DT&I - Penn Central Interchange in Adrian MI (1970's)

[MSchwiebert]

I have a decent sized collection of DT&I switch lists from the early/mid 1970's for the Tecumseh Branch (or "old line" if you prefer). I have a pretty good handle on what was done from Wauseon southward, The north end has a few things that I'm not that well versed on. Among them is that during that time a small number of DT&I covered hoppers carrying wheat were interchanged to the Penn Central at Adrian. My question is, who was the end customer on the PC? Was there a flour mill or something similar along that particular PC branch?

[AARR]

There was a mill in Monroe on the line that went from Adrian through Deerfield, Ida and into Monroe.

I have a decent sized collection of DT&I switch lists from the early/mid 1970's for the Tecumseh Branch (or "old line" if you prefer). I have a pretty good handle on what was done from Wauseon southward, The north end has a few things that I'm not that well versed on. Among them is that during that time a small number of DT&I covered hoppers carrying wheat were interchanged to the Penn Central at Adrian. My question is, who was the end customer on the PC? Was there a flour mill or something similar along that particular PC branch?

[Macowiec]

By the 1970s, the former line to Monroe had been cut back to Ida, and was the PC's "Ida Branch".

So I don't think Monroe is the answer to this question.

This is a long-shot, but possible: in Tecumseh there was the Hayden Milling Co., which was a joint NYC/PC—DT&I customer. By the early 70s, the DT&I was no longer running the "Old Line" all the way in to Tecumseh (they only went as far as the Fisher Body plant on Occidental Hwy.). It's possible that they had an arrangement with the PC to switch cars to their customer in Tecumseh, via Lenawee Junction.

I'd love to see some of these switch lists. Is it possible for you to scan a few and post?

[SousaKerry]

As soon as I saw the title I thought if any one would know it would be Macowiec.

[MSchwiebert]

Here's a link to the one that got me curious about it.

[url=http://railroadfan.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-71620]

Note the last two cars were interchanged to the PC at "547", The DT&I used a mile post based system for showing where cars were going to/from. In the case of this "547" is Milepost 47 on the DT&I Tecumseh Branch ("5" was the designator for mileposts on the branch).

By the 1970s, the former line to Monroe had been cut back to Ida, and was the PC's "Ida Branch".

So I don't think Monroe is the answer to this question.

This is a long-shot, but possible: in Tecumseh there was the Hayden Milling Co., which was a joint NYC/PC—DT&I customer. By the early 70s, the DT&I was no longer running the "Old Line" all the way in to Tecumseh (they only went as far as the Fisher Body plant on Occidental Hwy.). It's possible that they had an arrangement with the PC to switch cars to their customer in Tecumseh, via Lenawee Junction.

I'd love to see some of these switch lists. Is it possible for you to scan a few and post?

[Macowiec]

Thank you for posting the scan. Most interesting. It appears most of the cars on the list were given to the N&W at Napoleon (507 code).

I'm also surprised there are no cars for the Fisher Body plant near Tecumseh.

I've asked around, and haven't come up with any answers about the covered hoppers of wheat to the PC at Adrian. My friend from Tecumseh doesn't remember ever seeing covered hoppers at the Tecumseh Hayden Mill, so I think that theory is out.

[MSchwiebert]

For this one, the cars going to Campbell's are indeed a small number Based on car type and from what I've seen from looking at other cards like this, I can say the cars on lines 1-3, 5 & 8-11 were for Campbell's in Napoleon. Line 3 would have been for Fisher (those cars had the 553 code), line 4 would have been interchanged to the N&W at Napoleon and line 6 would have been taken back south by a Delta Turn to interchange with the N&W at Leipsic. (the interchange track was in the wrong quadrant for a northbound & the Delta turn could work as far south as Leipsic if need be.)

Interestingly, there are carloads of flour (boxcars) that I've seen on the train that ran from Malinta to Napoleon. Perhaps they're from Hayden mill? I can't tell on the cards where they originated from - just where they're going. I'll scan in more as I run across them & thanks for checking into it!

Thank you for posting the scan. Most interesting. It appears most of the cars on the list were given to the N&W at Napoleon (507 code).

I'm also surprised there are no cars for the Fisher Body plant near Tecumseh.

I've asked around, and haven't come up with any answers about the covered hoppers of wheat to the PC at Adrian. My friend from Tecumseh doesn't remember ever seeing covered hoppers at the Tecumseh Hayden Mill, so I think that theory is out.

[Macowiec]

DT&I didn't venture into Tecumseh itself after about 1968-70.

My friend in Tecumseh also says that the Hayden Mill was pretty much winding down operations in the early 70s, and not doing anything by rail. The whole complex burned in a spectacular fire in the mid 70s.

[MSchwiebert]

[url=http://railroadfan.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-71646] Here's another one with a carload of wheat being interchanged to Conrail in Adrian on 7/31/1976.

[railroads2000]

In reference to the DT&I covered hoppers of wheat being interchanged to the PC at Adrian, there was a grain elevator at Ogden Station on the Morenci Branch, it would have been in operation during the 70's; and I believe one in Blissfield as well. The Adrian switcher would take the cars to Lenawee Jct. to be picked up by the switch run out of Toledo. Also the Pc serviced a large mill, Michigan Elevator Exchange at Ottawa Lake near the state line.

James Barnes, Jr.
Taylor, Michigan