Michigan Central Railroad $1000 gold bond certificate 1907 (Michigan)

Uncommon MI RR bond. Nice vignette of a steam train with men working on the tracks. Vertical format. Nice 1000 green underprint. Issued and cancelled. No coupons attached. Dated 1907 from the text.  Folds from storage. Measuring approximately 15 x 10 inches.

The Michigan Central Railroad (reporting mark MC) was a prominent American railroad chartered in 1832 to connect Detroit and St. Joseph, Michigan. Incorporated again in 1846 as the Michigan Central RR. It eventually spanned Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Ontario, Canada, and became a key part of the New York Central System in 1867. Later became part of Penn Central and then Conrail. After the 1998 Conrail breakup, Norfolk Southern Railway now owns much of the former Michigan Central trackage.

Today, the railroad's legacy is most visible through its iconic Michigan Central Station in Detroit, which reopened in June 2024 after a massive $950 million restoration by Ford Motor Company.

Expansion:
The line reached Chicago in 1852 using trackage rights from the Illinois Central. It was famously "Vanderbilt-controlled" after 1867 and formally leased to the New York Central in 1930.

Infrastructure:
Notable engineering feats included the Michigan Central Railway Tunnel under the Detroit River (1910) and the Niagara River cantilever bridge. The Beaux-Arts terminal, designed by the architects of New York's Grand Central Terminal, was the world's tallest rail station when it opened in 1913.

Operations:
At its peak in 1925, the MC operated over 1,800 miles of road. It was known for premier passenger trains like the Wolverine and the Mercury.

Decline:
Passenger service ended on January 6, 1988, when the last Amtrak train departed from the Beaux-Arts terminal. For decades, it stood as a symbol of Detroit's urban decay.

Product descriptions and images
Please note that some pictures may only be representative of the inventory available.  If we have more than one piece, we are unable to scan and display every piece.  Unless otherwise noted, that there are variations for signatures, cancellation marks/holes, serial number, and dates.  Colors will be as noted and pictured.