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8/25/2025
Lake State Railway Co. (LSRC) last week unveiled a freshly painted locomotive honoring one of the railroad's antecedents, the Pere Marquette Railway.
Unit 6437, an ex-UPSD70M, was renamed "Spirit of Pere Marquette" in tribute to the E7 locomotives originally designed by second generation LSRC railroader Travis Vongrey, a former conductor, engineer, yardmaster and now supervisor of yard operations at the Michigan-based regional.
Vongrey's drawings were given to the designers and the Southern Pride Equipment Painting of Sharpsburg, Georgia.
“Travis has created something really special that reflects the pride and satisfaction all our people share in shaping the future of rail transportation in Michigan, while staying mindful of our rich heritage. We’re all thrilled to see his design come to life as part of our modern fleet," said LSRC CEO Mike Stickel.
LSRC operates 375 miles of track with six interchange points. Headquartered in Saginaw, the short line operates terminals in Plymouth, Flint, Midland, Bay City, Gaylord and Alpena, and carries about 60,000 carloads annually.