Durand Union Station

Coordinates: 42°54′33″N 83°58′57″W / 42.90917°N 83.98250°W / 42.90917; -83.98250
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Durand, MI
General information
Location200 Railroad Street
Durand, Michigan
United States
Owned byCity of Durand
(leased by Durand Union Station, Inc.)
Line(s)CN Flint Subdivision
Platforms1 side platform
Tracks2
Construction
ParkingYes; free
Other information
Station codeAmtrak: DRD
History
Opened1903
Passengers
FY 20229,535[1] (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
East Lansing
toward Chicago
 Blue Water Flint
toward Port Huron
Former services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
East Lansing
toward Chicago
 International Flint
toward Toronto
Preceding station Grand Trunk Western Railroad Following station
Bancroft
toward Chicago
 Main Line Duffield
toward Port Huron
Vernon
toward Grand Haven
 Detroit and Milwaukee Division Gaines
toward Detroit
Lennon
toward Oa-at-ka Beach
 Cincinnati, Saginaw and Mackinaw Division Terminus
Grand Trunk Railway Station
Durand Union Station is located in Michigan
Durand Union Station
Durand Union Station is located in the United States
Durand Union Station
Coordinates42°54′33″N 83°58′57″W / 42.90917°N 83.98250°W / 42.90917; -83.98250
ArchitectGrand Trunk Railway Co. of Canada, and Spier and Rohns
NRHP reference No.71000419[2]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPMay 6, 1971
Designated MSHSNovember 6, 1970

Durand Union Station is a historic train station in Durand, Michigan. The station, which now serves Amtrak Blue Water trains, was originally a busy Grand Trunk Western Railroad and Ann Arbor Railroad hub, as well as a local office for Grand Trunk Western, from its construction in 1903 until 1974. It is currently owned by the city of Durand and leased by Durand Union Station, Inc. a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and maintenance of the building and its surrounding property.

The building also houses three small railroad history museums: the Michigan Railroad History Museum (which doubles as a gift shop), the Grand Trunk Western Railroad Museum, and the Ann Arbor Railroad History Museum. Also in the building is a model railroad club, the Durand Union Station Model Railroad Engineers and its large layout,[3] and a ballroom for special events and parties.

The station sits at the junction of Canadian National Railway's busy mainline interchange of the Flint and Holly Subdivisions. Additionally, Great Lakes Central Railroad and Huron and Eastern Railway operate near the station, and a freight yard used by all three carriers is located just north of it. It is one of Michigan's most popular locations for railfans to visit, especially during the annual Durand Railroad Days Festival in May. The station was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 6, 1971,[2] and the Michigan Register of Historic Places in 1987.[4]

The station's lessees are currently attempting to raise $50,000 for building repairs.[5]

History[edit]

The station is an important part of railway history in the state. Built in 1903 by the Detroit firm of Spier and Rohns[6] it had a high volume of rail traffic as the Grand Trunk Western and Ann Arbor railroads crossed at that location. It was almost destroyed by fire in 1905, but quickly rebuilt. At its peak, 42 passenger, 22 mail, and 78 freight trains passed through Durand on a daily basis. It serviced almost 3,000 passengers a day.

Final years of peak passenger service[edit]

In July, 1950, the station lost northwest–southeast service with the Ann Arbor Railroad's terminating passenger service, which went from Toledo to Frankfort and Elberta on Lake Michigan. (Elberta was a launch point for ferries north and west across Lake Michigan.)[7][8]

Into the 1960s the Grand Trunk Western (operating in Canada under the Canadian National Railway) three trains a day operated as part of Chicago - Port Huron - London - Toronto trains: Inter-City Limited, International Limited (only making stops on the eastbound trip), La Salle and Maple Leaf.[9] Until 1960 the Grand Trunk also into ran through trains from Detroit to Grand Rapids and Muskegon, where ferries could be boarded, for travelling across Lake Michigan, to Milwaukee.[10][11] From Durand passengers could also board Detroit - Bay City mixed trains.[12]

Decline[edit]

In 1971, the Grand Trunk Western terminated its last trains through Durand. These included the International Limited, its Chicago-Detroit Mohawk and an unnamed duplicate itinerary train with that route.[13][14] In 1974, the GTW decided to close the station due to declining traffic. The historic building was going to be torn down, however, the city of Durand filed for an injunction to stop the demolition and eventually purchased the station in 1979 for $1.00.

Amtrak restored service through the station in 1974 and today Amtrak continues to provide daily intercity passenger rail service on the Blue Water route between Chicago and Port Huron, a remnant of the Grand Trunk service. Baggage cannot be checked at this location; however, up to two suitcases in addition to any "personal items" such as briefcases, purses, laptop bags, and infant equipment are allowed on board as carry-ons. From 1982 to 2004, it was instead served by the modern incarnation of the International Limited, operated jointly by Via Rail and Amtrak between Chicago and Toronto.[15]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2022: State of Michigan" (PDF). Amtrak. June 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  3. ^ Durand Union Station Model Railroad Engineers
  4. ^ The Michigan Historical Markers Website - Durand Union Station
  5. ^ Durand Union Station in need of money for repairs WJRT-TV (ABC 12), January 25, 2017
  6. ^ The Book of Detroiters; Albert Nelson Marquis Published by A. N. Marquis & company, 1914, p.456
  7. ^ American Rails, "Ann Arbor Railroad" https://www.american-rails.com/ann.html
  8. ^ "A Brief History". Central Michigan University—Clarke Historical Library. February 5, 2010. Archived from the original on February 3, 2013. Retrieved October 19, 2010.
  9. ^ Canadian National Railway, September 30, 1956 timetable, Table 81 http://streamlinermemories.info/CAN/CN56-9TT.pdf
  10. ^ "Grand Trunk Railway System, Table 150". Official Guide of the Railways. 92 (12). National Railway Publication Company. May 1960.
  11. ^ Michigan Railroads Time Line, 1960 http://www.michiganrailroads.com/timeline/478-1960-1969/3691-timeline-1960
  12. ^ "Grand Trunk Railway System, Table 146". Official Guide of the Railways. 90 (10). National Railway Publication Company. March 1958.
  13. ^ "Canadian National Railways-Grand Trunk, Table 19". Official Guide of the Railways. 102 (12). National Railway Publication Company. May 1970.
  14. ^ Official Guide of the Railways, September 1971, Canadian National Railways-Grand Trunk section, struck from timetable
  15. ^ Matt Melzer. "Final Run of the Amtrak / VIA International". TrainWeb.org. From 1982, Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada had jointly operated the International train between Chicago and Toronto

External links[edit]

Media related to Durand Union Station at Wikimedia Commons

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