The new owners met this obligation by building the rest of the line some 74.84 miles (120.44 km) to the shores of Lake Michigan by 1849.

In 1873 they were moved to a larger plot of land on the west side of the city along Livernois Avenue, then consisting of two roundhouses and car repair shops.

However, the primary locomotive and car repair shops during the steam era were located in Jackson, Michigan, established in 1871.

They closed in 1949 during a coal strike and never reopened due to the conversion of motive power to diesel engines.

In 1904, MCR began a long-term lease of Canada Southern Railway (CSR), which operated the most direct route between Detroit and New York.

Between 1920 and 1922, the legendary Wolverine passenger train operated in two sections, five days per week along CSR's mainline.

[8] Then, in the summer of 1923, the eastbound Wolverine began running from Detroit to Buffalo without any scheduled stops in Canada, making the trip in 4 hours and 50 minutes, an unprecedented achievement.

[11] Also, by the late 1940s, the Empire State Express passed from Buffalo into Southwestern Ontario; however, it terminated at Detroit.

After the advent of the automobile as one of the most dominant forces of commerce, with Detroit at the epicenter, the Michigan Central became a carrier of autos and auto-related parts.

The MCR cantilever bridge was inducted into the North America Railway Hall of Fame in 2006, long after it had been scrapped.

The Hall of Fame report discussed its significance to the railway industry in the category of "North America: Facilities & Structures.

The Michigan Central did own part of the Mackinac Transportation Company, which operated the SS Chief Wawatam until 1984.

Other artifacts from the ferry, including the whistle, wheel, telegraphs, and furniture, are preserved by the Mackinac Island State Park Commission in Mackinaw City.

Car floats also ran across the Detroit River to Windsor, Ontario, for high and wide loads that could not fit through the tunnels.

The 'Interstate Express' locomotive (NYC 4828) hit the wooden coach broadside, demolishing it, killing 35 passengers, and injuring 11.

Today, the station is home to the Ann Arbor Model Railroad Club, which hosts open houses the first Wednesday of each month.

The estimated cost of renovations was $80 million, but the owners viewed finding the right use as a greater problem than financing.

[19] Though listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Detroit City Council passed a resolution to demolish the station in April 2009.

[21][22] The station shows up in the first part of the Godfrey Reggio movie Naqoyqatsi and is frequently used by Michael Bay in such films as The Island and Transformers.

The Michigan Central Railroad Depot (Battle Creek, MI) opened on July 27, 1888.

Located between Augusta and Galesburg Michigan, the massive re-enforced concrete building stands over the Detroit to Chicago mainline.

The former Michigan Central Station in Ann Arbor, Michigan, a granite stone block building built in 1886 and designed by Frederick Spier of Spier and Rohns, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and now houses the Gandy Dancer Restaurant.

The latter includes a sample passenger train in NYC livery, although the two coaches are actually of Illinois Central heritage.

The station in Dexter, Michigan, has some railroad memorabilia around it, such as an old level crossing signal and a baggage cart.

The Port Huron train (the Blue Water) also uses this line as far east as Battle Creek, Michigan.

In July 2007, Norfolk Southern was in talks with Watco, a shortline holding company, to sell the Kalamazoo-Detroit portion of the Michigan Central main line.

[24][25] In December 2007 the STB rejected the plan, citing concerns over the relationship between the Norfolk Southern and Watco.