Timetable: MCRR - Main Line Detroit Division - Detroit to Town Line

The original main line of the state-owned Central railroad began at the original station on Woodward downtown. The State sold this railroad to the Michigan Central railroad in 1847. By about 1850, the recently formed Michigan Central built a replacement (second) depot at the foot of Third Street along the Detroit River and abandoned their line to the Woodward Station. The Third Street station, which was located near the Detroit & Cleveland Navigation boat docks (and later the Fort Street Union Station) served from about 1850 until 1913 when the larger Michigan Central station opened. This main line was MC's original line west to Chicago.

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 | ST=Switch tender | T=Turntable | TC=Telegraph call | W=Water | X=Crossing | Y=Wye | Yard=Yard

Notes

Third Street was on the river front. This was the second MC depot in Detroit.

The Slip Dock was the railroad car ferry dock to/from Windsor, Ontario.

15th Street (east) and 20th Street (west) were the entrances to the Michigan Central depot, the 3rd MC passenger station in downtown Detroit. These were "leverman" towers. 20th street had a Train Director.

The large MC depot was opened in 1908, slightly before the planned opening, when the Third Street station unexpecedly burned in 1908. The Coach Yard was just west of MC Station near 20th Street tower.

Prior to the MC depot, the MC had their stockyards on the depot site. The stockyards were moved at an area west of Livernois Avenue south of Junction Yards.  

Bay City Junction, also a leverman tower, was the junction with the Bay City Branch (former Detroit & Bay City railroad).

West Detroit was known by other names in its history, including Grand Junction. At one time, it was a leverman tower with a train director. In the late 1960's and early 1970's as Penn Central was consolidating towers in the Detroit terminal, West Detroit was the location of a large CTC operation which controlled towers from 15th Street and as far west as Town Line. It was later closed and remote controlled by the Conrail dispatcher  

Central Avenue was the location of the hump yard at Junction Yard. Lonyo Avenue was established as a diesel refueling station for through freight trains from Canada.

Town Line Station existed for a short time between 1893 and about 1900 at Town Line Road.  Most passenger trains did not stop here, but one mail/express train stopped in each direction. The station was between the present Greenfield Road and the former Town Line Road (east of Greenfield Road).

Tower "J" was in operation until about 1915 when it was moved to Town Line Road as Junction Yard expanded with the building of the Advanced Departure Yard and the Junction Yard branch. The original "J" was just east of what is now the Wyoming Avenue underpass. After the move it was known as Town Line signal station  (Note: Town Line Road was replaced by Greenfield Road 100 yards to the west.)

The PM/C&O and the Detroit Terminal crossed the NYC main line at Miller Road on seperate bridges. The CSX still uses the former PM bridge. The DT bridge is extant but abandoned. 

For many years, the MC operated what they called a four-track main line from Town Line east to the entrance to the tunnel near 15th Street. This included two main tracks, and two freight mains later known as track 4 (WB) and 6 (EB) which began on the south side of the main line at Town Line, going through the Advanced Departure Yard, past Miller Road, Junction Yard and through West Detroit. By the 1960's, these were no longer dedicated as freight mains.

The MC had a tradition of numbering the north (westbound) main line as track #1, and the south (eastbound) main line as track #2. Side track north of the main line had odd numbers (I.e. 3, 5. etc.) Side tracks south of the main line had even numbers. The Advanced Departure Yard between Miller Road and Town Line had four tracks, numbered 4, 6, 8 and 10.

Electric territory extends from the west end of the Bay City Junction interlocking east through the tunnel to the east interlocking limits of Tower 3 in Windsor. Overhead contact rail is in service in the train shed and between the train shed and the west approach to the tunnel. Maintenance crews wishing to turn off power to the third rail need to contact the yardmaster at 15th Street, or the train director at 20th street, who in turn will contact the power sub-station operator. If an emergency power shutoff is necessary, an engineer will stop and sound continuous short blasts of the whistle until the power is shut off. [ETT-1946]

This line was dispatched by the Detroit Yard dispatcher   

References = [MRL]+[ETTs]

Time Line

1891. For several weeks, preparations have been in progress for placing a part of the road under automatic electric block system of signals which is one of the most efficient methods known for preventing collisions. The first test of the system will be made on the fourteen miles between Junction yard and Wayne Junction.

On Monday next at noon the signals will be placed in operation. These signals are the disc type, showing safely in daylight by withdrawal of the disc, and safety at night by a white light; and showing danger in daylight by the display of a red disc and danger at night by the display of a red light.

There is a signal every half mile, thus rendering it next to impossible for one train to run into another except by the grossest carelessness on the part of the engineer. The signals will always so show danger if there are any open switches, as they are all connected. When these signals are in operation the engineer will always have the assurance while running that the next half mile at least is clear. [DFP-1891-0114]

1946. The main line segment between West Detroit and Windsor, via Bay City Jct., 20th Street, 15th Street, the tunnel and the Windsor interlockings had bi-directional block signals on both tracks. [ETT]

Additional Information

• History of Grade Separation in Detroit - 1920
• Michigan Central Adopts Automatic Block Signals - 1891
• Vanderbilts Ride To Chicago From Detroit - 1878
• Crossing The Mitten - The Race To Chicago and the West