Timeline - 1865

  • STATISTIC:  Miles of railroads in operations in Michigan this year: 941 [MRC/72]

  • Civil war continues, ends on April 9.

  • June: Marquette & Ontonagon RR opens Ishpeming-Champion line. [MCR-75/MDOT/MSL/AAD]

  • July: Marquette & Ontonagon RR opens line from Winthrop Jct. to Lake Michigamme. [MRRC]

  • December: Jackson, Lansing and Saginaw Railroad opens line from Jackson to Mason. [MCR-75]

  • Bay City and Portsmouth Railway opens 10 mile long line from Saginaw & 34d Streets in Bay City, via Saginaw (6th and Water Streets) to Portsmouth and other points. (street railway). [MRRC]

  • A railroad is extended from Three Rivers to Schoolcraft. [AAD]

  • MCRR opens first Dearborn station - Mid-1860's - [DPG]

  • First Escanaba ore dock is built. [MSL]

  • Calumet Mine (copper) opens.  [MSL]

  • The Hecla Mine (copper) also opens.  [MSL]

  • First horizontal tank car is placed in railroad service. [STOV]

  • Manual block system of train control is developed by Ashbel Welch. [STOV]

  • First domestic steel rails are produced in the United States, at the Wyandotte (Michigan) Mills, using the Bessemer process. [HWC][STOV]

  • Cleveland Iron Mining Co. purchases first steam powered pump and steam powered hoisting engine. These will replace work horses in 1869. [IOHT]

 

Timeline Key:

  • Railroad event in Michigan
  • Event relating to mining
  • Event related to car ferries
  • Event outside of Michigan
  • Improvement in Technology
  • Railroad built or extended
  • Railroad abandoned and/or removed
  • Economic panic or depression