January 31, 1925 Trolley service ends in Ann Arbor MI
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January 31, 1961 The Decatur (MI) depot is closed by the New York Central. The small-town station had no scheduled stops and few riders. The planned consolidation of freight agent services in Kalamazoo has rendered the depot obsolete.
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January 31, 2012 WATCO completes its purchase of the Ann Arbor Railroad, running between Ann Arbor and Toledo.
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February 1, 1832 "The Western Immigrant" newspaper of Ann Arbor MI suggests transcontinental railroad, the first mention in print of such a project.
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February 1, 1846 The first train arrives in Kalamazoo on the Central Rail Road of Michigan.
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February 1, 1870 The Chicago & Michigan Lake Shore Railroad (later PM, C&O, CSX) opens between New Buffalo & St. Joseph MI.
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February 1, 1871 The Kalamazoo & South Haven (later NYC, PC) is completed from Bloomingdale to South Haven.
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February 1, 1871 The Michigan Air Line Railroad (later MC, NYC) is completed between Jackson MI and South Bend IN.
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February 1, 1879 The Pennsylvania Company Board hears a report that a project is underway for a new railroad running between Grand Haven MI and Toledo OH via Allegan and Montieith MI using the tracks of the Allegan & South Eastern Railroad.
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February 1, 1890 The Battle Creek & Sturgis leases 35 miles of its track between Findley and Battle Creek MI to the Michigan Central, who will operate the line until this date in 1930. The New York Central will operate the line between Findley and Sturgis MI.
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February 1, 1900 The Grand Rapids & Indiana, Michigan Central and Pere Marquette railroads agree to enlarge and improve Grand Rapids (MI) Union Station.
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February 1, 1902 The Grand Rapids, Grand Haven & Muskegon (MI Interurban) begins service between Grand Rapids and Fruitport.
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February 1, 1930 New York Central leases the Michigan Central for 999 years. The New York Central also leases the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railway (The “Big 4”).
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February 1, 1968 The New York Central and Pennsylvania railroads merge to form Penn Central Transportation. To "protect competition", the Norfolk & Western is given control of the Erie Lackawanna and Delaware & Hudson. Instead of merging with the two companies, they will be put under the umbrella of "Dereco", a subsidiary created by N&W to manage the lines.
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February 2, 1869 Dissident Grand Rapids & Indiana bondholders, including those favoring the "Allegan Company" (Kalamazoo Allegan & Grand Rapids (?) (later NYC)), plan to form a new company called the “Michigan Northern Railroad” to take the GR&I's land grant. Despite these efforts, the grant will go to the GR&I.
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Mark Tomlonson
