Timetable: MCRR - Toledo Branch - West Detroit to Toledo

The Toledo Branch was a combination of two original routes. The west main line was the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern line and the east main line was the Michigan Central line. At points (such as Rouge Bridge) these lines are next to each other. But at other points they are farther apart. Around the turn of the 20th century, when both railroads came under Vanderbilt control, the lines were operated as bi-directional double main tracks and operated under a joint employee timetables.

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

Reference:

Notes

The line line to C.S. Junction left the MC line at Wagon Works Junction, past Nebraska Avenue, over the Lake Shore Air Line (via a concrete bridge) and south to C.S. Junction where it interchanged with the Wabash and Cloverleaf.

C.S. Junction was the abbreviation for "Canada Southern Junction" with the Wabash and Clover Leaf railroads.

At Vienna Junction, a freight lead diverged south to the MC's New North Yard which connected on the south end with the Toledo Terminal near Hallett Tower.

The line from West Detroit to Delray was raised in a grade crossing improvement project in the 1920's. This eliminated the DSR crossing at Fort Street.

Time Line

1878. The iron rails on the Canada Southern track between Slocum's Junction and Monroe are to be replaced with steel rails. [DFP-1878-0105]

1890. Commencing June 23, the MCRR will put a new train on the Toledo division to run between Detroit and Grosse Ile. It will leave Detroit at 6:10 a.m. and arrive at Grosse Ile at 8:07 a.m. During the day it will make trips between Grosse Ile and Slocom Junction to cdonnect with all regular trains to and from Detroit and Toledo, and will leav e Grosse Ile to returning to Detroit aT 3:20 p.m. reaching here at 4:10 standard time. [DFP-1890-0621]

1891. F&PM will discontinue trains to Toledo. President Newell of the Lake Shore road has ordered the F&PM to continue running trains between Monroe and Toledo unless he signs a contract which virtually relieves the Lake Shore of any liabilities which may arise from the joint use of track. As the F&PM can have no control over the employees or rules of the Lake Shore company, the F&PM will discontinue running trains through to Toledo, but will make close connections with the Lake Shore at Monroe and the MC at Detroit for Toledo business. This is the result of the recent F&PM/MC collision near Toledo. [DFP-1891-1221] Note: The F&PM subsequently builds their own line from Monroe to Toledo via Erie and Alexis.

1897. SNAPSHOT. The MC operated four round trip 1st class passenger trains from Detroit to Toledo. One 3rd class way freight was also operated to Toledo and back. The railroad also operated three round trips from Detroit to Slocum Junction to Grosse Isle station. Most stations along this line were open during the day with agent operators. Stations at Detroit, Bay City Jct., South Yard, Delray, Wyandotte, South Rockwood, Monroe, Alexis, Toledo Belt, Wagon Works Junction, Toledo and C.S. Junction were opened around-the-clock. [ETT-1897-11]

July 5, 1912. The lines of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern and the Michigan Central (both controlled by the New York Central) between Toledo, Ohio, and Detroit, Mich., about 60 miles, both single track nearly all the way are to be operated together as a double track railway. From the Lake Shore station at Toledo to Wagon Works Junction the line, which is owned by the Lake Shore, is double track, and over this the trains of the Michigan Central run to and from the station. From Wagon Works north the Lake Shore and the Michigan Central run approximately parallel with each other for about 51 miles to West Detroit. They are separated most of the way by only a few hundred feet, but at a few points are as much as half a mile apart. It is intended to operate this section as a double-track railway, and preparatory thereto two light bridges are being made suitable for the heaviest engine, and a number of track changes and additions have been made. Between Vinewood avenue, Detroit, and Beaubien street, about three miles, the Lake Shore parallels the Bay City division of the Michigan Central, and these two roads are now operated as one double-track railway. The Michigan Central Bay City division was already double tracked and one of the three main tracks will now be used as a sidetrack. [RG-1912-0705]

1925. The MC and NYC install new automatic block signals between Detroit and Toledo (River Rouge and Toledo on the NYC southbound section). This includes 150 color light signals, of the GRS type. The NYC line was noted as D.C. and the MC noted as A.C.