KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI
GENEALOGY & LOCAL HISTORY
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Trolleys East Main 1912
RAILROADS, INTERURBANS and TRANSIT HISTORY page 2
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RAILROADS, INTERURBANS and TRANSIT HISTORY p 2 |
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| The Vicksburg Depot |
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Interurban Depot, Portage St., 1912
| The Portage Street Station, Kalamazoo's first Interurban Station location south of Michigan Ave. "Built in 1906 by the Michigan United Railways. The curve off the street into the station was so sharp that inbound or westbound cars had to run past the station up to Michigan Avenue, way in the street, return down Portage Street and back up into the covered passenger area. The freight loading facilities were at the rear of the building. This location remained a station until 1914 when operations were transferred to a new station on Water Street." - The Kalamazoo Seven |
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Second Interurban Depot, Water St. 1917 and 1920
| The Water Street Station. On the northwest corner of Water
Street is a large five-story building that once served as
Kalamazoo's second interurban station. It was built in 1872 by
the company of Lawrence & Chapin as a heavy iron foundry. In
1914, the Michigan United Railways moved its operations from the
Portage Street depot to this location shortly before the opening
of its Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo line. The station tracks were on
the north side of the building where the parking lot now is.
This building continued as a station until 1928 when both the
Grand Rapids and Battle Creek Michigan Urban Railway lines were
abandoned. " - The
Kalamazoo Seven
Note: the differing colors of the building in the two views may be due to the choice of the artist. Postcards were hand colored at the time these photographs were taken. Red Brick is probably the true color. click on images to enlarge them  The second interurban station has been restored and converted to offices, a 2004 view. |
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Interurban Car 1913
Michigan Transit Car 802
For more Kalamazoo Interurban Photographs see the following Kalamazoo Public Library Links:
Photograph Michigan Traction Co. Iinteruban in Galesburg
Photograph Michigan Interuban Car
Photograph Interurban Derailment
also see links below
A historical marker to Michigan Interurbans in Ypsilanti
| Michigan's first interurban, the Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor began operating in 1890. Pulled by a steam engine, the cars went west on Packard Road to the Ann Arbor city limits. Because of the low fares (10 cents one way) and frequent service (cars leaving every 90 minutes) the line was soon carrying over 600 passengers daily. Electric power was adopted in 1896. In a few years a network of interurbans was built in southern
Michigan. The Ypsi-Ann became part of a Detroit to Jackson road that carried 5300 passengers a day in 1902. It became possible to go from Detroit to Kalamazoo, or from Bay City to Cincinnati on connecting lines. But the automobile, bus and truck put the interurbans out of business in Michigan in the 1920's. The last interurban from Ypsilanti ran in 1929. |
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Greyhound Station, Michigan Ave. about 1948.
Peoples Rapid Transit Bus Schedule, 1951
| A personal note: I remember seeing the Peoples Rapid Transit bus on its way to Vicksburg as I sat I on my grandmother's porch at the corner of R. Avenue and 24th St., just south of Long Lake, in the very early 1950's. R. Branch |
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The Kalamazoo Transportation Center 2004
| In 1977 bus service was moved from the old bus station to what had been the original Michigan Central Deport. Rail and bus service were combined in one building. As of 2005, Greyhound and Indian Trails plan was to move almost all bus service to the Kalamazoo airport, was later revised. |
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KALAMAZOO TRANSIT HISTORY from Chicago Transit and Railfan 1885 - Kalamazoo City & County Street Railway Co. introduces horse car service in Kalamazoo. 1889 - Kalamazoo City & County Street Railway Co. sold to Kalamazoo Street Railway Co. 1893 - Kalamazoo Street Railway Co. sold to Citizens' Street Railway Co., which adopts electric operation. 1898 - Citizens' Street Railway Co. sold to Michigan Traction Co. 1900 - Michigan Traction Co. opens interurban line between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. 1906 - Michigan United Railway incorporated, and acquires Michigan Traction Co., along with most of the other electric railways in southern and western Michigan. 1913 - Commonwealth Power Railway & Light Co. acquires Michigan United Railway as a subsidiary. 1915 - Michigan United Railway subsidiary Michigan Railway Co. opens interurban line between Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids. 1922 - Commonwealth Power Co. incorporated as subsidiary of Commonwealth Power Railway & Light Co., controlling Michigan United Railway. 1923 - Michigan United Railway reorganized as Michigan Electric Railway Co. 1924 - Electric Railway Securities Co. incorporated as a separate new holding company, affiliated with Commonwealth Power Co. Michigan Electric Railway Co. becomes subsidiary of Union Railway Gas & Electric Co., formerly a subsidiary of Commonwealth Power Co. 1929 - Michigan Electric Railway Co. reorganized as Michigan Electric Shares Co., and abandons service on all interurban railway lines serving Kalamazoo. Local streetcar system becomes subsidiary Kalamazoo Transportation Co. 1930 - Michigan Electric Shares Co. becomes separate company from Union Railway Gas & Electric Co. 1932 - Kalamazoo Transportation Co. abandons streetcar system. Kalamazoo Motor Coach Co. begins operating replacement bus service. 1936 - National City Lines acquires Kalamazoo Motor Coach Co., becomes Kalamazoo City Lines. 1957 - Kalamazoo City Lines leased by city. 1967 - Kalamazoo City Lines becomes publicly owned Metro Transit.
Streetcar in the late 1930's (not in Kalamazoo)
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RAILROADS,
INTERURBANS and TRANSIT HISTORY p 1
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