Copper Range Railroad Historical & Technical Society

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The official page of the Copper Range Railroad Historical & Technical Society (COPRHTS). The COPRHTS is a 501(c)(3) organization.

Updates, news and information related to the society will be posted on this page. Our Mission
To preserve the legacy of the Copper Range Railroad, which served the Copper Country of Michigan from 1899 to 1972. To develop a repository of railroad artifacts including pictures, drawings, maps, and other technical information related to this railroad and other local railroads for educational purposes and to aid in preservation of the heritage of the Copper Range Railroad and other local railroads. To acquire, restore, preserve, and/or assist in the restoration, preservation, and operation of the equipment of the Copper Range Railroad and other local railroads for the enlightenment of the public concerning the social and economic impact of the railroad on the communities served.

10/04/2026

The Lake Superior & Ishpeming Railroad was famous for the various Alco locomotives that used to comprise a sizable portion of their roster, but did you know there were a couple of LS&I Alcos that found a second home on the Calumet & Hecla and roamed the Keweenaw for a handful of years? In the new issue of The Miscowaubik we take a look at this fascinating era with a photo essay courtesy of George A. Forero Jr. George was on hand to record a C&H train running north from the docks at Hubbell up the Traprock Valley line, a rare look at the operation years after it was done hauling ore, just before it was removed. To complement that story, we included a couple page gallery of the RS-1s during their C&H days and afterward.

Greg Peet looks at the history of freight car reporting marks, why both CR and COPR can be found on Copper Range rolling stock in different eras. Who was behind this change and why those marks can still be found today, albeit on other railroads in different places.

Lastly, Dean Sauvola examines why Michigan’s 2nd smallest municipality, Copper City, was established independently of any specific mine or mining company. Who was behind this “new” city and what lead up to its platting and construction? Why did this new city spring up simultaneously with a new railroad (Keweenaw Central)? The answers touch upon an interesting cross section of Copper Country history including several railroads.

We will have this issue mailed to COPRHTS members shortly. Watch for it in your mailbox. If you’re not a member but want to participate in our travels through local history, join today at coprhts.org and you’ll get all the 2026 issues of The Miscowaubik starting with Quarter 1 and Quarter 2, followed by Quarter 3 and Quarter 4 issues in the coming months.

07/04/2026

The Copper Range Railroad Historical and Technical Society is happy to announce that the 2026 Q1 issue of The Miscowaubik has been published.

There is a lot to enjoy in this first installment of Volume 6. The Quarter 1, 2026 issue kicks off a look back at how local travel evolved across the Copper Country. Our main feature by Dennis H. Leopold, "How private ingenuity and public roads remade transportation in the Keweenaw," tells the story of how motor buses completely shook up local transit. Dennis tracks the early efforts of Caesar Lucchesi and his Range Bus Line, especially his stubborn fight against fierce winters using mechanical snow plows. It gives us an excellent look at the corporate strategies and changing social habits that emerged when rubber tires started taking passengers away from the Houghton County Traction Company and the Copper Range Railroad.

Dean Sauvola brings us a couple of short companion pieces to round out the issue. His article "Roads, Competition and Complement" pulls out a highway map from around 1930 to show how the local road network grew despite some incredibly tough terrain. Then, in our "Sources" department, Dean digs into a 1908 Michigan Atlas to break down the massive investments and industrial output pouring through Houghton County at the absolute height of the copper boom.

COPRHTS members have already received their copy. Join the COPRHTS today and get this issue as well as all other Volume 6 (2026) issues! Join at https://www.coprhts.org/

02/14/2026

Many of our back issues of The Miscowaubik are now on sale. Some quantities are extremely limited. See our STORE page on our website: https://www.coprhts.org/

02/14/2026

We’re excited to announce that we have not one but two new issues of The Miscowaubik hot off the press. In an effort get back on schedule, our Quarter 3 and Quarter 4 issues have been completed and will be sent to members together.

There is a lot to like in this 2nd half of our Volume 5.

The Quarter 3 issue starts off with a couple letters to the editor adding some great details to topics we featured previously (Copper Range’s order for diesels 100 and 101, and the Houghton County Traction Company). Research by Matt Mihalo and Gordy Schmitt sheds a lot of light on the locomotive roster of the Keweenaw Central, including where the various locomotives came from and where they went after the KC abandoned the line. Recounting a time some decades later, Dennis Leopold details one of the most significant milestones in the history of Calumet & Hecla’s railroad, specifically converting the operation to diesel power. We also cover the history of a C&H diesel after leaving the C&H property.

Quarter 4 includes part two of the Keweenaw Central roster, the balance of the excellent photos illustrating the various models on the line. Our main feature is photographer John Briggs’ recollection of his trip to the railroad and industrial landscapes lining the west end of Lake Superior in 1971. It was on this trip that John crossed paths with the Copper Range at Houghton sparking an ongoing interest in the fading shortline and the mining industry that surrounded it.

COPRHTS members will receive these issues shortly. Issues are available on our STORE page: https://www.coprhts.org/

Address

PO Box 302
Painesdale, MI
49955

Website

https://www.coprhts.org/

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