The next meeting will be the NARP Region 6 Annual Meeting (Indiana, Michigan, Ohio) in Toledo, Ohio at 10am, Saturday, March 15, 2008. You must register for the meeting. Instructions are included below.

Each year, MARP combines its spring meeting with the NARP Region 6 meeting. This year, it is the Ohio Association of Railroad Passengers’ turn to sponsor the meeting. It will be held at Toledo’s attractive and multi-functional Amtrak station.  There will be a number of presenters, including NARP Executive Director Ross Capon, and an election of Region 6 Directors. These meetings usually offer a wealth of information and are a good way to meet new people from around the region.

Follow the instructions below to register and get more information about the meeting. I hope to see many of you in Toledo.

Michael Whims 

Executive Director

Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers

marprail@yahoo.com

Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers

MARP Members:
Please join us at the next MARP member meeting at Durand Union Station, 10am, Saturday February 23, 2008. We will meet in the “board room” on the second floor, where there is always a good view of passing trains.

This is a great time to get more involved with passenger rail’s resurgence. I especially invite our younger members to attend and participate in the future that will be yours to inherit.

Our member meetings are always casual dress. We typically follow the meetings with an informal trip to a local restaurant for lunch for those interested (Dutch treat). When in Durand, we usually eat a couple blocks over in town.

The agenda for the meeting will be posted at the MARP website, www.marp.org before the meeting. We have some new additions and continuous updates to the website, so visit often.

Michael Whims
Executive Director
Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers
marprail@yahoo.com

MARP Members:
I would like to welcome MARP members to the kick-off of 2008 activities by attending the first member meeting of the New Year. The meeting will be in Lansing at 10am, Saturday, January 12, at the Lansing Public Library, corner of Capital and Kalamazoo Streets downtown. Parking on the street is free on Saturday.

This year is already shaping up to be a good one for public transportation. The President just signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008, which provides an all-time record high amount of funding for transit. Amtrak’s funding is secure for another year while efforts continue in Congress to get a multi-year Amtrak funding package approved. Congress has also released a national passenger rail expansion plan recently that indicates, at long last, that our elected leaders understand the need for efficient and effective passenger rail service as a national priority. Here in Michigan, our leaders are supporting MARP in our vision to expand service beginning with a second Pere Marquette train.

This is a great time to get more involved with passenger rail’s resurgence. I especially invite our younger members to attend and participate in the future that will be yours to inherit.

Our member meetings are always casual dress. We typically follow the meetings with an informal trip to a local restaurant for lunch for those interested (Dutch treat). When in Lansing, we usually eat at Clara’s in the old passenger coach.

The agenda is posted on the MARP website, click here. We have some new additions and continuous updates to the website, so visit often.

Michael Whims
Executive Director
Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers
marprail@yahoo.com

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