Okay, who has been through the old Michigan Central Station in Detroit? Let's hear some of your experiences.
My excuse of being confined to the Mohawk Division in New York State is getting old, but it is true. Welcome to the NYCS forum, NYC Nut. Roger Hensley, a regular contributor here, has a great website with many stories from operations in Indiana and the midwest. Check out some of LEW's stories on Roger's site, at http://madisonrails.railfan.net/
In 1973 I took the train into Detroit on a business trip after Amtrak had taken over. Not being from the Detroit area, I didn't know the station was originally the Michigan Central Terminal. Further, I was not able to enter the station so could not see what I now am told was a magnificent building. The exterior of the terminal was a pathetic site in 1973. I remember that we arrived from Chicago after dark. I was expecting to get a cab to my hotel, but found no transportation anywhere. By the time I realized this, all the other passengers had left, having been met by family, etc. I finally was able to hail a policeman who was driving by. He radioed for a cab, then stayed with me until it came at least 15 minutes later. He and I agreed that the terminal was not in the best of neighborhoods.
Hi, Never toured the station in Detroit, but I grew up within 5 blocks of a Michigan Central station (at that time NYC). The family would go there in the evenings to watch the south bound passenger and at least one freight come into town about 8:30. This family outing was most likely my father’s idea. The passenger was south bound coming from Mackinaw City with the freight heading to Mackinaw City. For some reason I believe that there was also a south bound freight. My brother and I rode the last north bound passenger train from our hometown to Mackinaw City; the next day was the first run of the "Bee Liner" in our area. Gary
At one time it was the tallest train station in the world. Oddly enough much of the upper floors were used very little or not at all. Usually passenger stations were built in or as close to the downtown as possible. This was not the case with the Michigan Central. It was built well from downtown and the hope was that things would build to it. This never happend for a variety of reasons. The Great Depression being one of them. The designers never built adequate parking facilities. Cabs and a trolley were the only means of transportion from the station. Eventually the trolley was discontinued and that placed a another nail in the stations coffin. Now it just sits as it has since 1988 when the last Amtrak pulled away. It decays more and more everyday. It has been used by Hollywood recently in 2006 in a movie called Transformers. In case your interested, here is a link with info and some photos. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_Central_Station If I had the money, I would save this old girl and bring it back. Yes, just a pipe dream, but that does not stop my passion for this beautiful piece of history.
Here is another site recommended by LEW. I haven't really examined it, but if he recommended it it must be good. http://www.michiganrailroads.com/RRHX/RRHXHome.htm
Here is a site that has very recent pictures of the station inside and out. Amazing where this station has been and where it is. http://www.citrusmilo.com/mcs/depot01.cfm
Yes, it does make me very angry to see this happen as well. Problem is, the building is so far gone, that the only solution is probably going to be demolition. What a shame.
Michigan Central Depot :thumbs_up: To any readers: I went to St. Vincent's school for twelve yrs. from the late thirties to 1950, which was only one block from the M C Depot. We played ball in the park in front of it most afternoons during our lunch break, after devouring a bag of White Castle hamburgers purchased from across the street from the Depot. I used to go on the bridge that went over the tracks and would try to get into the smoke coming from the steamers that were coming and going. I would try to look down into the stack but the force was more than I could take and would have to turn away. For about a year I worked for CCC trucking who had a contract, where I would take passengers from the Depot to Grand Trunk Station downtown Detroit and return with others from Grand Trunk back to M C Depot to continue on their trip. Grand Trunk was a Canadian RR that brought passengers to Detroit via the R R tunnel under the Detroit River. The Depot now I believe is on its last breath and as much as I hate to say it, I think it would serve us better it were brought down to make way for the future. :ru-unhappy:
Train-guy, welcome to Trainboard, and to the New York Central forum. Sounds like you are in the age group of most of us who post here. I can identify with your childhood memories, and I'm sure you are sorry to see the condition of the station today. Do you have some other memories of the NYCS to share with us? :tb-biggrin:
Hi Train-Guy, we're happy that you've come aboard. Like Jim, I hope you have stories to share about the Central's operations from w-a-y out west. OK, so I'm a little parochial having spent my youth in downstate NY with the Harlem and Hudson Divisions....:tb-wink:
Great story!! Thanks for sharing. Yep, I too think it would be best to put the old station out of it's misery. I prefer to remember it's good times.
