Owosso, Michigan, is rich in history and historic figures, while also being a leader in innovation and high technologies. A video done almost anywhere in Owosso just automatically seems to exemplify this synergy of a great past and dynamic progression into the future. There are over twenty-five railroad crossings within the city limits of Owosso, Michigan each of which is located in the southern or western areas of the city. This video was shot at the innermost of two West King Street crossings. As this video begins, you will see a tall brown brick building in the background. This is the remains of the massive Owosso Sugar Company, which was built in 1903, and which had one of the highest production capacities of all sugar companies in the U. S. This, the largest building of the company, and others on the property, later housed Mid-West Abrasives a manufacturer of abrasive products including sand papers, W. R. Fox, Inc. a designer and builder of convention hall trade show displays, Genesee Stamping a manufacturer of metal stamped products, as well as other companies. The modern buildings in the foreground are the global headquarters of the rapidly growing Internet accountability company, Covenant Eyes. About two blocks west of Covenant Eyes was the location of American Record Pressing Company. It was there where Please, Please Me, the first Beatles record to be released in the U. S., was pressed into vinyl, and where 80% of Motowns records were pressed into vinyl. After the camera stops its final pan to the left, it focuses on tracks that were once the property of the New York Central Railroad, and are now busy rails of the Owosso-headquartered Great Lakes Central Railroad. The light in the distance is that of another great Owosso asset: the Owosso-headquartered Steam Railroading Institutes Pere Marquette 1225 steam locomotive otherwise known as The Real Polar Express or the North Pole Express. The 800,000 pound (including tender) Pere Marquette 1225 is the largest operating steam engine locomotive in Michigan. Steven Spielberg's production company filmed the sights and sounds of the 1225 for the computer rendering of the movie, "Polar Express," and Lionel Model Trains has also recorded the sounds of the 1225 for its new electric toy model train, "The 1225" ― the namesake of Owosso's 1225. As the lights of the 1225 are first seen in the distance, it is slowly and carefully pulling its train of several long passenger cars over a tight turn and across switches in the Westown area of Owosso. After the locomotive passes the Chipman Street and West Oliver Street crossings, it rapidly accelerates to track speed. What a ride and what a sight it is! I wish you could be standing there with me! A couple more points deserve mention: First of all, it sounds like the Steam Railroading Institute has installed a different whistle on the 1225 for this weekend. They do that sometimes, and when they do they call it a guest whistle. Secondly, the reason for the multiple cabooses is because families and other groups often rent cabooses for private, unique and special rides. Each caboose is heated by an original coal stove where guests can make hot chocolate, each is lit by oil lamps, and each caboose has its own conductor. Owosso is fun!
Author: shafferfox
Keywords: Owosso MI Michigan Shiawassee Midwest 1225 Steam Engine train Locomotive passenger autumn winter snow railfan fantrip railroad Polar Express North Pole adventure Pere Marquette railroading Institute internet Covenant Eyes Sugar Company Beatles Motown Great Lakes Central GLC TSBY Lionel Westown history future progress innovation high technology
Added: December 21, 2008
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