Location: Gratiot Avenue, Detroit, MI (GTW/DSR)

This is the grade crossing of the Detroit Street Railway Gratiot Avenue line and the Grand Trunk Western main line (Detroit to Grand Haven) on the near east side of the City of Detroit.

Image info: A 1920 photo of DSR street cars coming down Gratiot Avenue. Note the interlocking tower in the background, which controlled the DSR crossing with the Grand Trunk Western (D&M) main line.

Notes

Location: 42o20.851'N / 83o02.154'W. 

Time Line

1866. A family was injured as they were driving a team and cart on the street railway track, was unable to get off the track in time and were struck by the street car. The wife and children were painfully bruised and blood on the eldest child's face flowed freely. They were taken to a neighboring grocery store where their injuries were attended to. This catastrophe clearly shows the danger incurred by not keeping off the track. [DFP-1866-0513]

1917. The GTW had a station agent here during the day. [TRT]

1935. This interlocking tower was discontinued. The MC automated six Belt Line/DSR railroad crossings by installing combination automatic interlockings which were also connected to street crossing signals. [RSE-1936-02] The DSR had two tracks on Gratiot at this time, the MC Belt was single track.