holiday

How to see the CPKC Holiday Train this Saturday

Posted on November 19, 2025November 19, 2025 by farlane

Holiday Train Rolling through Detroit by Craig Hensley Photography

The CPKC Holiday Train is set to roll through Michigan this Saturday November 22nd. My post about the train last week generated so many questions and so much interest that I decided to share some more info about this very cool Canadian project. Since its first journey in 1999, the CPKC Holiday Train has collected over 5 million pounds of food and raised more than $26 million dollars for community food banks in Canada and the US!

The estimated time that the train will pass by Michigan Central Station in downtown Detroit is 6pm, but it could be (and usually is) later. The train passes through southwest Detroit including Melvindale, Allen Park (est 6:30 – 7:30pm), Taylor, and Romulus before passing through Adrian (est 10pm – 2am) on its way out of Michigan near Munson. I’ll add updated information & answers to questions on this Facebook post about the Holiday Train.

Craig Hensley has been shooting the Holiday Train for years (check out these 2023 pics!). He put together a sweet Google Map of the Holiday Train’s route through Michigan that includes suggested viewing locations. He notes notes that the train is not making stops in Michigan and will be traveling at night so be smart and keep a safe distance from the tracks!! Head over to his website to view & purchase his work.

Also, Detroit photographer Montez Miller reports that she has a friend in Windsor who is a police officer & will let her know when the train is leaving customs so you should probably follow her for that and also her amazing work as a photographer for the red hot Detroit Pistons!!

UPDATE: Montez adds that cpkcr.com will provide LIVE TRAIN TRACKING, but it won’t go live until the train starts to move. She also shared some good Metro Detroit locations where you can watch the Holiday Train!

CPKC railway, a few minutes from tunnel/bridge in Windsor
Railroad in Windsor
Southwest Greenway/Michigan Central Station
Delay/Southwest Detroit/111 Gates St
Thunderbowl Lanes, Allen Park (parking lot)
Airport (Romulus)
Wayne Rd/94
North Side of airport along 94
Social House Group – Belleville, MI same plaza as the Belleville Secretary of State office and Jet’s Pizza

See the Canada Pacific Holiday Train when it rolls through Michigan

Posted on November 13, 2025 by farlane

2025 CPKC Holiday Train at Michigan Central by Snappd by Sean Photography

The 2025 CPKC Holiday Train will tour Canada and the United States November 19 through December 21st raising money, food and awareness to support food banks across their rail network. Professional musicians play free concerts from the brightly decorated train’s stage, and CPKC donates to the local food bank at each stop and encourages all attendees to make a monetary or heart-healthy food donation! Since its inaugural journey in 1999, the CPKC Holiday Train has raised more than $26 million and collected approximately 5.4 million pounds of food for community food banks in Canada and the U.S.

Sean shares that he got these shots from near Detroit’s Michigan Central Station last year – click the pic above for more photos! He recommends it as a really good spot, especially if you can make it there before the crowds. You can see lots more if Sean’s work on his Facebook, where you can also subscribe for exclusive content including live videos.

Michigan holiday travel will be off the charts!

Posted on June 27, 2025 by farlane

Grand Haven Traffic by Scott Ward Photography

mLive shares that a record 2.6 million people are expected to travel for the Fourth of July in Michigan, up 3% from 2024.

AAA projects nearly 2.4 million Michigan residents will take a road trip, up 2.5% from the same holiday period last year. Another 96,000 residents are expected to fly domestically, and more than 160,000 to travel by bus, train or cruise.

No word on how many will be traveling by personal watercraft, but probably a lot more than usual!! They say that the busiest days on the road will likely be Wednesday, July 2, and Sunday, July 6. with afternoon hours as the most congested.

See more in Scott’s Planes, Trains & Automobiles…Boats too gallery on Flickr. For sure view & purchase his work on his website and follow Scott Ward Photography on Facebook for his latest!

May happiness come through your door

Posted on March 17, 2025March 17, 2025 by farlane

irish pub in irish hills by sj carey

May your troubles be less and your blessings be more, and nothing but happiness come through your door.

Happy St. Patrick’s day everyone! I’ve shared this photo by Scott before, and the good Lord willing, I will share it again!

Decked Out Steam for the Cameron Christmas Train

Posted on December 23, 2024December 23, 2024 by farlane

Decked out steam by Robby Gragg

Robby got a great shot of Little River 110 sitting decorated in Quincy, MI waiting for its turn to lead the Cameron Christmas Train, which I just learned about. The train is a partnership of the Cameron Memorial Community Hospital, the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society & railroad enthusiasts that wends through Ohio, Indiana & southern Michigan every November.

He has a lot more on his Flickr including the shot below of NKP SD9 358 holding in Jonesville.

NKP SD9 358 in Jonesville by Robby Gragg

Bright Lights, Small City

Posted on December 13, 2024 by farlane

Above Kalamazoo’s Bronson Park by William Dolak

I’ve been seeing photos from all across Michigan of communities lighting up for the holidays, and for my money Kalamazoo’s Bronson Park nailed it this year!

The man who nailed this drone shot, Bill Dolak, is one of the Michigan in Pictures Facebook group’s most active photographers, delivering great pics from in and around Kalamazoo, Michigan in good times like this and bad ones like this year’s devastating Kalamazoo/Portage Tornado.

You can click on either picture for a bunch more shots, and you should for sure check out all his posts in the Michigan in Pictures group!

Bronson Park Holiday Decorations by William Dolak

PS: The other day Bill shared a photo from above of snow covered, downed trees near Celery Flats Park in Portage.

Father Christmas

Posted on December 23, 2021 by farlane

Father Christmas by Marsha Morningstar

I’d like to wish all of you a very happy holiday season, which includes Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, Yule, Twelfth Night, St. Stephen’s Day, Festivus, New Year, and of course general good will and fortune.

If an inclusive wish of holiday cheer is in any way offensive to you, please remember the giving and loving that is the spirit of the holiday season. And also it never hurts to recall that Father Christmas himself has deep roots in the pagan midwinter feast with echos of the wild Hunt still seen in his famous sleigh ride across the sky.

Marsha took this photo back in 2014 at the Holly Dickens Festival. Head over to her Flickr for the latest!

Waterfallish Wednesday: Seasons Greetings from Fishtown

Posted on December 22, 2021December 22, 2021 by farlane

via Leelanau.com…

Flowing All Night Long by Mark Smith

Flowing all night long by Mark Smith

While this dam isn’t an actual waterfall, I’m going to overlook it due to seasonal appropriateness. In their excellent overview of the history of Fishtown in Leland, the Glen Arbor Sun shares:

Fishtown is located where there once was a natural fish ladder on these traditional Native American fishing grounds. It is one of only few commercial fishing villages still operating today in Michigan. The Native Americans called this spot Mishi-me-go-bing, or alternatively Che-ma-go-bing or Chi-mak-a-ping, meaning “the place where canoes run up into the river to land, because they have no harbor.”

French Canadian millwright, Antoine Manseau, along with his family, are thought to be among some of the first whites to settle here. They came from North Manitou Island in 1853. The following year Manseau and his family, along with John Miller, built the dam at Fishtown. It raised the water level in the river and in Lake Leelanau by as much as an astonishing 12 feet. Since the dam prevented boat traffic from going back and forth in their daily business, launches were, and still are provided on both sides of the dam.

Lots more in the Sun. You can learn more about the history of the dam from Fishtown Preservation.

Mark took this photo a week ago. See more in his Leland gallery & view and purchase his work at Leelanau Landscapes.

Happy Holidays from the Loon Song Covered Bridge

Posted on December 24, 2020 by farlane

Untitled by Steve Nowakowski

The Loon Song Covered Bridge aka Joshua’s Crossing is a covered bridge in Lake Ann that was built in 1995 so that guests could access the back of the Herendeen Lake Resort property. The 90-foot bridge crosses a ravine and small creek and was named after Joshua Gabrick, son of resort owner Mark Gabrick. You can get more info about the privately owned bridge on their Facebook page. They’re also selling home sites in case you feel the need to drive across this on the regular!

You can see a lot more views of this idyllic landmark in Steve’s 2016 Lake Ann Covered Bridge gallery on Flickr.

Happy Holidays everyone – see you next week!!

Essexville Ice Magic

Posted on December 22, 2020December 22, 2020 by farlane

Essexville Ice Formation by Jeff Caverly

I’ve featured this stunning photo before but had to bring it back for an encore! Head over to Jeff’s Flickr for more & definitely follow Jeff Caverly Photography on Facebook!

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