Category Archives: Uncategorized

MTU Summer Rail Program

Tracks to the Future Summer Program in Railroad Transportation & Engineering Open for Applications!

With funding from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), MTU has expanded its summer program to 120 students and 6 universities!  Michigan Tech, Penn State Altoona, the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, the University of South Carolina, the University of New Mexico, and California State University, Fresno have teamed up to offer up to 120 high school students across the U.S. an exciting opportunity to learn more about rail transportation and engineering in Summer 2023.  All applicants who are accepted for the program will receive scholarships that cover the Program fees, so don’t wait, encourage your favorite student to get an application in today!

Learn more. 

 

East Lansing Station Hosts

East Lansing Station Host John Boyse helps direct Amtrak passengers at the East Lansing Amtrak Station during the busy Thanksgiving holiday season.

The MARP Station Host program consists of a group of five dedicated volunteers who staff the East Lansing Station mornings for the departure of the westbound train. First time travelers always have questions, and the ticket and parking kiosk can be challenging for some. While we do have a new and clean station that serves Amtrak, Indian Trails, and local CATA buses, it is short on signage to direct travelers, especially for those new to train travel. We do not meet the eastbound train because most arriving passengers simply leave the station quickly and very few people board the train to travel eastbound from East Lansing.

The East Lansing Amtrak Station is on Harrison Road adjacent to the huge Michigan State University (MSU) Campus. During the sell-out travel days (MSU’s spring break, fall break, and holidays), college students make up the majority of the passengers. As young, socially mobile, and frequent travelers, they typically need very little assistance from the station hosts. However, families traveling with children and seniors are identified by the station hosts and invited to
board first so they can find seats together. Some travelers with mobility issues and those with large or heavy luggage find that boarding the cars using the step box and climbing the narrow steps is difficult. (A raised boarding platform like at Ann Arbor would be a welcome addition and especially inviting for anyone with a mobility issue.)

Our current station hosts are Honey Bentley, Jerry Becker, Joy Gleason, Dave Koval, and John Boyse. Honey Bentley is assisted by her sister Kim Baker who serves as the weekend caretaker for our station. We’re all happy to be a part of the station host volunteer program, and enjoy our mornings at the station. (MARP is very proud of these dedicated volunteer hosts.)

 

Recorded Presentation: Chicago Access Program

 

High Speed Rail Alliance

“This presentation covers the Chicago Access Program, a group of high-impact projects that will increase capacity and improve reliability for trains entering and exiting Chicago. Amtrak is taking the lead on this program that will improve Chicago Union Station, create more routes into the city and open up a variety of new service options. They have already applied for a Mega Grant and partnered with stakeholders who will help fund this $850 million project.

In this video we break down the projects included in the Chicago Access Program, explain why it will impact train service far beyond Chicago, and how it sets the stage for additional improvements to our national rail network.

Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D7i77mPAcg

Learn more about the Chicago Access Program on our website www.hsrail.org/chicago-access”