TrainWeb.org Facebook Page

The Owosso Argus-Press March 22, 1928

WASHOUT WRECKS TRACK ON A. A. R. R.

Passenger Trains Detour After Rush of Water Cuts Deep Gorge at Harrietta

A washout, caused by overflowing of the lowland as the result of rapid thawing during the week, tore out 80 feet of track and cut a gorge 25 feet deep and 30 feet wide on the Ann Arbor railroad at Harrietta, yesterday. No one was injured.

The washout seriously handicapped service, it being necessary to reroute the trains on a detour through Cadillac. Only passenger trains have been moved since the washout. Passenger service between Cadillac and Toledo has continued without serious interruption.

All facilities of the road were devoted to the task of repairing the damage at Harrietta, today, company officials expressing the belief that the work would be completed by 12 o'clock tonight and normal service resumed.

It was impossible today to ascertain the extent of the damage.

Michigan Sugar Company, Complainant, vs. The Pennsylvania Railroad Company, The Ann Arbor Railroad Company, Defendants. Informal Docket No. 231. June 13, 1928.

This matter is before the Commission upon application of the above named defendants requesting that we authorize the payment of Four teen Dollars and Eighty-seven Cents ($14.87) to the above named com plainant as reparation in connection with four (4) carload shipments of sugar beets moving from Merritt and Lake City, Michigan to Alma, Michigan, shipments being delivered on various dates during October and November, 1927.

At the time these shipments moved charges were collected upon the basis of One Dollar and Seventy-five Cents ($1.75) per net ton, for which basis there is no authority, the legal rate being the class rate basis. Subsequently defendants published rates based upon the standard mileage scale applicable to sugar beets, carloads, namely, a rate of One Dollar and Sixty Cents ($1.60) per net ton from Merritt, Michigan, and One Dollar and Fifty-five Cents per net ton from Lake City, Michigan to Alma, Michigan. Reparation is sought upon the rates subsequently established.

We find, after due consideration of all of the facts submitted in the pleadings and record, that the charges assessed were unreasonable to the extent that they exceeded those collectible under a rate of One Dollar and Sixty Cents ($1.60) per net ton from Merritt, Michigan, and a rate of One Dollar and Fifty-five Cents per net ton from Lake City, Michigan, to Alma, Michigan, upon the commodity here at issue moving from Merritt and Lake City, Michigan, to Alma, Michigan: that complainant paid and bore the charges upon the shipments in question ; that complainant has been damaged to the extent of the difference between the charges paid and those that would have accrued at the rates herein found reasonable; and that it is entitled to reparation in the sum of Fourteen Dollars and Eighty-seven Cents ($14.87), with out interest

Now, IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED, That the Pennsylvania Rail road Company and the Ann Arbor Railroad Company be and they are hereby authorized and directed to pay, jointly, as each participated in the traffic, to the Michigan Sugar Company of Saginaw, Michigan, on or before July 15th, 1928, the sum of Fourteen Dollars and Eighty seven Cents ($14.87), without interest, as reparation on account of the unreasonable charges collected upon the above mentioned shipments.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, That the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and the Ann Arbor Railroad Company be and they are hereby authorized to waive collection of One Hundred Sixty-three Dollars and Fifteen Cents ($163.15) on the above mentioned shipments. MICHIGAN PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION.

Michigan Paper Mills Traffic Assn. vs. Ann Arbor Railroad Co., et al de defendant Munising Paper Company intervenor. D-2342. July 10, 1928.

Petition having been filed with this Commission on July 10, 1928, by the Munising Paper Company, praying authority to intervene in the above entitled matter, and the Commission being of the opinion that said petition sets up sufficient grounds for intervention; Now, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, That the Munising Paper Company be and it is hereby granted leave to intervene in the above matter and become a party thereto. MICHIGAN PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION.

The Toledo News-Bee July 23, 1928

GIVEN AWARD

Rail Company Cited for Safety Improvement

The Ann Arbor Railroad Co., was voted a certificate of honorable mention for improvement in safety of operation in 1927 by the committee of awards of the American Museum of Safety, according to a report from Arthur Willliams, president of the museum and chairman of the committee of awards.

There were no fatalities to passengers or employes in 1927, and non-fatal casualties were reduced from 77 in 1926 to 21 in 1927.

The certificate will be presented to a representative of the railroad by the secretary the E. H. Harriman Memorial awards, late this fall, in New York City.


The Owosso Argus-Press Sept. 1, 1928

WABASH, ANN ARBOR RAILROAD HEAD WELL IMPRESSED ON TRIP

J. E. Taussig, President of Roads Makes Annual Inspection of Property

STOPS HERE YESTERDAY

Official Spends Brief Time in Local Shops; Pleased by Condition, Says

J. E. Taussig, of St. Louis, Mo., president of the Wabash and Ann Arbor railroads, and G. H. Side, Toledo, general manager of the Ann Arbor, accompanied by other officials and department heads, spent 35 minutes Thursday afternoon visiting the Ann Arbor shops here as a part of the annual inspection trip taken by Mr. Side and his party sine the local road became a part of the Wabash system.

Mr. Taussig, utilizing practically every second of time in inspecting the shops during his brief stopover here, was unable to discuss in general any of the plans of the roads. However, officials have mapped out no program beyond the present. In this connection, Mr. Taussig and Mr. Side both declared that so far as plans for improvements on the Ann Arbor next year are concerned, they have hardly been considered as yet and that no plans for further improvements would be made until the first of next year.

Is Well Impressed

The president of the road was well pleased with the progress made in the line of expansion this year. He said this much when asked as to his impression of conditions. He stated, just before boarding his special train, that conditions as he had found them were very pleasing to him all along the line. Further than this he said there was nothing more to be divulged at this time in view of the fact that no outline of future improvements had been considered.

Mr. Side was met at Frankfort by the official party aboard his special train. He boarded the train there after having completed a trip through the northern part of the state, spending considerable of his time in studying business and industrial conditions.

Mr. Taussig has expressed himself on several occasions as being well impressed with the possibility for industrial expansion for the territory served by the Ann Arbor railroad. This opinion has not been altered as the result of his current swing over the territory so far as could be learned during the brief stop of the special here yesterday. The party made stops at Cadillac and Owosso, leaving here for Toledo, the end of the trip.

Extensive Improvements

Among the more important improvements made on the Ann Arbor road this year were the ballasting of many miles of roadbed and the laying of new rails. The completion also of the two 80-car tracks built on the extended property of the Ann Arbor yards here during the past year.

The officials hinted that whatever improvements are outlined for another year will depend, as in the past, on the volume of business the road enjoys. According to reports made some time ago, affairs of the road are prospering to the extent that some considerable expansion is visioned for the future.

Included in the party of officials making the trip besides Mr. Taussig and Mr. Side, were A. P. Gardner, engineer maintenance of way, James Butler, master mechanic; L. N. Burgess and A. C. Craighead, trainmasters, of Owosso, and H. S. Bradley, traffic manager, Toledo; and A. B. VanPelt. Secretary to Mr. Taussig, and Carl Becker, secretary to Mr. Side.

V. Parvin, superintendent of the Ann Arbor, accompanied by Mrs. Parvin; is spending his annual vacation in the East, and was not with the party. Mr. and Parvin will return to Owosso Monday.


The Toledo News-Bee Nov. 16, 1928

STUDY CROSSING PLAN

Hope to Combine Summit Street Right of Way for One Subway

Engineering details of the proposed elimination of the Summit street grade crossing of the Pennsylvania and Ann Arbor railroads were discussed by Mayor William T. Jackson and railroad officials at a meeting in the mayor's office Friday.

The possibility of combining the railroad rights of way so that one subway may be constructed under both of them is being considered by city and company officials.


The Toledo News-Bee Nov. 17, 1928

GRADE PROGRAM TO BE PUSHED

Central Avenue Work To Make Possible Elevations Over Other Streets

With work under way on the new subway under the Michigan Central railroad tracks at Central avenue, city officials are negotiating with railroad officials for preparation of plans to eliminate a number of other grade crossings.

That was the report of Service Director William H. Schroeder at a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce grade crossing committee Friday.

The Central avenue grade crossing separation project will establish the grade of the Michigan Central

and New York Central railroad tracks in the West End,Schroeder said. Establishment of a grade will simplify the elimination of grade crossings of these railroads at Monroe street, Dorr street and other important thoroughfares, he said.

Schroeder reported that officials of the Pennsylvania and Ann Arbor railroads have agreed to prepare plans for elimination of their grade crossing at Summit street; while officials of the Wabash and Nickel Plate railroads are negotiating for a right-of-way consolidation which would make the Wabash crossing at Broadway an unimportant side track affair.