Time Line - 2025

Last Year | Next Year

• March 6. Watco Holdings, files a petition with the Surface Transportation Board, for approval allowing them to acquire control of the Great Lakes Central Railroad (GLC), a Class III carrier. Watco intends to acquire all GLC common stock from Federated Capital Acquisitions, Inc. The trackage includes the main line from Osmer (Ann Arbor) north to Traverse City and Petoskey, and several branch lines. [STB-2025-0306]
• March: Amtrak removes 61 Horizon coaches and 9 food service cars from service due to corrosion issues. [TR-2025-06]
• May: The Presque Isle County Board of Commissioners votes down a resolution to bring back passenger rail service to northern Michigan. The proposal included returning some part of the Northeastern State Trail to rail service. “Snowmobiles do more for tourism in this county than rail service ever would”, said one commissioner. “I see this [plan] bringing 20-100 people to the county in a year and a good weekend brings 5,000 people to snowmobile with good snow”. [PIN-2025-0515]
• June 2: Ford announces plan to build a 180-room hotel on the top five floors (14-18) of the Michigan Central station, in partnership with Hilton. These floors have never been used since the building was built. To open in 2027. [DTN]

• No general entries.

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