Category Archives: Announcements

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From an Michigan Department of Transportation press release:

The public is invited to celebrate 30 years of the Pere Marquette Amtrak service between Grand Rapids and Chicago, with stops in Holland, Bangor and St. Joseph/Benton Harbor. The Westrain coalition and Amtrak will promote the 30th anniversary event with a double-decker Superliner train, including a special “theater car” at the rear of the train for better viewing; an opportunity to win free round-trip tickets at stations; and commemorative gift bags and refreshments. The event is sponsored by the Westrain coalition, Amtrak and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), which provides state support for the route.

Approximately one-half hour prior to regularly scheduled train departure, 30th anniversary ceremonies at each city are slated to include local mayors and other city leaders, as well as MDOT and Amtrak officials.

To commemorate the occasion, tickets will be discounted 30 percent for the month of September for all stops on the Pere Marquette route. Go to www.amtrak.com for ticket details.

WHEN:
Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2014
Grand Rapids: 7:00 a.m. event (7:40 a.m. departure)
Holland: 7:50 a.m. event (8:26 a.m. departure)
Bangor: 8:30 a.m. event (9:07 a.m. departure)
St. Joseph/Benton Harbor: 9:10 a.m. event (9:44 a.m. departure)

WHERE:
Grand Rapids Amtrak Station
431 Wealthy St., SW
Grand Rapids

Holland Amtrak Station
1717 Lincoln Ave.
Holland

Bangor Amtrak Station
541 Railroad St.
Bangor

St. Joseph/Benton Harbor Amtrak Station
410 1/2 Vine St.
St. Joseph

BACKGROUND:
The Pere Marquette serves Grand Rapids, Holland, Bangor, and St. Joseph/Benton Harbor, with daily passenger service to and from Chicago. This is one of three state-sponsored routes. Michigan is among 15 states, including Illinois, Missouri and Wisconsin, that sponsors Amtrak for services. Improvements to the service include free Wi-Fi service added last year and a new station location scheduled to open in Grand Rapids next month.

Since 2006, annual ridership has been steady at more than 100,000 each year. Currently, ridership is expected to be about 3 percent below last year’s total of 104,491 due to the recent harsh winter and steady-to-lower gas prices.

Westrain coalition members include the Grand Valley Metropolitan Council, Macatawa Area Coordinating Council, the city of Bangor, Cornerstone Chamber of Commerce, and the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission, and are supported by the Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers.

Announcements, FYI, News

Amtrak extends modified schedule through September

September 4, 2014 admin

Amtrak will continue to operate trains on a modified schedule for the Wolverine Service and Blue Water routes through the end of September as it completes infrastructure improvements in West Michigan. The track and signal work will result in improved reliability, a smoother ride and the future extension of 110 mph Amtrak service between Battle Creek and
Kalamazoo.

The modified schedules first announced in the spring primarily affect the westbound schedule of Train 365, the Blue Water, from Port Huron to Chicago, via East Lansing. Wolverine Service customers between West Michigan and Chicago will continue to benefit from an additional eastbound trip on Sundays and an additional westbound trip on Mondays during the period ending Sept. 30.

Please see the attached Amtrak Passenger Service Notice for details and other significant schedule modifications.

These temporary schedules also allow Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) a greater opportunity to continue their work to reduce freight train congestion that has been interfering with Amtrak trains in Northern Indiana. Both Amtrak and the Michigan Department of Transportation have asked NS to take action to improve the daily dispatching of ten state- sponsored Amtrak trains — and four more
Amtrak national network services — on NS tracks between Chicago and Porter, Ind.

Normal Wolverine Service and Blue Water schedules in Michigan are effective on Oct. 1.

The Amtrak Pere Marquette train schedules to and from Grand Rapids are unchanged.

Announcements, Meetings

ALL ABOARD! MARP’s 41st annual meeting is Sept. 13, 2014

August 9, 2014 admin

Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers
41st Annual Meeting
Saturday, September 13, 2014
10:30 am – 2:30 pm
Durand Union Station
200 Railroad Street, Durand MI 48429
(former Grand Trunk Western and Ann Arbor RR Depot)

Keynote Speaker
Thomas C. Carper
Member, Amtrak Board of Directors

Other invited speakers will discuss Detroit’s M-1 Rail Project, prospects for expansion of Michigan passenger train service, and regulatory issues affecting rail.

Registration forms will be mailed to members in August.
The public is welcome to attend.

Lunch will be served to preregistered attendees.

Questions? Email marprail@yahoo.com or leave a message at 269-388-3777

Click on the registration form below for a printable version to mail to MARP.

Announcements, FYI

Ride the “WALLY” cars at the Howell Melon Festival Aug. 15-17

August 6, 2014 admin

Visitors to the Howell Melon Festival Aug. 15-17 will have the opportunity to see and to ride the bi-level “Mi-Train” passenger cars that could either be used for commuter service between Ann Arbor and Howell (known as the WALLY line) or Ann Arbor to Detroit.

The cars will be available for free public tours on Friday, Aug. 15 after 4 p.m.

Hour-long rides will be given on the cars from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 16 and Sunday, Aug. 17. The cost is $20 per adult and $15 per child.

Motive power for the train rides is provided by the Steam Railroading Institute and the Great Lakes Central Railroad.

The rides are given at the Howell Historic Train Museum at 128 Wetmore St, Howell, MI 48843.

Announcements, Meetings

July 19, 2014 MARP meeting in Traverse City includes a special announcement

July 6, 2014 admin

MARP MEMBER MEETING
Sat., July 19, 2014
10:a.m. – 1 p.m.

Traverse Area District Library

610 Woodmere Avenue

Traverse City MI 49686

Map & Directions

This joint meeting with the Michigan Land Use Institute will feature a roll-out of “Getting Back on Track: Uncovering the Potential for Trains in Traverse City”, a report analyzing the potential for restarting rail travel along an 11-mile stretch of track between Traverse City and Acme/Williamsburg. The report was authored by James Bruckbauer, MLUI transportation specialist, with the generous support of The National Association of Realtors and other local sponsors.

MARP will hold a brief business meeting starting promptly at 10:00 a.m. James will give a formal presentation of his report “Getting Back on Track” at 11:00 a.m. Following the presentation, we will have the opportunity for further discussion over lunch (no host) at The Filling Station Microbrewery which occupies the former Pere Marquette Depot, 642 Railroad Place, just a few steps north of the Library.

We hope you have made plans to bring the family/friends and make a weekend of it. If you have not already reserved your lodging, you may have to look for something in the Cadillac area or another location along the way.

Our friends at MLUI have sent these suggestions:
• The Park Place is the historic downtown hotel
• Sleep Inn and Suites in Acme is very supportive of the rail project
• Boarders Inn and Suites
• Econo Lodge is modestly priced, but entirely acceptable

If you are into camping, you might enjoy spending an evening at the Dulcimer Funfest on the Osceola County Fairgrounds in Evart MI on July 17-20. The annual festival is sponsored by the Original Dulcimer Players Club, aka O.D.P.C., which bills itself as the largest and oldest hammered dulcimer club in the world. Visit the Osceola County Fairgrounds website for information about camping on site.

For the railroad historians among us, a “must see” stop as you pass through the Cadillac area, is the After 26 Depot Cafe & Gifts. Housed in the former Ann Arbor Railroad Depot at 127 West Cass Street in Cadillac, the After 26 Project recently celebrated its first anniversary in the refurbished depot. Dedicated to employing adults with developmental disabilities and cognitive impairments, the project has enjoyed huge success in its first year of operation. Live piano music is featured on Friday evenings and for Sunday brunch. Stop by on Friday or Saturday for dinner on your way to or from Traverse City. The cafe is also open for breakfast and lunch seven days a week. Visit the Facebook page for a sampling of the enthusiastic response this project is getting.