Timetable: Detroit & Charlevoix Ry. - Main Line - Deward to East Jordan

This line is single track and originally was a logging road, built by Detroit industrialist David Ward. It later became a common carrier railroad and ultimately became a branch of the Michigan Central.

Key: BC=Coal | CS=Car Shop | D=Open > Day | DN=Open Day and night | DS=Dispatcher | EH=Engine house | G=Gate | HI=Half Interlocker | I=Interlocker | J=Junction | N=Open at night | P=Passing Track w/40' car capacity | RH=Roundhouse # stalls | S=Scales | T=Turntable | TC=Telegraph call | W=Water | X=Crossing | Y=Wye | Yard=Yard

Notes

[REF] = Adam employee timetables plus additional sources.

Time Line

1901. The company was incorporated on January 2, 1901 and regular service commenced in the month of September of the same year. [MCR-1902]

1901. August. The D&C has been a  logging road, but now under Mr. Haire's control it will be fully operated with passenger trains, etc.. Haire was a former trainmaster on the Michigan Central. Deward was named after the late David Ward. At Deward, it is proposed to erect lumbering mills, as complete as any in the business, to cost $200,000. GRP-1901-0815] Note: A proposed extension of the D&C from East Jordan to Charlevoix was disputed by most heirs of the Ward estate and not built.

1901. September. The railroad commissioner has been advised that the Detroit & Charlevoix railway company has commenced the operation of its line between Alba and Frederick, a distance of 24 miles. Some time next week, it is expected that the road will be in operation to South Arm (East Jordan), an additional distance of 18 miles. This is the road projected by the late David Ward of Detroit and Pontiac. [LSJ-1901-0906]

1902. SNAPSHOT. This is 60 lb. rail in good condition. The company owns a telegraph line. The company uses the GR&I depot at Alba, and the MC railroad depot at Frederic. The road has 3 modern locomotives equipped with air brakes and 25 Russell logging cars of heavy capacity with patent couplers. It has 29 60,000-pound capacity platform cars, equipped with couplers and air brakes; 2 snow ploughs (sic) and 2 good passenger cars, equipped as required by law. The company runs 1 mixed train each way daily between Frederic and South Arm (East Jordan). [MCR-1902]

1902. March. The D&C operates one round trip passenger train between South Arm (East Jordan) and Frederick and return. The train leaves South Arm at 9:00 am, stopping at Wards, Jordan River, Graves' Camp, Green River, Alba, and Deward. It leaves Frederick on return at 4:00 pm, stopping at the same locations, arriving at South Arm at 6:15 pm. [CCH-1904-0312]

1902. March. The roadbed of the D&C will also be improved by taking out the old ties and replacing them with new. This road crosses the GR&I at Alba and connects with the MC at Frederick, and gives East Jordan three trunk lines for shipment. [GRP-1902-0322]

1904. September. The D&C will change their time schedule next Sunday taking off one train each way. The morning train will leave South Arm at 9:00. The evening train does not get in to South Arm until 7:15 pm. [CCH-1;904-0903]

1905. April. The D&C's terminal is now East Jordan. [CCH-1905-0401]

1906. The D&C operates one round-trip passenger train a day, leaving East Jordan at 9:00 am, arriving at Frederick at 12:25 pm. The westbound leaves Frederick at 2:45 pm arriving at East Jordan at 5:30 pm. [CCH-1906-0217]

1907. The Michigan Railroad Commission noted that this line was constructed of steel rail and in good condition. The road is used principally for forest products but does have one round trip mixed train daily. The grade crossing at Alba (GR&I) was protected by an interlocking tower and well maintained. The crossing of the EJ&S at Wards was protected by gate. All trains are brought to a stop before crossing the Wards crossing. Train orders are transmitted by telephone. [MCR-1907]

1907. More important that the mere purchase by the MC of David Ward estate's D&C railroad of 44 miles are the developments probably in the consequence of the MC taking the road into its system. It is most likely that the white pine forests through which it passes and still larger forests of hardwoods will be purchased from the Ward estate by a syndicate of wealthy Bay City lumber operators at a price of $5 million or upwards, more saw mills put in, and first the pine and then the hardwood felled, sawed into lumber and sent to market on a wholesale scale.

It is said that the Bay City lumber men have been ready for a long time to take the timber, either the whole as a syndicate, or in parcels by individuals, but would not touch it unless the MC would take the small railroad and guarantee the new spurs and siding and equipment necessary to the large scale handling of the product.

The Ward timber lands in Crawford, Antrim and Charlevoix counties, but chiefly in Antrim county, total 78,000 acres and include large tracts of cork pine. It is estimated that there are 300 million feet of white pine lumber in these trees, and from 1-2 million feet of hardwoods. If the Bay City lumbermen get at the timber once again and for the last time, Michigan will have a genuine lumber camp with its gangs of tree choppers in gay flannel coats and tocques, ready to break once in a while for the nearest town for a wild old spree as a relief from the weeks of monotony in the woods.

The D&C was characteristically a David Ward proposition. He wouldn't tie up with either the MC or the GR&I, the lines on either side of his lands, and built the D&C from South Arm on the GR&I to Frederic on the MC, so he could seesaw them. The Wards have not cut the timber rapidly, although they have a large sawmill and settlement at Deward, a town of their own in the woods, but if the Bay City people get at it they will make things hum.

The MC pays $500,000 for the 44 miles of railroad, considered a very cheap price when the years of traffic in lumber and timber products that attach, are considered. The MC agrees to construct branches and switches wherever necessary through the woods and the Wards agree to ship a minimum of 20 million feet of lumber annually.

The MC will build six miles of new track to turn the line from Frederic to Grayling where their are railroad shops and yards, and will make Grayling the main connecting point.

If the timber is sold, the entire Ward estate must be divided among the heirs before the end of 1912. [CCH-1907-0727]