Do a Youtube search for “abandoned Detroit”
I got one link here :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JbGxIR8JTk
The caption says :
It is an open secret that the downtown of Detroit, Michigan is as empty as the residential districts that surround it.
On a walking tour of the city core one July 2008 Sunday, this is what I found.
Anyway when the depot closed to trains and moved to Philly, the place was full of beautiful old wood furniture and the employee's could take anything they wanted from the offices as it was cheaper to buy new stuff after the move...He furnished his condo in Philly with much of the furniture from the offices...Beautiful oak and cherry conference tables and the arm chairs to match, I have a 7 piece (hutch type) set in my basement of a cabinet with all types of drawers for railroad plans and such...Doors, drawers, open shelving the base and the top cornice are separate pieces..He had barrister book cases from the turn of the century.
I googled to try and find out about the furniture maker (with no luck) as the piece I have has a brass medallion on the cornice with the Manufactures name...
The before and after pictures are enough to make you cry...I was there once in 1950 to see my brother off for the Korean war...It was awesome.(the depot not the war)....
People traveled by train most of the time as air flight was just too expensive, no expressways and the only Air Port was a couple of hours from Detroit. The old Willow Run airport...and those that traveled by plane were dressed like they were going to an important meeting....(my sister lived in Maryland and flew home once in the late 40's.)
Times they do change...as do the people, not always for the better...sad to say..