Detroit, Lansing and Lake Michigan Rail Road
Encyclopedia
The Detroit, Lansing and Lake Michigan Railroad (DL&LM) is a defunct railroad which built and operated the first rail line between Detroit
and the state capital Lansing
. Though the corporation was short-lived, much of the route it placed in service is still in use by CSX
.
, the Ionia and Lansing Railroad
, and the Ionia, Stanton and Northern Railroad. The DL&LM was sold under foreclosure on December 14, 1876 and reorganized under the name of Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad
.
At the end of April, 1873, the railroad was mortgaged for over $6 million, though the DH&LM placed its own value at that time as just short of $4.2 million. But with a profit of more than $400,000 on revenues of $940,000, the firm's future must have seemed bright to president J. F. Joy, who had taken over from H.H. Smith at the end of 1872.
Notwithstanding the 1876 reorganization, the corporation was not legally dissolved until July 15, 1998.
, with the segment from Plymouth to Brighton
following on July 1. The Brighton-Williamston
-Lansing segment became operational on August 31, 1871, completing the first rail link between Detroit and Lansing.
By the end of 1872, the DL&LM reported 189 miles of track, including a 164-mile mainline, all built with iron rail. All 156 grade crossings were uncontrolled. The longest bridge was a 1650-ft wooden truss and trestle at Ionia. System-wide speed limits were 21 mph for passenger trains, and 10 mph for freights. Total annual traffic miles for 1872 were 674,505, with just 23% due to passenger traffic.
After passing in short order through several other hands, the Detroit-Lansing route built by the DL&LM became part of the mainline of the Pere Marquette Railroad on January 1, 1900. Subsequent owners were the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad and the Chessie System. It is currently owned by CSX and operated as the Plymouth Subdivision
of the CSX Chicago Division.
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
and the state capital Lansing
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
. Though the corporation was short-lived, much of the route it placed in service is still in use by CSX
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
.
Corporate
The DL&LM was formed April 11, 1871 by a merger of the Detroit, Howell and Lansing RailroadDetroit, Howell and Lansing Railroad
The Detroit, Howell and Lansing Railroad is a defunct railroad which operated in central and southeast Michigan during the early 1870s. The company formed on March 29, 1870 through the consolidation of the Detroit and Howell and the Howell and Lansing...
, the Ionia and Lansing Railroad
Ionia and Lansing Railroad
The Ionia and Lansing Rail Road is a defunct railroad which operated in the state of Michigan in the 1860s and 1870s. The company incorporated on November 13, 1865; the investors hailed primarily from Lansing, Ionia and Portland...
, and the Ionia, Stanton and Northern Railroad. The DL&LM was sold under foreclosure on December 14, 1876 and reorganized under the name of Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad
Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad
The Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad is a defunct railroad which was formed on December 27, 1876 as a reorganization of the foreclosed Detroit, Lansing and Lake Michigan Rail Road...
.
At the end of April, 1873, the railroad was mortgaged for over $6 million, though the DH&LM placed its own value at that time as just short of $4.2 million. But with a profit of more than $400,000 on revenues of $940,000, the firm's future must have seemed bright to president J. F. Joy, who had taken over from H.H. Smith at the end of 1872.
Notwithstanding the 1876 reorganization, the corporation was not legally dissolved until July 15, 1998.
Operational
At the time of the merger, all three railroads existed mostly on paper, but on June 30, 1871, DL&LM opened the segment between Detroit and PlymouthPlymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, with the segment from Plymouth to Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
following on July 1. The Brighton-Williamston
Williamston
Williamston is the name of several places in the United States of America:*Williamston, Michigan*Williamston, North Carolina*Williamston, South Carolina...
-Lansing segment became operational on August 31, 1871, completing the first rail link between Detroit and Lansing.
By the end of 1872, the DL&LM reported 189 miles of track, including a 164-mile mainline, all built with iron rail. All 156 grade crossings were uncontrolled. The longest bridge was a 1650-ft wooden truss and trestle at Ionia. System-wide speed limits were 21 mph for passenger trains, and 10 mph for freights. Total annual traffic miles for 1872 were 674,505, with just 23% due to passenger traffic.
After passing in short order through several other hands, the Detroit-Lansing route built by the DL&LM became part of the mainline of the Pere Marquette Railroad on January 1, 1900. Subsequent owners were the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad and the Chessie System. It is currently owned by CSX and operated as the Plymouth Subdivision
CSX Plymouth Subdivision
The CSX Plymouth Subdivision is a freight railroad line in the U.S. state of Michigan. It connects the Plymouth Diamond at mile marker CH 24.5 to Grand Rapids at CH 148.1, passing through the Lansing metropolitan area en route. Other towns served include Brighton, Howell, Williamston, Grand Ledge,...
of the CSX Chicago Division.