MARP Members:
Please join us at the next MARP member meeting, to be held in Howell at 10am, Saturday, November 17, 2007. After the meeting, the historic Ann Arbor Railroad station in Howell, on trackage now operated by Great Lakes Central Railroad, will be specially opened for us to tour the museum that now resides inside. As you may know, Howell is to be the northern terminus of the proposed commuter rail line from Ann Arbor, which has received state funding commitments and is moving forward.

Our guest speaker will be Gordon Mackay, president of Indian Trails Bus Lines, who has agreed to speak about improving service for intercity passengers and increasing overall business through better interconnectivity between buses and trains. The regular business meeting will follow the presentation. Check the MARP website for the agenda prior to the meeting.

The meeting will start at 10am at the Howell Carnegie Public Library, 314 West Grand River, Howell, MI 48843. Please use the Clinton Street entrance. MARP meetings are free and the dress code is casual. No RSVP is required. Please attend and support Michigan intercity passenger transportation.

Action Needed
The state budget is still unsettled. Let your elected officials know that you want them to keep public transportation fully funded next year. If you ride the trains, intercity buses or transit, let them know. Find your Senator and Representative at www.legislature.michigan.gov and click on “Find your Senator/Representative.” Call soon.

Michael Whims
Executive Director
marprail@yahoo.com

MARP Members:
Please join us at the next MARP member meeting, to be held in Kalamazoo at 11am, Saturday, October 13, 2007. The meeting is sponsored by Kalamazoo Metro Transit, who is donating the meeting space in their offices at 530 North Rose St., just a block or two from the train station. The later start time for the meeting accommodates those coming in by the Blue Water or Wolverine trains.Our invited guest speaker is State Senator Mark H. Schauer, representing the Jackson-Calhoun County area. Senator Schauer has been actively participating in the recent Michigan Central Railways proceeding before the federal Surface Transportation Board.

As always, we will have a full business meeting agenda with much to discuss. The agenda will be posted at the MARP website prior to the meeting. For those who have not seen the revamped Kalamazoo Transportation Center (train station), there will be an opportunity to do so after the meeting. Lunch is on your own, and we will likely walk as a group to one the many nearby restaurants.

MARP meetings are free and the dress code is casual. Please plan to attend and support Michigan intercity passenger transportation.

Michael Whims
Executive Director
marprail@yahoo.com

Saturday, September 8, 10 am – 2 pm
Durand Union Station
200 Railroad St, Durand MI 48429
(989) 288-3561

MARP Members and the interested public:

By now you should have received in the mail a notice for the Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers Annual Meeting to be held at Durand Union Station at 10am, September 8, 2007. This will serve as a reminder for this important meeting. If you have not received the mail notice, please click here to download a registration form.

Our Keynote Speaker will be State Representative Hoon-Yung Hopgood, Chair of the House Transportation Committee. His committee, its Public Transit Subcommittee, and the House-Senate Transit Caucus serve as important venues in Lansing for rail passengers to voice their support for continued and expanded intercity passenger rail service.

MARP Executive Director John DeLora will present a preview of a great presentation he has prepared for the upcoming Michigan Railroad Historical Conference. John’s presentation addresses the history of passenger rail in Michigan, with focus on Amtrak and MARP.

MARP will also be unveiling its passenger rail vision for Michigan, which compliments the vision recently announced for the Amtrak national system by the National Association of Railroad Passengers.

We will hold a short business meeting which will include the election of officers for the 2007-2009 term.

The Annual Meeting is always an opportunity to renew old acquaintances and meet new people involved with passenger rail. The cost is $20 per person, and is open to members and non-members. A catered meal will be served.

I hope to see you in Durand on September 8.

Michael Whims
Chairman
marprail@yahoo.com

MARP Members:
Please join us on Saturday, July 14, 2007 for the Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers Member Meeting in Lapeer, Michigan. We are meeting at the recently renovated Lapeer Station, which is located at 73 Howard Street. From the I-69 Lapeer exit #155, go north 1.8 miles on M-24 (Lapeer Road or Main Street) past the RR tracks to Genesee St. Turn east ½ mile to Court Street, then south to Howard St. The meeting will begin at 10 am.

As always, we will be discussing and reporting on issues important to Michigan passenger rail. Attendance at the meeting is free. Dress code is casual. The agenda is posted and minutes of previous meetings are available on the meetings page.

Following the business meeting, the Route Enhancement Committee will be conducting a work session on MARP’s passenger rail Vision of what intercity passenger rail and bus service should look like in 2025. MARP’s Vision will become our master plan for future action. If you are interested in taking part in the development of the Vision, please stay for the work session.

MARP Activity and Events
Those who attended the June meeting in Durand were treated to a very informative presentation by Mike Bagwell, president of Great Lakes Central Railroad. After the meeting, we toured former Metra commuter rail equipment that GLC is planning to use on the proposed Ann Arbor-Howell commuter rail service. Other recent and planned activities include:
• MARP recently spoke before the Bipartisan Legislative Transit Caucus in Lansing about the economic benefits of passenger rail for Michigan, and has been asked to appear before the House Transit Subcommittee in the near future.
• Following a recent Michigan House joint committee hearing, MARP had a chance to meet and talk about the needs for better passenger rail service in Michigan with Amtrak President Alex Kummant.
• MARP members participated in “Michigan Day” at Chicago Union Station, hosted by a number of State tourist agencies, to promote Michigan passenger rail and tourism to thousands of Chicagoland commuters.
• MARP will staff a joint table with NARP at the huge National Model Railroad Association national convention in Detroit July 27-29. If you would like to help out, contact me soon.

Don’t forget that MARP’s Annual Meeting at Durand Union Station is coming up on September 8, 2007. Mark your calendar now. You will be receiving registration information soon.

If you haven’t renewed your MARP membership for 2007, please do so as soon as possible. If you did not receive a renewal card in the mail, email marprail@yahoo.com. Our primary expense is the Michigan Passenger newspaper, which we would like to continue publishing regularly.

I hope to see you in Lapeer on July 14.

Michael Whims
Chairman