Railroad: Conrail - Consolidated Rail Corporation

The Consolidated Rail Corporation, known as Conrail, was created by the United States Government in 1976 to acquire parts of the Penn Central, a failed railroad merger of the New York Central and Pennsylvania railroads. Conrail held many rail lines in Michigan as well as in the northeastern portion of the United States. 

In 1997, Conrail was sold to CSX and Norfolk Southern and split up between the two parties. Conrail, which is now owned jointly by both roads, retained operations in metro Detroit as well as New Jersey to be operated seperately.

Penn Central Co. → Conrail → (part to) Norfolk Southern and CSX Transportation → (part to) Conrail Shares Assets

Acquired: Part of the Penn Central in 1976.

Operated for 46 years, continues.

Became: Still exists as a terminal railroad in Detroit and NJ. Other parts to CSX, NS and the State of Michigan.

Reference: [MRRC]

Image info: Top, Conrail 6273 emerges westbound from the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel with train in the 1980's. [Dale Berry photo]. 2nd image, a map of the Detroit Conrail Shared Assets area in 2025. [Michigan Railroad Assoc.]

Notes

Conrail's Detroit Shared Assets includes 356 miles of track:

• The former NYC main line from Flat Rock/Trenton, north through West Detroit and North Yard to Sterling Heights.
• It also includes the former PRR line from Carleton to Melvindale.
• The former NYC main line from Town Line to the MC depot/tunnel,
• The former Union Belt from Dearborn to northwest Detroit via Fullerton
• A part of the MC Belt line on the east side of Detroit
• A part of the Detroit Terminal Railroad east of North Yard

CSS also operates Livernois Yard (including intermodal facilities), North Yard, River Rouge Yard and Sterling Yard. 74 industries are served along its lines.

Products include finished autos, auto and truck parts, coal, minerals, paper, scrap, chemicals and steel. [MIRA-2025]

Time Line

1976. April 1. Conrail begins 18 months of operating the Ann Arbor railroad for the State of Michigan. [AATHA]

1989. April. The Michigan Court of Appeals upholds responsibility of Amtrak and Conrail to protect three workers murdered at the Jackson depot in 1978. The judgement was $8.9 million. [SBR/DN-1989-0420]

1999. Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail) is acquired by CSX and Norfolk Southern. Conrail "Shared Assets" is formed to provide switching service to Detroit customers on behalf of NS and CSX. After road trains are delivered, Conrail Shared Assets provides delivery and pick up, intermodal services and dispatching of local lines. [MIRA]

Books

• The Men Who Loved Trains: The Story of Men Who Battled Greed to Save an Ailing Industry.  Loving, Rush, Jr.  Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana University Press, 2006.  (Conrail)