A beautiful painting of a southbound train on the CN line with Hudson depot on the west side of the track.  The scene was around 1908 and was the work of Jackson artist Tecla Kohl  that Mr. Findlay had done from a photo of that era.

The railroad played a key role in the early life of Hudson when steam was king and reigned for over 100 years.  The city was an important site of commerce for rail shipments both east and west and north and south.  Shown here in January 1952 is Number 52  eastbound 8:13 AM passenger train on the NYC line departing the Hudson depot. Many older residents can recall riding into or out of town with the conductor calling the familiar words, "All aboard!"  

The Michigan Southern Railroad Co. which has been so often named was originated as a State project in 1837.  The design was to construct three railroads across the three southern tiers of the counties of the State.  The most southerly line of these improvements was to extend from the navigable waters of the River Basin near Monroe, to New Buffalo, on Lake Michigan. These proposed within the limits of the State, and Chicago, besides being in another commonwealth, was then deemed of no possible consequence.  When the ‘hard times’ following the panic of 1937 were finally realized, Michigan found that she had enough of railroad building and in 1846 she sold the Southern road extending from Monroe to Hillsdale (68 miles) and the Tecumseh branch, (10 miles) to the Michigan Southern Rail Road Co organized for the purpose of making the purchase.  The price for the 78 miles of road was $500,000 payable in installments and these payments were generally made in State script, bought at about 50 cents on the dollar.  The new owners at first exhibited but small desire to push their line to completion and  the conservative tendencies of the directors were exhibited at their first meeting when they resolved that no credit be given for freight or passage, and that there be appointed two conductors, or captains of the train, who shall perform the duties of collector of freight and passage money, at $40 per month. Such was the origin of the Lake Shore.
                                                            
                                        Charles H Putman – 23 years

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