During its lifetime the Michigan United operated a number of different lines, most of which it acquired through the acquisition of other companies rather than new construction.
Southern Division In its initial round of consolidations and leases the Michigan United had acquired the Michigan Traction Company and the Jackson & Battle Creek Traction Company. Between 1901 and 1903 these two companies had built a line between Kalamazoo and Jackson (via Battle Creek). The line was almost entirely new construction, except for in Jackson, Battle Creek and Kalamazoo, where it shared track with local streetcar operations. There was additional street-running in
Parma,
Albion,
Marshall,
Augusta and
Galesburg. There were two branch lines as well: one which split at Gull Lake Junction and ran north to
Yorkville, providing service to the
Gull Lake community, and one which ran north from Jackson to
Grass Lake. The Gull Lake branch had been built by Michigan Traction in 1901, and was abandoned under Michigan United Traction in 1916. The Grass Lake branch was built by Jackson & Suburban Traction in 1901; by 1929 Michigan Electric had abandoned all of it save a short segment out to
Michigan Center, which it sold to
Jackson Transportation. Michigan Electric abandoned the main line in its entirety on November 11, 1928. Through an arrangement with the
Detroit United Railway (DUR) Michigan United cars ran east from Jackson into
Detroit, allowing through car service between Kalamazoo and Detroit.
Northern Division The main line of the Northern Division, which ran from Jackson to Lansing, was constructed in 1909, and was a rare instance of the Michigan United building a line itself rather than acquiring an existing company. The line was in length, and connected the Southern Division with the Lansing–St. Johns line. As was customary it ran over local streetcar lines in both Lansing and Jackson, but there was additional street-running in
Leslie as well. The Lansing–St. Johns line was constructed in 1902 by the
Lansing, St. Johns & St. Louis. It ran over streetcar lines in Lansing before turning north and running through
DeWitt to St. Johns, for a total length of . Another branch line ran to Owosso; this was built in 1910 by the Lansing & Northeastern, a wholly owned subsidiary of Michigan United. The line ran northeast along the
Grand Trunk Western's
Chicago–
Port Huron line before turning north at
Morrice and entering Owosso, for a total length of . Michigan Electric abandoned all three lines in May 1929.
Northeastern Division The Northeastern Division operated several lines and branches in the
Tri-Cities and
Flint. The main line, which ran from
Bay City to Flint, was built in stages between 1904 and 1914. The initial segment,
Saginaw to
Bridgeport, was built in 1904 by the
Detroit, Flint & Saginaw. The same year the company built a branch line to
Frankenmuth ("little
Bavaria"). In 1908 the
Saginaw & Flint, successor to the DF&S, branched off west of Frankenmuth and completed the line to Flint. Finally, in 1911, the S&F built north from Saginaw to Bay City, finishing the main line for a total length of . Ownership passed to
Michigan Railroad in 1919, and that company abandoned the Frankenmuth branch in 1922 and the main line in 1929. The Michigan United owned a separate Saginaw–Bay City line which had come down to it from the
Saginaw–Bay City. This line ran along the left bank of the
Saginaw River through
Zilwaukee. Michigan Railroad sold the Saginaw–Zilwaukee section to
Saginaw Transit in 1922 and then abandoned the rest.
Western Division The main line of the Western Division was the last major addition to Michigan United's network: a newly built line running north from Kalamazoo to
Grand Rapids. This line opened in 1915 and was abandoned in 1929. At Montieth Junction the main crossed the "Battle Creek branch," a line connecting southeast to Battle Creek originally built by the
Michigan & Ohio. This line had been taken over by the
Michigan & Chicago, another interurban, and electrified. The Michigan Railway took over operations in 1914; its successor, Michigan Railroad, abandoned all but a small stretch in 1928. The remainder, Battle Creek–
Hooper, was sold to the
Michigan Central in 1930. Another branch owned by the Michigan & Chicago, which continued from Montieth west to
Allegan, was also abandoned in 1928.
Other In 1911 the Michigan United leased the
Kalamazoo, Lake Shore and Chicago, a Kalamazoo–South Haven line. Although intended as another interurban, its owners lacked the capital for electrification. The MUR hoped to use the line to tap into the lucrative
Lake Michigan traffic, but this never happened and the MUR allowed the lease to lapse in 1916. Between 1916 and 1924 the Michigan United (through the Michigan Railway) leased the
Grand Rapids, Holland & Chicago, which connected Grand Rapids with the
Lake Michigan communities of
Holland and
Saugatuck. == Equipment ==