Michigan's early railroad program and Canal projects were both spawned by the Michigan Internal Improvements program of the 1830s. Private corporations were chartered to build railroads to connect all the important cities and villages in the State.

The first railroad to be authorized in Macomb County was designated as the Romeo and Mount Clemens Railroad Company and was incorporated in 1833 with capital stock of $150,000. It was limited to six years for building and its charter lapsed.

The Detroit and Shelby Railroad Company was the third of only 5 railroads built from the original pre 1837 charters, which numbered 21. It was incorporated on March 7,1834 and began operation in September, 1839. It was designed to connect the Campus Martius in Detroit with the settlement of Utica or Leech's Mills in Shelby Township.

The rails of the road were made of poles strapped on to logs. The coaches were to be operated by horsepower. With great expectstions of success, a three story hotel was built and preparations made for the expected growth this project and the Clinton Kalamazoo Canal would bring to Utica. But on inauguration day, the first car did not reach Detroit. Within five miles of reaching its destination of Campus Martius, where people waited to acclaim its arrival, something went wrong with the roadbed. The strapped rails spread and the omnibus, or compartment car, slid into Conner's Creek!

It ceased operation in 1844 and on March 18,1848 the legislature changed the name to the Detroit, Romeo and Port Huron Railroad. This name change did not revive the railroad. Later it was extended to Bay City and became the Detroit Bay City Railroad.

It was not until 1859 that the Detroit and Canada Grand Trunk Junction Railroad was built through Macomb County. For many years it was an essential line. Linked to the Michigan Central in West Detroit, it allowed al types of freight to be delivered to the rest of the State and region.

In 1869 the Michigan Air Line, Macomb County's second railroad was built from Ridgeway (now Lenox) to Romeo, and was later extended through Washington, Shelby and to Pontiac.

In 1871, the Detroit-Bay City railroad was opened and the western part of the county was connected by rail with the outside world. It became part of the Michigan Central System in 1928 and is presently operated by Conrail. This railroad followed almost exactly the right of way established by the old strap railroad company thirty years earlier.

The Grand Trunk's tracks in northeast Shelby Township have been removed and it is in the process of being converted for use in a "rails to trails" project called The Macomb Orchard Trail. The Macomb Orchard Trail is 23 miles non-motorized path from Richmond to Shelby Township. It crosses Dequindre Road south of 24 Mile Road/Parkdale and becomes the "Clinton River Trail", which will link to the Paint Creek Trail and to Bloomer Park, Stony Creek, and into Pontiac.