Timetable: MCRR - Main Line Michigan Division - Town Line to Niles

This was the main line from Detroit to Chicago, first opened by the state-owned Central railroad, and then purchased by the Michigan Central. After the Civil War, the MC began to double track this line in a west direction. The main line was an early adopter of automatic block signals, first deploying Hall "banjo" style signals and then replacing them in the early 1900's with semaphores and later searchlight signals. These were directional block signals which existed for many years until they were replaced with bi-directional block signals by Conrail in the 1980s. Stations open and passing track capacity as of 1947.

Photo Info: A NYC freight train heads west near Ann Arbor. [Robert Hadley photo]

Key: BB=Bascule Bridge | C=Coal | CP=Control Point | CS=Car Shop | D=Open > Day | DN=Open Day and night | DS=Dispatcher | DT=Double Main Track | EH=Engine house | F=Diesel Fuel | FH=Freight House | HI=Half Interlocked Crossing | I=Interlocked Crossing | J=Junction | LB=Lift bridge | N=Open at night | P=Passing Track w/40' car capacity | Q=Quarry | RH=Roundhouse # stalls | RT=Railroad Resort | S=Scales | SB=Swing bridge | SY=Stock Yard | T=Turntable | TC=Telegraph call | TP=Track Pans | W=Water | X=Crossing | Y=Wye | Yard=Yard

Notes

Smith's Creek was the name for Greenfield Village. The MC had a reverse crossover here.

In Dearborn, the old Amtrak station served from the 1970's until it was replaced with a new Amtrak station at Greenfield Village (near Elm Street) in 2015.

Dearborn was a junction of the MC main line and the DD&D branch to YD. It left the line southeast near the new Amtrak station. Replaced by the Junction Yard branch in the 1920's.

CP 28 is a modern control point where the westbound Amtrak main line goes from double to single track. This is about 1 mile west of Ypsilanti.

References = MCRR employee timetable #25 4/27/1947 plus additions.

Time Line

1851. The Michigan Central last week carried a company of 67 Hungarians free of charge from Buffalo to Chicago. This was liberal. [NDEM-1851-1025]

1871. The MC operated four round trip trains between Detroit and Chicago. One mail and three express trains. The trains left Detroit at 7:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m., 5:25 p.m. and 9:50 p.m. The trains arrived in Chicago at *;05 p.m., 7:05 pm., 6:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. The railroad also ran a local "accommodation" train between Detroit and Dexter, and a "Kalamazoo Accommodation" between Kalamazoo and Chicago. [MCGN]

1875. SNAPSHOT: The MC ran five passenger trains, including one mail train each way between Detroit and Chicago. Some did not operate on Sundays. [NREP-1875-0603]

1875. The MC railroad declines any longer to furnish office rooms to professional gamblers. In each passenger car is posted the following order: "Conductors are instructed in case any gamblers, three-card mor... men, or confidence men are fourth plying their vocation on this train, to stop at the first station and put them off." This order, we are assured, is made to be executed, and it is a more to the right direction. [NREP-1875-0204]

1876. The Western Union Telegraph Company have been putting up new telegraph poles along the route of the Michigan Central railroad, and are taking down the old poles on both sides of the road, and putting all of the lines on the new poles. [DFP-1876-0922]

1880. The new double track of the MC between Jackson and Leoni is nearly completed. [DFP-1880-0924]

1881. January. T.C. brooks has secured the contract from the MC for building the road-bed for a second track between Grass Lake and Chelsea, a distance of 11 miles. Brooks is completing his present contract of double track between Grass Lake and Leoni. [DFP-1881-0113]

1881. June. William H. Vanderbilt has ordered that the MC and the LS&MS shall have their grades reduced wherever practicable. He desires to make 40 instead of 25 cars the average for freight trains on these roads. All this is being done to reduce costs and enable the railroads to compete more evenly with the lake carriers. [NWM-1881-0629]

1884. The MC took through ten carloads of emigrants Tuesday. [DFP-1884-0522]

1891. For several weeks preparations have been in progress for placing a part of the road under automatic electric block system of signals which is one of the most efficient methods known for preventing collisions. The first test of the system will be made on the fourteen miles between Junction yard and Wayne Junction.

On Monday next at noon the signals will be placed in operation. These signals are the disc type, showing safely in daylight by withdrawal of the disc, and safety at night be a white light; and showing danger in daylight be the display of a red disc and danger at night by the display of a red light.

There is a signal every half mile, thus rendering it next to impossible for one train to run into another except by the grossest carelessness on the part of the engineer. The signals will always so show danger if there are any open switches, as they are all connected. When these signals are in operation the engineer will always have the assurance while running that the next half mile at least is clear. [DFP-1891-0114]

1901. The second main track is completed from Detroit west to Marshall, a distance of 32 miles. An automatic block system is used on the double track. [MCR-1902]

1902. Second track completed from Marshall to Augusta, 22 miles, completing double track from Detroit to Augusta. Grading for second track is complete west to Kalamazoo. Grades are being improved west of Kalamazoo. Extensive yard improvements in Kalamazoo, Battle Creek and Jackson. 22 miles of automatic block system have been installed. [MCR-1903]

1908. M.C. Telegraphy Changes. Some of the changes on the MC under the nine hour law, are as follows: The night offices at Grass Lake and Francisco will be closed. According to reports the night operator at Grass Lake will go to Chelsea, the Francisco night man goes to Dexter. A third man will be assigned to Ann Arbor, the Ypsilanti office will be closed after midnight, the day man at Wiard's will be transferred to some other office, a third operator will be assigned to the Wayne station. The Dearborn office will be closed and another operator will be assigned to the junction yards office. The company under the new law only increases its present telegraphic force by two new operators. [PHTH-1908-0307]