Michigan senate chooses car culture again

[willardgarrett]

http://mibyrail.wordpress.com/2010/12/0 ... te-senate/
MDOT will not be buying the Michigan Line anytime soon.

[Raildudes dad]

it's not making a choice, it's total incompetence by our legislator's. They cannot take action on anything regardless of the issue Look at how many days they are in session (I should say days not in session). Spent days saying farewells - disgusting

[RRTTF]

Michigan's Legislators are NOT incompetent. We have the best Legislators that money can buy! Trouble is, in our poor economy, there isn't a lot of money to do the buying with.

And, on the Chicago-Detroit (Pontiac) cooridor, do we really need 135 MPH+ trains, or do we just need MORE FREQUENCY of trains? I seem to remember the airlines advertising "Chicago - Departures every hour on the hour."

[AARR]

And, on the Chicago-Detroit (Pontiac) cooridor, do we really need 135 MPH+ trains, or do we just need MORE FREQUENCY of trains? I seem to remember the airlines advertising "Chicago - Departures every hour on the hour."

I'd like to see on time arrivals in the 90%+ range too

[willardgarrett]

And, on the Chicago-Detroit (Pontiac) cooridor, do we really need 135 MPH+ trains, or do we just need MORE FREQUENCY of trains? I seem to remember the airlines advertising "Chicago - Departures every hour on the hour."

I'd like to see on time arrivals in the 90%+ range too

Well, AARR, for that to happen, I honestly think that Amtrak needs to find a new routing from the Porter area into Chicago. I don't know if any are viable or if another route exists, but this could be a logical next step for Amtrak's Michigan services (and could make for some fun speculation)
I agree about the frequency of service, nothing above 95mph is really necessary, especially with diesel locomotives on railroads that cross roads at-grade.
Raildad (abbreviation)-Michigan may have the best politicians money can buy, but that says a lot about politicians

[John Ryan]

I didn't see note of it anywhere else on this site, so I'll add that NS just dropped the speed on the Michigan Line in the section between CP-YPSI and CP-LAKE to 40mph for passenger, 25 for freight. Allegedly the track condition has deteriorated to the point where faster running is no longer safe*, and NS has no interest in maintaining the line to 79 mph standards.

I don't really understand what's going on with the supposed state purchase of the Michigan Line. On one hand, the state claimed that they needed that as a step towards getting the Ann Arbor-to-Detroit commuter service running, but does the state have the necessary money to upgrade the line? Amtrak has indicated that at some point in the near future, they will no longer absorb the losses on corridor trains, putting the entire subsidy on the states that host these trains. I've heard that the state would keep the line to control the commuter service, and I've heard that they would turn it over to Amtrak. Either way, the state will be responsible for the entire cost of maintenance and upgrades for 79mph+ service, along with whatever capacity upgrades are necessary to support commuter trains or additional Amtrak frequencies. And what will the state have to say when it comes time to fork over a minimum of $100M for Positive Train Control?

*(Disclaimer. I rode this last week and it seemed fine to me. Yes, there were some problems with crosslevel, but not the sort that would require 40 mph for safe operation. More annoying were the flat wheels and the broken automatic end doors that admitted freezing air, snow, and diesel exhaust for most of the trip.)

[willardgarrett]

Amtrak has indicated that at some point in the near future, they will no longer absorb the losses on corridor trains, putting the entire subsidy on the states that host these trains.

I-94 gets millions of dollars every year from the highway trust fund, and the Michigan Line gets ZERO federal aid? That is a sickening fact for anyone in the who has their eyes open. Is the government so idiotic that it only sees air and roads as viable transportation? If anything, Amtrak should eliminate long-distance trains entirely and invest ONLY in corridor trains that actually work to relieve congestion.

[John Ryan]

Here is an opinion on the situation:

http://www.freep.com/article/20101213/O ... rail-funds