MINUTES
MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION OF RAILROAD PASSENGERS
ANNUAL MEETING
CLARA’S ON THE RIVER, BATTLE CREEK
SEPTMEBER 10, 2011

Members Present:  Barry Adams, Jared Becker, Martha Benedict, Dietrich Bergmann, Phillip Chamberlain, Clark Charnetski, Kay Chase, James Clynch, Douglas Deaton, John DeLora, J. P. Des Camp, Robert Dunn, Tim Fischer, John Guidinger, Marilyn Guidinger, Hugh Gurney, Jim Hinkins, Jane Hinkins, Andrew Kent, Alan Koole, Larry Krieg, John Langdon, Archie Lhamon, Phillip Mange, Don Monteith, Daniel Myers, Mary Myers, Robert Patterson, Diane Paterson, Richard Pekarek, Dwight Phillips, Tom Post, Kim Powell, David Randall, James Roach, Hazel Rood, Josephine Rood, Gerald Smith, Larry Sobczak, Burt TenBrink, Ebony Thorpe, Robert Tischbein, Donald VanUum, Richard Vavra-Musser, Jim Wallington, Barney Whittier, David Williams, Doug Wilson. 

Guests:  Susan Baldwin, Rick Chapla, Ron DeCook, Paul Egnatuck, Madeline Grennan, Rick Harnish, Tim Hoeffner, Joe Schwarz,  Andrew Snow

Welcome & Introductions:  Chairman Tischbein called the meeting to order at 11:00 a.m.  Guests were introduced.

Welcome to Battle Creek:  Susan Baldwin, Mayor of Battle Creek, welcomed the group to her city.    Early on, Battle Creek was a major station on the Underground Railroad and assisted many slaves on their way to freedom in Canada.  It later became a center of the Seventh Day Adventist movement, which hired Kellogg, who opened a sanatorium specializing in a vegetarian diet.  This was the impetus for the cereal industry.  Later, C. W. Post developed a cereal based coffee, Postum, as well as cereals such as Grape Nuts.  By 1902, the area had 40 companies manufacturing cereal products. 

During World War I, Fort Custer was established west of the city.  At its peak, the post had 2,000 buildings on an 8,000 acre site and trained 60,000 soldiers. 

Battle Creek Stations:  John Langdon reviewed the various railroad stations that have served Battle Creek.  Clara’s on the River was the Michigan Central Station, 1880-1980.

The current Amtrak station was opened in 1980.  It is now undergoing a $3.6 million renovation to serve Amtrak and Indian Trails.  Battle Creek Transit will have its main terminal with platforms for 8 buses just across the street.

A New Era For Passenger Trains in Michigan:  Tim Hoeffner, Administrator of the MDOT Office of High Speed Rail, reported that all passenger and freight rail functions administered by MDOT had recently been brought together in a single office. Negotiations with Norfolk Southern on the transfer of the Dearborn-Kalamazoo line are going well.  NS, MDOT, and FRA are working together to expedite the package. NS will continue dispatching in the interim – for at least a year.  Then Amtrak will take over dispatch.  MDOT hopes to contract with Amtrak for maintenance.  Bids for the restructuring of West Detroit Junction will go out this fall.  The Chicago section of the route will be critical.  MDOT is moving away from the High Speed Rail terminology, now calling their efforts Accelerated Rail. 

Planning for the Ann Arbor-Detroit and Ann Arbor-Howell commuter rail lines continues.

At the present time, Hoeffner anticipates only modest improvements to the four mile stretch in Battle Creek remaining in CN ownership.  In the future, he would like to see a separate passenger track which would simply cross CN.  In the long run, a flyover would be ideal. 

Funding has been authorized for Bi-level cars to re-fleet the Midwest rail system and its projected 30-40% projected growth.  Next-Gen locomotives to be ordered at the same time will be used on the Blue Water and Wolverine routes in Michigan.  The vision of the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission is 10-12 trains daily making the trip between Detroit and Chicago in less than four hours. 

Funding for the South of the Lake project has not been obligated at this time.  Amtrak and the three states of Michigan, Indiana and Illinois will be reviewing options and determining the preferred alternative. Twenty-seven alternatives are on the table.

Because slow orders on the Ypsilanti-Kalamazoo section were hurting ridership, MDOT made the decision to get the tracks stabilized immediately.  Work should be completed within ten days and trains should be back on their previous schedule. 

Amtrak is now working on its Porter-New Buffalo section as plans proceed to up speeds to 110 mph.  The Michigan section is ready now.

Work at West Detroit will allow passenger trains to cross directly from Norfolk Southern to Canadian National tracks.  This involves building one mile of new track.  MDOT is negotiating with the City of Detroit on land for a new station which could serve both tracks from a center platform. 

As to the commuter lines, MDOT is moving ahead on a robust overhaul of the ex- METRA equipment it has leased.  Seating issues have been resolved and new seats should be installed within a couple of months.  Amtrak will probably be the operator of the Ann Arbor-Detroit line, as it currently works with the freight railroads.

MDOT chairs the Eastern Border Coalition, a broad-based group attempting to resolve issues making cross border train travel so difficult.  Both Canadian and US federal officials are involved as well as representatives from Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Maine, Vermont, New York and Michigan. 

MDOT’s focus at the moment is on the Detroit-Chicago line.  Issues involving other Michigan routes will have to wait. Hoeffner feels that better bus connections will be the first step.

The current maintenance effort will not resolve the problems at Jackson.  A permanent solution awaits the upgrading of the Dearborn-Kalamazoo line, which is at least two years in the future.

Track Work on the Wolverine Line:  Larry Krieg showed a video of recent track work along the Wolverine line from Kalamazoo to Dearborn.  The machinery used and the speed at which repairs can be made are impressive. 

As to the status of the WALLY commuter line, a good bit of ballast and tie work has been completed.  Needed now is access into downtown Ann Arbor via the Ann Arbor Railroad and finalization of station locations and cost estimates for constructing them.  Outstanding capital costs will be at least $19 million.  The local match for operating costs will be around $2 million annually.  The University of Michigan and Washtenaw County remain very positive as does the City of Howell.  Most officials in Livingston County remain unconvinced.

Keynote: Cooperative Effort Pays Off for the Midwest:  Dr. John J. H. “Joe” Schwarz, Governor’s Appointee to the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission, gave the keynote address.  Schwarz recounted that he was born in Chicago and made his first train tip when he was just a few days old, traveling with his parents to his Battle Creek home. Over the years, he traveled frequently from the Michigan Central Station which today houses Clara’s Restaurant where we are meeting today.  Schwarz would like to see the current Wolverine line offer the best passenger rail service in the nation, with new rail and new equipment.  He feels this is possible if citizens continue to lean on our leaders.  Each member present should work to see that their U. S. Representative supports Amtrak. Key people working on the project include Governor Snyder, Schwarz, Tim Hoeffner, and MDOT Director Kirk Steudle.  Norfolk Southern has agreed that a change of ownership of the rail line between Dearborn and Kalamazoo can happen.  There is no through traffic on the line.

At the conclusion of his remarks, MARP Chairman Tischbein presented Schwarz with its Leadership Award for Schwarz’s untiring efforts to support passenger rail service in the state of Michigan.

Illinois Leads the Way:  Rick Harnish and Madeline Grennan of the Midwest High Speed Rail Association, then discussed their efforts to bring high speed rail to Illinois and the Greater Midwest.  They noted that the famed Japanese high speed route serves a

population density very similar to that between Chicago and New York.  Better connections between major urban centers in the Midwest and to Midwest airports are badly needed.  With true high speed rail, one could travel from Chicago to either Detroit or St. Louis in two hours.  At 220 mph, ridership could total 43.6 million annually.

On June 3, 2011, Illinois Governor Quinn announced a partnership between the Illinois Department of Transportation and the University of Illinois to study the possibility of 220 mph high speed rail between Chicago, Champaign and beyond, including hourly service to O’Hare Airport.  At Champaign, Harnish foresees the high speed line splitting, with one branch going to St. Louis and a second line heading east to Indianapolis and Cincinnati. This would allow direct service between St. Louis and the two more eastern Midwest cities.  Harnish anticipates that the Illinois Toll Authority will be given power to build high speed rail tracks and charge user fees for their use.  The Toll Authority could raise tolls on toll highways to fund rail construction.  Legislation to make all this happen has passed both houses of the Illinois legislature. 

Governor Quinn has asked Amtrak to study how to extend service from Chicago Union Station to O’Hare Airport.  Studies are also underway for Amtrak service from Chicago to Dubuque and between Bloomington and Peoria.  The Chicago-St. Louis line is currently being upgraded for 110 mph speed with all concrete ties.  Much of the line will be double track.  Success in Illinois will be a model for the nation.  Harnish foresees multiple HSR frequencies between Chicago and New York. He urged people to check the standupfortrains.org website. 

Harnish concluded by asking members to re-imagine Chicago Union Station and how it could be more functional. 

Noting Midwest High Speed Rail Association’s success, Hoeffner urged MARP to step up its efforts, engaging more with the business community than it has done in the past.  He suggested MARP leaders talk with Ron DeCook and the Michigan Economic Development Authority on ways to build the rail industry by retooling unused auto plants. 

In response to Charnetski’s suggestion of through Chicago-Detroit-Cleveland-Pittsburgh-Philadelphia-New York service, Hoeffner visualizes Chicago-Detroit-Toronto-Montreal-Boston service, with Detroit as the epicenter.  He reported that the Englewood Flyover in South Chicago is now in the design phase, with construction anticipated to begin during the summer of 2012.

MARP Business Meeting:  Minutes of the 2010 Annual Meeting were reviewed.  Charnetski moved approval.  The motion was seconded by Robert Patterson and approved by the members present.

Adjournment:  The meeting adjourned at 2:20 p.m.

Respectfully submitted:                                              Approved:

Hugh D. Gurney                                                         Robert Tischbein

Secretary                                                                     Chair

MINUTES
MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION OF RAILROAD PASSENGERS
EXECUTUVE COMMITTEE MEETING
CORAL GABLES RESTAURANT, EAST LANSING

AUGUST 20, 2011

Present:  Jim Wallington, Barney Whittier, John Langdon, Kay Chase, Hugh Gurney, Bob Tischbein, Kathleen Newell, Jim Hinkins

Call to Order:  The meeting was called to order at 10:40 a.m. by Chairman Tischbein.

Newsletter: Aware of the resignation of Valderas as editor at the July 30 meeting, a lengthy discussion ensued about the direction MARP should now take to get its message out.  Should we continue with The Michigan Passenger in its present format on a quarterly basis, should we go to an 8 ½”x11” format like the NARP orNew YorkState publications, or should we rely mainly on an e-mail publication, or do some combination of these formats.  It was decided that a committee consisting of Chase, Wallington, Gurney andWhittier would sort these issues out and make a recommendation at the October 8 meeting.

It was agreed that we should advertize among our membership for a new editor.  Chase thought a student intern was a possibility.  Langdon agreed to check out the community college inHolland.  Wallington suggested Sobczak, our webmaster.  There was general, but not total, agreement that we might have to pay a new editor.

TRANS4M-   Transportation For Michigan:  Chase handed out a briefing statement on Trans4M, a coalition of groups working for better public transportation, including trains, intercity bus and urban transit.  MARP is one of the original members.  Langdon, Chase and Monteith are the most involved.  Langdon and Monteith serve on the Outreach Committee which is attempting to bring additional organizations into the coalition, thus increasing its clout.  They also serve on the Policy Team which has three major goals:  

            Passage of a rail bonding bill in the state legislature

            Local implementation of the “Complete Streets” legislation passed in 2010

            Passage of legislation to enable formation of a Regional Transit Authority in

           Southeast Michigan.

 Chase is working with the Community Organizing Team which is developing toolkits and training materials to help in engaging citizens in transportation policy decisions which will advance the Trans4M mission.

As to the rail bonding bill, Langdon noted that it had been introduced in the Michigan House of Representatives.  It is a way to come up with the approximately $28 m match required to capture the high speed rail grants promised toMichiganby the U. S. Department of Transportation.

Route Enhancement Committee:  Langdon expressed pleasure that members were becoming more active in promoting various rail services, but felt they needed the input and support of the Executive Committee to be spokespersons.  Chase agreed, and suggested that such activities be reviewed and approved by the Route Enhancement Committee.  Several of the newer members present were unfamiliar with the Route Enhancement Committee, so Gurney handed out copies of the Route Enhancement Committee (REC) recommendations made back in 2007.  Gurney agreed to reactivate the committee.

Membership:  Newell noted that membership to date is down from 2010.  Last year, we recruited 85 NARP members as new members.  To date, 47 of those, mostly senior citizens, have renewed.  Chase agreed to get the current NARP membership list from DeLora and send a letter to those not on our list.  She will also send out a reminder to all non renewing 2010 members.

Meetings:  Whittier reported that November 12 had been finalized as the date for the monthly meeting inSt. Joseph.  We will be meeting in the newly renovated St. Joseph Amtrak station.  A buffet will be set up for lunch.

Amtrak 40^th Anniversary Train:  The special Amtrak 40^th Anniversary Train will be on display in Jackson on October 8 & 9.  Those wishing to volunteer aboard the train can register with Amtrak.  Langdon has requested a MARP table at the Jackson Depot on those dates, to be shared with the Friends of the Jackson Station.  Volunteers are needed to staff our table.  If our request for a table is denied, we have the option of sharing a table with NARP.

Amtrak 2012 Budget: Langdon urged all to write letters to theirU. S. Senators and Representatives urging full funding for Amtrak in 2012.  Chase agreed and suggested we should be meeting these people during August when they are at home in their districts.  Langdon suggested that Larry Sobczak put information about district meetings on our web site.

Chase urged all to sign the Stand Up for Trains petition being circulated by NARP.  She would like to see MARP do a viewpoint letter in one major newspaper inMichigan.  We also need letters to the editor in all newspapers.  Langdon offered to contact NARP for assistance with strategy.

 Adjournment:  The meeting adjourned at 12:30 p.m.

 Respectfully submitted:                                              Accepted:

 Hugh D. Gurney                                                         Robert Tischbein

Secretary                                                                     Chair

MINUTES 
MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION OF RAILROAD PASSENGERS
MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP MEETING
AMTRAK STATION, DOWAGIAC

JULY 30, 2011

Those Signing In:  Hugh Gurney, Larry Krieg, Dave Randall, Don Monteith, Steve T. Sobel, Doug Wilson, Dick Pekarek, Kay Chase, John Langdon, Diane Patterson, Robert Patterson, Eugene T. Quail, J. R. Valderas, Bob Tischbein, Daniel Myers, Mary Lou Myers, Paul Willer, Rich Vavra-Musser, Ron Leatz, Barney Whittier, Archie Lhamon

Also Present:  Jennifer Dawn, Town & Country Garden Club;  students from the Dowagiac High School Fine Arts Booster Club.

Call to Order:  Chairman Tischbein called the meeting to order at 11:00 a.m. and turned the meeting over to Chase.

Dowagiac Station Host:  Chase introduced Ron Leatz, Dowagiac Station Host.  The two then presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Jennifer Dawn of theDowagiacTown and Country Garden Club, whose 48 members have worked tirelessly to beautify the station and its surroundings.  In summer, they plant flowers along the tracks.  In the winter, they dress the station up with greens.  They have funded Christmas lights for the station.

Chase and Leatz then recognized members of the Dowagiac High School Fine Arts Booster Club, who have put in hours of elbow grease to make the station more attractive.  They have washed all 105 windows and scrubbed one hundred years of grime and smoke from the woodwork.

Leatz then pointed out one of the station’s original benches, dating from 1903, donated recently by Betty and Mike McKay.

Leatz explained that we were meeting in what was originally the men’s waiting room, now the station’s only waiting room.  The building is shared with Dowagiac Dial-A-Ride, which occupies the former station agent’s office, the Chamber of Commerce, which utilizes the original women’s waiting room and Amtrak, which uses the former freight station for signaling equipment.

The community had its beginnings in the early days of statehood, when several mills were built along Dowagiac Creek.  The town really took shape when the Michigan Central Railroad arrived in the late 1840’s.  By the 1850’s, Dowagiac was known asMichigan’s wheat shipping capital.  Orphan trains stopped in the community in 1854 and many orphans were adopted by the residents.  Round Oak Stoves, which became the town’s major industry, was founded.  An early contract was with Michigan Central, which placed Round Oak stoves in all its depots. Dowagiac became a village in 1858.

Judd Lumber,Michigan’s oldest lumber company, was founded in 1859.

Leatz shared a visual of the first depot, built in the 1860’s.  It is now incorporated into one of the buildings at Judd Lumber.  The present station is Dowagiac’s third depot, opened to the public in June, 1902.   The same architect designed stations inCharlotte,LansingandSaginaw.  It is a handsome structure, built of Roman brick with sandstone trim.  Originally, it had a slate roof.  Fortunately, the City ofDowagiachad the foresight to save the structure and put it to public use.  MDOT occupied a portion of the building for a while.  When they moved to a new location, the Chamber of Commerce and the city’s Downtown Development Authority moved in.  The present benches in the waiting room are from theJacksonstation.

 Committee Reports:

            Route Enhancement Committee:  Gurney discussed plans to reactivate the Route Enhancement Committee.  He will be alerting all of the original members as well as members of the present Executive Committee and asking them to review and suggest revisions to the recommendations put together in 2007.  Rich Vavra-Musser, has offered to help put revised recommendations together.

 Gurney also noted that he was planning to put together a paper to be posted on the MARP website listing all the scheduled passenger carriers in the state, their contact information and the cities they serve to help travelers plan trips by train and intercity bus.  Local transit services will also be listed.  Langdon suggested Gurney contact Clark Harder who heads up the Michigan Public Transit Association.                             .     

 Krieg noted that MDOT has placed the WALLY project as Number One in its application for the Transportation, Community and System Preservation Program (TCSP).

 Old Business:

National Train Day 2011: Whittier noted that many communities had successful National Train Day programs. Toledo’s was a phenomenal success, the result of a full year of planning involving all players, including MARP. Niles andJackson both had excellent programs with good turnouts.

 Newsletter:  Valderas reported that, because of his new job, he was having a hard time getting The Michigan Passenger out on a timely basis.  For this reason, he felt it would be best if he resigned his position as editor.  He will continue until a successor is named.

 New Business:

            Norfolk Southern Slow Orders:  Members expressed confusion over the frustrating Norfolk Southern slow orders which are wreaking havoc with the Wolverine and Blue Water schedules.  Sobel was told by an Amtrak official that nothing would be done until the purchase of the Dearborn-Kalamazoo track was a done deal.  Pekarek noted an article in Trains magazine that Amtrak was planning to adjust its schedule because of the slow orders.  But a member who works forNorfolk Southern noted that piles of rails were being accumulated in bothDearborn andAnn Arbor, an indication that some action was pending.  Langdon suggested that we all needed to keep our ears to the ground and take action when we could actually effect change.

            Dowagiac Platform:  Noting the extremely narrow platform at the Dowagiac Station, Leatz was advised to bring in a state safety inspector, who might order improvements.

             MDOT Highway Maps:  Langdon pointed out thatWisconsin Highway maps show the Amtrak routes in that state.  Why can’tMichigan do the same.

 Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 12:30 p.m.

 Respectfully Submitted:                                             Accepted:

 Hugh D. Gurney                                                         Robert Tischbein

Secretary                                                                     Chair

MICHIGANASSOCIATION OF RAILROAD PASSENGERS
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING
AMTRAK STATION, DOWAGIAC
JULY 30, 2011

MINUTES

Present: Tischbein, Gurney, Randall, Chase, Langdon, Monteith,Whittier

Members & Guests Present: Larry Krieg, Steve T. Sobel, Doug Wilson, Dick Pekarek, Diane Patterson, Robert Patterson, Eugene T. Quail, J. R. Valderas, Daniel Myers, Mary Lou Myers, Paul Willer, Rich Vavra-Musser, Ron Leatz

Call to Order:  Chairman Tischbein called the meeting to order at 10:05 a.m.  With seven members present, a quorum was ascertained.

Minutes of the Executive Committee Meeting and the Monthly Membership Meeting, both held inSouth Lyon on June 11, 2011 were reviewed.  Langdon moved approval, seconded by Randall.  The minutes were approved by voice vote.

Treasurer’s Report:  Treasurer Randall distributed copies of his report for review.  At the end of June, the balance in the checkbook was $10,886.88 and the value of the Pratt Fund was $15,961.20.  Randall asked the committee to consider moving the Pratt Fund to an index fund, which would be paying more.  He will be sending out a reminder dues notice in the near future.  Approval of the Treasurer’s report was moved byWhittier, seconded by Monteith and approved by committee members present.

Coordinator Reports:

            Government Affairs:  Langdon handed out a list of all the High Speed Rail Grants not yet obligated, which total $268,201,084.  This includes the entire Kalamazoo-Dearborn purchase and upgrade and theAnn Arbor station. Dearborn is scrambling to get funds for its station obligated. Battle Creek station upgrades have been obligated.  Langdon urged members to contact theirU. S. Senators and Representatives to push for obligating the remainder of the funds. 

The highest priority before theMichiganlegislature is the bonding issue, which would permit $100 million of the $1 billion the state is authorized to borrow to be used for rail capital improvements.  This would provide the $37 million match needed to capture the high speed rail grants.  MDOT, Amtrak and the FRA have been working together and are now ready to make an offer to purchase the Dearborn-Kalamazoo trackage fromNorfolkSouthern.

 PRIIA 209 remains an issue.  One possible solution may be to have at least one of the Wolverines go through toCanada.

            Communications: Chase noted that after the meeting and after lunch, we will have an opportunity to visit theSouthwesternMichiganCollegeMuseum, which includes a very nice train exhibit and a large collection of Round Oak stoves.

            Newsletter:  An ad hoc committee is working on this issue.

            Membership: No report

            Meetings: Wallington sends word that he has confirmed all meetings for the remainder of 2011.  For the Annual Meeting in September, Langdon noted that the Mayor of Battle Creek, former State Senator and U. S. Representative Joe Schwartz and MDOT’s Tim Hoeffner have been invited.  The meeting will take place on September 10 at Clara’s on the River.

Regional Chapter Reports:

            Northern: Monteith reminded all that we must maintain the existing freight railroads inNorthern Michigan if we hope to resurrect passenger service in the future.  He will be doing a newsletter on ways to support freight rail.  Michigan Tech is looking into utilizing old rail ties and wood chips to fire power stations instead of coal.  This could generate more traffic for the railroads. 

Monteith would like to see a better connect between Indian Trails and the general public inNorthern Michigan.

            Metro Detroit: The ribbon cutting for the newPontiacTransportationCenter is August 8.  The Steam Railroad Institute will be running excursion trains during the Howell Melon Fest in August.

            East/Central:  Pekarek reported that work is underway at the Durand Union Station to repair water damage suffered in June affecting the Board Room and the Museum.  Most of the damage will be covered by insurance.

            Western:  Because of the Norfolk Southern slow orders, train #351 has been arriving in Kalamazoo at least an hour late.  On the Pere Marquette route, train #371 will be running one hour earlier for about ninety days due to track work.

Adjournment:  The Executive Committee Meeting was adjourned at 11:00 a.m.

Respectfully Submitted:                                             Accepted:

Hugh D. Gurney                                                         Robert Tischbein

Secretary                                                                     Chair

MINUTES
MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION OF RAILROAD PASSENGERS
MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP MEETING
WITCH’S HAT MUSUEM, SOUTH LYON
 JUNE 11, 2011

Those Signing In:  Bob Tischbein, Hugh Gurney, John Langdon, Steve T. Sobel, Norma Ward, Barney Whittier, Kathleen Newell, Clark Charnetski, Rich Vavra-Musser, Jim Hinkins, Dan Platz, Diane Patterson, Robert Patterson, John Guidinger, Doug Wilson, Kay Chase, Jim Wallington, Don Monteith, Kim J. Powell, Dave Randall, Bob Weinburger, Larry Krieg, Larry Sobczak

Also Present:  Patricia Tischbein, Eli Cooper, Ann Arbor Transportation Coordinator, Jennifer Redfern, South Lyon Area Historical Society

Guest Speaker:  Charnetski introduced Eli Cooper, Transportation Coordinator for the City of Ann Arbor.  Cooper noted that 110,000 people work in Ann Arbor each week day and rail is a component for getting these people to work each morning and home each evening.  When he arrived in Ann Arbor, SEMCOG was already working on the Ann Arbor-Detroit commuter rail proposal.  At some point, he picked up the original CATA commuter rail study which included a north south component from Howell to Ann Arbor.  A meeting with the owner of Great Lakes Central Railroad revealed that Cooper’s Howell-Ann Arbor commuter rail vision coincided with the Great Lakes Central Traverse City-Ann Arbor vision.  Out of this meeting came the WALLY proposal.

The concept of a new rail station off Fuller Road evolved from the plans of the University of Michigan to build a new women’s and children’s hospital as part of the University Hospital complex.  Part of the UM proposal was a new 550 car parking garage off Fuller Road.  Realizing that the present Amtrak station was inadequate and a larger facility would be needed for the Ann Arbor-Detroit commuter line, Cooper proposed that the parking garage be expanded to include additional parking for rail passengers and for an intermodal transportation center on the ground level.  Amtrak has provided letters of support for this proposal.

Cooper foresees no legal encumbrances preventing construction.  Though owned by the City of Ann Arbor, the site has been used by UM for parking for years.

Phase I will be primarily construction of the parking facility, with UM paying most of the cost.  In the most recent High Speed Rail Grant, $2.8 million was set aside for Phase II including both environmental analysis and preliminary engineering for the rail station.

-1-

The station will include separate westbound and eastbound platforms with a layover track  near the current Amtrak depot.  The federal grant requires no match, but the city will be providing $20-$30 million in planning and oversight.  Ann Arbor is ready to go with the Environmental Impact Statement.  Cooper anticipates that ready to build drawings will be completed within the year.

In response to a query from Vavra-Musser, Cooper explained that WALLY passengers will detrain at a station near Plymouth Road with dedicated buses transporting people to the new Fuller Road station, the various UM facilities and other points in the Ann Arbor area.  UM will be subsidizing operation of these 10-15 buses.  At a future date, the WALLY line can be extended south into downtown Ann Arbor and beyond.  A connection with the East-West line is feasible.

Old Business: 
Purchase of a Digital Projector:  Chase recommended against purchase of a digital projector at this time due to the cost and logistical considerations.

New Business: 
Indian Trails Committee Update:  Wallington reported that he is still pushing for Indian Trails to add a Thruway stop in Durand for rail passengers returning later than the Blue Water.  Indian Trails has concerns about a stop at the station.  Wallington is pointing out the revenue possibilities.

Indian Trails is now stopping at Chicago Union Station on several inbound trips.  MDOT is holding up acquisition of new motor coaches until October.

Connections Between Intercity Trains and Intercity Buses:  Gurney pointed out that unless Amtrak designates an intercity bus as a Thruway Bus, Amtrak shows no connection with that bus or other buses that connect with the Thruway Bus.  Operators of intercity bus service show no connection between one of their buses and an Amtrak train unless that route has been designated as a Thruway bus line.  Bus operators are actually forbidden to sell Amtrak tickets.  Gurney suggested that MARP take the lead in developing some kind of matrix that would help the Michigan traveler figure out how to connect between the two modes of transportation.

Wallington noted that part of the solution is to have Amtrak designate more bus routes as Thruway routes.  Langdon suggested putting the suggested matrix on the MARP web site.  He also suggested asking Amtrak to add more text boxes on their timetables showing possible connections.  Gurney agreed to work on a sample matrix.

-2-

Route Enhancement Committee:  Gurney asked that the Route Enhancement Committee be resurrected. The consensus was that the committee remained a valid MARP committee.  Tischbein agreed to include reports from REC on the agenda.

Durand Union Station Damage:  Ward reported on water damage to Durand Union Station due to the failure of a sprinkler system pipe.  Three hundred gallons of water came through the ceiling of the Board Room, damaging that area and the gift shop below.  The damage is not as bad as that caused by a similar problem in January, 2010, but insurance will not cover all the damage.  Ward offered information on how people can help.

The extra expense comes at the same time as the rain out of the annual Railroad Festival, one of the organization’s major fundraisers.  The monthly expense to maintain and operate the station is around $12,000.

Langdon moved that MARP donate $400.00 to Durand Union Station immediately.  Added to a $100.00 donation earlier in the year, our annual donation would total $500.00.
The motion was seconded by Sobel and passed by the members present.

Langdon suggested that the Treasurer include a $500.00 donation to Durand Union Station each year when he prepares the annual budget for that year.

Ward also reported that the City of Durand has yet to move ahead on improvements to the station parking lot.  Funds for this improvement have been allotted by MDOT.

Reimbursement of Expenses:  Newell asked about expenses while members are on the road staffing MARP exhibits, such as the recent National Train Day show in Toledo.  Langdon suggested a committee be established to come up with a policy.  Tischbein agreed and appointed a committee consisting of Newell, Langdon and Randall to study the issue and report back to the Executive Committee.

Visuals of All Amtrak and all Amtrak Thruway Stations and Stops:  Langdon reported that John DeLora is compiling information about all Amtrak and Amtrak Thruway Stops as a NARP project.  Members are asked to e-mail visuals from all angles, particularly from the street side in jpg format to DeLora.

Adjournment:  Gurney moved adjournment.  The motion was seconded by Sobel.  The formal meeting adjourned at 11:53 a.m.

Witch’s Hat Museum:  Jennifer Redfern, a member of the Board of Trustees of the South Lyon Area Historical Society, then discussed the history of the Witch’s Hat Depot Museum complex.    The property consists of the Witch’s Hat Depot, moved to its current location in the 1970’s, the freight house, a caboose, a one room school and a church.  It is owned by the City of South Lyon, overseen by the South Lyon Historical Commission and interpreted by the South Lyon Area Historical Society.
-3-
South Lyon came into existence with the construction of the Detroit and Lansing Railroad through the area in 1871.  That railroad became part of the Pere Marquette Railroad, and later the C & O Railroad.  It is now part of CSX.  In the 1880’s, the Grand Trunk Western built its Airline Division through the area.  The two railroads crossed at South Lyon.  The Witch’s Hat Depot was built in the early 1900’s at the diamond where the two lines crossed and served passengers using both routes.  After passenger service ceased around 1970, the depot was moved to its present site as the city’s major Bicentennial project.  The other structures have been added in the intervening years.

The Ann Arbor Railroad was built north from Ann Arbor on a route parallel to Pontiac Trail and served South Lyon for about ten years.  It was then moved to a more westerly route through Whitmore Lake because the owners felt that would be more profitable.

The Grand Trunk Western ceased operations in the 1980’s.   The Lakelands Trail now utilizes its right of way.

Respectfully Submitted:   Accepted:

Hugh D. Gurney    Robert Tischbein
Secretary     Chair