May 1, 1949 Washington's old trolleys were retired with the conversion of the Benning routes to bus operation. They were routes 10 (Kenworthey Avenue) and 12 (Seat Pleasant). All trolley service was then provided by the 489 PCC cars and the 20 pre-PCC streamliners.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Dennis M Linsky? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
May 1, 1869 Continental Improvement Company (controlled by the Pennsylvania Railroad) contracts to complete the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad between Fort Wayne and Little Traverse Bay (Petoskey). In return it acquires all unissued GR&I stock at $20,000 per mile [2025: $470,200], $8 million [$188 million] in bonds and the entire land grant of 850,960 acres in payment.
?
May 1, 1873 The Michigan State Legislature passes a law requiring passenger cars to be equipped with air brakes or equally effective devices. Another law passed the same day mandates that trains must sound a bell or whistle when approaching crossings.
?
May 1, 1905 The Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railway is organized at the receiver's sale of the Detroit Southern Railroad.
?
May 1, 1917 The Muskegon, Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad becomes part of the Grand Rapids & Indiana.
?
May 1, 1971 The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, or Amtrak, begins operations.
?
May 1, 1994 Carferry service between Detroit and Windsor ends.
?
Mark Tomlonson
