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Photo of Ryan Byle to be reproduced here.

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Following is the plan document which has become the planning guide for the Western Michigan Society for Industrial Heritage written by Ryan Byle in June 2000. Ryan passed away in August 2000 at age 14 while assisting his father Tom Byle, then president of the Coopersville & Marne Railway, prepare the train for an excursion ride. In his memory, Ryan holds the Western Michigan Society for Industrial Heritage perpetual membership certificate #1.

The Future Plans document as typed by Ryan Byle is reproduced in its entirety here...

The West Michigan Society for Industrial Heritage, born on Monday June 26, of the year two thousand A.D. by Ryan J. Byle will be put into three divisions. The Railroad division made up of the Coopersville & Marne Railway Co., The tractor division made up of the Ed Hanenburg and his tractor Museum [now the Coopersville Farm Museum], and the Interurban division made up of Coopersville Museum [Coopersville Area Historical Society].

By the year of 2005 A.D. the WMSIH wishes to have phase one out of three completed. Phase 1 contains:

1. A three stall locomotive engine house on the Railroad division.
2. The old Spring lake Interurban depot restored and opened for the public purchases of Railroad division Tickets
3. The tractor museum built and opened for the general public.
4. The section of Interurban put back in between the turntable on the Railroad division Eastmanville Street.
5. A board with no more than three members from each division.

By the year of 2010 A.D. the WMSIH wishes to have phase two out of three completed. Phase two contains:

1. A vintage five stall roundhouse on the Railroad division.
2. An area operated by the Tractor division where children may operate a small loader or bulldozer for a fee.
3. To rebuild the section of old Interuban line between the one [Eastmanville] street and east street.
4. Ownership of an old time drilling rig between the three divisions.
5. A visual connection between the Interurban division, Tractor division, and Railroad division.

By the year of 2015 A.D. the WMSIH wishes to have phase three out of three completed. Phase three contains:

1. Expansion of roundhouse from five to ten stalls on the Railroad division.
2. Operation of live steam on the railroad division.
3. Relocation of the railroad division's tower [Memorial Tower] to build a small replica of a yard
4. Two Interurban/street cars running on the replaced Interurban.
5. The ownership of a large dragline crane between the three divisions.

The West Michigan Society for Industrial Heritage is created for preservation of industrial items that are forgotten names. We would like to restrore equipment that was part of our father's and grand father's life, but not only that but education of children of what seems to us as ice age industrial technology. There will be nothing like the WMSIH because it's unique. We our selves the Coopersville & Marne Railway, Ed Hanenburg and his tractor museum, and the Coopersville Museum must learn to work as one. If we don't work together going our separate ways we will never survive. Here I Ryan J. Byle conclude that may the West Michigan Society for Industrial Heritage last for many generations to come.