Category Archives: Announcements

Che sorpresa ti aspetta nel vivace casinò lazybar: generosi bonus, giri gratuiti e una selezione di giochi colorati renderanno la tua serata fantastica.
Announcements, FYI, News

Ride the Michigan Northern Arrow special train to Petoskey this Labor Day weekend

2 Comments

This year’s Labor Day weekend will feature a rare and nostalgic opportunity for Michiganians:  a train trip from south central Michigan to Petoskey and two full days in the popular Little Traverse Bay region.  The Michigan Northern Arrow will blend the leisurely ambiance of rail travel with the enjoyment of Petoskey, Harbor Springs, the Straits and the Soo.  Bluewater Michigan Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society is presenting this new ‘take” on a bygone tradition of rail excursions “Up North” with the cooperation of the Great Lakes Central railroad and the Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The Michigan Northern Arrow departs Owosso Friday morning, Sept. 3, with complimentary bus connections from metropolitan Detroit and west Michigan points.  The diesel-powered train of coaches, a sleeper, diners and lounges will take a day-long ramble through Mt. Pleasant, Clare, Cadillac, Manton, Kalkaska and Boyne Falls to the former GR&I (Pennsylvania Railroad) station in downtown Petoskey.  Refreshments, snacks, lunch and dinner will be served enroute.  At the end of the line, passengers will board buses to the Holiday Inn Express, Best Western Inn or Days Inn, depending on package selections.

Saturday will be spent relaxing, shopping Petoskey’s Gaslight District, strolling the shoreline paths or quaint Victorian-era Bay View, or visiting the new Odawa Casino. Side trips to Boyne City or Harbor Springs, including a bay cruise on the Pointer, may be reserved in advance.  Sunday affords more relaxation and shopping or a prepaid trip to Mackinac Island, Keewadin Casino in Sault Ste. Marie, or through the Soo locks by boat, with lunch on board. 

On Labor Day, passengers who make advance reservations to do so may take part in the annual Mackinac Bridge Walk, and will board the homebound train down line.  The Michigan Northern Arrow departs Petoskey at 8:00 a.m. and is scheduled to arrive in Owosso in the early evening. 

The excursion will feature Coach, First Class and Ultra Class packages, priced according to on-board and overnight accommodations and services.  Side trips away from Petoskey are priced separately, but in-town shuttles will be available at no additional charge.

Full information, including a detailed flier, is available from Bluewater Michigan Chapter, NRHS at 800-594-5162, or on-line at www.bluewaternrhs.com.

Bluewater Michigan Chapter of the National Railway Historical Chapter is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of rail traditions, equipment and artifacts, and is headquartered in Royal Oak.  Great Lakes Central railroad operates freight service between metropolitan Ann Arbor, Traverse City and Petoskey, and is headquartered in Owosso.

MEDIA CONTACT:  BILL HARMAN, 989-860-3900

Announcements, FYI, Meetings, News

Public forum scheduled for June 14 on passenger rail in Royal Oak

From The Royal Oak Daily Tribune

Public can help put modern rail system on track

ROYAL OAK — The first in a statewide slate of public forums on Michigan’s passenger rail transportation future takes place from 6-8 p.m. Monday, June 14, 2010 at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 26988 Woodward Ave., which is at the southeast corner of 11 Mile Road.

The public can voice their opinions on how to best upgrade passenger and freight rail service in Michigan to create a more convenient, efficient system.

Attendees include State Rep. Marie Donigan (D-Royal Oak), Royal Oak Mayor Jim Ellison, and staff from U.S. Congressman Gary Peters’ office.

“Recent federal support has put Michigan in a great position to build a modern rail transit system that is clean, fast and convenient,” said John DeLora of the Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers, which is one of the forum sponsors.

“We want residents to shape that vision and discuss how best to meet big challenges like funding for such a rail network.”

Investments in state-of-the-art passenger rail can help speed the way toward a new, robust economic model for the state that will also soften our environmental footprint, according to spokespeople for the other sponsors, the Michigan Environmental Council and the Michigan Suburbs Alliance.

“High speed rail is about much more than just tracks, trains, and trip times,” said Tim Fischer of the Michigan Environmental Council. “It’s also about creating thousands of green construction and manufacturing jobs that can help drive a new, clean-energy economy.”

Fischer said a modern rail system can revitalize urban centers, reduce freeway and airport congestion, and boost the use of urban public transit while reducing air pollution and carbon emissions in the process.

Each forum will include an overview of the existing rail system, an interactive rail mapping session, discussion of financing options and a big picture vision for a modern Michigan high speed rail system.

Forums later this summer are being planned for cities including Traverse City, Grand Rapids, New Buffalo, Lansing, Jackson, Holland, Detroit, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph/Benton Harbor and Ann Arbor.

Original article appeared at:
http://www.dailytribune.com/articles/2010/06/10/news/doc4c11334ddfc1d998866018.txt#blogcomments
This version was edited to include complete date for web reading.

Announcements, FYI, News

Amtrak to Start Screening Passengers, Carry-On Baggage

1 Comment

From Agentathome.com

The Amtrak Police Department is now periodically conducting random screening of Amtrak passengers and their carry-on baggage at Chicago Union Station. The initiative is part of an ongoing commitment by Amtrak to improve safety and security at stations and on trains across its national network. It is not, Amtrak insists, in response to any threat.

Randomly selected Amtrak passengers and their baggage, handbags, backpacks or other personal items may be screened or inspected as they board trains. The inspection will be completed as quickly as possible, usually less than a minute, in a manner designed to respect passengers’ privacy as much as possible. Dangerous, hazardous and illegal items, including all firearms and other weapons, are prohibited in carry-on baggage. “Amtrak has been conducting these security screenings on a random basis along the Northeast Corridor and during special events elsewhere, in some cases in conjunction with the Transportation Security Administration,” said Amtrak Chief of Police John O’Connor.

In addition to the carry-on baggage screening, Amtrak Police explosive detection dogs will continue to patrol on the platforms, on-board trains, and throughout the station. Some of these K9’s are trained to detect specific materials on or around passengers.

A passenger who does not consent to the inspection or other security procedures will be denied access to Amtrak trains. In such cases, an Amtrak police officer will accompany the passenger to the ticket office, where a full refund may be given, without fee or penalty, even if the ticket is ordinarily non-refundable. The ticket may be refunded in cash, credit or travel certificate, depending on how it was paid.

Screening and other security activities are done on an unannounced and unpredictable basis. Therefore, no further public announcements regarding this type of screening are anticipated. An average of 55 Amtrak trains come and go from Chicago Union Station every day, with more than 8,500 Amtrak passengers using the station daily. With more than 1.5 million passengers, it is the fourth-busiest station in the Amtrak system. For more information, call 800-USA-RAIL or visit www.Amtrak.com.

Original source:
http://www.agentathome.com/Editorial.aspx?n=72433

Announcements, Meetings

MARP meeting – June 12 – New Buffalo

Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers
Member Meeting
Saturday, June 12, 2010
11:45 am – 3:00 pm

The Harbor Grand
111 West Water St (a few hundred yards from the station)
New Buffalo, MI
http://www.harborgrand.com

Viki Gudas, Executive Director of the Harbor Country Convention and Visitors Bureau, will join us to talk about the great success New Buffalo has had in leveraging two key assets:  The perfectly located train station and convenient train service.  New Buffalo and the CVB are role models for our state for community involvement concerning rail service.  Ridership over the last 12 months has increased 37% vs. the previous 12 months and recent data is even more impressive!

Viki will highlight what she, along with others in the community, have done, what they are planning and what this means for Harbor Country.

Since we all would like to see the results in our communities that New Buffalo has seen, you won’t want to miss this meeting to learn more about what you can do in your community.

Because of this special meeting, Amtrak has agreed to have train 351 and 352 (Wolverine service) stop in New Buffalo on the 12th.  For people travelling from the east on the Wolverine, you ONLY will need to book a ticket to Kalamazoo.  Arrival time in New Buffalo should be about 11:00.  The Harbor Grand is located a few hundred yards from the station!  We will start once the Bluewater passengers arrive at 11:34.

For those heading back on the Wolverine you will have two options:  Train 352 will leave around 2:30 (book ticket ONLY from Kalamazoo to your destination) and train 364 leaves at 6:23. 

If you are travelling by train to the meeting, we recommend you take some extra time in New Buffalo to enjoy the sights.  The beach is within walking distance of the station and there are many great places to grab a bite.  For more great things to do while you are in New Buffalo, visit the website:  www.visitharborcountry.org

Of course you can try your luck at the Four Winds Casino.  They offer shuttle service to/from the train station

For those of you that are into model railroading, especially in “O” gauge, the “I Love Toy Trains” store is nearby too. Same for you railroad history buffs, the Coal Tower and Round House of the Pere Marquette are still standing near the New Buffalo Railroad Museum (which also has a Pullman Troop Sleeper and Chessie System box car). Unfortunately, the museum is not open on the weekend.

We will have a sandwich buffet lunch at the Harbor Grand during our meeting

We look forward to seeing you on the 12th!

Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers

Announcements, News

Michigan Senate passes appropiation for full funding of Pere Marquette and BlueWater routes through Sept 2011‏

Great news!  The Michigan Senate just passed Senate bill 1164 which is the transportation appropriation bill for fiscal year 2011, ending September 2011.

This bill provides full funding for Intercity Passenger Rail service (Amtrak) of $8.667 M.  The bill must still pass the House, but we are optimistic that it will do so intact.  This funding impacts the Bluewater and Pere Marquette routes, which are partially funded through Michigan appropriations

This is a big step in that in previous years, funding has been cut and then MARP has gone through the year having to work with legislators on supplemental funding to ensure continuation of service for both of the state supported routes.  You may remember that for fiscal year 2010, funding was cut significantly, but a couple months ago the Supplemental appropriation was passed to ensure service will continue for the full year.

MARP continues to work very closely with our legislators to ensure service continues on all routes in Michigan and investment continues to be made on the high speed corridor between Detroit and Chicago. 

Ridership in April was up over 16% on all Michigan routes vs. 2009.