Detroit, MI
The Glancy Train set continues to attract thousands at Detroit Historical Museum this holiday season
MIDTOWN (WXYZ) — At Detroit Historical Museum, 74-year-old Peter Dudley really knows how to keep things on track.
WXYZ
“Yes, I’ve been a volunteer since 1997, which was the year we built the current exhibit,” says Dudley.
The Glancy Trains exhibit has been a crowd favorite for years. 13 trains moving along 12 electric-powered tracks, all thanks to a team of 3 volunteers.
“The main thing the volunteers do is to keep the trains running,” said Dudley.
From keeping the tracks clean to repairing the trains, Dudley is always busy in his workshop over the weekends.
They go from zero to 35 mph in a split second, which is another reason we have to make sure they don’t derail, said Dudley.
The collection, which dates back to the mid-1900s, belonged to Alfred Glancy Jr., a real estate financier and former owner of the Empire State Building in New York City. Detroit Historical Society’s Rebecca Salminen-Witt says Glancy enjoyed hosting “train parties” for friends and family each holiday season at his home in Grosse Pointe Shores. After his death in 1973, the Glancy family donated the set.
WXYZ
“Every kid who comes here wants to see these trains, Mr. Glancy was obviously a train guy himself. His children actually are still involved with the museum. They still love these trains, visit them and support them,” said Salminen-Witt.
Salminen-Witt says that as the exhibit grows, thanks to donations from various sources, it truly highlights Detroit’s rich history.
“Most people are really excited about the renaissance that they are seeing at Michigan Central Station. They were developing that train station right at the cusp between train travel, railroad travel and the beginning of the automotive, well as we know the cars took over,” said Salminen-Witt.
And it turns out a lot of Detroit’s history is baked into the exhibit.
“We’ve got that big tire, people are familiar with on your way to the airport, you pass on I94, on the other end of the exhibit, we have the big stove. So, Detroit was the stove manufacturing capital of the country. And, of course, trains hauled those stoves everywhere,” said Salminen-Witt.
“I often come out from behind, from the workshop, and I talk to people about local Detroit railroad history,” said Dudley.
“Does this remind you of your childhood?” asked Faraz Javed, 7 News Detroit reporter.
“I received my first train as a christmas present from my grandparents. That particular December we traveled on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad leaving from Michigan Central Station,” said Dudley.
Now, the Glancy Train exhibit runs year-round at the Detroit Historical Museum. And Dudley says they are always in need of volunteers. To find out how you can become one, just head to this website.
A 75-year-old Wixom man who was allegedly attacked by a DoorDash driver back in December has died from his injuries on May 16, his family says
Lloyd Poole’s stepdaughter, Lindsey Gonzalez, tells CBS Detroit that Poole and his wife had just gotten back from Ireland before this alleged attack, and they had plans to travel to Alaska.
“It stinks that basically my mom and his golden years of traveling and being retired was taken away by this man,” said Gonzalez.
“He had seven different brain surgeries during that time, numerous infections during that time. He ended up with pneumonia a couple times. It was just a downwhirl spiral since everything happened that night,” said Gonzalez.
Police say on Dec. 28, officers were called to the area of Barberry Circle and Windingway Drive for a report of a man lying unconscious in the roadway. Authorities say that 40-year-old Ryan Daniel Turner, a DoorDash driver, went to the police station and admitted to punching Poole after he was confronted for speeding through the neighborhood.
“The medical examiner did rule the cause of death as homicide by blunt force head trauma,” Gonzalez told CBS Detroit.
Records show that Turner was arraigned on one count of aggravated assault. He is due back in court for a pre-trial hearing. However, Poole’s family says they are frustrated that Turner is out on bond.
“I mean, he’s out on bond on house arrest on a tether, so he’s not going anywhere, but he’s still sitting out, and this happened to Lloyd,” said Gonzalez.
CBS News Detroit reached out to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, which says it is aware of Poole’s death. It is unclear if charges will be updated.
The Detroit Lions checked off a major item from their offseason to-do list Thursday.
They inked linebacker Jack Campbell, the heart and soul of their defense, to a four-year contract extension worth $81 million (reportedly $51.5 million guaranteed). It was a well-deserved extension for Campbell, who was named to his first Pro Bowl and earned first-team AP All-Pro honors in 2025.
The 25-year-old will enter the 2026 season as the second-highest paid off-ball linebacker in the NFL at $20.25 million per year, trailing only San Francisco’s Fred Warner ($21M/year).
Campbell led all Lions defenders – and finished second in the league – with 176 tackles last season, while playing in all but eight of the team’s 1,105 defensive snaps. He also notched career-high totals in sacks (five), forced fumbles (three) and fumble recoveries (two) while recording a Pro Football Focus overall grade of 90.2. It marked the second-best PFF overall grade among 88 qualified linebackers a season ago.
In addition to his high-level production, Campbell has donned the green dot and served as the de facto “quarterback” of the defense the last two seasons, relaying calls to the rest of the unit from Detroit’s defensive coaching staff.
Lions head man Dan Campbell offered high praise for the middle linebacker this past December.
“He’s our bell cow,” Campbell said. “He’s smart and he’s instinctive, and he is snap to whistle all out, all the time. In practice, too. And he doesn’t take plays off, he doesn’t take days off. He goes after the football, he’s a ball guy. So, he’s invaluable.”
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The fourth-year pro has grown into an immensely valuable member of Detroit’s defense, morphing from an inconsistently productive, part-time starter in 2023 (57.3 PFF grade) to one of the NFL’s very best linebackers. And the Iowa product has proven to be especially proficient against the run, with no less than a 75.9 PFF run-defense grade in his first three NFL seasons.
Campbell has proven time and time again he’s capable of captaining a defense, and he’s more than validated Detroit general manager Brad Holmes’ initially criticized decision to select an off-ball linebacker at No. 18 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.
“This is Jack Campbell’s defense,” Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard told reporters at the NFL combine in February. “And I don’t hesitate when I say that. This is Jack Campbell’s defense, and everybody in that locker room knows it, point blank, period. It all goes through Jack.”
He’s more than earned the right to be the leader of Sheppard’s unit, and Detroit should be in good hands with Campbell patrolling the middle of the defense in 2026.
Holmes & Co. made an extremely wise decision locking up the gritty linebacker until 2030 and should be commended for such. At this present juncture, I believe the Campbell extension deserves an “A” grade.
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The Southfield Freeway was closed Thursday night after a shooting occurred in the area of M-39 near Joy Road, the Michigan State Police reported on X.
“Troopers are currently in the preliminary stages of the investigation, and additional information will be released as it becomes available,” the state police said.
Officials said the freeway is expected to remain closed for “several hours while investigators process the scene.” There was no indication about whether anyone was injured in the shooting. The state police gave no further details.
“The roadway will be reopened as soon as the investigation allows,” the state police said.
rburr@detroitnews.com
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