Railroad: Michigan Air Line Railroad Company, The (West of Jackson)

Editor's Note: The Michigan Air Line corporate structure was very complicated. It included local ownership, out-of-state bond holders, speculation as a GT route to Chicago, a lease to the MC which was contested, and fragmented construction. The line was built east from Niles, and west from Macomb County but never connected. I am still sorting this out. Until it is better understood, we are showing this line in two segments, west from Jackson and east from Jackson.

The Michigan Air Line Railroad was a new line which was planned as a route to Chicago via Jackson, from the St. Clair river near Ridgeway.

When the line from Jackson to Niles was completed, it was leased to the Michigan Central and they began operating it as their Air Line Branch. The line east of Jackson was sold to the Grand Trunk and operated as their Jackson Branch. The MC portion of the line was 115.2 miles long with 42.1 miles of sidings and spurs. The Air Line also built south from Niles to South Bend, Indiana.

Built → Michigan Air Line Railroad → MCRR and GTW (Michigan Air Line Railway)

Chartered: 1868 and 1870.

Acquired: Unknown - Niles & South Bend.

Line Opened: 1869 - Ridgeway to Romeo.

Leased: 1870 - to Michigan Central.

Line Opened: 1871 - Jackson to Niles.

Conveyed: 1875 - Line from Pontiac east to Michigan Air Line Railway.

Merged: 1916 - into Michigan Central railroad.

Reference: [MRRC]

Notes

When this line was built west of Jackson, the MC main line via Kalamazoo to Chicago was only single track. The MC used the Air Line Branch as a second, "double" main track. Passenger trains used both routes in both directions to serve the citizens in towns along the lines. But most eastbound freight trains used the Air Line while westbound freights used the main line (via Kalamazoo). This form of operation continued into the 20th century. 

In the 1930's, the Air Line west of Three Rivers was abandoned. In the 1950's, the NYC downgraded the Niles classification yards and upgraded the class yard at Elkhart. The Air Line, from Jackson to Three Rivers and south to Elkhart became a busy, through freight train route in both directions. Centralized traffic control (CTC) was installed along the entire line, including the former LS&MS from Three Rivers to White Pigeon, and the "Old Road" from White Pigeon to "B" Tower in Elkhart.

Time Line

1869. The Michigan Air-Line Railroad Company annual meeting was held in Jackson, Thirteen directors were re-elected, including officers:

• Jerome B. Eaton of Jackson, President
• O.W. Bennett of Jackson, Secretary
• E. Bancker of Jackson, Assistant Secretary
• Eugene Pringle of Jackson, Attorney
• R.W. Landon of Niles, Treasurer
• M.A. McNaughton of Jackson, Managing Director
• Col. N. Boardman, Chief Engineer

At this time, the road planned track from Niles east to Romeo. [DFP-1869-1021]

1870. The Air Line was completed between Jackson and Three Rivers. It was extended to Niles in 1871.

1870. September 29. The Air Line Railroad. From the Jackson Citizen. Yesterday ten car loads of iron arrived for the Michigan Air Line Railroad, and track laying between Union City and Homer will be resumed immediately. One half of the track between Concord and Jackson has been "ballasted," and is quite smooth. The company expects to earn the reputation of having one of the smoothest roads in Michigan, as well as one of the most direct routes through the State. The village of Concord, in this county, is quite lively now with railroad men. Everybody has boarders.

For a new road, mostly unballasted, it is very smooth near Homer. The fencing is in a fair state of progress, and telegraph poles are already being put up along the line. The passenger house at Homer is being pushed rapidly forward. The bridging and grading in Clarendon are now completed, and the iron from Homer to Tekonsha, to which place it is laid from the west, will be soon united. [DFP-1870-0929]

1870. May. Word that the Peninsular Railway was abandoned was denied by the President of the Peninsular Railway Company. He blamed the rumors on their competitor, the Michigan Air Line, which has done all that it could to the detriment of the Peninsular Railway Company. [DFP-1870-0525]

1871. This line between Niles and Jackson, 103 miles, has been wholly built during 1870 It is laid with M.C. pattern of 60-pound rail and fish joints, with an average of 3,000 yards of gravel ballast per mile. Sidings of 2,600 feet (each a half mile) for meeting trains have been introduced eight miles apart, with additional sidings for station work. Separate buildings for passengers and freight and grain have been erected at all chief stations. The (Tobey) elevated signal switches for day and night work have been put up at all breaks of the main track. The line presents no variation of over one and one-fourth miles from an air line between the termini. Opposite Kalamazoo, on the main line, the Air Line is twenty-five miles distant. This area comprises the older settled and finest agricultural portion of the State. Three Rivers, its principal manufacturing point, is supplied with abundant water-power. Ten additional locomotives and two hundred freight cars are provided for the additional local business of this road, which will be run in common with the main line, relieving the middle division (of the MCRR) on which occur the greater grades and curves of the entire road. [DFP-1871-0106]

1873. July. Disgruntled stockholders call for a meeting in Union City for the purpose of removing present members of the Board of Directors and to elect others in their place. The meeting appears to be the result of the Executive Committee of the Board who leased the road between Jackson and Niles for 999 years to the Michigan Central. Apparently the lease left existing stockholders with bonded debt. [DFP-1873-0725]

1901. A 4.3 mile connection is made between the Air Line and the MC main line east of Niles Yard. This allows Air Line trains to be assembled and disassembled in the growing MC yard. [MRL]

1940. The Air Line and the Fort Wayne branch main lines between OD Tower (in Jackson) and Haires (4 miles) were used as a double track line. In 1940, the Air Line was pulled up leaving a single main track for both routes. For a number of years, this track was left in place and used for car storage. [MRL]

1943. The Air Line is abandoned from Three Rivers to Air Line Junction near Niles.

1950's. The Air Line is equipped with single track Centralized Traffic Control (CTC) and about five long controlled passing sidings. A dispatcher at Jackson controls the CTC between OD and B Tower Elkhart. The Air Line becomes a heavily trafficked line connecting Detroit and Elkhart Yard via Jackson. The Niles classification yard is dramatically reduced.

1982. The remainder of the Air Line branch is abandoned from Haires to Three Rivers. Most freight between Detroit and Chicago now does via Toledo.