The Northern Michigan railroad built north from Jonesville to Lansing via Albion. Once complete, it was operated by the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern railroad as their Lansing Branch. Their depot in Lansing was located south of Michigan Avenue along the river basin.
Photo info: Top, an early photo of the LS&MS railroad depot in Lansing. [Alan Loftis collection]. 2nd photo, NYC snow plow X6215 is pushed by two NYC locomotives near the Lake Shore depot in Lansing. 3rd photo, the LSMS passing under Michigan Avenue headed towards North Lansing. 4th photo, the North Lansing engine house of the LS&MS, located at Center and Beaver Streets in 1913. [SBM-1913]
1878. November 11. the DGH&M will run a through coach to Lansing, via Durand, and the Chicago & Northeastern, leaving Detroit at 6 pm and arriving at Lansing at 10 pm. A through coach will also leave Lansing for Detroit at 8:00 am, and arrive here at 12:20 pm. Passengers by this route will be landed in the Michigan Southern depot at Lansing, and round-trip ticket will be sold at reduced rates. [DFP-1878-1110] Note: The GT depot at Lansing was likely not built yet.
1880. In 1880 the LS&MS Lansing branch exclusively served the Capital City Manufacturing Company, which built wagons. This multi-building facility was just south of Michigan Avenue, near the railroad's grain warehouse. Other industries served included the Lansing Wheelbarrow Company Works (south of Saginaw Street east of the river), the Capital Gate Works (south of E. Shiawassee Street), the Capital Flouring Mills and Cady, Glassbrook & Company foundry and machine shop, both located on Factory Street south of Franklin.
1913. The railroad served the Reo Motor Car Company (along with the GTW off Washington Street), the Reo showroom and dock east of the plant, the South Lansing Coal Yard (East Hazel Street), Jarvis Engine & Machine Works (Spring St.), Gifford Engine Company (Hosmer and Spring St.), Standard Oil, Atlas Drop Forge Co., Bates & Edmonds :Motor Company, Rikard Lumber, Michigan Condensed Milk Co,, The Lansing Company (manufacturers of wheelbarrows, trucks and concrete mixers), Jones, Smith & Chapman works, Standard Castings Company (E. Franklin St.), and the Peerless Motor Company.
The ornate Lansing passenger station was located on the east side of the main line north of E. Michigan Avenue. The line had another passenger station in North Lansing just south of Beaver Street. On the north side of Beaver, there was a turntable and 3-stall roundhouse, as well as a long coal shed and water tower on the west side of the main line north of Beaver St.
1926. The Lansing Branch had a water tower in Lansing. [NYCtt1926]
1941. The Lansing Branch was abandoned between Springport and Lansing. Some trackage in Lansing was converted to yard trackage and operated by NYC Lansing crews.
The following sources are utilized in this website. [SOURCE-YEAR-MMDD-PG]:
