Railroad: Chicago, Detroit and Canada Grand Trunk Junction Rail Road Company, The

Built → Chicago, Detroit & Canada Grand Trunk Junction Railroad → Grand Trunk Railway of Canada (later GTW)

Built: 1859 from Grand Trunk Junction ( West Detroit) to Fort Gratiot (Port Huron)

Operated for 

Became: Grand Trunk Ry. of Canada in 1859 and then GTW in 1928

Reference: [MRRC]

Notes

This was a railroad construction corporation. It has one of the longest names of any Michigan railroad.

Time Line

1859. November. The road is opened from Detroit Junction (also known as West Detroit or Grand Junction) to Fort Gratiot (near Port Huron) for 59 miles. There were 30 miles of sidings and spurs. Standard gauge. [MCR-1903]

1859. The roads installed a draw bridge at Port Huron, 122 feet six inches in length. It is a swing draw made of iron and stone, 23 meet above water. The river has a depth of 20 feet. Swung by hand power. Trains are signaled to proceed with semaphores. [MCR-1903]

1902. Top five categories of freight carried are: Coal (16%), Lumber (10%), Stone (6%), Grain (6%) and Hay (6%). This railway company handles its own express business. They have 57 miles of wire owned by the GT railway, and 333 miles owned by Western Union. Sleeping cars provided b the Pullman Palace Car Company.

1903. SNAPSHOT: The Chicago, Detroit & Canada Grand Trunk Junction railroad employed 20 engineers and firemen, 10 conductors, and 16 brakemen. They also employed 4 baggagemen, 28 laborers, 30 yardmen and 162 others. The railroad had 67 miles of telegraph wire, and hosted 332 miles of wire from the Western Union Telegraph Co. [MCR-1904]