Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad

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Detroit, Lansing & Northern
Legend Michigan Central to Detroit 0.0 West Detroit Flint & Pere Marquette to Delray 7.9 Oak 19.2 Plymouth 19.34 F&PM Toledo Division Grand Trunk to Richmond 30.86 South Lyon Grand Trunk to Jackson Ann Arbor to Toledo 39.94 Brighton 47.62 Ann Arbor (Toledo–Owosso) 48.94 Howell College Spur (Michigan State University) 79.55 Chicago & Grand Trunk (Chicago–Port Huron) Michigan Central to Jackson 82.13 Lansing 83.03 Michigan Central to Bay City 83.53 Northern Michigan Central 94.05 Grand Ledge 94.8 North Grand Ledge GRL&D to Grand Rapids 120.2 DGH&M (Grand Haven–Detroit) 120.93 Ionia 124.41 Branch to Big Rapids Branch to Belding 133.66 Kidd 138.79 Greenville 139.89 TS&M (Muskegon–Ashley) Branch to McBrides S&W to Saginaw 158.35 Howard City for GR&I (Grand Rapids–Mackinaw City)
The above shows the main line of the Detroit, Lansing and Northern as of November 11, 1896, when it reformed as the Detroit, Grand Rapids and Western, including crossings by other lines as they were then constituted. For clarity, most minor stops omitted. Italics indicate branches/crossings owned by other companies.

The Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad is a defunct railroad which operated under several names in the state of Michigan between 1871 and 1899. It is a precursor of the Pere Marquette Railway.

[edit] History

[edit] Corporate

The railway was incorporated March 16, 1871, as a consolidation of the Detroit, Howell & Lansing and Ionia & Lansing. The company went into receivership on July 31, 1876, and on December 21, 1876 was reorganized as the Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad. This new company went into receivership on April 1, 1896, and 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.^[1]

[edit] Operational

DLN route map from Gailbraith Service Map, 1897

On its inception in 1871 the DL&LM inherited two lines: from the DH&L, an 84-mile (135 km) long incomplete line from Lansing to Detroit; from the I&L an operating line from Lansing to Greenville.

By 1871 the Detroit, Lansing and Lake Michigan Railroad had completed rail lines from Detroit, through Lansing, and on to Howard City, Michigan, where it connected with the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad.

In 1873 the Ionia, Stanton and Northern Company had completed the rail line to Stanton, Michigan. The line was extended to McBride's in 1877 and the next year to Blanchard. In 1880 the line was completed to Big Rapids, Michigan, where the line again connected to the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad.

[edit] Service

As of 1881, the main line stopped in the following communities:

• Detroit
• Grand Trunk Junction
• Plymouth
• F & P.M. Crossing
• Salem
• South Lyon
• Brighton
• Howell
• Fowlerville
• Webberville
• Williamston
• Lansing
• North Lansing
• Grand Ledge
• Portland
• Lyons
• Ionia
• Kiddville
• Belding
• Greenville
• Gowen
• Trufant
• Maple Valley
• Coral
• Howard City

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

• Tackabury's atlas of the State of Michigan. Walling. 151-152.
• Meints, Graydon M. (1992). Michigan Railroads and Railroad Companies. East Lansing, Michigan: Michigan State University Press. ISBN 0870133187.