Station: Hamburg, Michigan
Michigan's Internet Railroad History Museum
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Hamburg, Michigan is a small unincorporated town in Hamburg Township, Livingston County. Hamburg was served by two railroads from the late 1800's until the Grand Truck removed its line around 1981. Hamburg continues to be served by the Tuscola and Saginaw Bay Railroad (TSBY).
The first railroad to be built through Hamburg was the Michigan Air
Line Railroad. This route, initially planned from the St. Clair
area, through Pontiac, Jackson, Three Rivers and Niles as a through route
from Ontario to Chicago. The railroad was split up and parceled out
before it reached its goal. The Pontiac to Jackson portion of the
route was taken over by the Grand Trunk Railroad.
The second railroad was built in the 1880's and was the predecessor to the Ann Arbor Railroad. The Toledo, Ann Arbor and Northern Railroad ran northwest from Ann Arbor, through Whitmore Lake, Hamburg and Howell, on its way to Durand, Owosso, Cadillac and Frankfort.
The original route (shown above) joined the MAL near the depot, and used the MAL west about one mile to a point known as Hamburg Junction. The TAA&N then left the MAL going northwest towards Howell.
Later, the TAA&N requested and received permission from the Michigan Railroad Commission to route its own line from Hamburg (south of the MAL) to Hamburg Junction (later renamed Lakeland), where it crossed the MAL at grade. An interlocking plant was installed to regulate traffic at the crossing.
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An early photo of the GTW depot at Hamburg. This is the same building as the 2002 photo above. [Alan Loftis Collection] |
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An early photo of the Ann Arbor Railroad depot at Hamburg. [Alan Loftis Collection] |
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An overhead view of Hamburg, Michigan. The depot marked "1" is the Grand Trunk Western depot. The building marked "2" is the Hamburg Hotel. The unmarked Ann Arbor Railroad depot is in the lower left corner of the photograph. [Alan Loftis Collection] |