Railroad: Detroit, Lansing & Northern Rail Road Company

Detroit Lansing & Lake Michigan → Detroit Lansing & Northern Railroad → Detroit Grand Rapids & Western

Acquired: DL&LM in 1876 from West Detroit to Howard City, MI

Operated for 20 years.

Became: Foreclosure sale to DGR&W in 1896.

Reference: [MRRC]

Time Line

1879. The DL&N at Edmore is extended westward five miles to a junction with the Stanton branch, making the road owned by this company 25 miles long from St. Louis westward, and with the Saginaw & St. Louis, forming a line sixty miles long from East Saginaw westward. The Stanton branch was extended from Stanton north 17 1/2 miles to Blanchard, making the whole length of the branch 38 miles. [DFP-1879-0429]

1885, The Detroit, Lansing & Northern had the following equipment on the roster: [DL&N-1885]

• Locomotives = 41
• Passenger coaches = 28
• Official coach = 1
• Baggage, Mail and Express Cars = 12
• Box Freight Cars = 404
• Stock Freight Cars = 41
• Flat Cars = 549
• Caboose Cars = 27
• Boarding, Tool, etc.Cars = 5

1886: The Saginaw & Western, part of the DL&N was extended from Lakeview to Howard City, a distance of 10.5 miles costing $103,275. This extension enabled a new shorter route between the Saginaw Valley, Grand Rapids and Chicago. DL&N trains usage trackage rights from Howard City to Grand Rapids.

The DL&N also surveyed their route from Grand Ledge to Grand Rapids, a distance of 53 miles. They predict the road can be built for $14,000 per mile and "would unite by a shorter road than now exists the two principle cities of our state". [DL&N-1886]

1887. Line to Grand Rapids. The DL&N forms the Grand Rapids, Lansing & Detroit Railroad Company to build from Grand Ledge to Grand Rapids. It is wholly owned by the DL&N. [DL&N-1887]

1888. Line opened. The DL&N opens the line from Grand Ledge to Grand Rapids on July 15th. On this date, the line was "not in good condition" for at least fifteen days. [DL&N-1888]

1890. SNAPSHOT. The DL&N reported the following freight tonnage carried in 1890:

• Forest products - 51.6% - 290,426 tons.
• Agricultural products - 14.6% - 82,230 tons.
• Miscellaneous - 9.7% - 54,760 tons.
• Manufactured products - 8.5% - 47,850 tons.
• Mineral products - 7.9% - 44,525 tons.
• Merchandise - 4.5% - 25,060 tons.
• Animal products - 3.2% - 17,832 tons.

New telegraph line. The DL&N also noted that 1,992 new telegraph poles were set and forty-seven miles of new wires strung. "The repairs to the telegraph line has improved the service considerably, by furnishing a through line from Detroit to Howard City, enabling dispatchers to secure direct communications. [DL&N-1890]

1891. The DL&N annual report notes that a new wire from Grand Rapids to Detroit is required, in order that telegrams may be sent direct without repeating. "The present telegraph facilities are not sufficient to enable us to transmit commercial telegrams offered, with a reasonable degree of promptness". They further state that "revenue from this branch of the service could be considerably increased by the putting up of additional wires on existing poles".

1892. Charles M. Heald, is the general manager of both the Detroit Lansing & Northern and Chicago & West Michigan roads. [DFP-various sources]. As the DL&N was involved with the F&PM in the Fort Street Union depot, relationships were being developed for the later combination of the three roads into the Pere Marquette system.