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Railroad:  New York Central System

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Joint Operation of NYC and MCRR Main Lines from Detroit to Toledo

Even though the New York Central and the Michigan Central had been connected through joint ownership since the 1880's, they were operated as separate railroad units for many years.  In 1916, the Vanderbilt lines consolidated many of their operations.  By then, the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern brand name was eliminated (though many still referred to it as the "Lake Shore") and employee timetables referred to Lake Shore lines as "The New York Central Railroad Company".

Prior to the 1916 consolidation, the LSMS and MCRR operated parallel lines between Detroit and Toledo. In 1916, the NYC began issuing a joint time table for joint operation of these two parallel routes.  By the end of NYC in 1966 this double track main line was unique because the north and south bound tracks were in some cases 1/4 mile apart from each other.  Occasionally, stations on one main track didn't exist on the adjacent main track.  Crossovers were rare because of the distance involved.  Another example was the extension of the DD&D railroad (the current Junction Yard branch).  When it reached the Detroit-Toledo main line at River Rouge (YD Tower), it crossed the LSMS line at grade to get to the MCRR line, which necessitated an interlocking.  The joint time tables (this information taken from time table No. 5 of July 1, 1917) give several interesting insights into the operation and how it was carried out.

History of These Lines

The first line to be installed was the LSMS line, north from Toledo.  This line left the Old Road at Signal Station "Z", 2.0 miles from the Toledo depot (in what is today known as the Air Line Yard complex).  The LSMS line then went north, crossing the Toledo Terminal at Signal Station 'K", and crossing the Ann Arbor and Pere Marquette at Alexis.  Entering Michigan, the line then went along the lake and river through Monroe towards Detroit.  After crossing the Rouge River near Delray, the line proceeded up to West Detroit, crossing the MCRR main line.  It continued northeast to Detroit and Milwaukee Junction (later known only as "Milwaukee Junction", where it crossed the Grand Trunk and turned south on to Grand Trunk lines to the Brush Street Station.  Keep in mind that when the LSMS line was built, the railroad was not owned by, or affiliated with the Michigan Central.  It was a competitor.

The parallel Michigan Central line from Detroit to Toledo was built after the LSMS line, but it ran along side the LSMS route much of the way.  We suspect that it was built in the opposite direction, leaving the MCRR Detroit-Chicago main line at West Detroit.  After crossing the Rouge River, it built to the east of the LSMS track all the way to Alexis.  Until the Detroit River railroad tunnel was built in the 1910's, the MCRR used a railroad car ferry operation across Grosse Isle to Canada.  The branch for this cross-river route left the MCRR main line at Slocum Junction (which was less than a mile north of Trenton).

According to time table number 5 (1917), each route had the following track configurations.

NYC (Lake Shore line) had track in operation between:

• Single - Detroit and Milwaukee Junction to Beaubien Street (in the New Center area)

• Double - Beaubien Street and Vinewood

• Single - Vinewood Avenue and Junction Avenue (near Livernois yard)

• Single - River Rouge Drawbridge and Toledo

The MCRR's  track was listed as:

• Double - West Detroit to River Rouge Drawbridge

• Single - River Rouge Drawbridge and Toledo

• Four Tracks - West Detroit to Detroit (depot)

According to the time table, the lines south of the River Rouge drawbridge were operated as double track, with the NYC used southbound and the MC used northbound.  Control of both lines were assigned to the NYC train dispatchers.

Signal System

The lines operated automatic semaphore signals between Toledo and Alexis (in Ohio) and between the MC Detroit depot and West Detroit.  A manual block system was in use between Alexis and Pleasant Street Tower (YD), just south of the River Rouge Drawbridge.

There were many crossings of the lines at grade and many were interlocked.  The following is a list from the timetable, beginning in Detroit and going south:

Drawbridges

There were drawbridges at two locations on the joint line:

• River Rouge bridge (near the Ford Rouge complex)

• Grosse Isle (between the main land and Grosse Isle)

Train Speeds

Train speeds were unified on the joint operation.  passenger trains were allowed sixty (60) miles per hour and freight trains were allowed forty (40) miles per hour.  Trains had several slow orders at various road crossings and city limits.  Trains were limited to fifteeen (15) MPH over the Rouge River bridge, and six (6) miles per hour through the City of Monroe.  Trains travelling through Rockwood could go full speed if northbound, but were limited to twenty (20) MPH when travelling southbound!

Reconciling Different Rule Books

The MCRR and the NYC (LSMS) had different rule books, and the time table had a list of special instructions which told train crews from both roads what to do.

Other Instructions

The MC line had a passing track on it south of Tower "K" near Toledo.  The timetable instructed crews to use this siding only in the southbound direction.  The MC line also had a passing track between Trenton and Slocum Junction, which was for use only by Grosse Isle trains.  It was not to be used as a passing track, except by special permission by the train dispatcher.

Block Stations

The following block stations were open on the joint line:

Passenger Trains

The time table listed 12 passenger trains southbound and 11 passenger trains northfound (some not on Sunday in both directions).  With an average of one passenger train per hour, plus a number of freight trains, this route was a very busy section of track in 1917.

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