Timetable: GTW - Holly Subdivision - Detroit to Durand

This is the original Detroit & Milwaukee railroad. Stations below open as of 1967. Identified sidings are from 1974. This is one of the oldest railroad lines in Michigan.

Station MP from Detroit Notes
Detroit Brush Station  0.0  C W Y 
Boulevard Switch  4.0
Milwaukee Junction (xMC)(xGTW) 4.1  "DM" DN I W C Y
Clay Avenue  4.3   
B.O.C. Yard   Yard
Chrysler Center 6.4   
Highland Park 6.58  
Ford Junction (xDT) 7.3   X I
State Fair 9.25  
Ferndale  10.9   
Pleasant Ridge  12.0   
Royal Oak  13.2  "R" DN 
Oakwood Boulevard  14.3   
Birmingham  17.8  "BM" D P=7000
Charing Cross  19.9   
Bloomfield Hills  21.2   
Belt Line Junction     
Yellow Cab Yard    
South Boulevard 24.e  
Foote Street 24.6  
M.A.L. Junction (xGTW) 25.5   X I
Amtrak Station     
Pontiac  26.3  "P"
Pontiac Yard  26.9  "PY" DN C W Y DS
West Pontiac  30.3 
Drayton Plains  30.8  
Waterford  33.3   
Windiate     
Clarkston  35.2   
Andersonville  38.5   P=6,250
Davisburg     
Holly Tower (xPM)  46.5  W X I P=7,030
Holly 46.6  
Fenton  50.7   
Paxton  53.6  
Linden 55.9  P=5,900
Gaines  62.6   P=5,765
Pitt (jAA)   J
Emergency (xAA)   X
Durand (xGTW)  67.0  "DU" X J DS P=3,660W & 6,600E
     

 

Note Key: BB=Bascule Bridge | C=Coal | CS=Car Shop | D=Open > Day | DN=Open Day and night | DS=Dispatcher | DT=Double Main Track | EH=Engine house | F=Diesel Fuel | HI=Half Interlocked Crossing | I=Interlocked Crossing | J=Junction | LB=Lift bridge | N=Open at night | P=Passing Track w/40' car capacity | Q=Quarry | RH=Roundhouse # stalls | RT=Railroad Resort | S=Scales | SB=Swing bridge | T=Turntable| TC=Telegraph call | W=Water | X=Crossing | Y=Wye | Yard=Yard. Letters in quotes are telegraph calls, called Office Signals on this line.

[REF] = GTW employee timetable #107 June 23, 1935, plus additions.


Timeline:

1871. The Detrioit & Milwaukee ran three passenger trains between Detroit and Grand Haven, a distance of about 189 miles. They also ran a mixed train between Owosso and Grand Rapids. [MCGW]

XXXX. When the Ann Arbor railroad (predecessor) was built in Durand, the road paralleled this line until just south of the Durand Depot, and then crossed the GTW immediate south of the depot. I then an west (north) along the east side of the Durand depot, and then crossed the east-west GTW main line, and also crossed the GTW Bay City line. At a later time, the AA and GTW shared joint trackage, The AA line joined the GTW at Pitt, and the diverged away just north of the Durand depot and crossing. From this point, they used the west side of the Durand depot.

1923. The MPSC issues final orders to the GTW for grade separation on this line between Brush Street station and Milwaukee Junction. [MPSC-1923] Click for details.

1935. This line was double track.

1867. This line is double track from Brush Street Union Station north to West Pontiac, then single track to Durand. 

1974. This line was double track from Brush Street Station to Boulevard Switch, and also double track from Clay Avenue (in Detroit) to West Pontiac. In other words, it was single track through the Milwaukee Jct. interlocker, which made this crossing a much simpler operation. From West Pontiac to Durand, it was also single track. The line was ABS (automatic block signals) north to MAL Junction (in Pontiac) and then CTC to Durand. The CTC was originally controlled by a dispatcher at Pontiac Yard. [GTW ETT 1974]

1974. This line had three passenger trains each way, between Detroit and Pontiac. This was a commuter line, later operated by SEMTA. The trains had stops at Milwaukee Jct., Chrysler Center, Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, Royal Oak, Oakwood Blvd., Birmingham, Charing Cross, Bloomfield Hills, and Pontiac. A typical train leaving Detroit arrived in Pontiac in one hour. A fourth limited passenger train operated between Detroit and Birmingham with intermediate stops at Milwaukee Jct. and Royal Oak. [GTW ETT 1974]

1978. This line staffed highway grade crossings at Mack, Superior, Forest, Warren, Ferry and Milwaukee Avenue. This signalmen each controlled 3-4 crossings adjacent to their signal tower. [GTW ETT 1978]

1878. This line had GTW yards at Brush Station, Milwaukee Junction, Ferndale, Pontiac, Columbia Avenue (Pontiac), and Durand. Maximum speed for passenger trains ws 65 and 60 mph for freights. There were 18 crossovers on the line at various locations.

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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