January:  The I.C.C. authorizes the Ann Arbor RR to abandon 80.52 miles of its car ferry route between Frankfort and Menominee, and its switch yard and dock facility at Menominee.  [MDOT]

March 4:   Penn Central petitions the Interstate Commerce Commission to discontinue all passenger service in Michigan, save for some Ann Arbor-Detroit commuter trains.  [MT]

May 17:  Three young bandits boarded a freight train as it entered Detroit, held a conductor at gunpoint and broke into two freight cars.  The robbery, which was believed to be Detroit's first train robbery, netted the thieves baby strollers, bassinets and rattles.  [MT]

June 21:  Penn Central RR enters into bankruptcy.  Railroad is loosing $1 million each day.  [MDOT/STOV]

March 31:  Wabash Railroad purchased by Norfolk and Western.  [MRRC]

October:  Congress establishes Amtrak. Formally called the National Railroad Passenger Corp., Amtrak is a federally supported corporation that will operate nearly all intercity passenger trains in the U.S.  Assumes control of passenger service from the nation's private rail companies the next year.  [DWS]

December 31:  Michigan railroad mileage totals 6,140 miles.  [MDOT]

Passenger trains cover 49,000 miles of U.S. railroads.  500 passenger trains currently exist.  [STOV]

ACI labels are now required on all rail cars for identification.  [SAM]

Cast iron wheels are now banned from interchange. [SAM]