Station: North Bay City, MI

North Bay City was the major yard for the Detroit & Mackinac railway in Bay City.  Northbound freight trains originated here, while passenger trains originated in Bay City proper and passed through here on their way to Tawas City and Alpena. The yard is still used today by the Lake State Railway, however the former D&M main line is truncated north of the yard.  The Lake State uses the Central Michigan from this yard south and west to Bay City West Side and north through Wenona before rejoining their shore route at Pinconning.

The D&M roundhouse was located south of Wilder Road east of the main line  it no longer exists.

Photo info:  Top, D&M's Alcohol yard switcher, #646 pauses at the North Bay City yard office in 1969. [Charles Geletzke Jr.]. 2nd photo, a view of the D&M freight office at North Bay City, where the line crosses E. Wilder Road. The building is now used by the Straits Corporation wood treating operation south of the building.  3rd photo, the D&M's engine house in the yard.  This was formally a freight house which was retrofitted into an engine house, probably when the line was dieselized in the 1940's. Note the sand tower sticking up from behind the building, about mid-building. [Both, Charles Geletzke]. 4th photo, D&M #139 stops near the coal dock at North Bay City yard. [Charles Geletske Jr.]

Notes

Time Line

1896. October 22. The deed from F. W. Wheeler & Co. to the Detroit & Mackinac Railway, conveying the Wheeler farm, so-called, was put on record yesterday. The deal was consummated last July when it was chronicled in The Free Press. Since that time the railway company has laid out 4,000 feet of switches, built a round house, turn table, water tank and train dispatcher's office on the property. DFP-1896-1022]

1898. A snowplow loaded with men ran into a caboose at North Bay City, badly injuring four men. [CCA-1898-0210]

1901. A D&M northbound train caught Wenona Beach car No. 43 at a crossing on the outskirts of West Bay City yesterday afternoon, cutting off the front portion of the trolley car. Motorman Doupount and one passenger got out uninjured, but it was a narrow escape. The Beach car had just reached the crossing when the train whizzed past. [PHTH-1901-1108]

1905. August 11. Seeing snakes was a reality in North Bay City Sunday. A large cage full of the reptiles was released by the wrecking of one of Sun Brothers Circus cars. The train jumped the track at a transfer switch, one car overturning. Most of the reptiles were recapture during the day. [Owosso Times-1905-0811]

1914. Damages to the amount of $15,000 received by the Union Ice company at Bay City against the D&M railroad were affirmed. A building containing a large amount of ice burned and it was claimed that a spark from a locomotive owned by the railroad caused the fire. [MCH-1914-0116]

1921. August 8. Edward Ligney, telegraph operator for the Detroit & Mackinac railroad at North Bay City, was run over by a box car Saturday evening and died on Sunday. He was not discovered until about an hour after the accident and death was due to loss of blood. He leaves a widow and seven children. [LSJ-1921-0808]

1927. This D&M tower was staffed with an operator during around-the-clock. This was an interlocked crossing but the GT railway Wenona Beach track was protected by swing gates. [ETT-1927]