Editing Mackinaw City, Michigan (section)

===Railways===
The New York Central's [[Michigan Central]] subsidiary, the Pennsylvania Railroad's [[Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad]] subsidiary, and other rail lines provided passenger traffic on [[passenger trains|trains]] such as the ''[[Northern Arrow]]'' to Mackinaw City. After the creation of the [[Penn Central]] in 1968, rail traffic diminished and the rail infrastructure deteriorated. The state invested greatly into the failing railways and established the [[Michigan Northern Railway]] to operate passenger and freight operations in the early 1980s. Despite sizable patronage, passenger services, as well as freight, operated in the red, prompting the state government to reassess its commitment to operations of the Michigan Northern Railway. All subsidies terminated in 1984, and the lines were sold to [[CSX Transportation]] in 1987. It dismantled the tracks shortly thereafter.<ref>{{Schwieterman-Leaves-Eastern|pages=139–143}}</ref>

The former Michigan Central line to Mackinaw City was improved under the [[Rails to Trails program]]. It was rededicated in 2008 as the [[North Central State Trail]], providing a public right-of-way from Mackinaw City to [[Gaylord, Michigan|Gaylord]].