Railroad: Detroit, Toledo & Milwaukee Railroad Company

The Detroit, Toledo & Milwaukee railroad was a successor to a number of lines built between Allegan east to Dundee via Battle Creek and Marshall. This line was never successful, and ultimately purchased and divided up between two Vanderbilt railroads until it was abandoned in 1932.

Toledo & Milwaukee → Detroit Toledo & Milwaukee railroad → LS&MS and MC railroads

Acquired: 1897 from Allegan to Dundee.

Operated for: 8 years

Controlled by Lake Shore & Michigan Southern and Michigan Central 50/50 in 1902, purchased in 1905.

Reference: [MRRC]

Notes

Time Line

1897. A circular issued from the Chicago & West Michigan and Detroit Grand Rapids & Western, announcing that the former road has leased the Allegan branch of the road from Allegan to Holland to the DT&M, the lease to take effect on December 1, 1897. Trackage arrangements have been consummated between the two roads so that the DT&M trains will go through west from Allegan via Holland to Grand Haven. This includes both passenger and freight trains. [DFP-1897-1124]

1898. June 1. The Allegan branch of the Chicago & West Michigan railroad, which was leased December 31 last to the Detroit, Toledo & Milwaukee, is again under control of the C&IWM beginning June 1, ther lease having been cancelled.

1899. January 9 at Toledo. The DT&M is leased by the Cincinnati Northern. [DFP-1899-0110]

1903. The Board of Directors were named by the Vanderbilt interests, with representatives of the Lake Shore and Michigan Central lines. In 1903, the DT&M took in $194,000 in earnings but had $275,788 in expenses.

1903. SNAPSHOT: The DT&M employed 11 engineers and firemen, 8 conductors, 14 brakemen, 5 baggagemen, seven laborers, 13 shopmen and 2 yardmen. They had 7 locomotives and 8 passenger and baggage cars. They had 97 freight cars. Baker heaters were used to heat passenger cars. Top five commodities hauled were: Bituminous coal (28%), Anthracite coal (10%), grain (9%), lumber (7%) and cement, brick and lime (5%).

Predecessor Lines

Leased to the Cincinnati Northern from 1899 to 1901.

According to [MRL], these were the predecessor lines:

1871 - Mansfield, Coldwater & Lake Michigan

1883 - Michigan & Ohio

1887 - Cincinnati, Jackson & Mackinaw

1897 - Toledo & Milwaukee

1897 - Detroit Toledo & Milwaukee

1899 - Leased to Cincinnati Northern

1905 - Leased to Michigan Central and Lake Shore & Michigan Southern, split at Marshall.

1913 - Line west of Battle Creek sold to interurban line. LSMS/MC split moved to Moscow in Hillsdale County.

1968 - Leases assigned to Penn Central (remnants near Battle Creek)

1976 - Purchased by Conrail (remnants near Battle Creek)

1999 - Purchased by Norfolk Southern (remnants near Battle Creek)