Timetable: Pere Marquette - Main Line - Detroit to Grand Rapids

This route is the current CSX line from Detroit to Grand Rapids (via Plymouth and Lansing), known as their Plymouth subdivision.

The original line used what is now the West Detroit branch from West Detroit to Oak, and then via Plymouth and Lansing and on to Howard City. The section east of Oak was replaced in 1891, using the Flint & Pere Marquette line from Oak to Delray and the Fort Street Union Station. The line from Grand Ledge west to Grand Rapids was built by the Detroit, Lansing and Northern in 1888, relating the line through Ionia to Howard City to branch line status.

Time Table Below

The station hours are as of 1944. This was a single track main line, with double track sections from Delray to Plymouth, and Lansing MA to North Lansing. The part of the line from Detroit (FSUD) to Delray was on the Union Belt of Detroit. Station times and sidings are as of 1944.

This was PM's Sub-Division #1. In 1944 the maximum speed for the subdivision was 70 mph for passenger trains and 40 mph for other trains unless reduced by timetable. Most railroad grade crossings were limited to 50 mph.

When this line was originally built, it started at "Grand Junction" (later West Detroit) using the Michigan Central depot and trackage rights to reach its own line. The line then went northwest parallel to Grand River road and then due west parallel to what is now Schoolcraft Road in Detroit. In 1891, this portion of the line would be downgraded to a branch line (the West Detroit branch) when the new route from Oak southeast to Delray and Fort Street Union Station was built by the F&PM.

The Detroit, Lansing & Northern, Flint & Pere Marquette and the Chicago & West Michigan were merged into the newly created Pere Marquette railway about 1900.

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

Time Line

1889. September 8. Construction of the new [Union] depot [in Detroit] will begin within a few weeks and it is the design of the company to have the foundation in before the approach of winter. About the same time, the F&PM road will begin the construction of a line of its own into the city from Novi, the right of way for which it has long possessed. [DFP-1889-0908]

1891. In changing its time table the Detroit, Lansing & Northern railroad first schedules the road from Detroit to Grand Rapids as the "main line" and names the old line from Grand Ledge to Howard City as the "western division". [LDP-1891-1126]

1891. The Flint & Pere Marquette proposes its own line from Novi, southeast to the Delray area of Detroit to the state railroad crossing board. It included crossing with the Detroit, Lansing & Northern in Redford Township, the MCRR in Springwells and the Wabash, LS&MS and MC near Woodmere Cemetery (Delray) which the F&PM hoped to cross at grade. The MC was against their crossing at grade, sending a team which included MC President Ledyard, Solicitor Ashley Pond, General Attorney Henry Russel, Chief Engineer J. D. Hawks and Division Superintendent D. F. Sutherland to testify. The MC wanted an overhead crossing of their line in Springwells. [DFP-1891-0512] Note: This line was not built from Novi to Redford Township, but the route from Redford Township (Oak) to Woodmere was built by the F&PM to reach Fort Street Union Depot in 1893. An overhead crossing of the MC in Springwells was utilized. The line apparently used DL&N trackage rights from Oak to Plymouth.

1891. May 24. Work on the extension to Detroit will begin this week. The F&PM will be extended at once from Plymouth to Detroit. The first step will be the building of a Y track at Plymouth to the tracks of the DL&N railway, so that the F&PM can begin running over the Lansing road as soon as the line from Redford [Oak] to the Wabash road in Delray is constructed. Work on the extension from Delray will also begin this week. [DFP-1891-0524]

1902. 16 miles of new 75-lb. steel rail has bee laid west of Plymouth. [MCR-1903]

1916. This line is 90 lb. rail and well maintained. [MCR-1916]

1924. The PM installs automatic block signals on 17 miles of double track between Detroit and Plymouth. This included 26 color-light signals US&S Type R, controlled by d.c. storage batteries. [RSC-1925].

1926. February. The PM places in service an automatic intermittent train stop system on all signals between Seymour, MI (near Grand Rapids), and North Lansing, and between Lansing (MA) and Pennsylvania Junction (P-Company Jct.) in Dearborn. Both sections combined include 120 miles of single track and 18 miles of double track. Inductors were placed at 215 signals. Single track signals are semaphores, and double track are color-light. The intermittent inductive train stop of the General Railway Signal Company is being used in this installation. [RSE-1926-05]