Pere Marquette Railway

PM History

The Pere Marquette Railroad was incorporated on November 1, 1899, in anticipation of a merger of three Michigan-based railroad companies that had been agreed upon by all parties. It began operations on January 1, 1900,[2] absorbing the following companies:

• Flint & Pere Marquette Railroad (F&PM)

• Detroit, Grand Rapids & Western Railroad (DGR&W)

• Chicago & West Michigan Railway (C&WM)

In 1929, C&O acquired the PM Railroad but kept it as a sperate entity from the C&O railroad. C&O petitioned to merge with the PM in 1947 and again in 1958. In 1962, while pursuing a merger with DT&I/AA, C&O quickly sold off the PM to private owners. By 1969, private owners had drained the railroad of funds, PM was on the verge of bankruptcy. Both the C&O  and Soo Line were interested in purchasing the PM.  However a long legal battle for control of the PM along with deferred maintained resulted in the C&O and SOO backing out. The state stepped in and acquired the PM Railroad. State granted Soo Line trackage rights over the line while leasing the trackage to The PM Railroad Company, an employee owned group, to operate trains over the state owned tracks. Meanwhile the state saw opportunity to use the routes for commuter services that never developed. In 1974, PM president Harold Wilson traveled to Chessie System Railroad HQ in Cleveland, OH. After meeting with Hayes Watkins, the PM and C&O had formed strong partnership that nearly included joining Chessie System as a 4th associate carrier. Chessie System marketing and sales people began working with PM rail customers. PM was able to focus closely on the transportation aspect of the railroad while Chessie could generate business. PM's own marketing department was downsized but continued on to handle any deals pass-over by Chessie System. The partnership contiuned later after the CSX merger. PM President Tim Porter would form a similar relationship with Soo Line in the 1990s. After the Conrail/CSX merger, CSX gained access to Michigan and reduced it's reliance on PM. Fortunetly, PM had formed an even closer relationship with CP Rail which more than filled the void left from the Conrail merger. 

Company Structure

PM Holdings Inc. (employee owned)  - Livonia, MI

• PM Transportation Co. - Livonia, MI

  • Pere Marquette Railroad (Class II Regional ) - Livonia, MI

  • Port Huron & Detroit Railroad (Class III Michigan/Ontario) - St. Clair, MI

• PM Engineering Co. (signal/track maintenance)

• PM Intermodal Services - Livonia, MI

• PM Industrial Rail Services - Livonia, MI (industrial rail switching)

  • New Boston Rail Service - New Boston, MI

  • Midland Rail Service - Midland, MI (Dow Chemical)