Ecorse End Notes - Ecorse Railroads 1930s
First Railway Reached Here 82 Years Ago
1932 Ecorse Railroads
The first railroad through Ecorse village was constructed about the year 1855 and was regarded by people in the local settlement with mixed emotions. Part of them welcomed the new transportation method as presaging a great future for the little settlement. Another faction content in the semi-isolation preferred the old Ecorse with its river transportation and unimproved roads.
The line was called the Detroit, Monroe & Toledo Railroad and box cars served as depots at many of the stations along the line. An old pamphlet published about 1856 had this to say about the new line:
“The Detroit and Toledo railroad’s line will be completed January 1, 1857. “The gauge of this road is the same as that of all those terminating at or starting from Toledo, Detroit and Chicago, so cars manufactured at or loaded from points near Detroit can be sent to any part of the western country without changing the gauge. As every kind of material used in their construction can be obtained at this point much cheaper than in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa or Missouri, there is no reason why this section should not supply the great west with railroad cars.”
“When this road is completed, every town on its line will have uninterrupted railroad communication at all seasons of the year with every important point in the United States.”
In 1899 this road was known as the Toledo branch of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern road, and was soon after consolidated with the New York Central.
The city’s second railroad was known at is founding in 1873 as the Toledo, Canada Southern, and Detroit, and was taken over in 1890 by the Michigan Central railroad. Later came the Detroit & Toledo Shore line now controlled by the Grand Trunk system.
The Detroit and Lima Northern, put through in 1898, was the next railroad. This road was consolidated in 1902 with the Ohio Southern, and renamed the Detroit Southern. About 1908 it was reorganized into the Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Railroad, which name it still bears.
In 1921 the Ford Motor company purchased the road, operating it for about eight years. In 1929 the Penn Road Corporation, present owners, of the D.T. & I., took over the road. It is exclusively a freight line north of Springfield, Ohio, but south of that point carries passengers.
Several electric railroads have served this section within the past three decades.
Four roads pass through the village at the present time. Besides the great Michigan Central and New York Central lines, they are the Detroit & Toledo Shore Line and the Detroit, Toledo and Ironton.
1932 Ecorse Railroads
The first railroad through Ecorse village was constructed about the year 1855 and was regarded by people in the local settlement with mixed emotions. Part of them welcomed the new transportation method as presaging a great future for the little settlement. Another faction content in the semi-isolation preferred the old Ecorse with its river transportation and unimproved roads.
The line was called the Detroit, Monroe & Toledo Railroad and box cars served as depots at many of the stations along the line. An old pamphlet published about 1856 had this to say about the new line:
“The Detroit and Toledo railroad’s line will be completed January 1, 1857. “The gauge of this road is the same as that of all those terminating at or starting from Toledo, Detroit and Chicago, so cars manufactured at or loaded from points near Detroit can be sent to any part of the western country without changing the gauge. As every kind of material used in their construction can be obtained at this point much cheaper than in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa or Missouri, there is no reason why this section should not supply the great west with railroad cars.”
“When this road is completed, every town on its line will have uninterrupted railroad communication at all seasons of the year with every important point in the United States.”
In 1899 this road was known as the Toledo branch of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern road, and was soon after consolidated with the New York Central.
The city’s second railroad was known at is founding in 1873 as the Toledo, Canada Southern, and Detroit, and was taken over in 1890 by the Michigan Central railroad. Later came the Detroit & Toledo Shore line now controlled by the Grand Trunk system.
The Detroit and Lima Northern, put through in 1898, was the next railroad. This road was consolidated in 1902 with the Ohio Southern, and renamed the Detroit Southern. About 1908 it was reorganized into the Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Railroad, which name it still bears.
In 1921 the Ford Motor company purchased the road, operating it for about eight years. In 1929 the Penn Road Corporation, present owners, of the D.T. & I., took over the road. It is exclusively a freight line north of Springfield, Ohio, but south of that point carries passengers.
Several electric railroads have served this section within the past three decades.
Four roads pass through the village at the present time. Besides the great Michigan Central and New York Central lines, they are the Detroit & Toledo Shore Line and the Detroit, Toledo and Ironton.