Train operations on the PH&D will be discussed on this page.
The PH&D ran two general freight trains daily – an afternoon train and an evening train. Other trains, such as coal trains, were run as needed.
In the diesel era, most trains on the PH&D were pulled by one of the company’s end cab diesel switchers.
Loaded coal trains were often delivered to Belle River with run-through power (i.e. the locomotives that brought the train to Port Huron remained on the train). Typically the loaded train would be delivered to Detroit Edison at Belle River, then the crew would return the locomotives to their owner at Port Huron. Power for empty trains would be picked up by the crew from the railroad the train would be returned to, run to Belle River where the train would be picked up from Detroit Edison, then returned to Port Huron and interchanged.
For more information about the coal trains, see Coal Trains.