Cruce Becker will be joined by others to talk about the things that are making ESPA members anxious and the things that are giving them hope. On the plus side, ESPA has seen the opening of two new stations in the last year–Exchange Street Station in Buffalo and the Moynihan Train Hall in NYC; completion of a second main between Albany and Schenectady; formation of a Lake Shore Working group looking to expand service; and hiring of a part-time executive director. On the minus side, they have been waiting nearly 12 years for a final report on the Empire Corridor study, hoping it won’t meet the same fate as the Chicago-Detroit/Pontiac Corridor study. More immediately, ESPA hopes to restore food service on the Empire State Corridor train and is working to get pre-clearance at Montreal and to extend the Ethan Allen from Rutland to Burlington VT.

If you are new to Zoom, you will find this short video helpful:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9isp3qPeQ0E

The Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers
invites you to a Virtual Brown Bag Lunch
Thursday, May 13 at 12:00 pm CT, 1:00 pm ET  

In lieu of a MARP membership meeting in May, we are inviting members and friends to enjoy a Virtual Brown Bag Lunch with the High Speed Rail Alliance.

The guest speaker will be Derrick James, Amtrak Government Affairs Director. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about Amtrak’s “Vision 2035” to grow service and connect new city pairs across the country.

The plan would provide new and improved train service to millions of additional passengers and increase connectivity between urban and rural communities.

Advance registration is required if you wish to attend the event.
The zoom link will be provided when you register. 
REGISTER HERE 
Or go to HSRail.org/Events  

Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers
Invites You to Learn About
“Amtrak’s Plan to Expand Ohio Train Services”
Thursday, 18 March 2021
5:00 PM Eastern Time

Please plan to join us “virtually” as we talk with Stu Nicholson, Executive Director of All Aboard Ohio, about Amtrak’s proposal for new and expanded passenger train services in Ohio.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84178735512?pwd=Um1zS1BhUmdvYmtIcG5Ha3dDbml3Zz09

Or Phone:   312 626 6799
Meeting ID:   841 7873 5512

Passcode:   576546

If you are new to Zoom, you will find this short video helpful:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9isp3qPeQ0E

“This Corridor Development Program is a major policy shift for Amtrak. Since it began in 1971, Amtrak has been largely reactive and not proactive when it comes to its growth. This policy shift is very welcome and long overdue when it comes to dealing with states like Ohio that have almost no service and thus almost no political constituency to create a passenger rail development program. We hope that Congress will authorize and fully fund this Corridor Development Program.”  

 — All Aboard Ohio Executive Director Stu Nicholson in a 02 March 2020 news release