The owners of the Big Rock restaurant in Birmingham MI have announced they will be closing by the end of the year. Birmingham is one of the GTW's nicest stations that is still around to this day and is located in one of the Richest neighborhoods of Oakland County MI so it's in a nice neighborhood in excellent condition. I have been to the restaurant to eat once and the railroad design is still there to an extent. I often use the outside of the station to film CN Freight trains headed by and the demolished part of where the platforms used to be makes for the perfect train watching camp out.

https://www.metrotimes.com/table-and-ba ... -this-year

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/enter ... 773618001/

At one stage in its operation it was also a brewpub--which made it by far one of the most lavish, if not THE most lavish by far, rail station brewpubs in North America. The one time I detoured substantially out of my way to visit this and another brewery in the Detroit area (as in, returning from Chicago to Baltimore via Battle Creek, Detroit, and Akron), the valets had prominently parked a Bentley, a Ferrari, and an Aston Martin out front......................

Until I was 5 years old, every evening I would ride with my mother in the straight-8 Buick to pick up my dad from the (steam-powered) GTW commuter train from Detroit. I suspect this is what made me a steam fan.

In the 1920's it was expected that the GTW Detroit-Pontiac line would be a high-density commuter route. It was built with 3 tracks, as on the CB&Q to Aurora, and was mostly grade-separated. I've been told that the Birmingham station was the only use of high-level platforms outside the northeast. It had terrazzo-lined hallways and a system of stairs from the platforms to the street.

Johnstown PA had high-level platforms which have since been removed by either PC or CR. Birmingham MI was credited with being the westernmost RR high level platform. (IC Electric and interurbans excepted)

Phil Mulligan

The owners have decided to close up the restaurant early in order to let employees spend time with family for the holidays.

https://www.theoaklandpress.com/2021/12 ... od-dec-18/

Just a side thought, but I can't help but notice that a good amount of ivy has been allowed to establish itself on the exterior of the building. I hope that whoever the new owner is will make sure that stuff gets completely removed. It may be "pretty" to some, but if left to its devices, it can do quite the damage to structures' exteriors, especially brickwork.