Timetable: MCRR - Bay City Branch - Detroit to Bay City

The MC Bay City Branch was built as the Detroit & Bay City railroad but quickly leased to the Michigan Central. Station times are from 1947.

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 | ST=Switch Tender | T=Turntable | TC=Telegraph call | W=Water | X=Crossing | Y=Wye | Yard=Yard

Source: = Michigan Central employee timetable plus additions.

Notes

Automatic block signals were in effect between North Yard (North Detroit) and Eight Mile, Lake Orion and 7000' north of Oxford. They were also in effect between Hoyt (PM crossing) and Saginaw. [MC ETT 1947]

Note by Charlie Whipp 4/7/2003: The Bay City branch had a short section of automatic block signals. This section was between Lake Orion block station (passenger depot) and a point 7,000 feet north of Oxford tower, signals B641 and B642.  Starting at B641 and B642, there were a number of sidings and switches off the main line that needed to be protected from switch engines working the various customers and Oxford yard. There were also a number of trains that turned at Oxford. As an example, the Oxford local as well as gravel trains that went as far as Oxford yard to handle the gravel trains. These jobs worked around Oxford and the pit at Bailey's pit, just south of Oxford yard.  There was also a wye at Bailey's pit. With all of this activity, it was necessary to protect the main line with block signals to prevent a mishap.

Beaubien Street: This crossing was at a short angle, making derailments common. The "diamonds" were more like switches than crossings, in that the flange spaces were blocked for the routed railroad. This crossing was replaced in recent times by actual junction switches rather than a diamond crossing.

Caro Junction: This was the switch to the Caro Branch which at one time extended northeast to Owendale and a connection with the GTW at that location.

Rochester Junction: Interlocking controlled by MC/NYC from Rochester Depot.

PH&NW Crossing (at Vassar) was the crossing of the MC Bay City Branch and the PM line to Port Huron via Marlette. This crossing was protected by an interlocking tower which was later removed and gates installed.

Reese. This was the crossing of the PM's line to Bad Axe. This crossing was protected by a manually operated crossing signal (operated by trainmen at the base) which was lighted with two red lights at night.

Munger's. Later known as Munger, the Bay City Branch was truncated here in the 1940's.

Water Street. This was a wye to the MC Belt Line. There may have been a crossing of the Belt Line here as well.

Center Street. This was the crossing of the MC Bay City Branch and the PM Belt Line. The Detroit Bay City & Western also crossed the PM here. This location had an interlocking tower which was removed and replaced with an auto-interlocking sometime after the DBC&W was abandoned through here.

Bay City East Side. The MC dispatcher was located here.

Woodside. This was an interlocking tower operated by the Pere Marquette. The PM line north from their Bay City depot crossed the MC Bay City branch here, before heading east to Foss the the D&M bridge.

Saginaw River Drawbridge: This drawbridge, just northwest of Woodside Tower, was a swing type bridge with a bridge operator. The bridge was not interlocked but had signals and "smash" boards.

The location of L&N Junction was taken from an 1883 timetable and is approximate. This was a short branch line which went northeast.

Time Line

1872. The construction of the D&BC railroad will begin shortly. All preliminaries have been settled and several contracts let. Hon. Seymour Brownell of Utica has taken the contract for construction of the first 18 miles of the road out of Detroit. The work will begin at Milwaukee Junction some time next week but it is probably that the road will continue (south) to Grand Trunk Junction where connections will be made with other roads, and where trains will run into Detroit. [DFP-1872-0331]

1872. The Bay City Railroad (Detroit & Bay City) will be thoroughly ballasted between the Grand Trunk (West Detroit) and the Detroit & Milwaukee junctions by the end of the week, when per orders the Grand Trunk passenger trains will run over the new road into the Michigan Central depot at the junction. [DFP-1872-1024]

1879. Even though the D&BC railroad is in the hands of the Vanderbilt interests, the road will continue to be operated by the Farmer's Loan and Trust Company of New York as they hold the bonds. James F. Joy acts as the agent for the Farmers Loan company. [DFP-1879-0520]

1882. The new sleepers to be put on the MC between Detroit and Mackinaw are fitted with elegant and commodious smoking apartments. [DFP-1882-1128]

1898. Bay City wants a 3-hour train service between Bay City and Detroit, with a fast train each way over the Bay City division of the Michigan Central. There are now 32 stops made by trains over the road. A limited train would not be obliged to make more than eight stops, these for Lapeer and railroad crossings. [DFP-1898-0128]

1909. The Michigan Central installs telephones to facilitate the dispatching of trains on their Bay City-Detroit division. [LSJ-1911-0211]

1946. Call lights were located on cross-arms of the Western Union pole line on the Detroit and Mackinaw Branch between Vinewood Avenue and Beaubien Street Tower. When lighted is an indication to crews doing industrial work are to communicate with the Yard Dispatcher for special instructions at once. Lights are located at 16th Street, Wabash Avenue, Third Avenue and Penn Lead. [ETT]