Category Archives: Meetings

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Announcements, FYI, Meetings

Michigan By Rail Forum scheduled for July 22 in Traverse City

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The Michigan By Rail Public Forum in Traverse City will be held on July 22, 2010 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The forum will be held at the Civic Center which is located at 121 West Civic Center Driver, Travese City, MI 49686.

Hosts for the Traverse City Michigan By Rail forum will include Michigan State Senator Jason Allen, State Reps. Wayne Schmidt, Dan Scripps, Darwin Booher and Traverse City Mayor Chris Bdzok.

The Great Lakes Central Railroad is offering an invite only train trip from Cadillac to Traverse City as part of the Michigan By Rail Public Forum in Traverse City. If you are interested in riding the train to Traverse City, contact Hanah Clark by July 16, 2010 at (231) 941-6684.

The federal Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA) requires states to prepare state rail plans in order to receive federal rail grants.  The Michigan Department of Transportation is in the early stages of putting Michigan ’s rail plan together.  Public participation and input is a requirement of a successful state rail plan.   

In the summer and fall, 2010, the Michigan Environmental Council, the Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers and partner organizations will convene a series of public forums throughout the state in an effort to engage Michigan citizens in a discussion about their vision for the state’s passenger and freight rail system.    

For more information, visit our previous post at http://www.marp.org/?p=1985.
or the Michigan By Rail website at http://www.michiganbyrail.org.

Announcements, FYI, Meetings, Press Releases

Michigan By Rail Forum scheduled July 8 in East Lansing

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The Michigan By Rail Public Forum in East Lansing will be held on July 8, 2010 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. The forum will be held in the basement of The People’s Church, which is located at 200 West Grand River Avenue, East Lansing, MI, 48823.

Hosts for the East Lansing Michigan By Rail forum will include Michigan State Representatives Mark Meadows, with others to be announced.

The federal Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA) requires states to prepare state rail plans in order to receive federal rail grants.  The Michigan Department of Transportation is in the early stages of putting Michigan ’s rail plan together.  Public participation and input is a requirement of a successful state rail plan.   

In the summer and fall, 2010, the Michigan Environmental Council, the Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers and partner organizations will convene a series of public forums throughout the state in an effort to engage Michigan citizens in a discussion about their vision for the state’s passenger and freight rail system.    

For more information, visit our previous post at http://www.marp.org/?p=1985.
or the Michigan By Rail website at http://www.michiganbyrail.org.

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, 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

Meetings

MARP meeting – April 17 – Standish‏

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MARP Member Meeting
Saturday, April 17, 2010, 10:00 am
Standish Historical Depot Welcome Center
(aka Michigan Central Railroad Depot in Standish)

107 N Main St. (US 23)
Standish MI 48658
Phone 1-989-718-3021

Please join us at the historic Michigan Central Railroad Depot in Standish MI. The Bay City Times (circa 1888) called this“the finest depot on the line between Bay City and Mackinaw” and it is listed on the US National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).

On the program to tell us about excursion train operations and private car operations in connection with Amtrak is Bill Harman, who is President of the Bluewater Chapter,  National Railroad Historical Society, and involved with Luxury Railcar Sales, Inc. in Saginaw. He will have details on a “Michigan Northern Arrow” excursion this summer.

We will hear of plans to celebrate the 3rd annual National Train Day on May 8th.

If you would like to carpool to the meeting, please reply to this email and we will put you in touch with your regional chair.

The depot is at the corner of M-61 and US-23, northwest corner of the only stoplight intersection in
Standish.

    NB I-75 to exit 188 (US-23 north to intersection of M-61).

    SB I-75, and alt for NB, exit 190 (M-61 east to US 23 intersection).

On your return home, you may wish to plan a visit to the Pere Marquette Depot in Bay City.

http://www.michiganrailroads.com/RRHX/Stations/CountyStations/ArenacStations/StandishMI.htm

http://www.michiganrailroads.com/RRHX/Stations/CountyStations/BayStations/BayCity/BayCityMI-PMDepot.htm

Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers