The leaves were turning on October 6, 1980, when Edward Hodges photographed Conrail’s southbound “Clinton Local” passing Tecumseh Junction, in Tecumseh, Mich.
Tecumseh Junction, located at S. Evans and E. Cummins Streets, was where the New York Central’s north/south Jackson Branch crossed the NYC’s east/west DT&M line at a diamond crossing. By this time the east/west track was long out of service, but through the foreground weeds one can just make out the connecting track, still in place, in the southwest quadrant of the junction. This track was last used just one year previously.
In late 1980, the “Local” was still running each weekday, but there was little freight traffic, as evident on this day. The decision by the Budd Company in Clinton to move to road transport took away most of the reason for the line’s continued existence. By early 1981, the regular job would be cut, and the line operated only an an as-needed basis.
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