Railroad: Erie & Michigan Railway & Navigation Company

Built → Erie & Michigan Railway and Navigation Co. → Detroit & Mackinac Ry.

Built: 1906

Operated for 42 years (by the D&M).

Became: D&M leased line in 1907 and purchased it in 1949.

Reference: [MRRC]

Notes

This line connected the Port of Alabaster with the D&M main line a distance of about 4 miles.

Time Line

1908. December 26. Only Eleven Miles Long, Holds World's Equipment Record. Erie & Michigan Railway Will Have One Engine to Every Two Miles and 50 Cars for Every Mile - Has Three Boats, Too

The Erie & Michigan Railway & Navigation company will shortly let a contract for 200 steel cars. T. G. Winnett of this city, president and general manager of the company, this week gave a contract for a new freight engine of the mogul type, and bids for the cars have been asked.

Probably not one person in 1,000 in Michigan have ever heard of the Erie & Michigan railway, but that does not alter the fact that this road holds the world's record for equipment per mile of track. The road runs from Alabaster, on the shore of Tawas Bay, to East Tawas. 11 miles, but it has five engines and 200 freight cars, besides a train of passenger cars. With the new equipment it will have six engines and 500 cars, or one engine for less than every two miles of track and nearly 50 freight cars for every mile. In fact, it takes a "wise head" to keep the Erie & Michigan "system" from becoming "balled up" with cars and engines.

Map Info: This is a map of the E&M right of way and trackage rights to East Tawas, shortly after it was built. [Dale Berry].

1908. The road, notwithstanding its lack of length, last year paid 12% net. Its big items of freight are plaster and gypsum, the latter being found in almost inexhaustible deposits around Alabaster. The company runs one passenger train per day; has four stations on its 11 miles and carries United States mail.

The company owns, besides the railroad, three steamers - the Winnebago and Justice Spalding (both steel) and the M. T. Gree (wood). It is absolutely independent of any affiliation with other railroads and its single connection is with the D&M at East Tawas, for which it is a valuable freight feeder. The road was built in 1906. [DFP-1908-1227]

1928. Final valuation of the E&M Railway & Navigation company, as of June 30, 1927, was today fixed by the Interstate Commerce Commission at $52,781, for property owned and used, and $44,800 for property used but not owned. This carrier operates a railroad from Alabaster, Mich., to Alabaster Junction, a distance of about four and 1/4 miles, all of which, except sidings and yard track, are leased from the Detroit & Mackinac railway company, together with trackage rights over the D&M from Alabaster Junction to East Tawas. [DFP-1928-0101]