Greetings,

What's the current status of this massive station in Detroit? Last time I heard, Detroit wanted to tear it down, but the owner averted that effort. Who's the owner?

God Bless,
Gerald W. Kopiasz

hrrhs@aol.com

"What's the current status of this massive station in Detroit?"

Still firmly in limbo. The platforms and Bush trainsheds have mostly been removed to make way for the CP trailer terminal that serves the Toronto-Detroit roll-on/roll-off train. Very interesting to see this new activity amid the desolation of the depot and adjacent Post Office.

There is serious talk of construction of a new large-bore tunnel for CPR/CSX, and conversion of the existing twin cast-iron tunnels for truck use.

After going through several hands, the depot is owned by the owner of the Ambassador Bridge and many related trucking and real-estate ventures in the area of the bridge and elsewhere downriver. Every time the city makes noise about demolishing the station headbuilding, the owner announces that a deal is imminent to redevelop it for office use as an "interntional trade center." That staves off the demolition at his expense, and then nothing happens either way. How many more times this cycle will be repeated is unforeseeable. The Depot is completely derelict and stripped.

Now I'm wondering about the whereabouts of Mike Johnson, Amtrak's last carman at this station.

Aarne Frobom
The Steam Railroading Institute
P. O. Box 665
Owosso, MI 48867-0665