Train lovers! Detroit video from the 1960s and 70s

**Hardhat** · March-18-12, 06:32 PM

Some nice color video of passenger trains in Detroit during a bygone era. Plenty of shots of Detroit scenery, but nothing of the Michigan Central Depot. Hopefully this hasn't been posted yet, but if so, enjoy the rerun.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_mohqRVHWE

**Switchmanjim** · March-18-12, 07:13 PM

Good stuff! Enjoyed seeing that last train pass through the Boat Yard. Thanks!

**Parkguy** · March-18-12, 08:11 PM

I grew up in Wayne, so those scenes were great to see. I remember the viaduct along W. Jefferson, too. They stood for years after the last trains left. Are there any spots where some of it still stands? I regret not getting some photos of that.

**Downriviera** · March-18-12, 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by Parkguy

I grew up in Wayne, so those scenes were great to see. I remember the viaduct along W. Jefferson, too. They stood for years after the last trains left. Are there any spots where some of it still stands? I regret not getting some photos of that.

The concrete portion of the viaduct is still there where Rosa Parks turns towards downtown. I rode my mountain bike on it last summer. Nice video.

**mtburb** · March-18-12, 09:19 PM

Originally Posted by Parkguy

I grew up in Wayne, so those scenes were great to see. I remember the viaduct along W. Jefferson, too. They stood for years after the last trains left. Are there any spots where some of it still stands? I regret not getting some photos of that.

Although overgrown by trees, the ramp that bought trains up to the viaduct is still there as of July 2009 [[according to Google Street View). It begins just west of Rosa Parks and ends just before 15th Street next to West Jefferson Avenue.

**mikeg19** · March-18-12, 09:50 PM

Where did this viaduct lead to? I can see it on Google maps where it ends at Rosa Parks, but where did it go eastward from there

**DetroitPlanner** · March-18-12, 09:53 PM

I can recall being still in grade school when Joe Louis was being constructed. Dad would take me to work @ the construction site where his trailer was where the parking garage is now. The trailer was loaded with plans and technical drawings. The perfect thing for a budding young architect/civil engineer. I spent hours overlooking the plans, was able to ask engineers questions.

At the time they were tearing out the foundation of the Old Union Station and preparing the site.

Well back to my point. Part of the Parking Garage was going to be the new Union Station. If you visit the garage you will notice that the first floor along the N side has room for probably 2-3 passenger trains. By the time they were building the JLA, the interstate system was largely completed and the airlines had matured. This took a huge bite out of the need for the old Union Station as well as the ferries that used to dock there to take folks to exotic locations such as Buffalo or Cleveland

**DetroitPlanner** · March-18-12, 09:58 PM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

Where did this viaduct lead to? I can see it on Google maps where it ends at Rosa Parks, but where did it go eastward from there

Watch the video. You can see where the post office is as well as the Pontch. If you are ever on the Lodge you will notice the deck over it at Wayne County Community College's main campus has very thick beams. Thick beams spaced closely together were needed to support the trains as they lined up to get into the Union Station. The Union Station's public space was where the Colleges Administration Building now lies.

**p69rrh51** · March-19-12, 01:35 AM

I loved to watch the commuter when it ran from Birmingham to Downtown in the late 70's

**the rock** · March-19-12, 06:11 AM

Wonderful video! Emery Gulash was a very talented and dedicated photographer. He passed away a few years ago, but I had the opportunity to meet him as he also took photos of Great Lakes Freighters.
His latest book of still photographs of trains in and out of Detroit will be published this June and I have already reserved my copy.

My Dad rode the Grand Trunk on the Birmingham-Detroit run quite often, and I had my share of rides with him when I was a kid. It was very popular and even had a club car for the commuters returning to their homes after a busy work day in downtown Detroit. The GT was one of the last railroads to convert from steam engines to diesels. Dad knew some of the conductors so I was able to get an occasional boost and got to stand in the cab of the steam engine as the train sat in the Birmingham station before the whistle sounded prior to continuing its run to Pontiac.

**douglasm** · March-19-12, 08:01 AM

That picture of GTW #56 [[I assume) reminded me of what one could call a poor man's fantrip. Hop the #21 in Royal Oak about noon, into Durand about 1:30. Walk the town, say "hi" to GTW 4070 by the freight house, then hop #56 back to Royal Oak about 4pm. Great way to spend an afternoon.....

**Planner3357** · March-19-12, 01:45 PM

I work for a railroad company as a conductor [[frieght) and it's funny how little has actually changed in terms of basic rail operations and equipment. However, there has been an enormous change in track layouts in the area...mostly the deletion of tracks due to enormous property taxes and lack of use...great video!

**the rock** · March-20-12, 09:13 AM

According to my 1957"Official Guide of the Railways", Douglasm's train trip to Durand had stops in Birmingham, Pontiac, Holly and Fenton before he got to his destination. If he had the time, he could have gone on to the final stop in Muskegon.
And I still miss seeing a red caboose at the end of a freight train! How many years has it been since they were no longer considered mandatory?

**jon** · March-20-12, 10:44 AM

Anybody know what the circular structure surrounding the Ambassador Bridge is at the 4:39 mark?

**Eric_c** · March-20-12, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by the rock

According to my 1957"Official Guide of the Railways", Douglasm's train trip to Durand had stops in Birmingham, Pontiac, Holly and Fenton before he got to his destination. If he had the time, he could have gone on to the final stop in Muskegon.
And I still miss seeing a red caboose at the end of a freight train! How many years has it been since they were no longer considered mandatory?

I remember a newscast in December of 1984 stating cabooses would no longer be required on freight trains.

**gnome** · March-20-12, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by jon

Anybody know what the circular structure surrounding the Ambassador Bridge is at the 4:39 mark?

Those things are called gasometers. They held ... gas. Usually gas made from coal in a process called gasification. The city had a bunch of them around in different parts of the city as they were used by industrial concerns.

Inside the metal superstructure was a series of metal sleeves that interlaced or telescoped into each other. The sleeves would rise or fall depending on whether you were filling or removing gas. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_holder

One location that had these contraptions was just west of the Uniroyal Plant on Jefferson. Which, before it was Uniroyal, was the Garland Stove plant. Hence that property has seen the worse kind of industrial pollution for well over 100 years.

That is also one of the reason why DTE is paying a large part of the cleanup for that chunk of ground.

I'm not sure, but the only Gasometer that is still around [[ I think) can be seen when passing over the Rouge River bridge on south 75. It is owned by Ford and is actually in Melvindale ... again not sure about.

**jon** · March-20-12, 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by gnome

Those things are called gasometers.

Awesome! Thanks for the history!

**douglasm** · March-20-12, 01:42 PM

Rock...
.....by the time I was riding [[early-mid 60's), both #21....the outbound train....and #56....the inbound one.....stopped at Royal Oak, Birmingham and Pontiac only, and turned at Durand. I don't know when the Muskegon leg was terminated, but by the time I rode, it was gone. 21 and 56 connected in Durand for Chicago passengers.

Another cheap trip was the "Shoppers Special", 75 cent round trips from R.O. to Detroit and back on Saturdays only. The theory was that housewifes would ride in in the morning, and back on the only Saturday afternoon commuter train. We'd, on the other hand, would hop 56 into Detroit, get off at either Milwaukee Junction or Brush Street, have about a half an hour to railfan, then return on the commuter. Cheap fun.

**Planner3357** · March-21-12, 02:34 PM

Originally Posted by Eric_c

I remember a newscast in December of 1984 stating cabooses would no longer be required on freight trains.

Really, all cabooses were used for was a place for the brakemen to hang out. This is before we had motorola radios. We have only one caboose that we still use to make long "shove" moves to Mack yard. Now a days, due to the use of radios and the deletion of the brakeman [[for signaling purposes), the crews are down to a conductor and engineer. Now you see EOT's [[end of train device) that flashes and acts as an end marker. My guess is that our one caboose will gone in a few years and replaced with another "platform" car used for shoving.

**Jimaz** · March-21-12, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by Planner3357

...Now you see EOT's [[end of train device) that flashes and acts as an end marker....

I had to look that one up.

Flashing rear-end device

**douglasm** · March-21-12, 04:15 PM

"F***ing Required Electronic Device" is another euphemism used to describe them.

[[I've also heard the term used to describe radio station automation equipment. We had one for the AM, and one for the FM. it was called Alen, as in "Another Lame Electronic Necessity".)

**Planner3357** · March-23-12, 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by douglasm

"F***ing Required Electronic Device" is another euphemism used to describe them.

[[I've also heard the term used to describe radio station automation equipment. We had one for the AM, and one for the FM. it was called Alen, as in "Another Lame Electronic Necessity".)

I dont know why you would label them as this. They are quite handy and are actually more helpful in ensuring transportation safety. Also, it eliminates the need for me to be at the end of a 7,000 foot train and verify such information as air pressure. Thus, relieving me of having to walk that 7,000 ft...[[if there's an air slip provided). Unless you actually work on the RR...you dont know what the hell your'e talking about.

**Beech Cricker** · March-25-12, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by mtburb

Although overgrown by trees, the ramp that bought trains up to the viaduct is still there as of July 2009 [[according to Google Street View). It begins just west of Rosa Parks and ends just before 15th Street next to West Jefferson Avenue.

I went poking around this area this morning to see if indeed the Fort Street ramp is still with us. I am happy to report that it still lives, such as it is. The 2009 Google Street View matches the present situation. I find it quite odd how W. Jefferson amounts to more or less a back alley in this section. It is truly pothole city. It is hard to believe this area had such heavy railroad activity in decades past.

**douglasm** · March-25-12, 06:53 PM

Planner....
......I first heard the term in that context being used by soon to be laid off brakemen when FRED's started replacing cabooses in the mid 70's. They were first used as a cost reduction [[read union busting) tool by the Florida East Coast during their labor "squabble" in the late 60's.

**Planner3357** · March-26-12, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by douglasm

Planner....
......I first heard the term in that context being used by soon to be laid off brakemen when FRED's started replacing cabooses in the mid 70's. They were first used as a cost reduction [[read union busting) tool by the Florida East Coast during their labor "squabble" in the late 60's.

Fair enough....I can understand why they may have been upset. And I apologize for my crudeness. Believe me, they are great to have. Unless I want to get over time, I always use a marker.