Detroit, MI: 1873 Michigan Central Junction Yard Coach Shop

(Satellite)

Peter Dudley posted three images with the comment:

An old photograph shows the north end of Michigan Central Railroad's 1873 Junction Yard Coach Shop, one of several new buildings that replaced outdated, 1850s-vintage facilities located at M.C.R.R.'s congested Third Street Yard (adjacent to the Detroit River).

An excerpt from an 1889 Sanborn fire insurance map shows how the structure's interior space was utilized. The building stretched about 470 feet alongside Livernois Avenue.

Only the floor of the long-gone Coach Shop survives (Google satellite view, c. 2018).

Craig Harris: That area was called the West Detroit Car Shops. They not only repaired cars but also built new cars. Many a MCRR caboose was built there. Started to be phased out as car construction switched from wood to steel. When I first hired out in '78', they were closed with the exception of maybe serious car repair as I keeped hearing of switching the "steel shop". At the time many of the building were still there but unused!

Peter Dudley shared with the comment: "An old photograph shows the north end of Michigan Central Railroad's 1873 Junction Yard Coach Shop, one of several new buildings that replaced outdated, 1850s-vintage facilities located at M.C.R.R.'s congested Third Street Yard (adjacent to the Detroit River)..........."

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Dennis DeBruler commented on Peter's share
Access to that southern roundhouse looks rather convoluted.
1942 Dearborn and 1940 Detroit Quadrangles @ 1:24,000
Peter Dudley: Nolan Skipper LaFramboise II: The roundhouse that I believe eventually hosted O'Donnel Beer Distributors (1970s - 1980s) was located opposite the west end of Federal Street (named after the long-gone Federal Motor Truck plant).