Railroad: Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad Company, The

The Lake Shore & Michigan Southern railroad was created in 1869 to combine the Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana (Toledo to Chicago) with Vanderbilt lines between Toledo, Cleveland and Buffalo. It later became part of the New York Central in 1915. In Michigan, the Lake Shore had major terminal operations in Adrian and Hillsdale, as well as branch lines going north to Michigan's growing cities in Jackson, Lansing, Ypsilanti, Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids.

Various → Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad → New York Central railroad

From: Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana - 1869

Operated in Michigan for 46 years.

Became: New York Central - 1915

Reference: [MRRC]

Photo Info: Lake Shore & Michigan Southern locomotive 4759 pulls a passenger train into the Village of Clinton around 1900, on their Jackson Branch. [Cynthia Givens collection].

Notes

Time Line

1879. November 8. The Chicago & Canada Southern Railroad was turned over to the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Company, and is designated upon the time tables as the "Fayette Branch" of that road. Superintendent Blodgett assumes control and a new time table goes into effect to-day, Sunday. The trains for the Fayette branch from Detroit will now leave the Brush Street depot. They will leave at 6:15 p.m. and will arrive at 9:15 p.m. [DFP-1879-1109]

1880. February 26. The talk in Wall street is that the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern stocks are good for an eight per cent dividend. It is said that the February earnings are, so far, the largest in the history of the road; the first fortnight's received were $127,000 more than last year. [DFP-1880-0226]

1905. July. The LS&MS orders removal of all facing point switches on its Buffalo-Chicago main line where possible assure safe passage of 18-hour express trains. [RG-1905-0707:2]

1909. July. Lake Shore Trains Run Right-Handed. On the Western division of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern, which extends from Chicago to Elkhart, 101 miles, trains are now run on the right-hand track, thus reversing the practice of many years' standing. On the other divisions of the road left-hand running still continues; but the switches and signals are being made ready to extend the change throughout the line. [RA-07/30/1909] The road set aside about $1 million to be used for shifting signals, side-tracks and other apparatus. The Chicago & Northwestern railway is now said to be the only line that continues to operate left-handed. [Steam Shovel and Dredge v. 15, 1911]