Time Line - 1979


Last Year | Next Year


  • April 27: Lapeer Junction tower is closed at 15:00 hours by F. Stilley, the last operator on duty. The building was raised in May, 1979.  [CW]

  • July 23: The Lake Superior & Ishpeming abandons all lines east of Marquette, except for the short connection between the Soo Line at Munising Jct. and the City of Munising.  [MRC-10/1987]

  • July 15: Kent-Barry-Eaton Connecting Ry. first black-operated railroad in U.S. begins Grand Rapids-Vermontville service.   [MDOT]

  • September 30: Romulus Interlocking tower closes.   [IT-12/1979]

  • Fall: Ex-PM depot at Kinde is burned.   [IT-4/80]

  • October 23: Dearborn Amtrak Station opens.  [IT-12/1979] [DPG]

  • December 15: Chessie Elk Rapids Subdivision is abandoned between Williamsburg and Elk Rapids.  [IT-2/80]

  • December 31: Penn Central closes its Town Line train order station in Dearborn. The shanty is torn down on June 5, 1981.   [MRF-7/1981]


  • Conrail line from Utica to Lapeer is dismantled. [MRC-12/87]

  • The Detroit & Mackinac Ry. donates steam locomotive #8, an 0-6-0, early passenger cars and a caboose to the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. [DRK]

  • ACI labels on rail cars are no longer required for interchange. [SAM]

  • The Mather "B" mine closes in Negaunee. This was the last underground iron mining operation.  [IOHT]

 Time line Key:

  • Railroad event in Michigan
  • Event relating to mining
  • Event related to car ferries
  • Event outside of Michigan
  • Improvement in Technology
  • Railroad built or extended
  • Railroad abandoned and/or removed
  • Economic panic or depression

 

Bibliography

The following sources are utilized in this website. [SOURCE-YEAR-MMDD-PG]:

  • [AAB| = All Aboard!, by Willis Dunbar, Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids ©1969.
  • [AAN] = Alpena Argus newspaper.
  • [AARQJ] = American Association of Railroads Quiz Jr. pamphlet. © 1956
  • [AATHA] = Ann Arbor Railroad Technical and Historical Association newsletter "The Double A"
  • [AB] = Information provided at Michigan History Conference from Andrew Bailey, Port Huron, MI

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