Today's Railroads in Michigan...
Railroads in Michigan are almost 200 years old, beginning in 1836 and reaching their peak in trackage about 1916. Since that time, each year has seen abandonments and reduced passenger and freight traffic, all coinciding with the deindustialization of Michigan's major cities and a move of passenger to airlines and automobiles. A majority of Michigan railroad lines have disappeared in the last 100 years.
Today, the railroad operations which are left generally fit into one of these six categories:
- Overhead freight/intermodal traffic from Sarnia to the Chicago area via the Port Huron tunnel and Battle Creek on the CN
- Overhead freight/intermodal traffic from Windsor through the tunnel and on NS trackage rights towards Chicago by the CP
- Automobile and auto parts traffic from the Detroit area to points southeast, south and west on the NS, CSX and CN
- Iron ore taconite transport from the Marquette iron range to docks and all-rail shipments to a few steel mills
- Unit trains of coal, grain and sugar beets to power plants, agri-businesses and sugar processing plants near Bay City
- Amtrak passenger trains to and from Chicago, Detroit, Port Huron and Grand Rapids
- The remainding branch lines throughout the state carry only 1-2 freight trains per day each way mostly on shortline railroads
This website is divided into two sections. Today's Railroads features current railroad operation including links to Michigan's operating railroads. The RRHX Railroad History section features almost 200 years of past railroads, from the establishment of the Erie & Kalamazoo railroad in 1836 to today.
Image info: Canadian National track maintenance crews weld a rail repair at Tappan, near Port Huron. [Dan Meinhard]
Newsfeed from Google: Railroads
News Feed - Railroads
12 September 2024
- Amtrak spars with freight train industry over rules of the railroad - Marketplace
- In remarks to regulators, rail shippers reveal preference for trucks - TRAINS Magazine
- Norfolk Southern CEO fired for ‘consensual relationship’ with railroad’s chief legal officer - CNN
- Exclusive | Norfolk Southern CEO Expected to Leave Railroad Amid Board Probe - The Wall Street Journal
- Union Pacific moves closer to abandoning 1872 jobs pact with Texas town - The Dallas Morning News
- Norfolk Southern railroad says it has ousted its CEO for inappropriate relationship with an employee - ABC News
- Norfolk Southern railroad says its CEO is under investigation for alleged ethical lapses - The Associated Press
- Greensboro neighbors asked to leave homes to improve railroad safety - WGHP FOX8 Greensboro
- 3 Dividend Paying Railroad Stocks You May Count On - Yahoo Finance
- Union Pacific Hosts Business Development Gathering for Short Line and Port Partners - Union Pacific
- UC Merced Arts Opens Season with LitFest, Musical Tribute to Railroads - University of California, Merced
- Wyden introduces legislation to boost tax credits for regional, short line railroads like the City of Prineville Railway - KTVZ
- Rail News - Railroads, ports prepare for Hurricane Francine. For Railroad Career Professionals - Progressive Rail Roading
- Feliks Banel: Railroad history conferences in Everett are a metaphorical ‘golden spike’ - MyNorthwest
- Norfolk Southern Railroad fires CEO for inappropriate relationship - Cleveland 19 News
