Toledo Blade March 11, 1988
Ann
Arbor Railroad Buys Train Yard Serving 3 Industries In North Yard
Serving 3 Industries In North Toledo
The Ann Arbor Railroad has bought the Temperance Yard in North Toledo and with it, a substantial chunk of new business, a company official said today.
The yard, formerly owned by the Grand Trunk Western Railroad, serves the Toledo plant of the Hydra-matic division, General Motors Corp. on Alexis Road, the General Mills, Inc., consumer foods plant, on Laskey Road, and 84 Lumber Co., Alexis Road.
Michael Baron, Ann Arbor president, said the three businesses account for about 3,000 rail cars annually.
The yard is also adjacent to the Port Alexis Industrial Park now being developed by the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority.
The Ann Arbor paid $450,000 for the rail yard. The company also gained trackage rights to the yard via former Toledo Terminal line, now owned by CSX Transportation, Inc.
“We need the new business and gives us an opportunity to expand our Toledo operations,” Mr. Baron said.
The 50-mile Ann Arbor has its headquarters in Howell, Mich. And has been receivership since 1983.
It is in the process of being sold by its bankruptcy trustee, but no changes in operations are planned, Mr. Baron said. The new business means hiring of some new employees, Mr. Barton said. The exact number was not disclosed. The yard, built in 1926, will be be operated as the Temperance Yard Corp., an Ann Arbor subsidiary.
March 18, 1988, Toledo Blade
A management group now operating the Ann Arbor Railroad has submitted the successful bid for its purchase, the trustee for the bankrupt road said.
W. Clark Durant III, of Detroit, said that the Ann Arbor Acquisition Corp., headed by Micheal J. Barron, president, and P. J. O'Meara, Vice president-marketing, submitted the best of seven bids, based on price, labor agreements, and general public interest. Details of the financial package are being completed and will be released in several weeks, Mr. Durant said. The 50-mile railroad has been operated in trusteeship since 1983 under Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which required that it be sold within five years. The line runs between Toledo and Ann Arbor and has its headquarters in Howell, Mich.
Mr. Barron said that the company has plans to expand, including possible sale or lease of property near the Temperature Yard, on Laskey road, which was purchased last week for $450,000 from the Grand Trunk Western Railway. The yard serves three industries and includes about 50 acres, of which only one-third is taken up by the tracks. The Ann Arbor is the only independent rail carrier linking central and northern Michigan with the major eastern trunkline railroads at Toledo - Conrail, Norfolk Southern, CSX Transportation, Inc., and Grand Trunk. It runs one daily round trip between the two cities, switches cars for several large industries, and its tracks are used by the Norfolk Southern and Grand Trunk from Michigan interchanges into Toledo.
August 31, 1988 at 1600 Hours the interlocking tower at Diann was automated and the tower closed. The Grand Trunk dispatcher at Pontiac now controls the interlocking system. The operator at Hallet tower controls the trackage between Hallet and Diann, and the operator at Milan controls the trackage between Milan and Diann.
11/30/1988 - Wheeling yard tracks No. 2 & No. 4 are in service, with track No. 3 out of service.
May 26, 1992 Milan Tower (MI) is torn down.
Web page Henry F. Burger 10/31/2018
