No. 1 pulling the Old Road Dinner Train on August 1, 1991.
(Photo © Eddie Gross, Fair Use, Title 17, Section 107, via Internet Archive)
ADRIAN AND BLISSFIELD RAIL ROAD
The Adrian and Blissfield Rail Road Company (reporting mark ADBF) is a Class III short line railroad which operates 20 miles (32 km) of railroad track between Adrian and Riga, in Lenawee County, Michigan. It was incorporated February 6, 1991, with company headquarters in Westland, Michigan. It also operates Lapeer Industrial Railroad, Charlotte Southern Railroad, Detroit Connecting Railroad, and the Jackson and Lansing Railroad.
ADBF's railroad line is one of the oldest operating in the United States, having been originally built in 1834 by the Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad.
ADBF also operates a dinner train known as "The Old Road Dinner Train" in Blissfield, and a sister company operates in Charlotte.
Fleet
The ADBF fleet, as of April 2025, consists of the following 10 locomotives:
| Number | Type | Built |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | GE 44 Ton | 1956 |
| 1755, 1760 | EMD GP9 | 1955-1957 |
| 821 | EMD SD40-2 | 1966 |
| 822-826, 828 | EMD GP40-2 | 1966-1972 |
New Face On The Adrian and Blissfield Railroad - GP40 and GP9 in Jackson with Amtrak and NS
New to May of 2025 is Adrian and Blissfield No. 823, an EMD GP40M-3 built originally in 1971 for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
Overview
Headquarters: Westland, Michigan
Reporting mark: ADBF
Locale: Lenawee County, Michigan
Dates of operation: 1991–present
Technical
Track gauge: 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Length: 20 miles
Other
Website: abrailroad.com
See Also:
Lapeer Industrial Railroad
Charlotte Southern Railroad
Detroit Connecting Railroad
Jackson and Lansing Railroad
