2 lines → Chicago & Canada Southern (1873-1879) → Canada Southern Railway → Lake Shore & Michigan Southern
Merger of: The Canada Southern Railway Company, and the Toledo, Canada Southern & Detroit railroad.
Built: 1873 - line opened from Slocum Junction to Fayette, Ohio, via Dundee, Deerfield, Grosvenor and Morenci.
Operated independently for 4 years.
Leased: 1879 to the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern and then to the Detroit & Chicago Railroad company which was controlled by the LS&MS. It became their Fayette Branch. Between 1893 and 1897, the line from Dundee to Grosvenor was pulled up.
In 1879, the portion of the line from Slocum Junction to Dundee was sold to the Detroit & Lima Northern (becoming the DT&I's original main line).
Reference: [MRRC]
This was part of a second effort by U.S. financiers to establish a Canada route for what became the Wabash railroad, to reach from a connection with them in Toledo to Buffalo and the east coast.
The C&CS established a north-south line from C&S Junction (in south Toledo, 41.6045054, -83.610365) to Detroit via Monroe which connected with the Wabash. This line crossed over the Lake Shore's Airline Yard using a long bridge.
The C&CS also established an east-west line from Gordon, Ontario, across the Detroit River by car ferry, which then headed west through Grosse Isle, Flat Rock, Dundee, Morenci to Fayette where they ran out of money. This route crossed the north-south line at Slocum Junction with wyes so that trains from Canada could continue north to Detroit and south to the Wabash connection.
When the C&CS became financially unstable, Vanderbilt interests - trying to eliminate a competitor - purchased C&CS stock and bonds and gained control, foiling the Wabash's plans. Vanderbilt parted out the north-south route to the Michigan Central (which today is the NS northbound main line) and the east-west route to the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern (most of which no longer exists, except for a short part used by the CN and I&O on the former DT&I route).
Some of the right of way west of Fayette to Montpelier was graded but rail was not laid. The planned route west from Montpelier to Chicago was used by the Wabash's Montpelier to Chicago division. [CAL]
1873. The east-west route from Gordon, Ontario to Fayette, Indiana is completed.
1873. March. The last rail on the Canada Southern, both main lines and branches, was laid on the 15th of last month. The construction trains are new at work on the different portions of the line ballasting the road. Systematic business will begin on the road and on the branch from St. Thomas to St. Clair sometime in the month of May.
Now that the main line through Canada is completed, the other railroad enterprises connecting with it that will practically be continuations of branches will be vigorously pushed. One of the prominent managers of the road recently said that on the great trunk lines from New York city west, he believed fully 500 miles of track would be laid this year.
Two thirds of the grading of the C&CS is now completed and that the whole track will be laid by September 1. The main line, being finished, attention can be given to the branches. The main branch so far is the C&CS. But that will soon be completed, and about the same time the road from Trenton (Slocum) to Toledo will be finished. Then the Michigan Midland is the next important branch or continuation. On this, trains will run from Ridgeway as soon as they do cross the St. Clair river.
And now, contractors are at work between Ridgeway and Fentonville, and one of them recently said that he knew work would be done west of Fentonville the coming summer. It was predicted that the board of directors in New York city would vote to build across the whole State of Michigan this year. [GRDE-1873-0327]
1873. November 13. An excursion train from Detroit via the newly opened branch of the C&CS arrived in Toledo this afternoon bringing the mayor, city council, Board of Trade and prominent citizens of Detroit. They were met at the depot by committees of the council and Board of Trade and escorted to the Chamber of Commerce and thence to the Boody House where they took dinner. This afternoon the guests will be escorted about the city and leave on their return at 5:00 pm. [GRDE-1873-1114]
1879. November 8. The Chicago & Canada Southern Railroad was turned over to the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Company, and is designated in LS&MS time tables as the "Fayette Branch" of that road. Superintendent Blodgett assumes control and a new time table goes into effect to-day, Sunday. The trains for the Fayette branch will now leave the Brush street depot. They will leave at 6:15 p.m. and will arrive at 9:15 p.m. [DFP-1879-1109]
The following sources are utilized in this website. [SOURCE-YEAR-MMDD-PG]:
