Time Line - 1916

Last Year | Next Year

• World War I continues.

• 1916 is a bad year for railroads, as many declare bankruptcy, including the Pere Marquette. [COHS-2/1998]

• January 2: Interurban service between Battle Creek and Grand Rapids via Richland begins. [MT]

• January 6: The MCR approves a new design for a half-interlocking plant at North Bay City for the MC, and D&M. [MCR-1916 pg. 36]

• Januay 11: The MCR approves a new design for signal protection at Owendale for the PO&N. [MCR-1916 pg. 36]

• February 2: The MCR approves plans for derails and signals at the crossing of the MCRR and the DUR, at Fifth Street and West Jefferson Avenue in Detroit. [MCR-1916, pg. 36]

• February 18: The MCR approves plans for a full interlocking and derailing switch and signal system at the crossing of the DUR and the DGH&M Ry. at Fourth Street, Royal Oak. [MCR-1916, pg. 36]

• March 17: The MCR approves plans for full-interlocking system at the crossing of the DUR and the MCRR at Rochester. [MCR-1916 pg. 36]

• March 28: The MCR approves plans for additions to the half-interlocking plant at the crossing of the DGH&M and the DUR at Saginaw Street in Pontiac. [MCR-1916 pg. 37]

• April 14:The BCG&A was given an extended time by the MCR to install a full-interlocking device at the crossing of their tracks with the MCRR at Gaylord. [MCR-1916 pg. 37]

• April 18:The MCR approves the discontinuance of the night operator at the Kalkaska interlocking plant crossing of the GR&I and PM. [MCR-1916 pg. 37]

• April 18: The MCR approves plans for a half-interlocking system at the crossing of the DS&M and the PM at Saginaw. [MCR-1916, pg. 37]

• April 18: The DSS&A abandons their Milwaukee Mine Branch, 2.05 miles. [MCR-1916 pg. 6]

• April 26: The MC is authorized to discontinue and remove the westerly 8,300 feet of their Edwards Lake branch. [MCR-1916, pg. 39]

• May 1: The Ludington & Northern Railway opens their Epworth Spur to Mt. Baldie, .63 miles. [MCR-1916 Pg. 5]

• May 5: The Escanaba Traction Co. is given permission byt he MCR to cross with its railroad Escanaba & Lake Superior Railroad sidetrack, leading to Stone Quarry, at Wells, Michigan. They are also granted permission to cross the sidetrack of the E&LS leading to the North Escanaba Station of the Soo Line at Wells. [MCR-1916 pg. 37]

• May 31: The Michigan United Railways ends its lease of the Kalamazoo, Lake Shore & Chicago, ending hopes that the line between Kalamazoo and South Haven would become part of a state-wide interurban rail network. [MT]

• June 1: The MCR approves a Grand Trunk Ry. plan to install a half-interlocking plant at the crossing of the DGH&M Ry. and the DUR at Milwaukee Avenue and Dequindre Streets in Detroit. [MCR-1916 pg. 37]

• June 23: The MCR requires installation of a full-interlocking system at the corssing of the CD&CGT Jct. Railroad and the DUR on Van Dyke Avenue, Hamtramck Township.  A full interlocking is also ordered at the DUR/DGH&M crossing on Davison Road, Highland Park. [MCR-1916 pg. 37]

• July: The Boyne City, Gaylord & Alpena Railroad opens an extension of their main line between Atlanta and the Thunder Bay River, near M-33, 7.26 miles. [MCR-1916. Pg. 5]

• August 3: The MCR orders "protection" at the crossing of the Lansing Connecting Railroad and the Michigan Railway on Pennsylvania Avenue, Lansing. [MCR-1916 pg. 37]

• August 4: The MCR approves plans for a half-interlocking plant at the crossing of the Michigan Ry. and the PM at Hosmer Street, Lansing. [MCR-1916 pg. 37]

• August 4: The MCR approves planf for a full interlocking system at the crossing of the DGH&M Ry. and the DUR at Davison Road, Highland Park. Plans were also approved for a full interlocking at the crossing of the CD&CGT Jct. Railroad and the DUR on Van Dyke Avenue, Hamtramck Township. [MCR-1916 pg. 37]

• August 4: The Mineral Range Railroad opens their Atlas Powder Spur, .38 miles. [MCR-1916 Pg. 5]

• August 14: The Pere Marquette abandons their line between Spencer to Stratford, 13.71 miles.[MCR-1916 pg. 6]

• August 14: The Pere Marquette abandons their Gerber Branch, .35 miles. [MCR-1916 pg. 6]

• August 20: An extension of the interurban line is opened from Almont to Imlay City, in Lapeer County, 7.53 miles. [EMR4][MCR-1916 Pg. 5]

• August 24: The New York Central makes a radical change in signal indications, as a result of frequent accidents due to broken lenses on switches and signals. A white light is no longer indicative of clear track. Green is adopted for clear, yellow for "come ahead" and red remains a stop signal. All main track signals were converted. [HCN]

• August 31: The MCR approves plans for a full interlocking at the crossing of the Solvay Process Co.'s railroad and theDM&TSL Ry. near Sibley. [MCR-1916 pg. 37-38]

• September 1: the MCR approves plans for a half interlocking system at the crossing of the CD&CGT Jct. RR and the DUR on Van Dyke Avenue, Hamtramck Township. [MCR-1916 pg. 38]

• September: The Munising, Marquette & Southeastern Railway abandons their Hoist Branch, 5.06 miles. [MCR-1916 pg. 6]

• Fall: The C&NW Ry. erects new stations at Menominee, Caspian and Alpha. [MCR-1916 Pg. 45]

• The D&M completes a new station at Millersburg, in Presque Isle County. [MCR-1916 pg. 47]

• October 11: Permission is granted by the MCR to the Iron River, Stambaugh & Crystal Falls Street Ry. to cross under grade of the MILW at Stambaugh. [MCR-1916 pg. 38]

• October 27: Detroit, Bay City & Western Railroad opens line from Sandusky to Port Huron.  [MRRC]

• Fall: The Escanaba & lake Superior Railroad opens logging spur lines from Chandler (2.12 miles) and Hendricks (.79 miles) to various logging camps. [MCR-1916 Pg. 5]

• October 27: The Detroit, Bay City & Western Railroad opens their line from Peck to Port Huron, 31 miles. [MCR-1916 Pg. 5]

• Fall: The CD&CGT Jct. Ry. (GTW) builds a new yard near Mt. Olivet, consisting of 24 miles of side track with yard office, car repair buildings and a water tank. A second main track is installed on the main line between Milwaukee Junction to th east end of this new yard, a distance of 7.01 miles. [MCR-1916 pg. 51]

• The DGH&M Ry. (GTW) adds a second main track between Milwaukee Junction and Royal Oak, as well as on 2.8 miles through the City of Pontiac. A new classification yard is also constructed at Pontiac. [MCR-1916 pg. 51]

• November 14: The MCR approves plans for a full-interlocking system at the crossing off the DUR and the MC Belt Line: MC Bay City Division and the CD&CGT Jct. RR, and also the MC Belt Line and CD&CGT Jct. RR at Joseph Campual Avenue, Hamtramck. [MCR-1916 pg. 39]

• December 19: The MCR grants permission to the DUR to cross the DGH&M Ry. at Milwaukee avenue, Detroit, and orders the installation of a full interlocking system at the crossing. [MCR-1916 pg. 38]

• December: The Ford Motor Co. shuts down the Rouge plant for one week to relieve railroad congestion on the nation's railroads. [NYT-1916-1233]

• December: The Empire & Southeastern Railroad abandons their line from Lake Junction to Pearl Lake, 3.1 miles. [MCR-1916 pg. 6]

• ---

  Cleveland Cliffs Iron Co. builds 60 mile logging road in Alger Co. from Vail southeasterly to T44N R19W. Abandoned in 1925. [MRRC]

• Nationally, there are 254,037 miles of railroad track, an all time high. [STOV]

• Copper production peaks at 270 million lbs., a record.  It is 13% of the nation's output. [MOD-6/1985]

• Beaubien Street interlocking tower is built in Detroit. It protects a railroad grade crossing that was created around 1888. The tower is closed on March 31, 1996. [MRC-6/1996]

• Congress passes the first federal highway program, which matched state money with federal dollards for new federal highways. [STOV]

• The C&NW Ry. changes track layouts at the Alpha and Menominee stations at a cost of $10,303. They also install a new interchange yard at Tobin mine. [MCR-1916 pg. 45]

• The C&NW Ry. ads a new turn table at Escanaba. [MCR-1916 pg. 45]

• The C&NW Ry. installs new water tanks as Goose Lake and Clowry. [MCR-1916 pg. 45]

• The C&NW Ry. installs a new track scale at Iron Mountain. [MCR-1916 pg. 45]

• The Big Four erects a new freight house and constructs a cement station platform at Niles. [MCR-1916 pg. 46]

• The Copper Range railroad erects new stations at Hubbell and Painsdale at a cost of $9,500. A new coal shed is completed at Mill Mine Junction at a cost of $12,000.  [MCR-1916 pg. 46].

• The carferry St. Ignace, built in 1888 burned. It had operated between Mackinaw City and St. Ignace by the Mackinac Transportation Co. [AATHA-SF/1999]

• Hocking Valley Railroad, under C&O control, installs a new Industrial Brownhoist dumper. Each dumper has three load tracks, a kickback, and two empty car tracks. An 1,800 car storage yard is created. HV also buys an interest in the Toledo Terminal to access the port. [COHS-10/98]

• Railroads carry 98% of intercity passenger business, and 77% of intercity freight traffic. [STOV]

• America has 15,000 miles of interurban railroads. Two thirds of this mileage is in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan Pennsylvania and New York. [STOV]

• Adamson act provides an eight-hour day for railroad operating personnel. [STOV]

• Grand Trunk builds new depot at Sheridan.  Depot continues to exist as of 1974. [IT-12/1974]

• The Escanaba & Lake Superior Railroad abandons their Northland Branch, .70 miles and their Ralph Branch, .22 miles. [MCR-1916 pg. 6]

• An agreement is reached by the Michigan Central Railroad and the State Highway Commission for a separation of grades at Whitmore Lake Road, near Ann Arbor. [MCR-1916 pg. 10]

• An agreement is reached by the Michigan Central, New York Central, Wabash and Pere Marquette Railroads for a separation of highway and railroad grades at the following crossings in the City of Detroit: Livernois, Dix, Waterman, Central, Springwells, Lawndale, West Fort, Harbaugh and Dearborn Avenues. Some were completed, others were not. [MCR-1916 pg. 10-11]

• The Michigan Railroad Commission orders swing gates to be installed at the following grade railroad crossings: DTRR?DUR at Van Dyke Avenue, Detroit; MCRR and DUR on Jefferson Avenue, Ecorse; Wabash and PM and the DUR at West Jefferson Avenue, Detroit; MCRR and DUR at West Jefferson Avenue, Detroit;  MCRR spur track and the DUR on Biddle Avenue, Wyandotte; Wabash and MC crossing of the DUR on West Jefferson Avenue, Detroit; Wyandotte Terminal Railroad atDUR on Biddle Avenue, Wyandotte. MCRR Water Works tracks and DUR on Biddle Avenue, Detroit;  MCRR spur tracks and DUR on West Jefferson Avenue, Detroit; PM Lamont Planing Mill spur with Bay City Consolidated Ry, Bay City. [MCR-1916, pg. 36]

• SNAPSHOT: The Detroit, Bay City & Western Railroad provides stations at several points along their line, including Sharpsville, Akron, Caro, Wilmot, Hemans, Decker, Snover, Sandusky and Peck. These stations are built of cement with the exception of the stations at Caro and Akron. All stations are not provided with agents. Agents are being maintained at Akron, Caro, Wilmot, Decker, Snover, Sandusy and Peck and other station buildings are arranged for agents and the same will be maintained as soon as the business warrants. it. [MCR-1916 pg. 46-47]

• SNAPSHOT: The Detroit & Mackinac Ry. AuSable branch maintains stations only at Comins and Glennie. Conditions were improved vs. a inspection the previous year. 30,000 ties have been renewed and lighter rail has been rpelaced by 56 and 60 pound rail. [MCR-1916 pg. 47]

• The DT&I constructs a half-interlocking at the crossing of the DUR at Wyandotte and Sibley Heights. [MCR-1916 pg. 48]

• The DT&I constructs a new station at Dundee for freight and passenger business. [MCR-1916 pg. 48]

• The DSS&A builds new stations at Bruce's Crossing, Trout Creek, Moran and Whitmore. These stations are "first-class in the construction and are commodious and convenient for the traveling public". The cost of each station is about $2,200. [MCR-1916 - pg. 49]

• The Mineral Range Railroad installs two new bridges at Upper Mills, at a cost of $31,240. [MCR-1916 pg. 49]

• The Mineral Range Railroad constructs a new station at Hancock at a cost of $15,500. [MCR-1916 pg. 50]

• The Michigan East & West Ry. builds a new concrete block station at Dighton, at an expense of $2,000, which is "very neat and commodious and thoroughly appreciated by the people of Dighton". It is a freight and passenger station. The railway also has built a new station at Manistee, a 2-story structure with general offices on the second floor. Cost:  $10,000.[MCR-1916 pg. 54]

• The Michigan East & West Ry. constructs new terminal facilities, turntable and station at Marion, at an expense of $6,000.  New scale tracks are added at Filer City at a cost of $1,800. A new steel bridge has been placed at the Sable river. [MCR-1916 pg. 54]

• The Michigan East & West Ry. builds a new coaling station, water tank and turntable at Manistee. [MCR-1916 pg. 54]

• The Pere Marquette Ry. builds a new shelter at Hilltop, new passenger depots at Riverside and Also, a new freight house at Alma, and a fifty foot extension to their freight house bt Benton Harbor, a new engine house at Mt. Pleasant, new track scales at Boardman, a new scalehouse and stock scale at Hatton, stock scales and scale house at Scottville. At Plymouth, a 390' steel viaduct is replaced with a 24-foot concrete arch and north of Plymouth, a 165 foot viaduct is replaced with a double 20 foot concrete arch. [MCR-1916 pg. 55-56].

 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