Interlocking: Lapeer Tower, MI

Lapeer Interlocking tower controlled the grade crossing of the east-west Grand Trunk Western (later CN) main line from Port Huron to Flint, and the north-south Michigan Central Bay City branch, from Detroit to Bay City via Saginaw. The interlocking was turn down in 1979 after the MC line was abandoned north of the crossing.

A Day At Lapeer Junction in 1955. Click Here.

Photo Info: Top, a conductor receives his orders at Lapeer Junction in 1971. [Charlie Whipp]. 2nd photo, a 1950's photo of the NYC Bay City Branch looking north across the interlocking. [Ernie Novak photo, Robert Michalka collection]. 3rd image, a map of Lapeer Junction showing the freight house and hotel in 1922. 4th image, a MC Mikado H7 powered train approaches Lapeer Diamond [Charlie Whipp collection]. 5th photo, the equipment box which now interfaces signals and switches in the area with the CN dispatcher centralized traffic control system. 2007. [Dale Berry]

Notes

The Lapeer House  was also located at Lapeer  Junction. In the early years, the hotel served passengers of both railroads, with both food and lodging.

The Grand Trunk came to Lapeer first, in December, 1871, followed by the Detroit & Bay City in November, 1872. The latter route became the Michigan Central and later the New York Central and Penn Central.  The MC also had a branch line to North Branch (called the Lapeer & Northern) which was built in 1872. 

The Lapeer & Northern branch, mostly used for logging, was removed in 1883, and the Penn Central line was removed in 1976, except for a short branch south to an elevator which is operated by the Lapeer Industrial Railway, a part of the Adrian and Blissfield railroad group. The GTW line remains today as an active main line that also has daily Amtrak service.  It is now under Canadian National ownership.

Time Line

1930: May 28. The Michigan Public Utilities Commission approves changes in the interlocking design at Lapeer Tower. [MPUC-1930]