Michigan Central Station - 1987
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- Опубліковано 6 жов 2010
- A history of Michigan Central Station, shown in 1987 on a program called Sunday Times. Illuminating, yet painful to watch in light of this Detroit landmark's demise not long after the piece aired.
And finally 32 years later someone is restoring it.
The Ford family.....Why did they have to let the place fall into ruins along with the rest of Detroit...Not saying that it is FORDS responsibility for Detroit but, the auto companies sure abandoned the place as soon as they could....And you get these pensioners, 70 plus worked 40 something years, bought a house, raised a family and retired....Long gone..No chance of that anymore.....These billion dollar companies let Detroit die and yet so many people love to support and claim THE MOTOR CITY. More like "The Poor Racially Divided Unhealthy and Uneducated Crime Ridden City of Former Glory." SADLY........
These guys are smiling from above now that the old station is being restored
Thank you Ford motor company for buying and restoring it :)
Didn't look too bad in '87.
Finally being restored after decades of abandonment
Norma Smith told us stories of when she worked here for the railroad. Rest in Peace Norma. She would be proud to know the building is coming back to life.
Fords working to bring this place back to life!
Sad to see how far downhill it's gone in 30 years. Here's hoping that they can re-purpose this magnificent building!
And the re-purpose is happening now
We are from the future! And we would like to let you know that it’s being refurbished to its former glory! Ironically it’s Ford that is doing the restoration. The same company that unknowingly helped create the downfall of this iconic building.
The only good thing is that this old man didn't live to see the ruin this station became shortly after.
Between 1976 - 1978 I used to go with Eugene, “Geno”, Tatar every morning to the 4th floor to deliver the time for the Signal Engineering Dept. Occasionally I’d go to the diner and have some peanut butter toast, (it was on the menu), and a glass of milk for breakfast. Back then the depot was in great shape and the workers there were so friendly. In 1962 or 63, I remember taking the train to KY with my family. I believe we went through West Detroit as I remember all the tracks and switches. Little did I know I’d be working there 14 yrs later.
What an amazing building.
If these men were still alive today, they'd be teary-eyed seeing the grand reopening of the station on 6/6/24!
Will be wonderful to see it put back together.
It's so sad! There were so many beautiful stations around that are now gone. I love the architecture of those buildings. Such a mystique.
What a beautiful building this was.
And will be
it worked till 1988 so in 1987 it was still opened
Glad it’s about to re-open thx 🙏🏾 to Ford ❤ a Detroit Icon
He worked there for 48 years. It's very sad that nobody will work for 48 years in the same job nowadays. Greed has overtaken the working man.
The economy has changed, greed has got very little to do with it.
Tearing this down would be an act of criminal vandalism... just like they ceiminally tore down pennsylvania station in new york and put stupid madison square garden in its place
I bet GM had something to do with the destruction of all these great train stations like they did the streetcars. The execs of these car companies ought to be arrested if not strung up.
+Starfish Yes you are right. It was the selling of more and more cars and more freeways that put the train stations out of business because there was less of a need for them anymore. But I would love to take the train to different places instead of driving!!! And I think more and more people feel that way!! Hopefully this will be an operating Train station once again. I would definitely use it!!!
Starfish Keep in mind that EMD was once owned by GM until 2005!
Starfish ford owns it now (a bit ironic) They plan on using it for their Corktown campus
Fords remaking it now lol
many thanks 4 sharing this rare document of a still living Detroit, better to remember it this way, what a fine, maybe a bit baroque way, to express urban landscapes, reminds me of former east Berlin in '89, the large avenues, the variety of fine architecture, all gone by now and mostly forgotten, bravo for keeping memory alive!!!
I hope they keep it like this, because when I go to see Detroit I hope to take some pictures of it and have the chance to witness it in person!!
We have not progressed as a society we have regressed to a sad state of cheap quick and no regard for anything but instant gratification. What a sad sad country this is now how sickening.
And Race Relations were better in the 1980s and 1990s. Cold, Hard, FACT.
I remember the first time I saw this building. I made my gf, now wife, pull over so I could get some pictures of it. It is an amazing building that should be restored. Maybe turned into a museum, something. Maybe a state/city building. It shouldn't be torn down.
Great video.
What an incredible piece of history; thanks so much for sharing it with everyone.
As for the building, as of July 2011, it has been secured, is having new windows installed on the ground level, and has construction equipment is parked in front. My guess is this incredible structure may yet be saved, albeit for s different purpose. Hopefully future generations will also get to see its splendor.
RJL
SAVE THIS BUILDING.
Enjoyable story. I am glad that the building is being saved. Sad to think of all the stations that were destroyed. Numerous times I have heard of railroads attempting to give a no longer needed passenger station to the city in which it is located. Too many times the city would refuse, advising "what could we do with it?" That would usually leave the railroad with no choice but to demolish the structure, removing it from the tax rolls.
Wish I could've seen it. Looks marvelous.
What happened to those superb bench seats ?
And now in 2024 it’s been fully restored!
I can see potential in this building it is just horrible to see the station in this condition. Wish I could have seen the mercury come through here.
Before jet airline travel took over. The guy who owns this station ( Along with the Ambassador Bridge to Windsor) is supposedly in the process of renovating this building into a multipurpose facility with offices, shops and apartments. Part of a deal he made with the city along with building a new bridge to Windsor.
+David Smith You're talking about Manny Maroun, who's like a Batman villian or something. Very 'interesting' person.
He's the guy.
You wanna hear why I say he's like a Batman villian? (And it's Matty, not Manny, I miswrote.) His parents were (I think) from Lebanon, and immigrated to Windsor, Ontario. Their house in Windsor when Matty was very small was on a piece of land that was expropriated by the Canadian government, in whatever they call an eminent domain action. Guess why: To build the Ambassador Bridge. BTW, has nothing to do w/anything, but I actually worked at the tunnel that goes from Detroit to Windsor, back in about 1974. (Sorry if I've misspelled anything, but my gmail spell checker is MIA.)
I can understand your reasoning, after all, villains in the Batman universe and their origins tend to be rather mysterious and secretive.
+Dr Joey very interesting and ironic indeed.
i was there las week and i feels special just been inside
see also: buffalo ny station
malleymyster buffalos is wayy worse
they should restore it back to a train station
NEWSFLASH FOR YOU: People use the airport to travel.
@@spaceghost8995 Newsflash for you too: Amtrak serves Detroit today with approx. 6 trains a day on their Wolverine service, one of the better and fastest services it has on offer nationwide outside of NEC. And instead of using that once wonderful and mighty station they use that crappy building on Baltimore St...Michigan central could still be in use today as a station, with parts of it leased to other tenants, just like they did in Indianapolis, Kansas City or Cincinnati. It worked fine for these cities, why couldn't it for this one ?
@@that90skid72 In addition to the 3 round trips on the Wolverine, VIA operates 4 round trips from Toronto to Windsor across the border, Michigan is planning to run a commuter service from Detroit to Ann Arbor, and the current Amtrak expansion proposal includes a new service from Detroit to Toledo, and expanded service to Toronto.
The station is perfectly positioned to be an international connection point between the Michigan and Ontario rail networks, which are currently disconnected.
i love this vid erik
see also: Penn Station, New York
Sadly, Detroit mostly demolished itself by neglect. ..what it didn't burn down during Halloween nights over the past few decades.
Stop lying. You obviously have never stepped foot in the city. It's fucking gorgeous and teeming with people. It may not have 8Million folks, but it's got half a million GOOD folks and that's all a city needs.
It may be hard to believe seeing it now but this was the equivalent of JFK or LAX for trains back in the heyday of rail travel. Before airplanes and automobiles became affordable and reliable, trains were the only way to get from one place to another quickly. It may not sound impressive now but in 1938, New York Central's 20th Century Limited made New York to Chicago in 16 hours. With subpar roads, there was no way you could average 60 MPH driving and flying was simply not an option.
There has been a construction company on site. I heard that there repairing the roof and that they was going to block the windows to prevent further damage to the building. There has been vandalism to the building but the weather has done the most of the damage. I have been in there before and it’s amazing how the owners can just let that place rote away like that.
Is there anyway for me to get a copy of this video? I'm the granddaughter of John Palgut. Thanks!
He's pretty bummed about it but still very happy it's there
this was a good video
What times ⏲️ ? What beautiful 😍video 📹
@globetrotter0580 Where do you get your information?
How sad...if those men are still alive today they're probably deeply saddened by the state it's in today.
@dannyboyyy1000 Incorrect, it's now a construction site
@globetrotter0580 The Michigan Central Station is still there. It's just rotting to death right now.
Wonder what they would think today.
June 6, 2024. Michigan Central reopens!
They brought it back to life you can thank ford motor company!!!!!!!!!
He said at the beginning that it was the busiest train station in Detroit.....Was there another station somewhere else in Detroit?
download the video from youtube
Hope Ford reserves some space on the ground floor for rail service should it ever come back.
Back in 2018 Ford Motor Company has a lease for Michigan Central Station. While they doing the redevelopment of Michigan Central Station with a lease of Michigan Central Station-Are they going to put Amtrak Train Service back to Michigan Central Station- The Lease of Ford Motor Company or Not? Positive Answers and Positive Comments.
@globetrotter0580 no they did not. the owners are planning on putting new windows and a new roof on it.
I pray the choose to keep the building up and bring in some investors.
In the last few weeks cherrypickers were seen at the front of the station and new windows went in. What's happening??? New lease of life into this station??
@colorblind101a Well, my simple mistake. I was a little mislead, but if you say it's a now a C.S then okay. Personally it doesn't really matter, the whole city is what's rotting.
Shiiiit... He won't kiss the ground today. Sad the place went to shit so fast. For the video to say 1987 the place still looked good but now it look like every boogie man in the world is in there.
Mabey now with cannabis industry they can fix this beautiful place I've made it my home for now go Michigan
There's been a lot of vandalism. Thieves striped the building of anything of value that they could carry. Copper wiring and piping so they tore apart the walls getting to it. Then they took decorative pendants and other detailed pieces. The rest is graffiti artists just destroying for fun.
So as late as 1987, Michigan Central Station still featured intact decoration, doors, moldings and furniture, functional lighting and chandeliers? :o
What the hell did this city do to itself?
"So as late as 1987, Michigan Central Station still featured intact decoration, doors, moldings and furniture, functional lighting and chandeliers?"
It closed circa 1988 because Conrail moved its offices out and Amtrak couldn't afford the maintenance on the building. Plus Amtrak wanted to use the Grand Trunk Western passenger yards in Pontiac and Michigan Central Station isn't on that route. So Amtrak moved into their current, smaller station on Woodward Ave which is much better suited to their needs.
Yes. Everything missing was removed by many contractors over the years. The Caen stone never fell from the ceilings construction crews came in stripped the decor and the stone and ornamental work was used in other construction projects throughout the world. Some of the stone from the ceiling ended up being installed in a building in Germany. The mahogany benches were sold and are somewhere I don't recall. But yeah it was all intact. But some of the ironwork did end up in the scrap yards by scavengers. Book Cadillac was in good shape until 1997 when the city slashed a budget which ended the job for just 1 security guard and he kept the scavengers away since the closing of the hotel in 1984. It was restored and it open now but to me is just not the same.
Yes. Everything missing was removed by many contractors over the years. The Caen stone never fell from the ceilings construction crews came in stripped the decor and the stone and ornamental work was used in other construction projects throughout the world. Some of the stone from the ceiling ended up being installed in a building in Germany. The mahogany benches were sold and are somewhere I don't recall. But yeah it was all intact. But some of the ironwork did end up in the scrap yards by scavengers. Book Cadillac was in good shape until 1997 when the city slashed a budget which ended the job for just 1 security guard and he kept the scavengers away since the closing of the hotel in 1984. It was restored and it open now but to me is just not the same.
Slick Superlube Corruption from the two parties that have been controlling this country for centuries! Trade deals, tax hikes for the poor and middle class, segregation, corrupt law enforcement, defunding of the public school system, and crooked financial institutions have been crippling Detroit and every other Eastern/Midwestern city for decades! It's only gonna get worse once Hillary or Trump gets elected in November!
@@Cnw8701 Surprise, Trump was elected and Detroit exploded with prosperity. Now we are back to the same old Democrat destruction that took down Detroit before though. :-/
I love trains. I'm 63 now but when I was in Elementary School I road the Tehachapi Loop one of the last times that they allowed passengers to ride it it was amazing that's in California Tehachapi California. Then when I was in 5th grade my school bus home pulled in from of a slow moving train. Not on purpose and we all lived. The driver managed to reverse the bus and the train only caught the front drivers side of the front end of the bus and slapped the bus into a shallow farm canal. God as with us that day for sure. I blam no one and hold no gauge. We all helped each other.
A Gorgeous Building!!!!! That Sat Vacant, to Long. How could you let it Sit & ROT ?? Detroit is Good for that & they don't CARE about Historical Land Marks. Look what was done to the J L Hudson Building ?? Years later, they don't know why they did it.? U can't replace Buildings like that. The ones that say, Tear it Down!!!! R the ones that R not from Detroit & Don't appreciate Historical Heritage. Get Out of Detroit!!!!!!!
A year later, its still standing and you're still misinformed.
I wouldn’t wanna be married to you 😂
See you tomorrow. :)
It's funny when central planners say, "I can't believe there's nothing there now . . ." "But we thought everyone would . . ."
Send me a private message. If you pay the shipping I'll mail you a DVD.
@globetrotter0580 Haha, funny. Just like that other attempt to demolish, the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 stops all deomlishion. Gets your facts.
At least it was remotely nice then, now its all been spray painted and ruined.
Yup. But don't expect anything but insults and abuse for saying as much.
Urban decay represents the riots this city had.it represents the White flight that caused these urban decasy. It reprsents racism. it represent depression of the city. Something those Hipsters will never understand to them its "art" can't blame them .they don't know any better. I grew up watching these buildings they grew up next to malls and coffee shops. I want my future Detroiters to Live like that too...
I grew up here in the 70's and 80's, the city was destroyed by democrats and their corruption.
Oh, please. This building has been in bad shape since long before Obama was in office, so take your ignorant political commentary and discuss it elsewhere. May I suggest a conspiracy theory video?
Lol at you all
when Obama was first elected, we had somebody write to the paper demanding he be impeached! crazy guy and we had similar letters to the paper always telling us how Republicans were so great :)
Someday, Trump Tower and Penn Station will suffer the same fate.