Re-visiting the Michigan Central Train Station (Detroit)

Back in 2009, I had the opportunity to get inside the abandoned Michigan Central Train Station.
Since 2009 a lot has changed at the Station (For the better)
I wanted to give a brief history of the Train Station starting from when it was built in 1913 as well as show the footage I was able to capture in 2009.

[@SpockvsMcCoy]

Ford saved this building just in time... another five years of decay and it would have been too far gone.

[@FrankaiVideos-DetroitsComeback]

Now that Ford Motor Company has purchased and is revitalizing Michigan Central & the area, the current view of the former train station is no longer a ruin!

[@shirleybalinski4535]

Ford Motor Company is really missing the mark by not pivoting to light rail or train/ vehicular transportation. The location of this building, the existence of train infrastructure, the future of mass transportation in the vibrancy of metro areas, the energy issues facing the country, population density, even the viability/ expense of privately owned automobiles versus rail. A golden opportunity for the future. Great job on restoring the building!! I

[@spacethrust6093]

I went to Holy Redeemer HS graduated in 2000. I went all thru thru that building. From the flooded basements to the top of the smoke stack really dangerous. The bolts holding it to the stack broke. I even climed from the bottom to the top on a metal ladder connected to a wall. I think it was something to do with the heating of the building. Like a way to perform maintenance. There was a little room above the main area where you could look over the whole main chamber. I met two people living in there in 99. A black guy with a cart I guess he was selling pieces to one guy that was paying pretty good. I also met a white guy he said his name was catfish and had been living there 5 years he was from another state. All the kids who went to explore knew him. One time we were going in thru the back part right off Verner. There were rectangle holes about 6ft deep all over. Some had plates some did not. My friend fail thru busted his leg open. It was bad had to take him to hospital. I remember how it felt thru out the building it made the hair on my body stand up. It felt amazing in there the whole building was full of energy. My friend the person I went in with lived in cork town and been exploring it since a kid. He knew the building. I also seen a man on a couch watching TV with a hose of non stop running water it was a big hose. It was in a area on the bottom where you could see out side. It had to be in one of the lower buildings. One day we all ,maybe 10 of us decided to have a paintball war in there. Everything went well we were done all packed up to leave. Then out of no where we hear stop. We look up and see about 6 police offers with flashlights shining at us. They were about 100ft away. Every body ran spliting up. I felt like I would have a better chance by my self. Let me remind you I was 17 and afraid. As I ran and diped around the corner I saw the open elevator shafts. We were on the sixth floor. All I could do is remember a shaft in the basement. I jumped on to the cables in the middle of the open shaft. The elevator must of been above me. I know the dumest thing I could of done. I slid down ths cables like I was in some kind of Die Hard movie. As I got toward the bottom I realized this shaft did not go to the bottom. It landed me right to the main entrance. The big room you see in movies like transformers. I was thinking I made a big mistake. But it could of been worse if it took me to the flooded part of the basement where the water was at least 6 feet. That could have been a horrible death or if the elevator fail on me. But here I was on the main floor. I could hear the police radios in the distance. I tried to hide under the ruble at the bottom of the shaft. I could not make that much noise so I did the best at camouflaging my body. The police were getting closer and closer. They almost passed me but shined their flashlights at me at the last min. I was like f*** they found me. I could not squeeze thru the gate soI had to climb it to the top where I could fit thru. I jumped to the ground got put in hand cuffs and was taken to jail. When I got to jail. I was there with my friends they caught every one. Half of us were let go because we were 17 the others had to have their parents pick them up because they were 16. I ended up getting a trespassing fine $100. Even after that we would still go exploring you know a couple blunts and a fifth and a flash lights. I wish I would have taken a camra. It would be nice if I had a body cam the day all this happened. The plase was like a magnet to me. The feeling you get when your with a couple people in a beautiful building. You can feel the energy of the building all the people who worked traveler's that were once going and coming. All the people who died from natural reasons to the people who took a wrong step. Just thinking all the people who died some maybe murder or the bodies that were dumped by some killer. At that young age I seen how cruel the world was meeting the homless people in there. They were smart people and had amazing personalities. It felt so romantic and sad at the same time. They were free but with that came a cost they did not have family or abandoned their families. They just could not live in society maybe it was drugs or mental issues. It still keeps me up at night thinking about it. There where 2 train tunnels pointed to Canada. I never explored them but my friend did. He said they went thru one and when they came out there was a parking lot with cars with Canadian plants on them. I don't know if the tunnel went to Canada or what. But that is what he told me I don't think he was making it up. I never looked into where they go. Old abandoned buildings always pulled me toward them. They give me a magical feeling like when your a kid around Christmas. They are so addicting ,all the history and the thrill of not supposed to be there. I wish I could go back and explore more but things are diffrent know. I don't have that ability to not think twice about things any more. But the train station will always have a spot in my heart. I'm glad there restoring it maybe I will have a chance to go back in and check it out when it opens.

[@MrFullService]

Hey, what a great story. Sounds like you and your mates had some interesting times there. Good memories.

[@NazaAnasa]

Amazing story!!! I know exactly what you mean when you say it felt magnetic being in there or just any building down there. The sneaking around and knowing how many people once were there is so intense feeling. The train station will always have a piece of my heart as it was my first building and first roof climb. Watched the sunrise on the roof for my 18th birthday in 2010. So not as long as you’ve been exploring and wished I got to explore it more. It’s a different world out there now. It’s hard to explore much anymore because it’s either torn down or it’s being re-used. I could listen to more of your stories anyday. ✌🏽

[@wolfiethedog76]

The narrator sounds very friendly....woof

[@allred6505]

Fun fact, district steam in Detroit was put together by Edison and is powered using trash making it a much greener way to heat the city than natural gas or electric heaters.

[@markflack5234]

The sewers steam because they are filled with steam lines that run all over under the city and are used to heat many of the Downtown buildings.

[@MikeEvansWindsor]

Thank you Mark. I had no idea.

[@addieyarger5998]

I lived across the street from the depot on 15th st Every Sunday I would go across Michigan Ave through the park and get my Dad a Sunday paper I am 81 and the Depot brings back many memories😊

[@gerisacu60]

Fantastic video. Very informative. Great job again. 👏👏👏🏆

[@bpacheco6]

Michael how many more gems like this do you have in your archive this was awesome! It looks like it was filmed today, must have had some expensive equipment back in 2009 The photo of them digging the tunnel was spectacular

[@MikeEvansWindsor]

A few like this one. It was filmed at HD720. but it looks pretty good blown up to 1080 Thanks! It is a great memory. Just waiting for Dennis to share his footage from back then!

[@wolfiethedog76]

The building will be completed in 2023....still being renovated.

[@randallsoulliere6226]

Great video! Thanks, as for the steam on man hole covers. Detroit has steam heat through out the city which they sell to businesses.

[@MikeEvansWindsor]

Thank you very nice! Good to know.

[@Donn29]

I believe downtown Windsor has plumbed hot water for heating as well.

[@mattsproull181]

Man I have been there a few times. I also have GoPro video of the stunts and helicopter for music video Adam Lavine 50 cent and Eminem, My Life.

[@scottyhughes9179]

I travelled out of that station in Detroit in the late 1970's, to Chicago for a music conference.... the AMTRAK train was a piece of crap. No air conditioning, it was sweltering hot... and the air movement in the passenger cars was nil... the station was run down too... not at all like Toronto Union Station... a great video Mike.

[@MrFullService]

Actually the building has eighteen floors. Great video!

[@Derpy1969]

2024 it is opened to the public after restoration until August 31.

[@empressvogt]

6.6.24 is the opening day for the old Detroit Train Depot!

[@SOALNightLive]

Great vid! I really liked the drum soundtrack too.

[@MsJellyBellyLove]

Great vid! I hope Chief is doing ok these days!

[@MikeEvansWindsor]

Thank you. Same here.

[@xPershionx]

Boy, think of how useful that giant building could be as housing for homeless or those in need. Glad it was restored at least

[@DarthHater100]

It's been in a few movies. One of the Transformers movies has a big scene. . The Island too, also by Michael Bay. Batman v Superman has extensive scenes in the train station as well. Any other movies???

[@MikeEvansWindsor]

I knew of The Island and Trasnformers. But not Batman VS Superman.

[@joshuacraft7792]

That isn't the sewer steaming. Its actually a rather complex grid of steam pipes which run under the streats of Detroit from a central plant located near Ford Field. The steam is used to heat the buildings in Downtown.

[@MikeEvansWindsor]

Very nice! Thank you 😊

[@tylerkochman1007]

@@MikeEvansWindsor several cities have district heating steam systems. None in North America as extensive as NYC’s, though.

[@raypillon2575]

The sewers steam because of the Great " Coney Islands " !

[@taweller]

who's on the drums? 💃

[@MikeEvansWindsor]

@kenamlin a friend of mine

[@vetbcrazy]

@@MikeEvansWindsor he’s good. A nice jazzy mix. He’s skilled to the point that he doesn’t need a giant set and be loud to compensate for lack of talent. Very good! (Comments from and old drummer)

[@pbry99]

Amazing Video!!!! Thanks for sharing !

[@MikeEvansWindsor]

Thank you 😊

[@AlfredoCosta77]

Awesome!

[@gingercheyene]

Because there's steam pipes in the underground tunnels to heat the city.

[@dawnkelly6242]

My great grandfather sold the family farm and immigrated with his family in 1912. His first job was laying marble floors here. Ostensibly all the public buildings at that time were supposed to be grand and beautiful--- the train station, the courts and libraries, because the United States was rejecting the idea of royalty and their grand palaces . In the US democracy made the common man worthy of grand buildings and culture. Somebody should have told Henry Ford that. My grandfather's second job was laying marble at the Ford Fairlane mansion. Great grandfather and his children were very proud of this place and all the beautiful art and fine work there.

[@MikeEvansWindsor]

Wonderful. I love hearing stories like this. Here we are over 100 years later and the building is still a work of art.

[@Scodel]

Lose the drums in the background

[@MikeEvansWindsor]

Lol

[@urbexguyclement]

super

[@jonshecket3010]

Was there a rail bridge before the Ambassador Bridge opened?

[@MikeEvansWindsor]

No but there was a rail tunnel. It is still in operation.

[@MrFullService]

Yes, a freight train rail tunnel 8000+ feet long so about 1 1/2 miles. The tunnel was begun in 1906 and finished in 1910, three years before train station.

[@lawxx6]

This is not how it looked a year ago try 15 years ago

[@MikeEvansWindsor]

From the video description... Back in 2009, I had the opportunity to get inside the abandoned Michigan Central Train Station. Since 2009 a lot has changed at the Station (For the better) I wanted to give a brief history of the Train Station starting from when it was built in 1913 as well as show the footage I was able to capture in 2009