Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Memorabilia Value Guide

The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway started operations in 1869 and stopped service in 1914 for a total period of operations of 45 years.

After the Civil War railroads exploded in the US with hundreds of lines starting service all over the country. This was the the age of steam locomotives and rail travel was still a luxury. Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway items from this time period can be very valuable and items of most types that predate 1900 will be valuable if they are in good condition. Many collectors are looking for antique railroadiana that dates before 1900 so there is a strong market for anyone looking to sell.

Railroads that ran service to as many states as Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway are fairly rare because it requires a large railroad to cover ground in 6 different states. Since Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway was so large, most items from it will tend to be more common than items from smaller lines. However, large railroads also touched the lives of many more people and were much more well known so while items are more common, there is also a larger demand for them. Value for items from a line like Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway can be in a huge range from a couple dollars for something small like a pinback or deck of cards, to thousands for a builder's plate off a famous locomotive or hundreds for a hard to find lantern.

Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Operated Routes in the Following States: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania