Timetable: NYC - Fayette Branch - Slocum Junction to Fayette

This line was the original route to Chicago by the Chicago & Canada Southern. It was built from the Detroit River dock to Fayette, but graded farther. The line came under Lake Shore & Michigan Southern control to avoid its purchase by the Wabash railroad, which was building towards Detroit. [DFP-1881-0706]

The LS&MS closed the line east of Grosvenor and the remainder was known as the Fayette Branch. Much of the route was later used by the DT&I to reach from Dundee to Trenton. Under LSMS/NYC ownership, they ran a "turn" between Adrian (via the Old Road) and Fayette. Station hours and passing siding capacity as of 1916. Car capacity based on 44' cars.

Photo Info:The local from Adrian to Morenci waits to begin its trip on the branch, at Grosvenor. Merlin D. Pruden is the conductor on the right. In the 1940's. [Merlin Pruden & David Pruden collection]

Key: BB=Bascule Bridge | C=Coal | CS=Car Shop | D=Open > Day | DN=Open Day and night | DS=Dispatcher | DT=Double Main Track | EH=Engine house | F=Diesel Fuel | 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 | T=Turntable | TC=Telegraph call | W=Water | X=Crossing | Y=Wye | Yard=Yard

Sources = Timetables + [MRL]

Notes

The right of way between Stoney Island and Slocum Junction continued to be used by the Michigan Central for ferry operation to Canada until the tunnel was opened in 1908. It continued to be used for freight operations until the 1930's.

The right of way between Slocum Junction to Dundee was sold to the Detroit & Lima Northern, then to the DT&I. The DT&I later built a cut off at Durban to Malinta, OH. The route was abandoned west of Durban.

Bimo was reported to have an automatic interlocking but was downgraded to stop signs and stop and proceed.

Left, an Official Guide timetable for what remains of the Fayette Branch. The line actually started at Grosvenor but the timetable indicates that the trains started and returned to Adrian, which was on the "Old Road".

Time Line

Canada Southern - LSMS - DT&M - DT&I - Four different lines Through Dundee

1872. The original east-west main line, built by the Canada Southern (CS) from Amherstburg, Ontario to Fayette, Ohio (via Stony Island, Grosse Isle, Dundee, Grosvenor, and Morenci) came into Dundee just south of the village and south of the Raisin River. This was the first railroad to reach Dundee. This line was part of a plan by the initial investors of the CS to build a line from Canada to Chicago. The CS line became the Chicago & Canada Southern and then leased to the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern railroad in 1879. The line was pulled up around 1897 around the time when the line was purchased from the Lake Shore by the Detroit & Lima Northern.

1879. November 8. The Chicago & Canada Southern Railroad was turned over to the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Company, and is designed upon the time tables as the "Fayette Branch" of that road. Superintendent Blodgett assumes control and a new time table goes into effect to-day, Sunday. The trains for the Fayette branch will now leave the brush street depot. They will leave at 6:15 p.m. and will arrive at 9:15 p.m. [DFP-1879-1109]

1879. Superintendent Blodgett of the Lake Shore I& Michigan Southern, since the acquisition by his company of the Chicago & Canada Southern railroad, has been exceedingly active in reconstruction of the road. After much consideration he has arranged that all trains from Fayette south of the main line shall run to Adrian and there connect with trains for Detroit via Monroe. The people will enjoy as good facilities as before, rather better in fact, as they will reach Detroit ten minutes earlier than under the former schedule, and will take fifteen minutes longer in this city (Detroit), as compared with the former hour of departure for the existing train southwest. The section of the Chicago & Canada Southern from Grosvenor to Deerfield will not be used at present. For the accommodations of those living along the line of the road between Adrian, Deerfield and Slocum's Junction, a mixed train, freight and passenger, will be put on. This train will leave Adrian at 5:50 a.m., running to Corbus, and there taking the Canada Southern track to Chandler, Getting there at 9:51, and connecting with the train reaching Detroit at 10:50. Returning this train will leave Detroit at 8:10 p.m. reaching Adrian at 7:45 p.m. (Editors note: Different time zones?) [DFP-1879-1214]

1881. The Toledo, Ann Arbor & Grand Trunk, one of the predecessors to the Ann Arbor Railroad, builds north from Toledo and reaches Dundee headed for Ann Arbor. (They cross the CS about 1/2 mile south of the Raisin River (near present day M-50).

1893. The line from Grosvenor northeast to Corbus is removed. [MRL]

1897. The original CS line from North Raisinville west towards Deerfield is removed, eliminating the crossing of the original AA railroad just south of Dundee (near what is today M-52). This location at North Raisinville is later known as Durban. In addition to the original CS line, two other lines ultimately branched from here, one east to the DT&M in Dundee in 1898 and the Malinta cut-off in the southwesterly direction.

1897. The original line from Slocum Jct. to Chandler is removed. The line from Dundee to Corbus is also removed. [MRL]

1897. The Detroit & Lima Northern (D&LN), which had reached Dundee via trackage rights on the DT&M, purchases the Lake Shore's former CS line between Dundee and Flat Rock (Slocum Jct.), with a goal of finally reaching the Detroit area.

1898. The D&LN, which reaches Tecumseh from the south and uses the DT&M (former CS) to reach Dundee, builds a connection between Dundee Junction to a connection with the LSMS/DT&I near North Raisinville.

1941. The line from Morenci to Fayette, OH is abandoned. [MRL]

The information for this article was received from Don Meints' two-volume Michigan Railroad Lines, as well as from several old maps, the USGS and Google Maps' mapping program.