History, Tradition & Christmas Magic

I flung the car door open to hear the inimitable sound of a brass Nathan 6-chime whistle howling into the cold December night. Just as has been portrayed in so many country-western songs, it’s hauntingly lonesome note echoed across the landscape as a column of black smoke and white steam plumed into the evening sky, breaking up the otherwise waning hues of blue that were rapidly giving way to the darkness of nightfall.

As we stood within the Steam Railroading Institute’s Visitors Center, it was hard not to feel the buzz of holiday excitement that emanated from the crowd of people that were browsing the gift shop, snapping selfies in front of a Christmas themed wall, or waiting in the will-call line, like us, to pick up their tickets for the evening ride.

At an organization that prides itself in being the curator of notable railroadiana, even the Visitor’s Center holds a rich history all its own, which over a century ago served as a Freight House for the Ann Arbor Railroad to move the furniture and caskets that were manufactured by the talented woodworkers of the area. After changing hands a few times, the building was acquired by the Steam Railroading Institute over 20-years ago, and has since been renovated to serve as a museum to display vintage railroad artifacts, a model train layout, and also handle the ticketing for their many passenger excursions throughout the year- Most notably those held around the Christmas holiday to celebrate Chris Van Allsburg’s iconic 1985 Children’s book, The Polar Express.

In 2004, the book would become the inspiration for a live-action animated movie directed by Robert Zemeckis, and starring Tom Hanks, which has its own ties to the Steam Railroading Institute as the Warner Bros. film crew travelled to Owosso to record the locomotive sounds for the film by utilizing the iconic Pere Marquette 2-8-4 Berkshire, which fittingly enough bears the road number “1225.”

In fact, it was the locomotive’s road number, and its perceived symbolic connection to Christmas that spared the 1225 from the scrappers torch when it was retired, eventually finding the behemoth being placed on static display at Michigan State University in 1957.

In 1971, the university railroad club began undertaking the daunting task of bringing the 1225 back to life, successfully firing the boiler and sounding the whistle in 1975, moving the locomotive under its own power in 1985, and eventually allowing the 1225 to begin its second life as a passenger excursion locomotive in 1988.

37 years later, my family and I stood patiently in the “A-G” line, patiently waiting to retrieve our tickets. It’s a train ride we’ve taken many times before, but this year was different. This year my mother had decided she’d prefer a quiet evening with her family in the privacy of a caboose.

Fortunately, as I close in on my fifteenth year of railroading, I’ve made a lot of friends along the way, including a gentleman by the name of Mike Burgett, who I met while working at CN. A man who is fairly well known in both the railfan and railroading communities, Mike previously served as the Senior Manager of Engineering- Signals Design at CN and now serves in the office adjacent to mine as the Chief Engineer for Communications & Signals at Lake State Railway Company. (Gosh, Mike- Why are you so obsessed with me?)

Since working for the railroad doesn’t provide him with enough time around trains, he spends his evenings and off days working on his world-renowned HO scale model-train layout, which portrays the Chesapeake & Ohio Clifton Forge Subdivision in breathtaking detail, just as it was in 1965. He also spends time volunteering at Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village (celebrating his 25th year in 2022) and serves on the Board of Directors at the Steam Railroading Institute.

Whew…

…but once upon a time, Mike was a railroad obsessed boy with a dream.

By the 1980’s, evolutions in technology had reduced the number of employees required to serve as part of a train crew which virtually eliminated the need for cabooses.

Railyards across the country began to find tracks filled with the once ubiquitous symbol of American railroading- a critical component in any model trainset to this day, but everything has an expiration date. CSX’s Saginaw Yard was no different, as a line of cabooses sat awaiting their disposition, and one could be had for a cool $1,500 (about $4,000 in 2025) so long as the new owner could successfully relocate the car.

While $1,500 was an undeniably fair price, it was still a bit out of the financial reach for a then 10-year-old Mike Burgett, so after much badgering, his mother finally relented and penned a letter to CSX’s corporate headquarters to ask if they might consider a discount for the budding rail-buff. Much to the Burgett’s surprise, a phone call several weeks later would find them as the proud new owner of a caboose, so long as they could work out the logistics surrounding how to relocate the railcar to their property.

Unfortunately, moving a railcar off the rails isn’t quite as simple as picking up a Lionel train car and placing it on a shelf, but fortunately a human-interest story in the local newspapers helped secure the necessary pieces of the puzzle, such as cranes, and even the rail, ties and ballast to place the caboose on at Mike’s house.

The Chesapeake & Ohio caboose that began life in 1941 as wood-sided 90091 and was rebuilt, modernized and renumbered in 1970 as 903674, now belonged to a 10-year-old boy who would make it his clubhouse for the rest of his childhood.

The thing about kids, is if everything goes according to plan, they grow up to become adults, and adults have responsibilities, obligations, and sadly, they no longer have time to play in their caboose clubhouse.

It would sit behind Mike’s parents’ home for decades, and though he had considered donating it to be displayed in the town he’d grown up in, a better option came to light- One that would allow him to, once again, spend as much time as he’d like in his storied caboose.

In 2023, Mike would donate the caboose to the Steam Railroading Institute, where he, and the talented back shop team of volunteers, would painstakingly restore the caboose to its original as-rebuilt condition to appear exactly as it would have when it rolled out of the C&O Wyoming Shops at Grand Rapids, Michigan.

If you’re reading this, I’m going to step out on a limb and assume you’re a pretty sharp individual, so I’m sure you’ve connected the dots already, but just in case you haven’t, I reached out to Mike to ensure that the private caboose we were to ride in would be his beloved “3674,” and he graciously obliged.

With his caboose positioned just two cars behind the iconic 1225, Mike welcomed us at the admission gate nearest the locomotive, dressed to the nines in authentic C&O passenger conductor regalia. As I approached the car, I admired the metal work that had been completed during its restoration, the blue paint gleaming in the setting sun, and the iconic “C&O For Progress” slogan proudly emblazoned on the side. As we boarded the car and stepped through the “A-end” door, I immediately felt the warmth of the air heated by the caboose’s oil fueled stove wash over me, reassuring me that this would be a cozy, comfortable evening.

As we commenced our 20-plus mile journey to the city of Ashley- er… the North Pole, the cabin of the caboose was filled with the sounds of Christmas music and conversation as we all took turns climbing into the cupola- the watchtower like structure atop the caboose which provides the undeniably best view.

While many of the tickets for the Polar Express include a cup of hot chocolate, Mike boasted that his was the absolute best (and bottomless), and as we watched him prepare it atop the 3674’s original oil-stove, we had to agree.

Since I always keep a deck of cards and a board nearby, it didn’t take long before I challenged my dad to a game of Cribbage, a uniquely midwestern card-game that he had taught me at a young age- Since then, we’ve spent countless hours going back-and-forth counting our fifteen-for-twos, and scoring double-runs as we hoped to avoid being skunked (beaten by at least 30 points), or worse, double skunked (beaten by 60 points or more- it takes 121 points to win). I’m sure it certainly wasn’t the first game of cards played in this timeless railcar, and I wanted to keep the tradition alive as a few years earlier on Lake State Railway’s “Family Day” train ride we had played a few games on the “Dover Harbor,” a legendary Pullman heavyweight car that was built in 1923 and served the New York Central railroad for many decades.

As I pegged the final few points to seize a victory from my dad (the student becomes the master… sometimes…), we were arriving to the city of Ashley, a small town in mid-Michigan that transforms itself to serve as the North Pole for the seasonal Polar Express train-rides. With carnival rides, food trucks, various vendors, and even a sizable Christmas themed model-train layout, there’s always something to do to stay busy for the hour-and-a-half layover. While the food is good (seriously, try the fried Oreos) the star of the show is usually the 1225 as her passengers gather around for photographs of the locomotive that once faithfully served the Arsenal of Democracy as Michigan automotive facilities had been converted to produce tanks, bombers and other commodities necessary for the war effort.

Eventually, after all the pictures are taken, bellies are full, and Santa has drawn for the first gift of Christmas, it’s time for the train to reposition itself for all the passengers to board, which provides one last opportunity for photos of the 1225 pulling the train ahead before a diesel locomotive positioned on the opposite end of the train would tug it back towards Owosso to conclude the journey.

Worn out from the fresh air, aimless wandering, and carbohydrate-induced comas, the ride back was much more subdued, and I found myself back in the cupola, this time with my daughter in my lap. As we admired the Christmas lights that adorned houses along the route, and the railfans who were braving the bitter cold evening to catch a glimpse of the 1225 as it passed, the barrage of questions from an inquisitive mind let me know just how tired she was. Nevertheless, I attempted to satisfy her curious mind, answering as many questions as I could before she eventually resigned to quietly enjoying the ride, and appreciating the passing scenery the way I have for so many years as a conductor and locomotive engineer, crisscrossing the Midwest before making my way into management. Thankfully, she doesn’t remember the early years, or her birthdays that I’d missed when dad lived on the road, the hotels were a second home, and sleep came at a premium, if it even came at all.

Arriving in Owosso, with one more howl from the 1225’s whistle our trip would come to an end, but the prospect of a new year provides another opportunity to make memories with the people that I love, and I long ago learned that it’s not about what you find beneath the Christmas tree, but rather these moments we share with one another that is the real magic of Christmas.

Back From the Dead

At the time of its completion, it was simultaneously the largest example of Beaux-Arts architectural styling and the tallest train station in the world.

RESURRECTION: MICHIGAN CENTRAL STATION

Having been designed by the same architects involved in the building of New York’s now world-famous Grand Central Terminal, it was, and is, simply known as “Michigan Central Station,” and while that may feel like a misnomer to those who believed its moniker to have been derived from an allusion to its geographic location within the state, or rail network, it wasn’t.

*Michigan Central’s network connected Michigan to neighboring states and Canada*

In fact, while some will praise him as a railroad magnate, with others chiding him as the first of the American robber-barons, the station was built to service Cornelius Vanderbilt’s Michigan Central Railroad. Also known as the MCRR, the railroad served Michigan as an independent subsidiary of the more expansive New York Central Railroad and was one of many railroads that connected Michigan to the rest of the country, and Canada.

What many don’t know, is that it wasn’t the first Michigan Central Station in Detroit.

Nearly a century before the area surrounding 3rd and West Jefferson would become the home of the Detroit Red Wings’ Joe Louis Arena, the original Michigan Central Station was erected.

Built in 1884 by the same individuals responsible for designing and erecting the Times Square building in New York, it was praised as the “Pride of Detroit,” and its Romanesque Revival architecture leant a stark resemblance to something of a medieval castle. However, on December 26th of 1913, a fire erupted, and within the first few hours it was known that the station could no longer serve its intended purpose.

Fortunately, as the demand for rail travel had grown wildly, as early as 1908 plans had already commenced to construct a new station, and less than four hours after fire ravaged the original Michigan Central Station, 5:20 PM saw a train bound for Bay City as the first to depart the new, not-yet-completed, Michigan Central Station, with the first arrival, a train from Chicago, coming only an hour later.

The Detroit Tribune would commend the railroad’s quick action, stating that trains were seamlessly arriving and departing the new station before the Firefighter’s hoses had even been disconnected at the smoldering site of the original Michigan Central Station, but it came at a cost.

What would have been an extravagant event to christen the new engineering marvel that towered over Detroit was cancelled, and the final few of the 18-floors that housed office space for Michigan Central Railroad staff as its headquarters would never be completed, still, in spite of this, the Railroad’s gamble had paid off, and at the height of its usage, the station saw more than 200 trains per day moving everyone from common passengers to celebrities, dignitaries, soldiers, and even entire sports teams as they’d travel from city to city, vying for championships, which Detroit based teams had won 19 times during the life of the station.

However, in spite of a minor resurgence in rail travel during the gas shortages of the late 70’s and into the 80’s, the prevalence of automobiles, and the advent of Dwight D. Eisenhower’s interstate highway system in 1956, had already signaled the beginning of the end for rail travel in America, and on January 5th, 1988, at 11:30 AM, train 353, the final Amtrak train bound for Chicago, departed Michigan Central Station.

The next three decades would see the once proud symbol of Detroit fall further into decay, as haphazard plans were discussed that would’ve seen the iconic station repurposed into a casino, or even a new headquarters for the Detroit Police Department, but the cost prohibitive nature of a restoration ensured that none of those concepts would come to fruition.

Having passed closely by so many times when in Detroit, I’d often taken time to snap cell-phone photos, chronicling the urban decay that possessed its own charm and beauty. I’d seen the station used as the focal point for a drift-racing event in 2013, and as a backdrop in several films. In 2015, after a freight elevator had been installed within the facility, I stood in the shadow of the building, in awe, while windows were being installed throughout the 18-story tower, a sign that many speculated it would soon be sold.

I remained optimistic, but reserved- equipped with a realistic understanding of what would be required to resurrect the depot that had found itself added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Fortunately, a move that would serve to spare its demolition time and again, much to the chagrin of many in the community who claimed it to be an eye-sore.

Still, it awaited someone- anyone- to breathe new life into it, and my hope was diminishing.

That is until 2018, when Bill Ford, Executive Chairman of the Ford Motor Company, had announced that Michigan Central Station had been acquired and it would become the new headquarters for the Ford Motor Company.

Admittedly, it was a bittersweet moment for me; As a lifelong “GM Guy,” it was hard to think of this iconic structure being the headquarters for what I’ve been conditioned to perceive as one of “my” brand’s greatest nemeses, but on the other hand, having known that the previous owner, Matty Maroun, would have rather seen the building lie in disrepair than sell, I was elated that there was the potential it could finally be resurrected.

For six years, I followed along with news stories, pictures, videos, social media posts, and admired from a distance as I heard inspiring stories from within. When I’d pass through, I’d see the changes.

None of the irony was lost on me. While Henry Ford’s obsession with the railroad was well chronicled, even acquiring his own railroad, the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton, that would operate its own passenger trains from Michigan Central Station. Unfortunately, it was his product, through his mass production methodology, that would serve to help render passenger rail travel commercially unviable in the United States. The resulting decline would see the abandonment of this iconic building, however, the company bearing his name would then eventually acquire it at a reported cost of $90M to resurrect it to its former glory the tune of $950M more. Ford Taketh Away, and Ford Giveth Back?

Following a night in which a huge concert event that featured Michigan artists like Eminem, Diana Ross, and Jack White alongside the Detroit Symphony Orchestra commemorated the grand re-opening of the station; something not afforded when it was rushed into service in late 1913, my wife and I were granted the opportunity to tour the station thanks to a few lifelong friends (Thank you, Pat & Sabrina!).

A sign of technological progress and advancement over the last century, and far removed from the paper tickets once exchanged to board trains from this very station, our QR code emblazoned tickets were scanned from our cellphones, and we were granted access.

*A well produced video chronicling the heritage of Detroit and its impending resurgence welcomed all comers to the grand reopening*

To say it was a visceral experience almost pales in comparison to how it actually felt. As I set foot on the beautifully refinished floors, and I gazed upon the vastness from within this structure that I’d admired so earnestly from afar for years, I was overcome with emotion. In fact, at several points throughout the tour, admittedly, I wept.

As I stood in what was once the lobby of a hustling and bustling train station that saw 4,000 people pass through each day, I appreciated the beautifully grandiose musical score that had been tastefully selected to be played throughout the tour, and I appreciated it being occasionally punctuated by seemingly original recordings of station announcements, such as “New York Central Wolverine, now arriving, Track 16.”

Looking into the lobby of Michigan Central Station from the ticketing area; On display are the Corinthian columns, re-created chandeliers, hand-restored ceiling tile, and a myriad of other details all culminating in a beautiful restoration project by the Ford Motor Co.

Pausing to listen to each one, I had to wonder if they had been recreated, or if someone was able to source original announcements that would’ve once echoed throughout these same halls.

*Many items had to be meticulously recreated from whatever examples could be found*

On display were countless artifacts that illustrated the painstaking efforts that were undertaken to faithfully recreate each and every detail, with genuine efforts given to utilize any, and every original item and material possible.

Although a plea was issued for those who possessed any original artifacts from Michigan Central Station to return them, with no questions asked, the team chronicled how they embraced modern technology to three-dimensionally scan, and re-create whatever no longer existed from examples, or fragments, they did have.

Amazingly, their pleas would be answered as numerous items would be returned, most notably the Carriage House Clock. Although it was assumed, like much of what had been stolen, that the 700-pound clock had succumbed to scrappers, it had actually been miraculously removed by an individual who wished to save it from such a fate.

“I left it leaning against a burned-out building… between the train tracks and 4470 Lawton. Please send two men and a truck immediately. It has been missing for over 20 years and is ready to go home. Thank you so much.”

*The Carriage House was somewhat of a VIP entrance for those arriving to the station by Model T, or horse and carriage*

I gazed upon the clock, and again, I was overcome with emotion, this time because I felt an overwhelming sense of appreciation that there are still good people in this world who simply wish to preserve history.

As I slowly paced through the 111-year-old building, I attempted to soak in every detail. The once time-stained Corinthian columns were returned to their original beauty, and the tiled ceiling had been meticulously hand-cleaned, with 8.2 million feet of grout utilized to replicate what would have existed when the station first opened.

*Message in a bottle: A Stroh’s Bohemian Beer bottle featured a note from contractors who had helped build the station*

In display cases were items found within, or associated with the station- Old train tickets, railroad lanterns, stock certificates, even sections of plaster that had been preserved with graffiti intact, each of them telling another piece of the story, with one such artifact, a Stroh’s Bohemian Beer bottle, standing out from the rest. Within it was found a note, “Dan Hogan and Geo. Smith stuck this. (indecipherable word) of Chicago 1913.”

Kansas City Union Station during my tour in 2023

Still, I couldn’t help but dream. As a railroader, I yearn for any and all industry growth, and after having received an absolutely brilliant, behind-the-scenes tour of another iconic masterpiece, Kansas City Union Station, by none other than Station CEO George Guastello in 2023, I saw the historical parallel.

In Kansas City, just like in Detroit, you had an iconic train station that had fallen into disrepair amidst a stark decline in ridership with Amtrak ceasing operations in 1985. What would eventually follow, was an incredible resurgence and restoration effort to faithfully recreate Union Station into what it once was thanks to five counties within Missouri and Kansas City who voted to approve a 1/8 cent sales tax. The remaining funding required for the $250M restoration project was provided through private investors, and federal funding, with the restoration completed in 1999, and Amtrak resuming rail service in 2002.

Amtrak still serves Kansas City Union Station to this day, with myself counted amongst the more than 110,000 riders who have pass through annually.

Could such a service be restored to Michigan Central Station? Could riders soon be connected from Detroit to Chicago, or Kansas City, or New York once again? One can hope…

After nearly an hour, we made our way through the exit, passing a section that had been intentionally left with graffiti adorning the walls, which I felt was a beautiful touch to remind us, and future generations, just how far this building had fallen from grace, and how far it had come.

*As a lifelong fan of Lego building bricks, I couldn’t help but adore this recreation of Michigan Central Station that was on display*

I took a few final looks at the station as we walked away, and I left with a sense of pride in what they had been able to accomplish. The last time I had been this close to the iconic structure, it had appeared as if the challenges required for anyone to restore such a building would be insurmountable, but I’m reminded of another time when people taunted Ford with an insurmountable challenge.

In looking at Michigan Central Station, just like in 1966 when Ford was told there was no way they could possibly beat Ferrari at Le Mans, the Ford Motor Company spared no expense to come out on top.

Once again, they had.

Worthwhile additional Reading:
Michigan Central Station: A comprehensive history from Historic Detroit
Michigan Central Station Depot: A comprehensive history from Historic Detroit