Time Line - 1865

Last Year | Next Year

• 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] 

• The C&NW builds its first roundhouse in Escanaba. Over time the building will have as manyu as 25 stalls. [:EDP-1961-1018]

Time line 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
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