Backyard Birds

Posted on May 13, 2012 by Scott Hovind

Posted in My Blogroll | Tagged animal, Backyard Birds, bird, European Starling, House Sparrow, hovind, michigan, natural, nature, Sparrow, Starling, wildlife | Leave a comment

Fine Art Photography of Michigan Book

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Scott Hovind

Fine Art Photography of Michigan

By Scott Hovind

The images in this book are not all that Michigan has to offer. Nor do they represent the the more popular tourist attractions like Sleeping Bear Dunes. “Fine Art Photography of Michigan” represents only some of the lesser known beauty of the Great Lakes State. But first and foremost this book represents the beauty I see in the world around me.

Fine Art Photography by Scott Hovind

Posted in My Blogroll | Tagged Beauty, detroit, Fine Art Photography, Fine Photography, Flint, Great Lakes State, hovind, Images, michigan, Michigan Book, Photography Art, Photography Book, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Tourist Attractions | Leave a comment

27 Images of Amazing Cloud Formations

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Scott Hovind

The other day while I was at work I saw the most amazing cloud formations I had ever seen. I drive truck locally in Eastern Michigan and I had no camera with me so I had no choice but to use my cell phone camera to take the pictures so they’re much too small to make prints from but I hope you enjoy them anyway. I apologize that there are so many, I just couldn’t help myself. I hope you like them. All 27 of them.

Posted in My Blogroll | Tagged art, Cell Phone Camera, Cloud Formations, cloud photography, Clouds, Eastern Michigan, hovind, Images, michigan, photography, pictures, Prints, sky photography, storm clouds, Weather, weather art | 5 Comments

21 beautiful shots of Downtown Flint, Michigan

Posted on May 5, 2012 by Scott Hovind

Flint, Michigan is a lot of things but one thing it is never called is “Beautiful”. In the beginning Flint was known for being a lumber town. In the 20s Flint was born again as General Motors and various other car companies were born here when Flint earned it’s nickname as Vehicle City. Flint was also known for it’s education system and for it’s state of the art Hurley Hospital back in the 20s.

In the past 30 years Flint gained more fame as it was reborn once again. But this time Flint wasn’t reborn in a good way. No, it was reborn as a devil child as Flint is now famous for such things as having been in the top five most dangerous cities in America for many years running. Famous for having the highest arson rate in the USA and having the highest murder rate in the country. Flint has also held the record for having the highest violent crime rate in the country. It has held these records at one time or another more than once in the last 30 years.

And as I was taking these pictures on the morning of Easter Sunday I was reminded of just how dangerous Flint is as I was almost attacked. As you drive around Flint you are constantly reminded of the situation of Flint when you see all the burned out buildings, rotten buildings, blight, graffiti, crime. But if you look close enough, you can see the history. You can see the beauty the buildings and the city once held. Look close enough and you can see a city once very proud of it’s accomplishments and achievements.

Black and White Lamp

Flint needs yet another rebirth for it’s last rebirth didn’t turn out so well. So, on the morning of Easter Sunday I challenged myself to go downtown and try to show the beauty of an ugly city. I knew with so many historical buildings there had to be beauty somewhere. The following are 21 of the shots I took downtown. If you live in Flint or have ever been to Flint you will no doubt recognize most of these.

Downtown Flint

Creeping vines

Buckham Gallery

Attorney at Law

Office Building

Bell Telephone Building

Windows Vista

Skyward

Skylight

Downtown Flint

First National Bank

Citizen's Bank Weather Ball

Downtown Flint, Michigan

Citizens Bank and First National

Citizen's Bank Weather Ball

Riverside Park

Brick Road

Historic Department Store

Ferris Brothers Furs

Posted in My Blogroll | Tagged architectural, Arson, art, blight, buildings, Car Companies, city, city art, Dangerous Cities, Devil Child, Easter Sunday, Education System, fine art, Fine Art Photography, General Motors, graffiti, Highest Murder Rate, historical, Historical Buildings, history, hovind, Hurley Hospital, ichigan, Lumber Town, Michigan Flint, Nickname, No Doubt, office art, photography, Rebirth, S Education, structural, structure, Ugly City, Violent Crime Rate | Leave a comment

Canadian National Railway

Posted on May 5, 2012 by Scott Hovind

Canadian National Railway was started back in 1919 and still operates today as Canada’s largest railroad company with tracks stretching from coast to coast in Canada, down through Michigan and as far south as Louisiana. As a matter of fact, I frequently see their diesel locomotives and various types of rail cars here in Flint, Michigan as I sit and wait at railroad crossings. Ending it’s passenger train service in 1988, at one time Canadian National Railway was so dedicated to passenger service that they owned and operated several resort hotels as possible rail destinations for their customers. In addition to resort hotels Canadian National also started the world’s first radio network. Operating radio stations out of their train stations for the entertainment of their passengers whenever they were close enough to a station to pick up a signal.

In this series of pictures I decided to give you a look at the outside and inside of three of CN’s old passenger cars built back in the 40s and 50s. The last car in the series, car number 5581, was built in 1952 and was one of the cars digitized for the popular Christmas movie Polar Express and is still pulled behind that same locomotive from the movie, Pere Marquette 1225 (also known as Polar Express 1225) on day trips around Michigan.

Canadian National Railway 5226

Canadian National Railways 5447

1952 Canadian National Railway 5581 "Polar Express"

These cars and many more are owned and operated by the Steam Railroading Institute in Owosso, Michigan. Please click the banner to visit their website and show support.

Posted in My Blogroll | Tagged Canadian National Railway, Canadian National Railways, Canadian Railroads, Car Number, Christmas Movie, Day Trips, Diesel Locomotives, First Radio, Last Car, locomotive, Passenger Cars, Passenger Train, Passenger Train Service, Pere Marquette, Polar Express, Polar Express 1225, Polar Express Train, Radio Network, Rail Cars, railroad car, Railroad Company, Railroad Crossings, Railroad Images, Railroad Train, Resort Hotels, Series Car, Steam Railroading Institute, train, train car, Train Stations, Trains | Leave a comment

Detroit & Mackinac #7 Former Troop Sleeper

Posted on April 28, 2012 by Scott Hovind

In 1943, as the United States was entering World War II the U.S. Army ordered 2400 troop sleeper rail cars to aid in shuttling thousands of Army, Navy and Marine troops to boats on both the East and West coasts. These cars were built with none of the same luxuries Pullman sleeper cars were known for. This allowed for more space to carry more troops. Due to the lack of luxury, these cars were limited in their use after the war. Most of them were converted for use as mail cars, express service boxcars, caboose or refrigerator cars though some were left as sleeper cars for use by railroad maintenance workers.

The Detroit and Mackinac Railway company purchased this particular car as a cheap piece of Army surplus for use as a baggage car. That didn’t last long as the D&M ended passenger service three years later and so this car was then used as a caboose. In 1970 the car was converted yet again by the D&M. They added a diesel generator and used the car as a power source for their business class trains.

In 1992, the Detroit and Mackinac Railway was purchased by the Lake State Railway. I’m not exactly sure how this car was used by the LSR or if they used it at all but the car was purchased by the Steam Railroading Institute for use as an auxillary power source behind the famous Pere Marquette 1225 Polar Express train on long excursion trips.

Please visit the SRI website

Posted in My Blogroll | Tagged Army, Army Navy, Army Surplus, art, Baggage Car, Boxcars, Class Trains, diesel engine, Excursion Trips, history, hovind, kitchen car, locomotive, Mail Cars, michigan, owosso, Pere Marquette 1225, photography, Polar Express Train, Pullman Sleeper, Rail Cars, railroad, Railroad Maintenance, Railway Company, Refrigerator Cars, Sleeper Cars, State Railway, Steam Railroading Institute, train, train art, U S Army, West Coasts, World War Ii | Leave a comment

US Army Kitchen Car # 89639

Posted on April 28, 2012 by Scott Hovind

Have you ever seen the inside of an army kitchen car?

Built in 1950 by St. Louis Car Company as streamlined troop kitchen car for U.S. Army for the Korean War Effort. These cars were later sold in the 1970’s to several different entities, including Amtrak. This car was used by Amtrak as their #1363 Baggage Car until the mid 1990’s, when it was sold to private ownership. It was purchased by SRI in 2000, and now serves as a concession/ gift shop car. It is named in honor of William Berkompas, past Board President of the MSTRP/ SRI.

Serving counter located. Narrow hall on the right for troops to pass through and collect their meals. Service hall on the left for cook personnel.

Serving counter in the middle. I imagine there was no cash register when this was used by the Army.

Storage area for things like pots and pans, cups, trays. Also the dish washing station.

Cook area. Stove and grill on the right. Refrigerators on the left.

At least the cook had a window. But these men or women had a very crowded work space.

Coffee counter. Place your orders here.

Another angle of the cook area. Grills on the left. Food storage on the right.

And finally, all of the electric circuits needed to power a food service train.

Love trains? Please visit the Steam Railroading Institute website.

Posted in My Blogroll | Tagged Amtrak, Army, art, Baggage Car, Board President, Car Company, Cash Register, Cook Area, diesel engine, Electric Circuits, Food Storage, history, hovind, kitchen car, Korean War, Left Caption, locomotive, Meals Service, michigan, owosso, photography, Pots And Pans, Private Ownership, railroad, Refrigerators, Service Train, Shop Car, Steam Railroading Institute, Storage Area, train, train art, U S Army, War Effort, Work Space | 2 Comments

Great Lakes Central Railroad – 3 pictures

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Scott Hovind

Great Lakes Central Railroad

The Great Lakes Central Railroad (reporting mark GLC) is a Class II regional railroad, originally called the Tuscola and Saginaw Bay Railway (reporting mark TSBY) was formed on August 26, 1977 to operate over former Penn Central lines from Millington toMunger, Michigan, and Vassar to Colling, Michigan. Its name was derived from the three Michigan counties it operated in: Tuscola, Saginaw and Bay.

In October 1982, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) contracted the TSBY to operate the former Ann Arbor Railroadline from Osmer siding just north of Ann Arbor to Alma, Michigan. On October 1, 1984, MDOT cancelled its contract with the Michigan Northern Railway and the TSBY assumed operation of the rest of the Ann Arbor Railroad mainline from Alma to Thompsonville, formerGrand Rapids and Indiana Railway (GR&I) trackage from Reed City to Petoskey (crossing in Cadillac, Michigan) and Walton toTraverse City and former Chesapeake and Ohio Railway from Grawn to Williamsburg (through Traverse City). The track from Cadillac to Comstock Park was removed in the 1991. On January 22, 1991, the TSBY sold its original lines to the Huron and Eastern Railway, now owned by Rail America. Today the GLC operates former Ann Arbor track from Osmer to Yuma, Michigan (just west of Cadillac), former PRR from Cadillac to Petoskey and Walton to Traverse City, former C&O from Grawn to Williamsburg, former NYC from Owosso to Fergus, and former Grand Trunk Western from Ashley to Middleton. The GLC also operates a small portion of the abandoned CSX (C&O) Ludington Subdivision in Clare, Michigan, to serve a local plastics factory.

In March 2006 the Tuscola and Saginaw Bay Railway was purchased by Federated Railways, Inc. and has changed their name to Great Lakes Central Railroad. Mike Bagwell, President and CEO of Great Lakes Central Railroad, announced that the railway will be starting a commuter rail service between the restored Howell Depot Museum and downtown Ann Arbor because of construction on US-23. The service, now called WALLY, was initially projected to start in 2007 but has encountered delays.

GLC interchanges with Class I railroads Grand Trunk Western Railway in Durand and CSX at Annpere and shortlines Huron and Eastern Railway in Durand and Owosso. Mid-Michigan Railroad in Alma, Michigan and the Ann Arbor Railroad at Osmer.

Great Lakes Central Railroad is the largest regional railroad in the state of Michigan covering 424 mile of track.

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EMD GP35

An EMD GP35 is a 4-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between July 1963 and December 1965 and by General Motors Diesel between May 1964 and January 1966. Power was provided by an EMD 567D3A 16-cylinderengine which generated 2,500 horsepower (1,860 kW).

Many railroads traded in Alco and EMD F units for GP35s, reusing the trucks and traction motors. Some railroads had EMD reuse the Alco trucks on the GP35s. Notable examples include the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad, Southern Railway, and the Ann Arbor Railroad.

1251 examples of this locomotive model were built for American railroads, 26 were built for Canadian railroads and 57 were built for Mexican railroads.

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Posted in My Blogroll | Tagged Alma Michigan, Ann Arbor Railroad, art, C Amp, Cadillac Michigan, Chesapeake And Ohio, Clare Michigan, Colling Michigan, Comstock Park, diesel engine, Eastern Railway, Grand Trunk Western, Great Lakes Central Railroad, history, hovind, locomotive, michigan, Michigan Department Of Transportation, Michigan Department Of Transportation Mdot, Mike Bagwell, Munger Michigan, Northern Railway, Ohio Railway, owosso, photography, Plastics Factory, Rail America, railroad, Reed City, train, train art, Yuma Michigan | 2 Comments

Steam Railroading Institute – 4 images

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Scott Hovind

The Steam Railroading Institute is located at 405 South Washington Street, Owosso, Michigan.

The Steam Railroading Institute is an organization dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and operation of historical railroad equipment and items. It operates a heritage railroadwhich offers occasional passenger excursion trains using steam locomotives:Pere Marquette 1225, Flagg Coal Co. 75, and Mississippian 76 which is currently under restoration.

The Steam Railroading Institute was formed from the Michigan State Trust for Railway Preservation.

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History

The Steam Railroading Institute, dedicated to educating the public about steam-era railroad technology, is the product of the Michigan State Trust for Railway Preservation Inc. For many years, the MSTRP centered on a single steam locomotive, former Pere Marquette Railway No. 1225. After 1225’s retirement, the locomotive was donated to Michigan State University as an icon of the steam-era and there it sat until 1969 when a group of students took an interest in the locomotive. The Michigan State University Railroad Club was formed with the ambitious goal of restoring 1225 and using it to power excursion trains that would bring passengers to football games at the university. After toiling away at the locomotive for many years, the Michigan State University Railroad Club evolved as the Michigan State Trust for Railway Preservation and started its corporate run in July 1979. Recognizing the daunting task that was ahead of them, the early MSU students saw the necessity to form a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation and in 1981, Michigan State University donated 1225 to the newly formed MSTRP.

In the past thirty-five years the Michigan State Trust for Railway Preservation and its Steam Railroading Institute have grown tremendously, now housing two steam locomotives, a fleet of passenger cars, and numerous pieces of rolling stock.

Situated on the site of the old Ann Arbor Railroad’s steam shops and roundhouse, the Steam Railroading Institute exhibits the intricacies of working steam locomotives.

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Mission statement

“The Steam Railroading Institute uses historic railroad practices and demonstrations to educate and entertain visitors about the lure of steam railroading. The Institute engages visitors with interactive experiences and hands-on learning opportunities that reveal the importance of steam railroading and the effects this industry had on our heritage.”

“The Steam Railroading Institute accomplishes this with first-person interaction, behind-the-scenes tours, quality excursion services, sound maintenance practices, and genuine hospitality to our guests. “

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Posted in My Blogroll | Tagged Ambitious Goal, Ann Arbor Railroad, antique, art, Coal Co, Excursion Trains, Flagg, historical, history, hovind, michigan, Michigan State Trust, Michigan State University, Mississippian, Msu Students, owosso, Owosso Michigan, Passenger Cars, Passenger Excursion, Pere Marquette 1225, Pere Marquette Railway, photography, Rail Cars, railroad, Railroad Club, Railroad Equipment, Railroad Technology, Railway Preservation, Rolling Stock, Steam Locomotive, Steam Locomotives, Steam Railroading Institute, train, train art, vintage | 2 Comments

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

Posted on April 22, 2012 by Scott Hovind

The Reverend Daniel Brown came to Flint, Michigan in 1839 to help form a new Episcopal parish. He became the first rector of St. Paul’s in 1840 when it received canonical sanction. The congregation met in a temporary chapel and then in a small church before this structure was started in 1872 through efforts of the Reverend Marcus Lane. This massive Gothic Revival building was designed by Gordon Lloyd of Detroit. The limestone, donated by a quarry in Flushing, was transported by members to the site. On August 24, 1873, the first service was held in this church.