Railroad Depots of Michigan: 1910-1920 (Images of Rail Series)

Michigan has a rich railroad history, which began in November 1836, when the Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad initiated service between Toledo, Ohio, and Adrian, Michigan. That first Erie and Kalamazoo train consisted of stagecoach-like vehicles linked together and pulled by horses. Steam locomotive-hauled trains were still eight months in the future. As these new transportation entities grew and prospered, they put in place more elaborate station buildings in the communities they served. By the end of the 19th century, some of the larger railroad stations being built in Michigan were works of art in their own right. But whatever size and form they took, railroad stations were uniquely styled buildings, and there was generally no mistaking them for anything else. This volume portrays some of Michigan s finest railroad stations during their heyday in the second decade of the 20th century.

David J. Mrozek is a retired financial analyst and has been interested in stations, interlocking towers, and other railroad support structures since the late 1960s. Between 1978 and 1986, he wrote a monthly column titled “Down at the Depot” for the Michigan Railroad Club's magazine, the Michigan Railfan. In 1986, he assumed responsibility the for club's annual calendar, Michigan Rails, and oversaw its creation for the next 10 years. Railroad Depots of Michigan: 1910—1920 is his first book.