles/railway-age) awarded Lake State with their \"Shortline of the Year\" award.\nIn March 2019, LSRC began leasing 53 miles of the [CSX Saginaw Subdivision](https://bliptext.com/articles/csx-saginaw-subdivision) from [Mt. Morris](https://bliptext.com/articles/mount-morris-michigan) to [Plymouth](https://bliptext.com/articles/plymouth-michigan).\nIn March 2021, LSRC began transporting Automotive traffic from the old Buick City Flint facility\nIn November 2021, [Railway Age](https://bliptext.com/articles/railway-age) awarded Lake State with their \"Regional of the Year\" award.\n\n# Route\nLake State Railway's Flint–Saginaw line (former SBS) is shadowed by several parks and walking trails.\nNorth of Saginaw, MI, the line passes through the Crow Island State Game Area.\nIn Bay County, the main line splits into two branches.\nThe west line extends north through the Ogemaw Hills and [Jack Pine](https://bliptext.com/articles/jack-pine) forests to [Otsego County, Michigan](https://bliptext.com/articles/otsego-county-michigan) and the city of [Gaylord, Michigan](https://bliptext.com/articles/gaylord-michigan).\nThe east line shadows the western shore of [Lake Huron](https://bliptext.com/articles/lake-huron) and [Saginaw Bay](https://bliptext.com/articles/saginaw-bay).\nThis line runs along old US-23, serving the [Gypsum](https://bliptext.com/articles/gypsum) quarries in [Iosco County, MI](https://bliptext.com/articles/iosco-county-mi) and eventually street-running through [East Tawas, MI](https://bliptext.com/articles/east-tawas-mi).\nNorth of East Tawas, the line passes through the [Huron National Forest](https://bliptext.com/articles/huron-national-forest), [Harrisville, Michigan](https://bliptext.com/articles/harrisville-michigan) and [Harrisville State Park](https://bliptext.com/articles/harrisville-state-park).\nNear [Alpena, MI](https://bliptext.com/articles/alpena-mi), the line passes over the scenic [Thunder Bay River](https://bliptext.com/articles/thunder-bay-river).\nAt the north end of the east line is [Lafarge](https://bliptext.com/articles/lafarge-company)'s cement plant and [Lake freighter](https://bliptext.com/articles/lake-freighter) loading dock in Alpena, MI.\nOn June 11, 2018, Lake State started leasing 4 miles of former [Grand Trunk Western](https://bliptext.com/articles/grand-trunk-western-railroad) trackage in [Port Huron, MI](https://bliptext.com/articles/port-huron-michigan) from [Canadian National](https://bliptext.com/articles/canadian-national-railway).\nThe line was part of the original mainline that was built by the [Grand Trunk Railway](https://bliptext.com/articles/grand-trunk-railway) in 1859.\nThe line runs from the west end of CN's rail yard at Tappan to Dunn Paper at the head of the [St. Clair River](https://bliptext.com/articles/st-clair-river) and Lake Huron.\nLake State interchanges with the [Huron and Eastern Railway](https://bliptext.com/articles/huron-and-eastern-railway) in Saginaw, Bay City, and Midland; the [Mid-Michigan Railroad](https://bliptext.com/articles/mid-michigan-railroad) in [Paines](https://bliptext.com/articles/paines-michigan); CSX in Plymouth, and Canadian National in Flint, Port Huron and Holly.\nLake State has 8 Subdivisions\n1. Bay City Subdivision\n2. Blue Water Subdivision\n3. Dean Subdivision\n4. Huron Subdivision\n5. Mackinaw Subdivision\n6. Paines Subdivision\n7. Pinnconning Subdivision\n8. Saginaw Subdivision\n# [Lake State Railway bridge over Au Sable River near Oscoda | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/LSRC///Bridge///over///Au///Sable///River.jpg]\n\n# Motive Power\nLake State utilized the [Detroit and Mackinac Railway](https://bliptext.com/articles/detroit-and-mackinac-railway)'s all-[ALCO](https://bliptext.com/articles/alco) roster, repainting a handful of [Alco RS3](https://bliptext.com/articles/alco-rs3), and [ALCO](https://bliptext.com/articles/alco) Century Series locomotives in the Lake State blue scheme.\nLake State's first acquisition was in November 1995—a former [Norfolk and Western Railway](https://bliptext.com/articles/norfolk-and-western-railway) [ALCO RS-11](https://bliptext.com/articles/alco-rs-11).\nKeeping with the D&M tradition of numbering engines after the month and year of purchase, the unit was given the number 1195.\nStarting in 1998, eight units of Canadian National heritage were added to the roster.\nSeven of these units are [MLW M-420s](https://bliptext.com/articles/mlw-m-420), while the eighth is an HR412W #698.\nLake State Railroad named several of its locomotives after cities located on its line, such as #181 (City of [Bay City, MI](https://bliptext.com/articles/bay-city-mi)), #798 (City of [Alpena, MI](https://bliptext.com/articles/alpena-mi)), #3564 (City of [Tawas](https://bliptext.com/articles/tawas), MI), #1280 (City of [Grayling, MI](https://bliptext.com/articles/grayling-mi)), #1195 (City of East [Tawas](https://bliptext.com/articles/tawas), MI), #976 (City of [West Branch, MI](https://bliptext.com/articles/west-branch-mi)).\nIn a similar fashion, the #975, #3563 and #371 were named after Lake Huron, [Lake Superior](https://bliptext.com/articles/lake-superior), and [Lake Erie](https://bliptext.com/articles/lake-erie).\nThe most unusual nicknaming was of #3571: 'For the Gipper 2004' after the late 40th President of the United States, [Ronald Reagan](https://bliptext.com/articles/ronald-reagan).\nSince the acquisition of the Saginaw Bay Southern lines north of [Flint, MI](https://bliptext.com/articles/flint-mi), the railroad has added 27 used [Electro Motive Diesel](https://bliptext.com/articles/electro-motive-diesel) units and gradually retired their ALCO roster.\nThe first of these units included three GP38Ms (modified [GP35s](https://bliptext.com/articles/gp35) of mixed heritages) from Western Rail (WRIX) in Washington state.\nAn [EMD SD40](https://bliptext.com/articles/emd-sd40) #5921 of Grand Trunk Western heritage was purchased from Larry's Truck & Electric (LTEX).\nThis unit is unique in that it doesn't operate north of Bay City.\nIn January 2022 this unit was scrapped.\nThe majority of the EMD units are [EMD GP40s](https://bliptext.com/articles/emd-gp40).\nTen were acquired from [First Union Railroad](https://bliptext.com/articles/wells-fargo-rail) (FURX).\nAll share mixed [Chessie System](https://bliptext.com/articles/chessie-system)/[Seaboard System](https://bliptext.com/articles/seaboard-system) heritage and were upgraded from GP40 to GP40M-3 by the [Texas Mexican Railway](https://bliptext.com/articles/texas-mexican-railway).\nThe next group of locomotives included five original GP40s of mixed heritage and a unique former [Southern Pacific](https://bliptext.com/articles/southern-pacific-transportation-company) [EMD GP40X](https://bliptext.com/articles/emd-gp40x).\nAll six were acquired from Helm Financial Corporation (HATX).\nIn early June 2013, five [EMD SD40-2s](https://bliptext.com/articles/emd-sd40-2) were purchased from CIT Rail Resources (CITX).\nAll units were built as EMD SD40s with mixed heritage and were later converted to Dash 2 standards.\nIn late spring 2016, Lake State acquired two [EMD MP15AC](https://bliptext.com/articles/emd-mp15ac) locomotives from [Union Pacific](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-pacific-railroad).\n#1501 was originally built in October, 1980 as [Missouri-Kansas-Texas](https://bliptext.com/articles/missouri-kansas-texas-railroad) #57.\n#1502 was built in January, 1976 as [Milwaukee Road](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-milwaukee-st-paul-and-pacific-railroad) #436.\nIn January 2019, Lake State acquired six SD50-2's from CSX - #2477, #2490, #2498, #8527, #8577, #8599\nIn 2020 Lake State acquired a couple Norfolk Southern locomotives - #704, a RP-E4c slug, #2373, a MP15DC which is now #1503 and GP40-2 #3010, now #301 and #4301.\nLake State Railway bought 6 SD70M’s from UP, becoming LSRC 6431-6436.\nLSRC 6430 < ex-UP 4605, LSRC 6431 < ex-UP 4608, LSRC 6432 < ex-UP 4609, LSRC 6433 < ex-UP 4667, LSRC 6434 < ex-UP 4668, LSRC 6435 < ex-UP 4612, LSRC 6436 < ex-UP 4382\n# [LSRC EMD SD40 5921 returning to the CSX McGrew yard in Flint, MI | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/LSRC5921.jpg]","current_revision":null,"created_by":"kACnuQmH5k9Nr5VNVEpVeg7XpvUmMctD","created_at":"2025-01-26T11:42:42.080Z","updated_at":"2025-01-26T11:42:42.080Z","search_vector":"'lake':1 'railway':3 'state':2","search_content":" \n**Railroad Name:** Lake State Railway \n**Logo Filename:** Lake_State_Railway_logo.png \n**Marks:** LSRC \n**Locale:** [Michigan](https://bliptext.com/articles/michigan) \n**Start Year:** 1992 \n**Predecessor Line:** [Detroit and Mackinac Railway](https://bliptext.com/articles/detroit-and-mackinac-railway) \n**Length:** 375 miles (604 km) \n**Hq City:** [Saginaw, Michigan](https://bliptext.com/articles/saginaw-michigan) \n**Website:** http://lsrc.com/ \n \n\n# \n**Lake State Railway** is a railroad operating in the [Saginaw Valley](https://bliptext.com/articles/saginaw-river) and northeastern quadrant of the [Lower Peninsula of Michigan](https://bliptext.com/articles/lower-peninsula-of-michigan).\nThe railroad moves large quantities of aggregate and limestone, as well as coal, grain, and chemical products.\nSome of the company's largest customers include [Dow Chemical Company](https://bliptext.com/articles/dow-chemical-company), [S. C. Johnson & Son](https://bliptext.com/articles/s-c-johnson-son), [Lafarge](https://bliptext.com/articles/lafarge-company), [ConAgra Foods](https://bliptext.com/articles/conagra-brands), [Archer Daniels Midland](https://bliptext.com/articles/archer-daniels-midland), [Conrad Yelvington Distributors](https://bliptext.com/articles/crh-plc), and [Consumers Energy](https://bliptext.com/articles/consumers-energy).\n# [LSRC SD40 and GP40s heading north along Neff Road near Mt. Morris in northern Genesee County, MI | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/2003///0101Image0005.JPG]\n\n# History\n2001, when its line past [Alpena](https://bliptext.com/articles/alpena-michigan) to Rogers City (the [Rogers City Branch](https://bliptext.com/articles/rogers-city-branch)) was removed.\nIn 2005, Lake State acquired 67 miles of trackage from [CSX Transportation](https://bliptext.com/articles/csx-transportation) around [Saginaw](https://bliptext.com/articles/saginaw-michigan), [Midland](https://bliptext.com/articles/midland-michigan), and Bay City.\nThis trackage is operated under the subsidiary [Saginaw Bay Southern Railway](https://bliptext.com/articles/saginaw-bay-southern-railway).\nIn late 2011, it was announced that the SBS would merge with Lake State, with LSRC being the surviving company.\nThe merger was strictly for railway accounting purposes; LSRC functions today as an Interline Settlement System (ISS) carrier, while SBS functioned as a Junction Settlement (JS) carrier through CSX.\nLake State will convert the former SBS lines to ISS.\nFollowing the news of the merger, Lake State has stopped painting the Saginaw Bay Southern logo on its locomotives.\nIn 2018, [Railway Age](https://bliptext.com/articles/railway-age) awarded Lake State with their \"Shortline of the Year\" award.\nIn March 2019, LSRC began leasing 53 miles of the [CSX Saginaw Subdivision](https://bliptext.com/articles/csx-saginaw-subdivision) from [Mt. Morris](https://bliptext.com/articles/mount-morris-michigan) to [Plymouth](https://bliptext.com/articles/plymouth-michigan).\nIn March 2021, LSRC began transporting Automotive traffic from the old Buick City Flint facility\nIn November 2021, [Railway Age](https://bliptext.com/articles/railway-age) awarded Lake State with their \"Regional of the Year\" award.\n\n# Route\nLake State Railway's Flint–Saginaw line (former SBS) is shadowed by several parks and walking trails.\nNorth of Saginaw, MI, the line passes through the Crow Island State Game Area.\nIn Bay County, the main line splits into two branches.\nThe west line extends north through the Ogemaw Hills and [Jack Pine](https://bliptext.com/articles/jack-pine) forests to [Otsego County, Michigan](https://bliptext.com/articles/otsego-county-michigan) and the city of [Gaylord, Michigan](https://bliptext.com/articles/gaylord-michigan).\nThe east line shadows the western shore of [Lake Huron](https://bliptext.com/articles/lake-huron) and [Saginaw Bay](https://bliptext.com/articles/saginaw-bay).\nThis line runs along old US-23, serving the [Gypsum](https://bliptext.com/articles/gypsum) quarries in [Iosco County, MI](https://bliptext.com/articles/iosco-county-mi) and eventually street-running through [East Tawas, MI](https://bliptext.com/articles/east-tawas-mi).\nNorth of East Tawas, the line passes through the [Huron National Forest](https://bliptext.com/articles/huron-national-forest), [Harrisville, Michigan](https://bliptext.com/articles/harrisville-michigan) and [Harrisville State Park](https://bliptext.com/articles/harrisville-state-park).\nNear [Alpena, MI](https://bliptext.com/articles/alpena-mi), the line passes over the scenic [Thunder Bay River](https://bliptext.com/articles/thunder-bay-river).\nAt the north end of the east line is [Lafarge](https://bliptext.com/articles/lafarge-company)'s cement plant and [Lake freighter](https://bliptext.com/articles/lake-freighter) loading dock in Alpena, MI.\nOn June 11, 2018, Lake State started leasing 4 miles of former [Grand Trunk Western](https://bliptext.com/articles/grand-trunk-western-railroad) trackage in [Port Huron, MI](https://bliptext.com/articles/port-huron-michigan) from [Canadian National](https://bliptext.com/articles/canadian-national-railway).\nThe line was part of the original mainline that was built by the [Grand Trunk Railway](https://bliptext.com/articles/grand-trunk-railway) in 1859.\nThe line runs from the west end of CN's rail yard at Tappan to Dunn Paper at the head of the [St. Clair River](https://bliptext.com/articles/st-clair-river) and Lake Huron.\nLake State interchanges with the [Huron and Eastern Railway](https://bliptext.com/articles/huron-and-eastern-railway) in Saginaw, Bay City, and Midland; the [Mid-Michigan Railroad](https://bliptext.com/articles/mid-michigan-railroad) in [Paines](https://bliptext.com/articles/paines-michigan); CSX in Plymouth, and Canadian National in Flint, Port Huron and Holly.\nLake State has 8 Subdivisions\n1. Bay City Subdivision\n2. Blue Water Subdivision\n3. Dean Subdivision\n4. Huron Subdivision\n5. Mackinaw Subdivision\n6. Paines Subdivision\n7. Pinnconning Subdivision\n8. Saginaw Subdivision\n# [Lake State Railway bridge over Au Sable River near Oscoda | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/LSRC///Bridge///over///Au///Sable///River.jpg]\n\n# Motive Power\nLake State utilized the [Detroit and Mackinac Railway](https://bliptext.com/articles/detroit-and-mackinac-railway)'s all-[ALCO](https://bliptext.com/articles/alco) roster, repainting a handful of [Alco RS3](https://bliptext.com/articles/alco-rs3), and [ALCO](https://bliptext.com/articles/alco) Century Series locomotives in the Lake State blue scheme.\nLake State's first acquisition was in November 1995—a former [Norfolk and Western Railway](https://bliptext.com/articles/norfolk-and-western-railway) [ALCO RS-11](https://bliptext.com/articles/alco-rs-11).\nKeeping with the D&M tradition of numbering engines after the month and year of purchase, the unit was given the number 1195.\nStarting in 1998, eight units of Canadian National heritage were added to the roster.\nSeven of these units are [MLW M-420s](https://bliptext.com/articles/mlw-m-420), while the eighth is an HR412W #698.\nLake State Railroad named several of its locomotives after cities located on its line, such as #181 (City of [Bay City, MI](https://bliptext.com/articles/bay-city-mi)), #798 (City of [Alpena, MI](https://bliptext.com/articles/alpena-mi)), #3564 (City of [Tawas](https://bliptext.com/articles/tawas), MI), #1280 (City of [Grayling, MI](https://bliptext.com/articles/grayling-mi)), #1195 (City of East [Tawas](https://bliptext.com/articles/tawas), MI), #976 (City of [West Branch, MI](https://bliptext.com/articles/west-branch-mi)).\nIn a similar fashion, the #975, #3563 and #371 were named after Lake Huron, [Lake Superior](https://bliptext.com/articles/lake-superior), and [Lake Erie](https://bliptext.com/articles/lake-erie).\nThe most unusual nicknaming was of #3571: 'For the Gipper 2004' after the late 40th President of the United States, [Ronald Reagan](https://bliptext.com/articles/ronald-reagan).\nSince the acquisition of the Saginaw Bay Southern lines north of [Flint, MI](https://bliptext.com/articles/flint-mi), the railroad has added 27 used [Electro Motive Diesel](https://bliptext.com/articles/electro-motive-diesel) units and gradually retired their ALCO roster.\nThe first of these units included three GP38Ms (modified [GP35s](https://bliptext.com/articles/gp35) of mixed heritages) from Western Rail (WRIX) in Washington state.\nAn [EMD SD40](https://bliptext.com/articles/emd-sd40) #5921 of Grand Trunk Western heritage was purchased from Larry's Truck & Electric (LTEX).\nThis unit is unique in that it doesn't operate north of Bay City.\nIn January 2022 this unit was scrapped.\nThe majority of the EMD units are [EMD GP40s](https://bliptext.com/articles/emd-gp40).\nTen were acquired from [First Union Railroad](https://bliptext.com/articles/wells-fargo-rail) (FURX).\nAll share mixed [Chessie System](https://bliptext.com/articles/chessie-system)/[Seaboard System](https://bliptext.com/articles/seaboard-system) heritage and were upgraded from GP40 to GP40M-3 by the [Texas Mexican Railway](https://bliptext.com/articles/texas-mexican-railway).\nThe next group of locomotives included five original GP40s of mixed heritage and a unique former [Southern Pacific](https://bliptext.com/articles/southern-pacific-transportation-company) [EMD GP40X](https://bliptext.com/articles/emd-gp40x).\nAll six were acquired from Helm Financial Corporation (HATX).\nIn early June 2013, five [EMD SD40-2s](https://bliptext.com/articles/emd-sd40-2) were purchased from CIT Rail Resources (CITX).\nAll units were built as EMD SD40s with mixed heritage and were later converted to Dash 2 standards.\nIn late spring 2016, Lake State acquired two [EMD MP15AC](https://bliptext.com/articles/emd-mp15ac) locomotives from [Union Pacific](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-pacific-railroad).\n#1501 was originally built in October, 1980 as [Missouri-Kansas-Texas](https://bliptext.com/articles/missouri-kansas-texas-railroad) #57.\n#1502 was built in January, 1976 as [Milwaukee Road](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-milwaukee-st-paul-and-pacific-railroad) #436.\nIn January 2019, Lake State acquired six SD50-2's from CSX - #2477, #2490, #2498, #8527, #8577, #8599\nIn 2020 Lake State acquired a couple Norfolk Southern locomotives - #704, a RP-E4c slug, #2373, a MP15DC which is now #1503 and GP40-2 #3010, now #301 and #4301.\nLake State Railway bought 6 SD70M’s from UP, becoming LSRC 6431-6436.\nLSRC 6430 < ex-UP 4605, LSRC 6431 < ex-UP 4608, LSRC 6432 < ex-UP 4609, LSRC 6433 < ex-UP 4667, LSRC 6434 < ex-UP 4668, LSRC 6435 < ex-UP 4612, LSRC 6436 < ex-UP 4382\n# [LSRC EMD SD40 5921 returning to the CSX McGrew yard in Flint, MI | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/LSRC5921.jpg]","revisionCount":0},"hasMore":false,"nextCursor":null}