The ULTIMATE Historical Guide To North American Railroads (200+ Railroads)

Ann Arbor

The Ann Arbor began when to companies organized in 1869 and 1872 to build a railroad between Toledo, Ohio and Ann Arbor, Michigan. It took another 20 years and 12 companies, most named Toledo, Ann Arbor & something, for the railroad for the railroad to reach the eastern shore of Lake Michigan at Frankfort, Michigan. From Elberta, across a small inlet from Frankfort, the Ann Arbor operated car ferry service to Kewaunee and Manitowoc, Wisconsin and Menominee to Manistique, Michigan. The Ann Arbor Railroad was incorporated in 1895 as a reorganization of the Toledo, Ann Arbor & North Michigan Railroad. The Detroit, Toledo & Ironton obtained control of the Ann Arbor in 1905 but sold its interests in 1910. In 1911 the Ann Arbor purchased all the capital stock of the Manistique & Lake Superior Railroad, which extended north from Manistique, Michigan to connections with the Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic and the Lake Superior & Ishpeming. 

In 1925 the Wabash acquired control of the Ann Arbor. By 1930 it held more than 97 percent of Ann Arbor's stock. In 1963 Wabash sold the Ann Arbor to the DT&I (which was owned by the Wabash and the Pennsy.) The M&LS and the connecting ferry route were abandoned in 1968. In 1970 the ICC authorized abandonment of the ferry to Menominee. 

On October, 16th, 1973, Ann Arbor declared bankruptcy. On April 1, 1976, Conrail took over its operation. The state of Michigan then purchased the railroad from the DT&I and arranged for its operation by Michigan Interstate Railway. The remaining car ferry lines from Frankfort to Manitowoc (79 miles) and Kewaunee (60 miles) ceased operation in April 1982. 

In 1983, operation of the former was split among three railroads: Michigan Interstate, Tuscola & Saginaw,  and Michigan Northern. In 1984, T&SB took over MN's portion of the Ann Arbor; the TS&B became the Great Lakes Central in 2006. A new Ann Arbor Railroad, an independent short line, was incorporated in 1988 to operate the line between Toledo and Ann Arbor; in 2013 this version of the AA as purchased by the Watco companies, a major operator of U.S. shortline railroads.