December 6. Detroit & Mackinac railroad officials have increased the estimate of damage to their bridge hit by a ship here Sunday from $150,000 to $200,000. James G. Campbell, D&M general superintendent in East Tawas said Wednesday divers and engineers have inspected the bridge over the Saginaw River and found more severe damage than was first suspected. Capt. Daniel Ronspeil of the tanker Lio said his ship suffered only minor damage. "It won't cost for than $100 to make repairs," Ronspeil said. [LDN-1959-1210]
December 24: "Beeliner" discontinued between Jackson and Bay City, via Owosso and Saginaw. [MDOT]
New York Central's "Beeliner" a self-propelled passenger, baggage and mail car, ceases operations from Jackson to Grand Rapids. [MDOT]
GTW stops using their Battle Creek roundhouse. It is razed in 1974. [IT-12/1975]
Welded aluminum cars without a center sill are introduced. [SAM]
Hydrocushion underframes are introduced on railcars. [SAM]
Heavy vertical lift bridge completed between Houghton and Hancock. The twin-towered, vertical lift bridge carries four highway lanes on the upper segment and a railroad track on the lower level across the Portage Lake Ship canal. When fully raised, the lift span provides a clearance of 104 feet for shipping. [CRWS/BOM]
"Roadrailer," first experimental dual wheeled combination rail and highway vehicles in the U.S., begins operating between Grand Rapids and Traverse City on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway. [MDOT]
Time line Key:
The following sources are utilized in this website. [SOURCE-YEAR-MMDD-PG]:
