Interlocking: Bay City, MI - Hart Street Tower

Hart Street Tower, in west Bay City, was at the crossing of the Grand Trunk Western's line northeast to North Bay City and Wenona Beach, and the Michigan Central Mackinaw Branch, located just north of MC's West Bay City station and the Bay City (Saginaw River) swing bridge. Over time, Hart Street was a full interlocking with tower, and then later it was downgraded to other forms of crossing protection.

Notes

Also called CS&M Crossing on the Michigan Central, that was the original name of the GTW.

Going southbound on the Mackinaw Branch, Hart Street controlled the entrance to the West Bay City Yard, which was the JL&S's original yard in Bay City (prior to Wenona Yard being built). 

For a hundred years, the MC used this line for freight and passenger train movements. Initially, the GTW used this line to access freight customers on the north side of the Saginaw River. In the early 1900's, it also had passenger train excursions from Saginaw and Bay City to the beaches at Wenona Beach on Saginaw Bay, near what is now across the river from the Consumers Energy Essexville power plant.

Time Line

1889. December 6. To The Editor: We notice in the Free Press under the head "Railroad Notes" you make the statement that "the Saginaw Division of the Burt & Ashley Toledo & Northern Michigan railroad asks to cross the yard and tracks of the Michigan Central Railroad at West Bay City. The point selected for the entrance of the new line involves the crossing of not less than twenty-eight tracks of the Michigan Central railroad local yards at West Bay City, all within the space of 600 feet."

"Now we wish to correct this statement, and show hows unreasonab le it is. In the first place we do not ask to cross the Michigan Central yards where there arfe twenty-eight tracks, but simply at a point where there are only seven tracks. This location was approved by the preesident of the MC, together with the other offiucers of the road, and a contract, dictated by Mr. Ledyard, was drawn up in his own office and forwarded to Saginaw for approval and acceptance. A clerical error was discovererd, and it was returned for correction. In the mean time, the Toledo, Saginaw & Muskegon railroad company went to work putting in the crossings at their own expense, according to the contract. When Mr. Hawks, chief engineer, returned he asked Mr. Ledyard if it was too late to have a fight. Thereupon, Mr. Ledyard demanded of the TS&M $7,500 before he would sign the contract. This was after the TS&M had been inducted to invest over $40,000 under a written contract with Mr. Ledyard, supposing it would be signed as soon as the error was corfrected. It may be good policy for a railroad companyt, but we doubt whether it would be good policy for a private individual to take such a course. W. R. Burt, Treasurer, TS&M railroad. [DFP-1889-1206]

1904. The MC (JL&S) line was a double track main line and the GTW was single track. The MC actually had five tracks crossing at this interlocker. The interlocking machine, which was in a tower at the crossing, had a small 24-lever machine with all levers in use. The interlocking had derails only on the GTW line, none on the MC. Note: The GTW branch line crossing here appeared to go down the middle of Hart Street. [SMA-IF]

1975.The interlocking was discontinued and the GTW track removed in 1975. [SMA-IF]