{"id":832,"date":"2014-05-09T22:39:32","date_gmt":"2014-05-10T02:39:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/?p=832"},"modified":"2014-05-09T22:40:59","modified_gmt":"2014-05-10T02:40:59","slug":"small-layout-ideas-the-terminal-railroad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smallmr.com\/wordpress\/small-layout-ideas-the-terminal-railroad\/","title":{"rendered":"Small Layout Ideas – The Terminal Railroad"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many larger cities at one time had a terminal railroad. These short lines were usually owned by one or more major railways. These terminal railways were very busy enterprises with many short runs, short trains and much switching to be done. A terminal railway had to service its customers (who usually very close together given the urban area they served) and handled interchange between the major railroads that it connected to.<\/p>\n

\"Detroit<\/a>
Detroit Terminal RR NW2 #110 (photo by Marty Bernard)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One such railroad was the Detroit Terminal Railroad. The Detroit terminal Railroad was started in 1905 by\u00a0local Detroit business owners desiring railway access to their businesses. At that time\u00a0many of the prime industrial locations in the City of Detroit were located on railroad lines that were already taken. This caused an impediment to the development of the other industries.<\/p>\n

\"Detroit<\/a>
Detroit Terminal Railroad Map (by Dale Berry)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Detroit Terminal Railroad’s trackage extended around the City of Detroit in what is called a “belt line,” reaching rural (for 1905) undeveloped locations in order to open up opportunities for new industrial development in the rapidly growing city.<\/p>\n

\"Detroit
Detroit Terminal RR #1 0-6-0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Soon after starting the Detroit Terminal Railroad, the railroad was purchased jointly by Michigan Central Railroad (25%), Grand Trunk Western Railroad (50%) and Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway (25%), all having railroad lines in Detroit. The New York central became 50% owner in 1912 after absorbing the\u00a0Michigan Central Railroad and the\u00a0Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway.<\/p>\n

\"Detroit
Detroit Terminal RR 0-6-0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By 1914 the final leg of the railway was completed on the west side of Detroit. The Detroit Terminal Railroad at this time consisted of 18 miles of main line. It stretched from the\u00a0Detroit River on the east side of town to the Michigan Central mainline located on the west side of town. Although owned by the NYC and the GT, the\u00a0Detroit Terminal operated as an independent railroad.<\/p>\n

\"Chalmers
Chalmers Motor Company<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Detroit terminal Railroad became so busy that it soon double tracked it entire main line and added signalling. The railroad logged about 75,000 loaded freight cars in one year over it’s 18 miles. Some of the industries served included:<\/p>\n