Article: State and County Facilities Served by Railroads

The following list identifies state prisons, state hospitals and other facilities in Michigan which were served by railroad branch lines or spurs mostly for the purpose of bringing in coal for heating or electrical generating purposes. This was a common function in the late 1800's and until the 1950's when most of these facilities were converted to gas or closed.

Most of the facilities on this list have individual pages in the Stations/Locations section of this website in the appropriate county section. For additional details, see those pages. Original names are used and may have changed over time.

County | Facility | Railroad serving facility


Calhoun - Fort Custer  - MCRR and DT&M (troop movement)

Chippewa - Kinross Air Force Base - Soo Line (fuel)

Crawford - Camp Grayling (Camp Rasmussen) - MCRR (troops, tanks, etc.)

Grand Traverse - Traverse City State Hospital - PMRR (coal spur)

Ingham - Industrial School for Boys, Lansing - PM or MC?

Ingham - Michigan State College Power House - PMRR

Ionia - Michigan Reforatory - PM or GTW

Ionia - Michigan Asylum for Insane Criminals, Ionia - PM or GTW

Iosco - Wurthsmith Field near Oscoda - D&MRR (Jet fuel)

Jackson - Jackson State Prison (original) - MCRR

Jackson - Jackson State Prison (second) - GTW (MC trackage rights)

Kalamazoo - Kalamazoo State Hospital - MCRR

Lapeer State Home and Training School - MC or GTW

Lenawee - State Hime for Girls, Adrian - DT&I

Luce - Newberry State Hospital - DSS&A

Marquette - Sawyer Air Force Bomber Base near Gwinn - C&NW (Jet fuel)

Marquette - Marquette Branch Prison - DSS&A and LS&I

Oakland - Pontiac State Hospital - GTW

Tuscola - Caro State Hospital - MCRR

Washtenaw - Milan Federal Prison - Wabash

Washtenaw - State Cement Works, Chelsea - MCRR (siding)

Washtenaw - Ypsilanti State Hospital, Milan - AARR (coal, spur off main line)

Washtenaw - University of Michigan Power House Ann Arbor - MCRR/UMRR (coal/ash)

Wayne - Eloise, Nankin Township - MCRR (coal spur off main line)

Wayne - Fort Wayne, Detroit - Interurbans, MCRR 

Wayne - Northville State Hospital - PMRR

Wayne - Detroit House of Correction near Plymouth - PMRR

 

 

 

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

Contact Us

Invalid Input

Invalid Input

Invalid Input

Invalid Input

Invalid Input

Invalid Input

 
Email: webmaster@michiganrailroads.com

Social