Lenawee County

Company History: The LCRC opened in 1977 to take over operation on the former New York Central route from Adrian to Lenawee Junction, Michigan from Conrail. They connected with Conrail at Lenawee Junction and with Norfolk & Western at Adrian. In 1980, LCRC took over another ex-NYC branch from Grosvenor to Morenci. The deal included trackage rights on Conrail (for locomotives only) from Lenawee Junction to Grosvenor. This arrangement lasted only a year before washouts destroyed the line from Grosvenor to Weston. LCRC was forced to buy part of a DT&I branch and arrange for trackage rights over the N&W to reach the rest of the line to Morenci. In 1982, LCRC expanded again, this time between Lenewee Junction and Riga. This proved fortuitous because a new grain coop opened shortly after that would see seasonal 100-car unit trains. However, it wasn’t enough. Heavy industry was leaving Michigan in droves. By 1989, the LCRC hauled just 300 cars. The last train ran in September of 1990. A year later, the new Adrian & Blissfield Railroad took over operation of the segment between its namesake towns.

Successor/Parent History: This line launched in 1991 to take over operation on 15 miles of state owned line from Adrian to Blissfield, Michigan. ADBF replaced the earlier operator, the Lenewee County Railroad. The line is all former New York Central. Later, another 5 miles was added, extending the line to Riga, Michigan. Freight traffic is light but they also run a popular dinner train. There is a nod to their New York Central heritage in the striping on their locomotives, not to mention the lettering style. This route was originally built in 1834 by the Erie & Kalamazoo. The ADBF is also the parent company to three other Michigan shortlines, the Detroit Connecting Railroad, Charlotte Southern and Lapeer Industrial Railroad.

Brief History: The U.S. is a country of 50 states covering a vast swath of North America, with Alaska in the northwest and Hawaii extending the nation’s presence into the Pacific Ocean. Major Atlantic Coast cities are New York, a global finance and culture center, and capital Washington, DC. Midwestern metropolis Chicago is known for influential architecture and on the west coast, Los Angeles' Hollywood is famed for filmmaking.