The GTW River Spur

The GTW River Spur was once the DT&I's northern end until that distinction was shared with the Dearborn Subdivision (D&I Junction to Fordson). The combination of the two plus the Shore Line Sub are now CNIC's Downriver Detroit presence, with the epicenter at Flat Rock Yard. Here we see all of the important locations on the River Spur from D&I Jct. to the DCR Short Cut Bridge. Map Copyright © 2002 Jeff Knorek


I came across this site tonight from Jeff Knorek,
http://knorek.com/RR/SAA/DetroitLine/GTWRiverSpur.htm

It stated that the GTW River Spur was a direct line to the Rouge Complex that Henry Ford so desperately needed. Here's the line from the website:

"Henry Ford needed a direct link to the Rouge Complex. Since the DT&I went no further than Delray, he had to rely upon other railroads to interchange traffic to his mills. His response was to build a cut-off from a point just northeast of Flat Rock due north to the Rouge. This was called the Dearborn Division (now the GTW Flat Rock sub). South Yard in Ecorse on the old mainline remained the major yard for Ford Rouge traffic until Flat Rock yard was built in 1926. Afterwards, South Yard remained a vital outlet for Downriver industries, and remains so to this day. It is no small irony that the River Sub of today is far busier with more online traffic than the cut-off that was built to suppliment it. Henry Ford sold the DT&I to the Pennroad Company, a holding corporation of the Pennsylvania Railroad, in 1928."

There are even images of The GTW River Spur. Here's that website:
http://knorek.com/RR/SAA/DetroitLine/GTWRiverSpurImages.htm