Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad (DL&N) is a defunct railroad which was formed on December 27, 1876 as a reorganization of the foreclosed Detroit, Lansing and Lake Michigan Rail Road
. The segment of its main line from Detroit to Lansing became an important component of the Pere Marquette Railroad, organized in 1900, and is still in use by CSX.
and the Ionia and Lansing Railroad
. In 1872, the Ionia, Stanton and Northern Rail Road was added. By 1876 the railroad was obliged for more than $6 million in mortgages at 8%, much of it owed to men sitting on the Board of Directors, and had an operating deficit of more than $1.8 million, much of it representing unpaid interest.
DL&LM's lenders foreclosed in April 1876. George O. Shauttuck and J. Lewis Stackpole of Boston--acting as trustees for the lenders--purchased the railroad for $60,000 at a mortgage sale in Detroit on December 14, 1876. A new corporation was organized on December 27, 1876 under the name Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad, with most of its stock going to the lenders in exchange for their forgiving the DL&LM's debts. The only Michigan resident among the eleven directors named to the first board was James Joy, formerly president of the BL&LM. Declared business objectives of the DL&N were:
In 1882, the principal officers were Alpheus Hardy, president; Thomas Fish, general superintendent; and J.J. McVean, engineer. The DL&N had over 1000 employees in Michigan, but none of its 438 stockholders or eleven directors were Michigan residents. Though profitable, the railroad had taken on debts equivalent to $15,897 for every mile of track over which it operated.
The railroad withstood the Panic of 1893
, and as late as 1895 was still profitable, with an expense-to-earnings ratio of 81.78. The principal mortgage of $2.67 million at 7% was payable in 1907. Total debt per mile owned and operated (221.57) had climbed to $19,158. President of the railroad as 1896 began was Nathaniel Thayer, general superintendent was J.K.V. Agnew, and chief engineer was J.J. McVean.
The DL&N went into receivership on April 1, 1896, and was reorganized as the Detroit, Grand Rapids and Western Railroad on January 1, 1897. The DGR&W also consolidated the Grand Rapids, Lansing & Detroit
, Saginaw Valley & St. Louis, Saginaw & Grand Rapids, and the Saginaw & Western. On December 7, 1899, it became part of the new Pere Marquette Railway
.
At its inception in December 1876, the DL&N inherited 206 miles of track, more than 10,000 feet of wooden bridges and trestles, 26 locomotives, and more than 750 railcars of all types. In 1876, its predecessor had carried more than 250,000 passengers and 260,000 tons of freight. The tracks over which they ran had become operational as follows:
Main Line (160.6 miles)
Branch Line (20.9 miles)
At Howard City, the main line connected to the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad
(GR&I).
The DL&N extended the Stanton branch to McBride
in 1877 and the next year to Blanchard
. In July 1880 the branch was completed to Big Rapids, Michigan
, where the DL&N made a second connection to the GR&I.
In 1882, the DL&N acquired a lease in perpetuity to the assets of the Saginaw & Western Railroad, which had gone into receivership under the name Chicago, Saginaw and Canada Railroad. By this time, DL&N trains were logging more than 1.4 million miles a year over 225 miles of track, carrying more than 635,000 passengers and 743,000 tons of freight.
The railroad reported 268 operating miles in 1886, with the most significant addition being the Saginaw & Western's 42 mile branch from Howard City to Alma
, which provided an interchange with the Toledo, Ann Arbor and North Michigan Railroad. The freight traffic was overwhelmingly (62%) lumber and forest products, as the logging off of Michigan's old-growth forest continued to accelerate thanks to mechanization. A conversion to automatic couplers, mandated by an 1885 state law, was underway, and Westinghouse air brakes had appeared.
In August, 1888, two new rail segments built by the Grand Rapids, Lansing and Detroit Railroad
and immediately leased by the DL&N went into service. The first was a 53-mile line from Grand Ledge to Grand Rapids. The second was the Ramona Branch
, a short extension from Oakdale Park Station to Reeds Lake
, later East Grand Rapids, Michigan
to serve the resorts there.
In the railroad's last full year of operation, it carried nearly 643,000 passengers, with the average trip 31 miles. Freight traffic had fallen to 541,000 tons, with 36% of it lumber and forest products, and another 13% coal.
Detroit, Lansing and Lake Michigan Rail Road
The Detroit, Lansing and Lake Michigan Railroad is a defunct railroad which built and operated the first rail line between Detroit and the state capital Lansing...
. The segment of its main line from Detroit to Lansing became an important component of the Pere Marquette Railroad, organized in 1900, and is still in use by CSX.
Corporate
The Detroit, Lansing and Lake Michigan (DL&LM) was incorporated April 11, 1871, as a consolidation 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...
and 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...
. In 1872, the Ionia, Stanton and Northern Rail Road was added. By 1876 the railroad was obliged for more than $6 million in mortgages at 8%, much of it owed to men sitting on the Board of Directors, and had an operating deficit of more than $1.8 million, much of it representing unpaid interest.
DL&LM's lenders foreclosed in April 1876. George O. Shauttuck and J. Lewis Stackpole of Boston--acting as trustees for the lenders--purchased the railroad for $60,000 at a mortgage sale in Detroit on December 14, 1876. A new corporation was organized on December 27, 1876 under the name Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad, with most of its stock going to the lenders in exchange for their forgiving the DL&LM's debts. The only Michigan resident among the eleven directors named to the first board was James Joy, formerly president of the BL&LM. Declared business objectives of the DL&N were:
- to extend the mainline to Pentwater, on Lake Michigan
- to extend the Stanton line to join the Flint and Pere Marquette RailroadFlint and Pere Marquette RailroadThe Flint and Pere Marquette Railroad is a defunct railroad which operated in the U.S. state of Michigan between 1857 and 1899. It was one of the three companies which merged to become the Pere Marquette Railway.-Early history:...
at Chippewa - to pay a 7% annual dividend on its preferred stock.
In 1882, the principal officers were Alpheus Hardy, president; Thomas Fish, general superintendent; and J.J. McVean, engineer. The DL&N had over 1000 employees in Michigan, but none of its 438 stockholders or eleven directors were Michigan residents. Though profitable, the railroad had taken on debts equivalent to $15,897 for every mile of track over which it operated.
The railroad withstood the Panic of 1893
Panic of 1893
The Panic of 1893 was a serious economic depression in the United States that began in 1893. Similar to the Panic of 1873, this panic was marked by the collapse of railroad overbuilding and shaky railroad financing which set off a series of bank failures...
, and as late as 1895 was still profitable, with an expense-to-earnings ratio of 81.78. The principal mortgage of $2.67 million at 7% was payable in 1907. Total debt per mile owned and operated (221.57) had climbed to $19,158. President of the railroad as 1896 began was Nathaniel Thayer, general superintendent was J.K.V. Agnew, and chief engineer was J.J. McVean.
The DL&N went into receivership on April 1, 1896, and was reorganized as the Detroit, Grand Rapids and Western Railroad on January 1, 1897. The DGR&W also consolidated the Grand Rapids, Lansing & Detroit
Grand Rapids, Lansing and Detroit Railroad
The Grand Rapids, Lansing and Detroit Railroad is a defunct, nineteenth century railroad, formerly operating in Michigan. Incorporated May 17, 1887, it built a 53-mile line from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Grand Ledge, as well as the Ramona Branch, both of which it leased to the Detroit, Lansing and...
, Saginaw Valley & St. Louis, Saginaw & Grand Rapids, and the Saginaw & Western. On December 7, 1899, it became part of the new Pere Marquette Railway
Pere Marquette Railway
The Pere Marquette Railway was a railroad that operated in the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada. The railroad had trackage in the states of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and the Canadian province of Ontario. Its primary connections included Buffalo; Toledo; and Chicago.The company was...
.
Operational
Main Line (160.6 miles)
- Detroit to Lansing, August 1871
- Lansing to Ionia, December 1869
- Ionia to Greenville, September 1870
- Greenville to Howard City, August 1871
Branch Line (20.9 miles)
- Ionia to Stanton, February 1873
At Howard City, the main line connected to the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad
Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad
The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad at its height provided passenger and freight railroad services between Cincinnati, Ohio and the Straits of Mackinac in Michigan, USA...
(GR&I).
The DL&N extended the Stanton branch to McBride
McBride
The name "McBride" and "MacBride" is the English spelling for the Irish name "Mac Giolla Brídhe" meaning son of the followers of St. Brigid .McBride is the name of several persons:...
in 1877 and the next year to Blanchard
Blanchard
Blanchard is a French family name. It is also used as a given name.It derives from the Old French word blanchart which meant “whitish, bordering upon white”...
. In July 1880 the branch was completed to Big Rapids, Michigan
Big Rapids, Michigan
Big Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 10,849. It is the county seat of Mecosta County. The city is located within Big Rapids Township, but is politically independent.-Geography:...
, where the DL&N made a second connection to the GR&I.
In 1882, the DL&N acquired a lease in perpetuity to the assets of the Saginaw & Western Railroad, which had gone into receivership under the name Chicago, Saginaw and Canada Railroad. By this time, DL&N trains were logging more than 1.4 million miles a year over 225 miles of track, carrying more than 635,000 passengers and 743,000 tons of freight.
The railroad reported 268 operating miles in 1886, with the most significant addition being the Saginaw & Western's 42 mile branch from Howard City to Alma
Alma
- Print media :* Alma , a 1922 novel by Oswald de Andrade* Alma , a drama by Joshua Sobol about Alma Mahler-Werfel* Alma Cogan , a 1991 novel by Gordon Burn...
, which provided an interchange with the Toledo, Ann Arbor and North Michigan Railroad. The freight traffic was overwhelmingly (62%) lumber and forest products, as the logging off of Michigan's old-growth forest continued to accelerate thanks to mechanization. A conversion to automatic couplers, mandated by an 1885 state law, was underway, and Westinghouse air brakes had appeared.
In August, 1888, two new rail segments built by the Grand Rapids, Lansing and Detroit Railroad
Grand Rapids, Lansing and Detroit Railroad
The Grand Rapids, Lansing and Detroit Railroad is a defunct, nineteenth century railroad, formerly operating in Michigan. Incorporated May 17, 1887, it built a 53-mile line from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Grand Ledge, as well as the Ramona Branch, both of which it leased to the Detroit, Lansing and...
and immediately leased by the DL&N went into service. The first was a 53-mile line from Grand Ledge to Grand Rapids. The second was the Ramona Branch
Ramona Branch
The Ramona Branch was a railroad branch line in Kent County, Michigan. First placed in service in August, 1888 , it ran starting from its connection at its western end with the Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad at Oakdale Park Station in southeast Grand Rapids, Michigan...
, a short extension from Oakdale Park Station to Reeds Lake
Reeds Lake
Reeds Lake is a fresh-water lake in the city of East Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States.A good way to enjoy Reeds Lake is from one of the many benches located along the shoreline at John Collins Park. Named for John A...
, later East Grand Rapids, Michigan
East Grand Rapids, Michigan
East Grand Rapids is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is a suburb of Grand Rapids and is located on the shore of Reeds Lake. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,694.-Geography:...
to serve the resorts there.
In the railroad's last full year of operation, it carried nearly 643,000 passengers, with the average trip 31 miles. Freight traffic had fallen to 541,000 tons, with 36% of it lumber and forest products, and another 13% coal.
Timetable
As of 1881, the DL&N main line served the following communities:- Detroit
- Grand Trunk (GT) Junction
- PlymouthPlymouth, MichiganPlymouth is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 9,132 at the 2010 census. The City of Plymouth is an enclave completely surrounded by Plymouth Charter Township, Michigan.-Geography:...
- Flint & Pere Marquette (F&PM) Crossing
- Salem
- South LyonSouth Lyon, MichiganSouth Lyon is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 11,327 at the 2010 census. The city is part of the South Lyon-Howell-Brighton Urban Area, which had a population of 106,139 according to the 2000 census...
- BrightonBrighton, MichiganBrighton is a principal satellite city of Metro Detroit located in the southeast portion of Livingston County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,444. Brighton forms part of the South Lyon-Howell-Brighton Urban Area...
- HowellHowell, MichiganHowell is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 9,489. It is the county seat of Livingston County and is located mostly within Howell Township, but is politically independent from Howell Township...
- FowlervilleFowlerville, MichiganFowlerville is a village in Livingston County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in the northeast portion of Handy Township, but is politically independent from the township. The population was 2,886 at the 2010 census.-History:...
- WebbervilleWebberville, MichiganWebberville is a village in Leroy Township, Ingham County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,272 at the 2010 census.The village is just northeast of the junction of M-43 and M-52 with I-96...
- WilliamstonWilliamston, MichiganWilliamston is a city in Ingham County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is at the southeast corner of Williamstown Township, but is politically independent. A portion of Williamston was annexed from adjacent Wheatfield Township. Downtown Williamston is located at the intersection of Grand...
- LansingLansing, MichiganLansing 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...
- North Lansing
- Grand LedgeGrand Ledge, MichiganGrand Ledge is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city lies mostly within Eaton County, though a small portion extends into Clinton County, and sits above the Grand River 12.7 miles directly west of downtown Lansing. The population was 7,813 at the 2000 census...
- PortlandPortland, MichiganPortland is a city in Ionia County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 3,789. The city is situated in the south central portion of Portland Township, but is administratively autonomous.-Geography:...
- LyonsLyons, MichiganLyons is a village in Ionia County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 726 at the 2000 census. Most of the village is within Lyons Township. A small portion extends west into Ionia Township.- Geography :...
- IoniaIonia, MichiganIonia is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Ionia County, Michigan, United States. The population was 11,394 at the 2010 census. Every late July it hosts what may be the world's largest free-admission fair...
- KiddvilleOtisco Township, MichiganOtisco Township is a civil township of Ionia County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 2,243. Township offices are located in the community of Smyrna.-Communities:...
- BeldingBelding, MichiganBelding is a city in Ionia County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,877 at the 2000 census. Belding is a small rural city surrounded almost entirely by farmland...
- GreenvilleGreenville, MichiganGreenville is a city in Montcalm County of the U.S. state of Michigan. Portions of the county are associated with the Western region while others are more closely associated with the Central Michigan region. The population was 8,481 at the 2010 census...
- Gowen
- Trufant
- Maple Valley
- Coral
- Howard City