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1860's
Overview |
- Railroads began building branch
lines to replace plank roads and stage coaches. [AAD]
- The Michigan Car Company (John
S. Newberry and James McMillan) began building rail cars in
Detroit. A competitor, the Peninsular Car Company (owned by
Russell A. Alger) also opened but was later merged into Michigan
Car. A number of supporting businesses, including iron works
and the Detroit Wheel Company, the Russel Wheel and Foundry
Company, and the Griffin Car Wheel Company were founded in
Detroit. [AAD]
- Michigan Central built many of
its own freight cars in shops at Jackson, which was the city's
first industrial enterprise. The Flint and Pere Marquette
also built passenger coaches at shops in Saginaw. [AAD]
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1860 |
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Summer: Lewis
Cass, the "foremost citizen of Detroit for a generation",
addresses members of the "three months' regiment" at the D&M
depot when the regiment returned to Detroit. [MRC-6/1973]
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September: Flint &
Pere Marquette finishes construction from Saginaw 20 miles south
towards Flint. [MRRC]
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November: Amboy,
Lansing and Traverse Bay Railroad opens line from Owosso to
Laingsburg. [MRRC]
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December: The Detroit &
Milwaukee Railroad is the first main-line railroad to penetrate
Michigan's white pine forests. They began hauling logs
from the Crockery Creek valley to Hunter SAvidge's sawmill in
Mill Point adjacent to Spring Lake. [MH-11/1993]
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December 31: Michigan
Railroad Mileage Totaled 700 miles. [MDOT/AAD]
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Michigan Central Railroad builds
a 3-story brick depot in Ypsilanti - [MRC-0988]
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Passengers could travel from
Boston to St. Louis in about 48 hours. [STOV]
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Passenger train conductors and
brakemen were furnished uniforms by the railroad. During
the Civil War, these were stovepipe hats but these soon gave way
to caps. [AAD]
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Nationally, there are 30,000
miles of railroad track. [STOV]
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George Pullman builds a plant in
Detroit to manufacture his Palace and Sleeping Cars.
Later, Pullman moved the entire operation to Chicago. [AAD]
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Detroit's population: 45,619
[D18/BOM]
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1861 |
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January 5: Amboy,
Lansing and Traverse Bay RR completed 20 miles of railroad (location
unknown) and received 1st land grant. [MDOT]
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February 3: Thomas Edison
becomes the first newspaper publisher to distribute his paper on
a train. He sold his one-page Weekly Herald on a run
between Port Huron and Detroit. [MT]
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April 12: Civil war begins.
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May 13: First
movement of troops by rail on the Amboy, Lansing and Traverse City
from Lansing to Bath. [MDOT]
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September 4: The
Amboy, Lansing & Traverse Bay Railroad reaches North Lansing
from Bath. [MCR-75]
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October 24: First
U.S. transcontinental telegraph line put into operation.
Pony Express ends two days later. [DWS]
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Railroads begin setting aside one
car for smokers. It was normally placed at the rear of the
train. [AAD]
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The Michigan Central, a pioneer
in the development of sleeping cars, constructs its first
sleeper car in its Detroit shops. The car has seats that
can be converted into beds. They also make two "drover's
sleeping cars". [AAD]
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SNAPSHOT: The Michigan
Central Railroad reached Chicago nine years ago. Today,
the road runs 3 passenger trains each way between Detroit and
Chicago. They include a "Day Express", a "Night Express"
and a westbound 2nd Class Emigrant and Express Freight train.
In addition to the day and night express eastbound, the MCRR
runs a 2nd Class "Stock Express" between the Stock Yards at
Chicago and the Stock Yards at Detroit, with local stops in
between. The road also operates a local bidirectional
passenger train between Detroit and Jackson, and a "Cincinatti
Express" between Chicago and Michigan City, Indiana.
Finally, the schedule includes two 3rd class "way freights"
between Detroit and Michigan City. In addition to Detroit
and Chicago, the road shows two major terminals at Marshall and
Michigan City. (Jackson and Niles are merely stops).
The timetable says "All trains whether regular or wild, will
keep a sharp look-out for Grand Trunk Trains and at Cattle Yard
Tracks.
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1862 |
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Civil war continues.
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January 20: Flint
& Pere Marquette opens line from East Saginaw to Mt. Morris. [MCR-75/MRRC]
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November 4: The Amboy,
Lansing and Traverse Bay Railroad reaches North Lansing from
Owosso. This line was begun in 1858. [AAD]
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December 8: Flint
& Pere Marquette begins train service to Flint (from Mt. Morris). [MCR-75/MDOT/AAD]
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Flint & Pere Marquette begins
train service between Flint and East Saginaw. [MHM/R&LHS-Winter/2000]
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Mail sorting on railroad cars is
introduced. [STOV]
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"Commodore" Vanderbilt begins
investing in railroad properties, gaining controlling interest
in several Michigan railroad lines over the next 20 years.
[STOV]
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1863 |
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Civil war continues.
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May 15: Meeting
in Marshall (in April), 13 MCRR men planned a national railway men's
organization, resulting in the founding the following month in
Detroit of the Brotherhood of the Footboard (later called the
Brotherwood of Locomotive Engineers, the oldest labor union in
the Western Hemisphere. [MDOT]
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August 4: Detroit
City Railway is incorporated to run horse-drawn streetcars on
Jefferson Avenue in Detroit. Streetcars are also run on
Woodward, Gratiot and Michigan by the end of the year. [DWS/MRRC]
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September: The Amboy,
Lansing and Traverse Bay Railroad reaches Lansing from North
Lansing. It is the first railroad to arrive in the state's
capital. [MCR-75]
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Detroit Bridge and Iron Works is
established. [DWS]
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First subway begins in London,
England. [DWS]
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Dining car service is introduced
in Pennsylvania. [STOV]
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The Michigan Legislature passes
an act to permit local aid to railroads. It is later found
to be unconstitutional in 1870. [AAD]
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1864 |
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Civil war continues.
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August: Peninsula
RR of Michigan completes Escanaba-Negaunee line. 31,072 tons
of ore were shipped between the two points in 1864. It was
consolidated with the Chicago and Northwestern in 1865. [MDOT/AAD]
[MCR-75] reports this date as September, 1864.
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September: C&NW (Peninsula
Railroad) completes line from Escanaba to Negaunee. [MRRC]
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October 21: Chicago and
Northwestern acquires Peninsula Railroad (Escanaba to
Ishpeming). [MRRC]
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November 1: Flint and Holly
Rail Road opens line from Flint to Holly. The F&H trains
run into the Brush Street depot over the D&M as a result of
trackage rights between the two railroads. This
relationship continued for several years. [MCR-75/MRRC/MRC-6/1973]
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Pere Marquette Railroad enters
Detroit. [DWS]
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Blendon Lumber Co. abandons
logging road, 7 miles near Blendon Landing in Ottawa County
:(T7N R14W to T6N R14W). [MRRC]
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Michigan Car Company organized in
Detroit by James McMillan and John Newberry to manufacture
railroad freight and refrigerator cars. They build their
works at Grand Trunk Junction, now West Detroit. Leads to numerous ironworks.
[DWS]
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The Eureka Iron Works,
constructed in 1853 in Wyandotte, produces America's first
Bessemer process steel. The plant is destroyed by fire in
1894 and went out of business. [EMR4]
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Thomas Edison takes a job as a
telegraph operator on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern
Railroad at Adrian, Michigan. He is fired two months later
and moves to the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad at
Fort Wayne, Indiana [ELI/MWD]
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1865 |
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Civil war continues.
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April 9: Civil war ends.
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June: Marquette
& Ontonagon RR opens Ishpeming-Champion line. [MCR-75/MDOT/MSL/AAD]
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July: Marquette & Ontonagon
RR opens line from Winthrop Jct. to Lake Michigame. [MRRC]
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December: Jackson, Lansing
and Saginaw Railroad opens line from Jackson to Mason. [MCR-75]
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Bay City and Portsmouth Railway
opens 10 mile long line from Saginaw & 34d Streets in Bay City,
via Saginaw (6th and Water Streets) to Portsmouth and other
points. (street railway). [MRRC]
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A railroad is extended from Three
Rivers to Schoolcraft. [AAD]
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MCRR
opens first Dearborn station - Mid-1860's - [DPG]
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First Escanaba ore dock is built.
[MSL]
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Calumet Mine (copper)
opens. [MSL]
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The Hecla Mine (copper)
also opens. [MSL]
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First horizontal tank car is
placed in railroad service. [STOV]
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Manual block system of train
control is developed by Ashbel Welch. [STOV]
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First domestic steel rails are
produced in the United States, at the Wyandotte (Michigan)
Mills, using the Bessemer process. [HWC][STOV]
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1866 |
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January 1:
First
train into Schoolcraft on the Schoolcraft & Three Rivers
Railroad. [MT]
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June 25: Jackson,
Lansing & Saginaw RR completes line from Mason to Lansing. [MCR-75]
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April 26: A fire at the
foot of Brush Street burns the office, freight and passenger
depots, as well as the ferry "Windsor". 18 lives were
lost.
Description. [MRC-6/1973]
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September 19: Representatives
of car departments of 11 railroads met at Adrian, agreeing on a
general meeting of "car masters" in Springfield, Mass. on
5/15/1867, resulting in the founding of the Association of American
Railroads. [MDOT]
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December: The Lake Shore
completes its passenger depot at Chicago, a wood and stone
structure at van Buren and LaSalle Streets.
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MS&NI train crews go out on strike
to protest conditions which were "unjust and unbearable", as well
as pay now allowed for work performed. Incidents of violence
took place. When a Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago engineer
attempted to take an engine out of the engine house at LaPorte, he
was set upon by strikers, dragged from the cab and hauled out of
town. The strike was brief. [LS]
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The Calumet and Hecla Mining
Company opens stamping mills and a reclamation plant in Lake
Linden. [BOM]
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1867 |
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January 1: Detroit
River car ferry service begins with "Great Western" at the
time the largest iron or steel vessel on the Great Lakes. [MDOT]
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January: The Jackson,
Lansing & Saginaw complete their line from Lansing to Owosso.
[MCR-75]
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January 14: A new Brush
Street Station is opened in downtown Detroit. It is
described by the Detroit Advertisor as a two-story structure
with two large and convenient waiting rooms, one for the ladies
and one for gentlemen, a conductors' room, a telegraph office
each for the DM and MS&NI railroads, and the MS&NI's
Superintendent's office. It also held two baggage rooms
and a refreshment room. The 2nd floor offices were for D&M
executives. It closes
106 years later in 1973. [MRC-8/1973]
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May 3: Kalamazoo
and Schoolcraft Rail Road completes line from Kalamazoo to
Schoolcraft. The first train arrives in Kalamazoo on this
line. [MRRC/MT]
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May 3: The Kalamazoo &
White Pigeon extends their line from Three Rivers to Kalamazoo.
[MCR-75]
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September: Paw
Paw RR, Michigan's shortest (4 miles) common carrier railroad, began
Paw Paw-Lawton service. [MDOT/PMHS/MRRC]
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October: The Paw Paw
Railroad opens from Lawton to Paw Paw. Later becomes part
of Chicago & West Michigan. [MCR-75/R&LHS-Winter/2000]
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November 1: Bay City and
East Saginaw Rail Road completes line from East Saginaw to Bay City
(CSX line). [MCR-75/MRRC]
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November 9: The Paw Paw
Railroad, with financial help from the MCRR, reaches from Paw
Paw to Lawton. [AAD]
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November 26: A refrigerator
car is patented by Michigan Central's Master Carbuilder, J.B.
Sutherland, in Detroit. [MT]
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December 1: Bay
City & East Saginaw RR began regularly-scheduled service between
East Saginaw and Midland. [MCR-75]
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December 23: Grand Rapids &
Indiana opens line between Grand Rapids and Cedar Springs.
[MCR-75]
December: The Jackson,
Lansing & Saginaw complete their line from Owosso to Wenona
(North Bay City). [MCR-75]
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Flint & Pere Marquette builds
line from East Saginaw to Midland. [MRRC][PM45]
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The Hecla & Torch Lake Railroad
was chartered and built to connect the Calumet Mine and its
stamp mill. It was originally a 50" gauge railroad which
was changed to 49" when the 1st locomotive "The Fluke" arrived
at that gauge. [MOD-6/1985]
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Railcar manufacturer George
Pullman invents sleeping car. [DWS]
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The National Grange of the
Patrons of Husbandry was organized by Oliver H. Kelley.
Organized for educational issues, the Grange shofted its
interest to economic and poltical issues, and railroad rates in
particular. [STOV]
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The Flint & Pere Marquette
Railroad opens a 16.7 mile stretch of track between Saginaw and
Bay City. It is operated by time table and train orders -
no automatic block system - for it entire time of operation.
[PM45]
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The Lake Shore builds a machine
shop (600'x20'), a blacksmith shop (100'x72') at Elkhart.
Similar shops in Adrian and LaPorte are downgraded. [LS]
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Flint & Pere Marquette builds a
moveable bridge over the Saginaw River at Saginaw. [PM45]
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1868 |
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January 16: A
refrigerator car is patented by William Davis, a Detroit fish
dealer. [MT]
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February 28: Canada
Southern Railway incorporated in the Dominion of Canada.
[MDY33]
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June: The Grand Trunk
Railway of Canada operates passenger trains between Toronto and
Detroit, crossing the border at Port Huron, then down what is
now known as the Mt. Clemens subdivision to Milwaukee Jct. The
road stopped at the depot at the Junction, and then went on to
the MCRR Third Street station via Grand Trunk Junction (now West
Detroit). [CRP1]
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July 4: Grand
River Valley Railroad opens line from Rives Jct. (north of
Jackson) to Eaton Rapids. [MCR-75/MRRC]
Autumn: The Grand River
Valley extends its line from Eaton Rapids to Charlotte.
[MCR-75]
October 26: The Flint &
Pere Marquette open their line from Midland to Averills.
[MCR-75]
October: The Hecla & Torch
Lake complete their line from Hecla to Torch Lake Incline.
[MCR-75]
November 23: The Kalamazoo,
Allegan & Grand Rapids Railroad reaches Allegan from Kalamazoo.
[MCR-75]
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E. P. Cambell and Co.
builds 1 mile mile railway from mill to dock in Alpena. [MRRC]
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The Flint & Pere Marquette opens
their line from Midland to Averill. [PM45]
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William Davis, of
Detroit, receives patent for an "icebox on wheels", a
refridgerator car he uses to ship fruit and fish by rail.
[DWS]
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Eli H. Janney receives patent for
the automatic rail car coupler, which begins to replace the
dangerous link-and-pin coupler. [STOV]
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The Michigan Southern & Northern
Indiana begins using the "Baker patent car warmer" which
circulated salted water through pipes underneath coach seats.
[AAD]
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Railway conductors organize into
a national union. [STOV]
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Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee
(GTW) builds depot in Grand Haven. Depot continues to
exist as of 1974. [IT-12/1974]
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The Flint & Pere Marquette begin
running into Detroit via trackage rights on the Grand Trunk
between Holly and downtown. This lasted until 1872 when
the F&PM began using the MCRR between Wayne Jct. and downtown.
[PM45]
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The Robinson, Russell & Company,
a freight car manufacturer founded in 1854, is merged into the
Detroit Car & Manufacturing company. Their works are
located at the foot of Beaubien Street. [HWC]
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1869 |
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March 1: Kalamazoo,
Allegan & Grand Rapids (LSMS) reaches Grand Rapids from
Allegan. [MCR-75/IT-12/79/AAD]
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April 6: Michigan Southern
and Northern Indiana merges into the Lake Shore and Michigan
Southern. [DWS]
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Spring: The Grand River
Valley Railroad opens their line from Charlotte to Hastings.
[MCR-75]
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May 1: The Grand Rapids &
Indiana completes a line from Grand Rapids, north 20 miles which
qualified them for a land grant. [AAD]
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May 10: Transcontinental
railroad completed at Promintary Point, Utah. [DWS]
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June 21: The Grand Rapids &
Indiana open their main line from Cedar Springs to Morley.
[MCR-75]
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August 14:
The Lake Shore
& Michigan Southern acquires the Schoolcraft & Three Rivers and
the Kalamazoo & Schoolcraft. It joins the companies and changes
the name to the Kalamazoo & White Pigeon. It also
acquires the Kalamazoo, Allegan & Grand Rapids. Both the K&WP
and KA&GR will remain extant companies until the formation of
Conrail in 1976. [MT]
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September 24: Severe
depression set off on Black Friday by gold manipulation by
railroad financier Jay Gould. This was the Panic of 1869. [DWS]
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November 18: Ionia
and Lansing Rail Road opens line from Lansing to Grand Ledge and Portland.
[MRRC] [MCR-75] dates the opening of this line between
Lansing and Ionia as December, 1869.
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November 22: The
Ft. Wayne, Jackson and Saginaw open their line from Jackson to
Reading. [MCR-75]
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November: First
passenger train into Muskegon from Ferrysburg. [MDOT]
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November: Port Huron and
Lake Michigan opens line from Port Huron to Emmet. [MRRC/MCR/75]
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December 9: Michigan Air
Line opens line from Ridgeway to Romeo. [MCR-75/MRRC]
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December: Michigan Lake
Shore Rail Road opens line from Muskegon to Ferrysburg (near
Grand Haven). [MRRC]
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December: Peninsular
Railroad opens line from Battle Creek to Lansing. [MRRC/AAD/MCR-75]
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Silkman and Hart open private
lumbering trramway, 5 miles from Torch Lake to Grand Traverse
Bay (sec 24 T31N R9W). [MRRC]
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Lake Shore & Michigan Southern
opens line from Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids. [MRRC]
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The rail line is completed
between Jackson and Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1869-1870 and leased
to the Lakeshore in 1882. [AAD]
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A line is completed this year
from New Buffalo to St. Joseph and leased to the Chicago & West
Michigan in 1881. [AAD]
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George Westinghouse invents the
air brake for railroad cars. [DWS]
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Michigan Central builds depot in
Quincy. This depot is still standing as of 1974.
[IT-12/1974]
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Salem Township in northeast
Washtenaw County refuses to deliver 2% local government bonds to
the Howell & Lansing Railroad for construction of their road
through the township. The railroad went to court to get
possession of the bonds and the Michigan Supreme Court, on a 3-1
vote, ruled that a township had no right to bond itself to aid a
railroad, even though authorized by the legislature. The
H&L and other railroads were forced to discontinue this form of
financing. [COHS-2/1998]
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The Lake Shore & Michigan
Southern consolidates individual rail companies between Buffalo,
NY and Chicago, IL, including the "Old Road" in southern
Michigan. In the same year, Commodore Vanderbilt obtained
controlling interest in the Lake Shore, adding it to his
interests in New York. [LS]
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NOTE: Roads constructed by
1869: Kalamazoo & White Pigeon Railroad (38 miles);
Kalamazoo, Allegan & Grand Rapids Railroad (58 miles).
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