Timetable: MCRR - Mackinaw Branch - Bay City to Mackinaw City

The MC Mackinaw Branch was started by the Jackson, Lansing and Saginaw railroad and came under the control of the Michigan Central before it reached Mackinaw City. Station hours and passing track capacity based on 1897 timetable. Siding length based on 44' cars.

Key: BB=Bascule Bridge | C=Coal | CF = Car Ferry | CS=Car Shop | D=Open > Day | DN=Open Day and night | DS=Dispatcher | DT=Double Main Track | EH=Enginehouse | F=Diesel Fuel | HI=Half Interlocked Crossing | I=Interlocked Crossing | J=Junction | LB=Liftbridge | N=Open at night | P=Passing Track w/40' car capacity | Q=Quarry | RH=Roundhouse # stalls | RT=Railroad Resort | S=Scales | SB=Swingbridge | T=Turntable | TC=Telegraph call | W=Water | X=Crossing | Y=Wye | Yard=Yard

Notes

The Saginaw River bridge was a non-interlocked swing bridge that had "smash board" signals on each end. West Bay City was 500' west of the Saginaw River drawbridge. It was the location of the main Bay City yard until Wenona Yard was built north of there.

At Tower 12, the Hecla Belt Line went through here enroute to marl beds in the area to supply the Hecla Portland Cement Company. About 10 years later, this became a MC industrial belt line. The PM line crossed here going west to coal fields.

At Kawkawlin the J&LS (MC) had a swing bridge over the Kawkawlin river in the late 1880's. This was replaced with a fixed bridge.

Linwood had a crossing allowing Mackinaw Branch trains to access the D&M main line. When the D&M was pulled up south of Pinconning, a new crossover was installed just south of Pinconning and is still used today.

Worth was known as Saginin in 1883.

The Detroit, Bay City & Alpena connected with the MC at Alger. In 1895, under D&M ownership, they built their own line to North Bay City and their old line was truncated at Prescott and became known as the D&M Prescott Branch.

Frederick was known as Forrest in 1883. Waters was known as Wright's Lake.

When the Penn Central abandoned the Mackinaw Branch, the D&M purchased it north of Sallings and south of Kawkawlin. The state retained ownership between Kawkawlin and Sallings and leased it to the D&M.

Sources: Employee timetables + [MRL]

Time Line

1870. Five hundred tons of railroad iron arrived at Wenona (West Bay City) for the extension of the J&LS road north of that place. [LSJ-1870-0804]

1871. The line is built from Bay City West Side to Wells (near what is now Sterling) in Arenac County under JL&S ownership. [MRL]

1873. The line is extended north from Wells to Gaylord under MC lease of the J&LS. [MRL]

1879. The Mackinaw division of the Michigan Central has a contract for hauling 10,000,000 feet of logs to Bay City this winter. [DFP-1879-0106]

1880. Fall. It is estimated that 9,000 deer were shipped on the Mackinaw division of the Michigan Central during the fall of 1980. Averaging 112 pounds to a deer, the top five stations for shipment were Roscommon (250,000 lbs), West Branch (187,500 lbs), Summit (150,000 lbs), Beaver Lake (127.500 lbs) and Standish (90,000 lbs). [DFP-1881-0316] Editors note: The location of Summit was not confirmed, but likely between West Branch and Wells (near Alger).

1881. A short link less than one mile, is built from Bay City West Side to Bay City East Side, and connection with the Detroit & Bay City railroad. The route uses a new drawbridge over the Saginaw River. [MRL]

1881. December 28. The MC took possession of the Mackinaw Division for its entire length and commenced running trains. As soon as the Wagner Company can furnish them, through sleepers will be put on from Detroit to Mackinaw City. [DFP-1881-1229]

1881. The line is extended from Gaylord to Mackinaw City. A connection with the ferry dock is made in 1882. [MRL]

1882. O. W. Ruggles, General Passenger and Ticket Agent of the MC, instructs his agents that from October 1 until April 1 excursion tickets form XI may be sold to hunters and tourists to points on the Mackinaw Division north of and including Roscommon, at largely reduced rates, tickets to be limited to thirty days from date of sale. Two hundred and fifteen pounds of baggage and camp equipage will be carried for free. Venison and other large game must be forwarded by express. It will not be carried in the baggage car. [DFP-1882-0930]

1882. The new sleepers to be put on the MC between Detroit and Mackinaw are fitted with elegant and commodious smoking apartments. [DFP-1882-1128]

1884. The MC is completing the laying of steel rails on the Mackinac division commencing about a mile north of Kawkawlin and coming south to Bay City. [DFP-1884-0429]

1884. The MC pay car made the run from Mackinaw to Bay City in five hours, two hours less than the regular passenger train. [CCA-1884-0827]

1897. SNAPSHOT: This line hosted two round trip 1st class passenger trains to Mackinaw City from Bay City, known northbound as the Mackinaw & Marquette express and the Alpena & Mackinaw express, and southbound as the Detroit & Cincinnati express and Cincinnati & New York express. There was also a northbound round trip to Grayling and back (the Grayling accommodation and the Saginaw accommodation). A northbound train also ran to Pinconning and Gladwin, and returned back to Bay City. Two scheduled 3rd class way freights ran to Mackinaw, stopping for five hours at Grayling for servicing. [ETT-1897-11]

1898. February 22. After the big storm, the MC succeeded in getting its jumbo snow plow through to this point pushed by two engines, which looked like huge moving snow drifts. A passenger train followed later with a double-header. This is the first train since the storm began three days ago. This storm is one of the worst in the history of this country for drifting, snow and interfering with traffic. [DFP-1898-0222]

1898. March. The MC steel rail saw, which had been working on the Toledo division of the road, is now being given an overhauling in Detroit. As soon as it is discharged from the shops it will be placed in the railroad yard at West Bay City where it will resume the work on the Mackinaw division which (work) was abandoned about a year ago. When the saw quit work, it had sawed off the ends of all rails between West Bay City and Pinconning. When it resumes work it will be operated until all rails between Pinconning and Mackinaw are butted and the track re-laid with the patent attachments now used. [DFP-1898-0313]

1961. In a petition to discontinue passenger service NYC officials say that less than 12 passengers a day are on the trains between Bay City and Mackinaw City, and the road had a $10,000 loss last year. They want to end the run at Bay City. [IDG-1961-0617]

1963. December. Attorney General Frank Kelly vowed a legal battle against four rail carriers who, he said, want to "discontinue service in a substantial part of northern Michigan. "Information has been received that with the request to abandon the Mackinaw City to St. Ignace car ferry, the Pennsylvania, New York Central and Soo Line railroads will ask the ICC to reduce substantially their services in this state," Kelly said. He also said the Detroit & Mackinac railroad is seeking to halt its service to Cheboygan. Only the NYC confirmed Kelley's statement that it plans to end service north of Gaylord to Mackinaw City.

The PRR and Soo Line denied the accusations, except to say they want to discontinue the rail car ferry across the Straits. George Wyatt, general attorney for the NYC in Detroit, said: "In event the Mackinac Company abandons service, there will be insufficient traffic north of Gaylord to support a railroad, and abandonment of that trackage is almost a foredrawn conclusion." Wyatt said the NYC runs one train north and one south each day above Gaylord, servicing Wolverine, Vanderbilt, Indian River and Mackinaw City, whose combined population is about 4,000.

The NYC, PRR and Soo Line contend that the ferry over the straits can no longer be operated profitably. Each railroad has one man on the company's board of directors. The ferry, Chief Wawatam, has been condemned by the Coast Guard, and has been licensed to operate only until May 24, 1964. The railroads argue that the $1.2 million it would cost to repair the Chief would not be worthwhile in the face of declining freight traffic lost to the Mackinac Bridge. [EDP-1963-1227]

1976. The line from Bay City east side to Kawkawlin is sold to the Grand Trunk Western.

1980. The line from Linwood to Sallings is sold to the State of Michigan and leased to the Detroit & Mackinac. [MRL]

1993. The line from Gaylord to Cheboygan is abandoned. [MRL]