Durand Union Station

Durand Union Station
Location 200 Railroad Street
Durand, Michigan
Owned by City of Durand
(leased by Durand Union Station, Inc.)
Line(s) CN
Platforms 1 side platform
Tracks 2
Construction
Parking Yes; free
Other information
Station code DRD
History
Opened 1903
Traffic
Passengers (2015) 13,577[1] Decrease 9.9%
Services
Preceding station   Amtrak   Following station
toward Chicago
Blue Water
toward Port Huron
  Former services  
toward Chicago
International Limited
toward Toronto
Grand Trunk Railway Station
Coordinates 42°54′33″N 83°58′57″W / 42.90917°N 83.98250°W / 42.90917; -83.98250Coordinates: 42°54′33″N 83°58′57″W / 42.90917°N 83.98250°W / 42.90917; -83.98250
Architect Grand Trunk Railway Co. of Canada, and Spier and Rohns
NRHP Reference # 71000419[2]
Significant dates
Added to NRHP May 6, 1971
Designated MSHS November 6, 1970

Durand Union Station is a historic train station in Durand, Michigan. The station, which now serves Amtrak Blue Water trains, was originally a busy Grand Trunk Western Railroad and Ann Arbor Railroad station, as well as a local office for Grand Trunk Western, from its construction in 1903 until 1974.

The building also houses three small railroad history museums: the Michigan Railroad History Museum (which doubles as a gift shop), the Grand Trunk Western Railroad Museum, and the Ann Arbor Railroad History Museum. Also in the building is the model railroad club the Durand Union Station Model Railroad Engineers and its large layout, and a ballroom for special events and parties. It is owned by the city of Durand and leased by Durand Union Station, Inc. a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and maintenance of the building and its surrounding property.

The station sits at the junction of Canadian National Railway's busy mainline interchange of the Flint and Holly Subdivisions. Additionally, Great Lakes Central Railroad and Huron and Eastern Railway operate near the station, and a freight yard used by all three carriers is located just north of it. It is one of Michigan's most popular locations for railfans to visit, especially during the annual Durand Railroad Days Festival in May. The station was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 6, 1971,[2] and the Michigan Register of Historic Places in 1987.[3]

The station's lessees are currently attempting to raise $50,000 for building repairs.[4][5]

History

The station is an important part of railway history in the state. Built in 1903 by the Detroit firm of Spier and Rohns[6] it had a high volume of rail traffic as the Grand Trunk Western and Ann Arbor railroads crossed at that location. It was almost destroyed by fire in 1905, but quickly rebuilt. At its peak, 42 passenger, 22 mail, and 78 freight trains passed through Durand on a daily basis. It serviced almost 3,000 passengers a day.

In 1974, Grand Trunk Western decided to close the station due to declining traffic. The historic building was going to be torn down, however, the city of Durand filed for an injunction to stop the demolition and eventually purchased the station in 1979 for $1.00.

Amtrak continues to provide daily intercity passenger rail service on the Blue Water route between Chicago and Port Huron, Michigan. Baggage cannot be checked at this location; however, up to two suitcases in addition to any "personal items" such as briefcases, purses, laptop bags, and infant equipment are allowed on board as carry-ons. The International Limited was operated jointly by Via Rail and Amtrak between Chicago and Toronto. The service, which had started in 1982, was discontinued in 2004.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "Amtrak Fact Sheet, FY2015, State of Michigan" (PDF). Amtrak. November 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  2. 1 2 National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  3. ↑ The Michigan Historical Markers Website - Durand Union Station
  4. ↑ Durand Union Station in need of money for repairs WJRT-TV (ABC 12), January 25, 2017
  5. ↑ Scrape and Paint Project Durand Union Station Official Site
  6. ↑ The Book of Detroiters; Albert Nelson Marquis Published by A. N. Marquis & company, 1914, p.456
  7. ↑ Matt Melzer. "Final Run of the Amtrak / VIA International". TrainWeb.org. From 1982, Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada had jointly operated the International train between Chicago and Toronto

Media related to Durand Union Station at Wikimedia Commons

See also

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