Timetable: GTW - Saginaw Sub - Durand to Bay City

This is a single track branch line from Durand to North Bay City was built as the Toledo, Saginaw & Mackinaw Railroad, which was leased and then purchased by the Grand Trunk. Today, much of the branch is now operated by the Huron & Eastern railroad.

Key: BB=Bascule Bridge | C=Coal | CS=Car Shop | D=Open > Day | DN=Open Day and night | DS=Dispatcher | DT=Double Main Track | EH=Engine house | F=Diesel Fuel | HI=Half Interlocked Crossing | I=Interlocked Crossing | J=Junction | LB=Lift bridge | N=Open at night | P=Passing Track w/40' car capacity | Q=Quarry | RH=Roundhouse # stalls | RT=Railroad Resort | S=Scales | SB=Swing bridge | T=Turntable | TC=Telegraph call | W=Water | X=Crossing | Y=Wye | Yard=Yard

[REF] = ETT 1935 and 1939, plus additions.

Notes

The branch was originally operated by the Toledo, Ann Arbor & North Michigan (Ashley's company) for about one year after it was completed. It briefly operated independently and then was leased to the C&GT, originally for 29 years and then for 99 years. It was consolidated into the GT about 1930.

After 1940, GTW trains use Michigan Central between Meredith Street Junction and Mershon.

Trains at Durand will look out for Ann Arbor Railway first-class trains using Saginaw Sub.

Bay City station is across the Saginaw River and accesses via the Bay City spur over a bridge to the station. Passenger trains arriving from the south will back through the north wye and do to Bay City. Normal position of this switch at the junction of three wyes will be for the south wye. Passenger trains will regularly use No. 6 track at Bay City station. In all back up train movements, passenger trains must be provided with tail hose connected with air brakes at the rear of the train, and the conductor must take personal charge of same and will stop train one car length from bumping post or from cars that may be standing on that track.

This was known as the "Salt Line" on the GT. W.R. Burt, one of the founders of the TS&M/CS&M was head of the Michigan Salt Manufacturers trust, assuring that much of this product was transported by his railroad.

In Saginaw, Jefferson Avenue had a TOFC facility in 1971.

Time Line

1888. August 31. A.D. Spangler & Co. today received the first carload of freight hauled into this city of the TS&M railroad, being a car of apples from Flushing. [SAG-1888-0831]

1888. October 22. The first regular train over the TS&M reached East Saginaw today from Durand. The train was pulled by Ann Arbor Mogul No. 20 and pulled in at the Thompson street depot. It had 20 freight cars and a passenger coach with 28 passengers. [SAG-1888-1022]

1888. November. The TS&M has been granted right-of-way on Water Street in East Saginaw, between Johnson and Williams and will pay damages therefor as assessed by a jury in the case. [SWC-1888-1101]

1888. December 27. Civil Engineer Charles Holmes and a party of assistants, have completed the work of running a line for the extension of the TS&M to Bay City. The line leaves the Genesee avenue branch of the road near German's planing mill and runs thence north and east to Bay City via Crow Island. The line has only been surveyed to the southerly terminus of Water Street at South Bay City. [SWC-1888-1227]

1889. April. The TS&M will be extended from west Bay City to Oa-at-ka Beach on its way to Mackinaw. [SCH-1889-0411]

1889. October 22. The TS&M took a decided stop yesterday. Locomotive "A" of the Saginaw Construction Co. came into town over the [Bay City and] Battle Creek railroad track, bringing a large force of men and track laying apparatus. A cross-over track was quickly laid at Midland street and before dinner the track was laid several blocks south. A temporary crossing over the Saginaw division of the MC will be put in, as it will require several days to complete the interlocking switches and signals. The bridge over the Squaconning river and the trestle over the southwest branch will be completed today. As the grading is now done and track laid to that point there is only a little over two miles to put down to complete the line between [West] Bay City and Saginaw. [SAG-1889-1022]

1889. The construction gang of the Toledo, Saginaw & Mackinaw railroad created quite a sensation in West Bay City by beginning early in the morning on a bold proceeding. Since the road reached West Bay City it has used the track of the Battle Creek & Bay City railroad for a distance of about five blocks. The latter road, which has been idle for six months, had a track upon the street which was afterward granted to the use of the TS&M. At the last meeting of the Common Council of West Bay City a resolution was passed instructing the marshal to tear up the tracks of the BC&BC and place the streets which it crossed in passable condition. 

Yesterday the construction gang of the other road did the business. They tore up the rails, ties, planking and everything except the roadbed. Then they proceeded to put down new ties, rails and planking in exactly the same place. This was completed before dusk. The track of the BC&BC was thrown alongside the roadbed. The superintendent of construction to-day had nothing to say about the proceeding except that he was acting under instructions. He says that the Battle Creek & Bay City road may use his track if it so desires. [DFP-1889-1231]

1889. November 9. A special passenger coach containing General Superintendent Ashley, Hon. W.R. Burt and other railroad officials passed over the Bay City extension of the TS&M this afternoon. It was the first coach over the road and shows how the work has progressed. [SAG-1889-1109]

1889. November. SNAPSHOT: The TS&M operates two passenger trains each way, daily, between Durand and East Saginaw. They make close connections with the TAA&NM. [AR-1889-1122]

1891. Through coaches are now run on the CS&M between Saginaw and Grand Rapids three times a day, the new time card going into effect yesterday. [SAG-1891-0421]

1891. The National Express company has completed negotiations by which it will operate on and through the CS&M railroad. Its terminal office will probably materialize before many days and the company be all ready for business here. [SAG-1891-0424] It replaces American Express on all C&GT lines. [OCA-1891-0430]

1891. Many special excursion trains are being operated to the from Wenona Beach by the CS&M according to newspaper reports.

1891. November 1. The Chicago Pullman company will now use the CS&M from Bay City and Saginaw, to Chicago, Detroit, Niagara Falls and Buffalo, instead of the F&PM. [SAG-1891-1029]

1891. November 9. About 100 men employed by the CS&M attempted to install a second track along [South] William street this morning in Bay City. A Michigan Central track also runs along William Street here. As the crew laid the second track, upset citizens pulled it up. Three blocks of track were torn up. Women and children assisted in removing the track and ties. Police arrived but took no position in the matter. It was rumored that the CS&M would pull out the MC track and "throw it in the ditch", and replace it with their second track. The MC learned of this plan and stationed an engine and long line of cars on their track. The CS&M work train finally left the area. [DFP-1891-1109]

1893. The water in the Saginaw river has risen 3 feet and is now within 1 foot of the dock level. The Cass, Flint, Shiawassee and Bad rivers are booming with the Tittabawassee and tributaries pouring an immense volume of water into the Saginaw. Basements in Saginaw are flooded and some manufacturing plants have shut down. There are apprehensions that the ice at the lower end of the river and bay will back up water and cause a serious overflow. The track of the CS&M railroad for 2 miles between Saginaw and Durand is under water. [LSJ-1893-0315]

1899. September. The Western Union Telegraph company has acquired by purchase the telegraph line on the Cincinnati, Saginaw & Mackinaw railroad between Durand and Bay City, and will operate it on and after September 10. [DFP-1899-0911]

1904. Two engines on the C&SM division of the Grand Trunk came together with a crash early this morning, back of Hoyt Park. The train crews jumped and escaped injury. The engineer of the yard engine reversed his engine and, recoiling from the shock of the collision, it gathered headway and was soon speeding down the track. At Holland avenue it entered a switch and collided with a loaded coal car. It required the services of a wrecking crew and track repairers to clean the track. [DFP-1904-0910]

1910. Strike ties up local traffic. The Saginaw division of the GT, known as the CS&M, is affected by the strike of GT train crews which was declared at 8:30 o'clock Monday night July 18. Freight movements over the line from Bay City to Durand were at a standstill. Passenger service was uninterrupted. Local freight agent J.G. Dexter said passenger and mail service will not be blocked. "The operators of the two trains each way between Bay City and Durand will not strike, at least I do not think so, because the men are too old in the service and couldn't get positions elsewhere. Our morning passenger train left Bay City and passed through Saginaw as usual at 8 o'clock bound for Durand, and I anticipate no trouble along that score". [SAAG-1910-0719]

1911. October. The GT railway creates the Bay City Terminal railway company to span the Saginaw River in Bay City and to build passenger and freight terminals downtown. [DFP-1911-0605]

1913. September 28. The spur line from West Bay City across the Saginaw River and two-span drawbridge is placed into service. The line crosses the bridge to reach the new GT Depot at 7th Street in downtown Bay City. The line also crosses the MC South Water Street industrial line at the east end of the bridge, a gated crossing. [MRL]

1913. December. There is trouble ahead for the CS&M and its lessee, the GT railroad, on South Franklin street in Saginaw, according to action which developed in the Saginaw common council Monday night. Aldermen want to oust the railroad tracks from this street, from Holland Ave. to McCoskry streets, because of a contract made years ago to build shops has never been carried out. It was referred to committee. [SAG-1913-1209] The committee voted to open a 25' strip of Franklin street from Atwater to Holland avenue. [SAG-1913-1230]

1928. The Bay City Terminal, owner of the east Bay City station and bridge, is merged into the GTW. [MRL]

1939. SNAPSHOT. As of this time, only one round trip mixed (passenger and freight) train uses the bridge to the depot Monday through Saturday. At the west entrance to the bridge, there was a wye connection to GTW's branch line. Northbound passenger trains passed the wye and backed into the north leg, backing across the river into the GTW station. Southbound trains left the depot using the south wye after traversing the bridge. Passenger trains were instructed to use Track No. 6 at the depot, the only track used for this purpose in 1939. [ETT-1939]

1941. The railroad branch and bridge into east Bay City were abandoned, operated only 28 years. [MRL]

1950. New, through train passenger service between Alpena and Detroit was announced here by C.A. Skog, vice president and general manager of the GTW railroad, and Charles A. Pinkerton Jr. president and general manager of the D&M. The new service will be operated over the lines of the GTW and D&M and will speed trains scheduled between cities in northeastern Michigan and Detroit and Chicago. The train will be operated for a six-month trial period rail officials said. PHTH-1950-0131] The train was operated until 1951. [DFP-1951-0402]

1971. Saginaw yard limit extends from 35.9 (Saginaw Freight Yard) to mp 44.7 near Zilwaukee. Joint section on MC exists from Meredith St. Junction to Mershon. Maximum car weight is 220,000 lbs. Speed limit on line is 35 mph, restricted to 20 mph over interlockings and other speed restrictions at various locations. Train office at Durand is open 24/7. Other train order offices open M-F daytime at Flushing, Lennon and MX Tower.