The was a planned
Railroad across southern
Michigan , connecting the
Canada Southern Railway to
Chicago, Illinois . Only part of the line was built, and it was split between the
Michigan Central Railroad (part of the
New York Central Railroad , which also acquired the Canada Southern Railway) and the
Grand Trunk Railway .
The was chartered in
Michigan and
Indiana , and the two companies merged in July and August
1868 , just after the
Canada Southern Railway was chartered, to form the '''Michigan Air-Line Railroad'''. The Michigan Air-Line and Canada Southern planned to form a continuous line from
Buffalo, New York west to
Chicago, Illinois via a
Train Ferry across the
St. Clair River . In
1871 the line was planned as part of a longer
Portland, Rutland, Oswego And Chicago Railroad , but that fell through.
On
October 11 ,
1870 the
St. Joseph Valley Railroad was merged into the company, providing a branch from
Niles south to
South Bend, Indiana . That line had opened in
Spring 1870 .
The main line was completed February
1871 from
Niles east to
Jackson and from
Romeo east to
Richmond , and was leased to the
Michigan Central Railroad (as part of a shorter route between
Detroit and
Chicago ). The
Michigan Midland And Canada Railway was chartered in
1872 to continue east from Richmond to the
St. Clair River , and opened in
1873 as part of the
Canada Southern Railway . However, due to financial problems, the part between Jackson and Romeo was not built.
The east part, from Romeo to Richmond, was split off on
October 2 ,
1872 as the , which leased the unbuilt '''St. Clair River, Pontiac and Jackson Railroad'''. The company went
Bankrupt in
1873 , and on
November 18 ,
1875 it was sold at
Foreclosure and reorganized as the '''Michigan Air-Line Railway'''. That company made arrangements for operation by the
Grand Trunk Railway (which passed through Richmond). On
January 1 ,
1881 , the Grand Trunk leased the company, and the line was finished west to
Jackson on
September 1 ,
1884 . The line from
Pontiac to
South Lyon was built on the planned
Right-of-way of the
Toledo, Ann Arbor And North-eastern Railroad .
The only part of the line that has not been abandoned is the east (Grand Trunk) section between
Wixom and
West Bloomfield , operated by
Coe Rail .
