Railroad: Pennsylvania-Detroit Railroad Company

Built → Pennsylvania-Detroit Railroad  → Pennsylvania railroad

Built: 1922 - into Michigan from Toledo, OH.

Merged: 1923 - into Pennsylvania, Ohio and Detroit Railroad.

Reference: [MRRC]

Notes

This was a construction railroad. Formed in 1917, but construction was delayed due to World War I and the federal take over of most US railroads.

Time Line

1923. A hearing on the petition of the Pennsylvania Detroit railroad to extend its belt line to reach the Ford Motor company plants [Dearborn and Highland Park] was held before the state public utilities commission. Representatives of the Michigan Central and the Detroit Terminal railroad opposed the granting of the petition, arguing that the utilities commission has no authority to act in cases of this kind. [BCE-1923-1011]

1925. Work on the Pennsylvania belt line railway begun several years ago, may now be completed, if a decision handed down in the United States district court here yesterday by Judge Charles C. Simmons prevails. The belt line would extend from a point near the Detroit Terminal railway tracks, just west of Livernois avenue, east and parallel with the Terminal tracks, crossing Woodward avenue near the Ford plant, proceeding through the Ford property around the northeasterly section of the city, to the valley of Connors creek, with a spur to the so-called Dodge munitions, or recoil plant on Van Dyke avenue.

The decision is a result of injunction proceedings instituted by the DT company against the Pennsylvania-Detroit railroad company and the Pennsylvania railroad company. The latter has a lease on the property of its co-defendant.

The projected belt line would cross the DT tracks at two points - at a point near Livernois avenue and at the Boulevard. The DT company would have to share expense of the crossings. It obtained a temporary injunction on the ground that under the transportation act of 1920, no such work could be done until the defendants had obtained a certificate of convenience from the interstate commerce commission.

The defendants, in their turn, contended this provision of the transportation act does not apply to work projected prior to the passage in 1920. They maintained the belt line is necessary to insure a satisfactory volume of business for their main line from Toledo to Detroit, already completed.

The case was heard several months ago by Judge Simons. Yesterday's decision, which dissolved the injunction, is important not only as it affects the belt line, but also in a broader aspect, because it holds in effect that similar projects undertaken before 1920 do not require a certificate of convenience from the ICC. No indication as to whether an appear will be taken was given. [DFP-1925-0310]