Three railroads used Grand Rapids Union Station (GRUS). Pennsylvania Railroad's Grand Rapids Division extended north from Richmond and Fort Wayne IN to Mackinaw City, with a branch northwest of Grand Rapids to Muskegon. Pere Marquette, later Chesapeake & Ohio, operated in three directions, with the Detroit Subdivision extending southeast, the Chicago Subdivision extending southwest, and the Baldwin Subdivision extending north. And New York Central's Grand Rapids Branch extended southeast to Jackson MI.
Significant Locations and Distances from Station
Pleasant Street (1 mile S) - GRUS connection with PRR, PM Detroit Subdivision.
Sunnyside (1 mile SW) - GRUS connection with PM Chicago Subdivision.
Wealthy Street Jct. (1/2 mile S) - junction of GRUS lines from points south.
Bartlett Street Jct. (1/4 mile S) - junction with NYC Grand Rapids Branch.
Williams Street (1/4 mile S) - south end of station.
Fulton Street (1/2 mile N) - north end GRUS trackage, connect with PRR.
Muskegon Jct. (3 miles N) - junction of PRR main line and Muskegon Branch.
Fuller (3 miles N) - junction of PRR, PM Baldwin Subdivision with trackage rights.
The Grand Trunk Western station in Grand Rapids was on a spur, extending 1 mile south from its Grand Rapids Subdivision, which extended from Detroit and Durand to Grand Haven. Muskegon emerged as a stronger Lake Michigan endpoint for that route. And at Penn Jct., 8 miles west of Grand Rapids, GTW trains turned north via a 1 mile long spur, connecting at Walker with PRR's Muskegon Branch for trackage rights to Muskegon.
New York Central had a station serving that railroad's Kalamazoo Branch.