Timetable: MCRR - Saginaw Division - Jackson to Bay City

This is the original Jackson, Lansing and Saginaw line extending from Jackson via Saginaw and Bay City, to Mackinaw City. By the time it was completed, it was leased to the Michigan Central. The station open times are from 1897. Some added locations are from a 1912 MC station list. Passing siding capacity is 44' cars. This was a single track line originally, then double track from Pearl Street to Rives Junction and from Double Track Switch (Salzburg) to West Bay City.

Station MP from Jackson Notes
     
Jackson  0.0  DN C W RH T
Pearl Street    DN J
Prison Passing Track  0.9   
M.A.L. Crossing xGTW  2.1  I
Clay Pit Sidetrack (1890) 4.2  
Van Horn's  6.1  P43
Henry's Crossing     
Rives Junction  10.6  DN J P42
Leslie  15.5  D P22
Eden  20.6  D P27
Kilwinning Gravel Pit ~22.6  
Mason  24.8  D P32
Wellings Sidetrack 28.2  
Holt  30.3  D P16
Williams Pit ~32.3  
Burwell's Pit ~34.3  
Center Street Tower xGTW 35.9  DN I
Brick Yard Siding 36.2  
Michigan Avenue Tower xIU   DN I TC=MA
Lansing Depot  36.9  DN 
North Lansing Tower xIU  37.8  D I P31
Chandler's  42.3   P31
Bath  45.0  D P19
Laingsburg  52.0  D P30
Bennington  58.5  D P24 
Maple River Gravel Pit ~59.5  
Owosso Junction xAA xGTW 63.6  DN I P28
Owosso  63.8  D P36
Dewey ~65.0  
Henderson's  70.2  D P26
Oakley's  74.2  D P25
Chesaning  78.2  D P35
Groveton Siding 81.6  P27
Fergus  82.9  P18
Gage Coal Company ~84.0  
Somers No. 2 ~85.0  
St. Charles  85.7  D P15 
Garfield  89.7  P22 
Swan Creek  92.6   
Brick Yard Siding 95.2  
Bliss Coal Mine ~93.5  
Consumers Coal Company ~94.0  
Mercer's Siding ~94.5  
Ruby's Brick Yard Siding ~95.0  
Paines w/SV&SL 95.5  J D I P21 
Andrews Shingle Mill 96.2  
Saginaw Implement Co. ~98.0  
Green, Ring & Co. Mill Track 98.6  
Fordney - F&PM Belt Line Crossing xPM  98.9  I
Saginaw Court Street  100.0  D P22
Saginaw Branch (SB) Junction  101.0 DN J 
North Saginaw Genesee Street  101.5   
Charles Merrill & Co. Spur Track 101.8  
Backus & Binder Spur Track 102.1  
Mershon Tower xPM ~102 D I
Judd & Judd Spur Track 102.3  
Gould's Spur Track 102.4  
Mershon, Ousterhoot & Fox Spur Track 102.5  
Gould's Old Spur Track 102.5  
Shields  ~103  
Bliss's  Spur Track 103.3  
Carrolton  103.4  P38
Stevens & Laden Spur Track 103.5  
Sanborn & Hill's Side Track 103.7  
Bliss' Lower Mill 104.4  
Zilwaukee  105.1  D P16
Hamilton & McClure's Spur track 106.4 P123
Brick Yard Spur track 106.4  
Beebes ~109.5  
Valley Mine ~111  
Hotchkiss Spur Track 111.0  
Brooks 111.6  
Central Coal Company ~112.5  
Salzburg 112.6 J P12
Double Track Switch    
Main Street Tower xGTW   DN I
West Bay City 114.7 DN
     

Notes: 

Note 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 | T=Turntable | TC=Telegraph call | W=Water | X=Crossing | Y=Wye | Yard=Yard

[REF] = 


Automatic Block Signals. For a number of years the Michigan Central railroad had automatic block signals in the Saginaw and Bay City region. ABS was installed on this route from Paines, through Saginaw West Side to Bay City ending at Wenona Yard. This included single track in Saginaw and double track from "double track switch" near Salzburg past West Bay City station to Wenona Yard. There were also multiple interlockers along these routes. [MC ETT 1947]. The ABS system was discontinued and removed by the early 1960's.


Time Line

1871. The J&LS operates two passenger trains north from Jackson to Wenona (end of the line). The first leaves at 6:20 a.m. stopping at most stations along the route, arriving at Wenona (West Bay City) at noon. The 2nd train leaves Jackson at 3:30 p.m. arriving at Wenona at 9:15 p.m. Three other local trains are operated, one between Jackson (11:30 a.m.) arriving at Mason (12:40 a.m.) and two trips between (west) Saginaw and Wenona (7:25 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.). [MCGW]

1897. SNAPSHOT. The branch, known as the Saginaw Division, operated three passenger trains in each direction from Jackson to Bay City. Northbound number 71A and 73A were known as the Bay City & Mackinaw Express and #75A was the Owosso Accommodation. Southbound #72A and 74A were known as the Chicago Express and 76A was the Jackson Accommodation. One round trip way freight train was scheduled each way. Most stations along the route had a day operator/agent (D) but Jackson, Rives Junction, Lansing, Owosso Jct., Saginaw Branch Jct., West Bay City and Bay City (East side) were open around the clock.

From Saginaw to Bay City, the route also hosted four 1st class passenger trains round trip, known northbound as the Mackinaw & Marquette Express, the Bay City local, the Alpena & Mackinaw Express and the Grayling acccomondation. Southbound they were called the Saginaw accomodation, Detroit & Cincinnati Special, the Detroit local, and the Cincinnati & New York Express. [ETT-1897-11]

1909. The telephone dispatching service now in use on the Saginaw division of the Michigan Central is giving general satisfaction, and may soon be extended to other lines operated by this company. It has been in use in Lansing for several days. Not only does the telephone facilitate the dispatching of trains, say the MC operators, but it obviates considerable waste of time in calling stations, and much more can be said in a shorter time over the telephone than over the telegraph. When an operator wishes to call a station, he merely presses a button. The telegraph is still in use, however, being reserved for emergencies. [LSJ-1911-0211]

1925. The MC installs 6 semaphore and 2 color-light signals (GRS-2A D.C. automatic block signals between Zilwaukee and Mershon Tower in Saginaw. [RSC-1925]

Bibliography

The following sources are utilized in this website. [SOURCE-YEAR-MMDD-PG]:

  • [AAB| = All Aboard!, by Willis Dunbar, Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids ©1969.
  • [AAN] = Alpena Argus newspaper.
  • [AARQJ] = American Association of Railroads Quiz Jr. pamphlet. © 1956
  • [AATHA] = Ann Arbor Railroad Technical and Historical Association newsletter "The Double A"
  • [AB] = Information provided at Michigan History Conference from Andrew Bailey, Port Huron, MI

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