112 years later: First train leaves Michigan Central Station in Detroit

DETROIT – The first train rolled out of Michigan Central Station on Dec. 26, 1913.

The locomotive was headed to Saginaw Bay, and a train from Chicago arrived at the new station later that evening.

“The new station stood last night, lights shining from windows high above the building line in the neighborhood, a sentinel of progress,” the Detroit Tribune published after the station’s rushed opening.

The rise and fall

The large building in Corktown became a symbol known around the world, as travelers came and left Detroit. However, the station would eventually fall victim to decreased train traffic and become a less desirable symbol of decay in the city…

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