RailRoadFan.com

Y’all are gonna get a kick out of this:

http://www.railpassengers.org/happening ... -in-the-us

The gist is:

Upgrading CHI-DET to 200+ mph

KAL-GRR-LAN-DET

Saginaw-Detroit-Toledo.

Plus a couple dozen other projects nationwide.

I wouldn't call it a proposal. It's a poll, publicity and fundraising thing more than a proposal.
At least they didn't include a Traverse City route.
But IMHO if they are serious about expanding passenger rail service, then they should stick to actual serious route proposals.

Their proposal seems like something that belongs in our Paper Railroads section.

That is a perfect fit because passenger trains aren't real trains

~Z~ wrote:Their proposal seems like something that belongs in our Paper Railroads section.

It’s all fun and games until someone has to start writing checks

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Obviously somebody writing comedy script for Saturday Night Live.

200+???

Can I drink the Kool-Aid too?

Out of all of those Michigan proposals,only one that makes sense is GRR-LAN-DET makes sense for a daily service BUT only if you do it by extending the current CHI-GRR Amtrak Pere Marquette all the way into Detroit along the C&O to Plymouth,turn south to Wayne JCT.,then turn east on the MC Main so that it is reasonably anchored with better potential max boardings at either end. Would require having 2 train sets a day but it give you an alternate CHI-DET routing to multiple college towns,just further North along Lake Michigan and then thru Mid-Michigan. Even if it only rolls along at 79mph after minimal track and signal upgrades and not 110mph like the Wolverine,the potential is good. Could even split it into CHI-GRR and GRR-DET just like the C&O days if you add in a 3rd and/or 4th train set.Send this extension north to Pontiac on CN too and you got yourself 8 trains a day for Dearborn,Detroit,Royal Oak/Troy,and Pontiac..the makings of beginner commuter service for much of Metro Detroit on the cheap.

JStryker722 wrote:Out of all of those Michigan proposals,only one that makes sense is GRR-LAN-DET makes sense for a daily service BUT only if you do it by extending the current CHI-GRR Amtrak Pere Marquette all the way into Detroit along the C&O to Plymouth,turn south to Wayne JCT.,then turn east on the MC Main so that it is reasonably anchored with better potential max boardings at either end. Would require having 2 train sets a day but it give you an alternate CHI-DET routing to multiple college towns,just further North along Lake Michigan and then thru Mid-Michigan. Even if it only rolls along at 79mph after minimal track and signal upgrades and not 110mph like the Wolverine,the potential is good. Could even split it into CHI-GRR and GRR-DET just like the C&O days if you add in a 3rd and/or 4th train set.Send this extension north to Pontiac on CN too and you got yourself 8 trains a day for Dearborn,Detroit,Royal Oak/Troy,and Pontiac..the makings of beginner commuter service for much of Metro Detroit on the cheap.

Very well said!

"Northern Michigan Rail Corridor" is Detroit - Lansing - Grand Rapids - Kalamazoo
Not cities I think of when someone says "Northern Michigan".

justalurker66 wrote:"Northern Michigan Rail Corridor" is Detroit - Lansing - Grand Rapids - Kalamazoo
Not cities I think of when someone says "Northern Michigan".

Yeah... especially Kalamazoo which is in Southwestern Michigan

I find something interesting. We have been discussing the idea of extending the Detroit-Chicago train to Toronto, but that did not make their list it appears.

I do like the idea of having a Detroit-Lansing-Grand Rapids routing, as that would have been something I likely would have used when I attended GVSU and didn't have a car.

chapmaja wrote:I find something interesting. We have been discussing the idea of extending the Detroit-Chicago train to Toronto, but that did not make their list it appears.

They have a Detroit - Toronto ... and it mentions Chicago - Toronto

Detroit - Toronto

Core Express
Passenger service between Detroit and Toronto hasn’t existed since at least 1971 and, according to Amtrak, the last direct train to pass through the route did so in 1967. So when Amtrak announced that it was adding extending one of the Chicago to Detroit Wolverine runs to its FY2020 wishlist, it was met with great fanfare. The partnership with Canada’s Via Rail would be an economic boon for both sides of the border.

If improvements were made over the 230 mile stretch to accomodate for core service speeds of at least 150mph, the normally 4 hour drive could be made in a little more than 90 mins by train—minus the time needed to cross the border.

I would not run Detroit - Toronto unless the train was a Chicago - Toronto run or had a connection to a Chicago - Detroit train.

Excellent Jstryker, well put. Make your proposal to the powers that be and see what they say. There are meetings for the public...MAKE A PRESENTATION. I think its is an excellent idea. And gee...Back to the Future...C&O service as in 1962. How cool is THAT!

I'd be satisfied if all of Amtrak's Chi-Det trains could simply match the NYC's 4:45 Twilight Limited running time of the 1930s. Run that day in and day out consistently, and it'd be truly competitive with car transportation.

Since we're not even close to doing that, it's probably ridiculous to talk about 200 MPH. But who knows-- maybe it'd be easier to get money for a "moonshot" project in one fell swoop instead of
a dozen smaller appropriations bills.

I wouldn't get too excited, or angry, about that group's proposals. It's a Christmas wish list and in one form or another they've been advocating for it for decades.

Thank you for the compliment Doktor No. I would love to turn my idea into a full-fledged proposal for presentation to MDOT or even just the MARP people but I'd be lost on to come by making it happen or find out who to talk to.

Do a little research, make a phone call to MDOT or MARP. I am sure they would either direct you to whom to see or at least like to hear you out. They won't bite you and the worst that could happen is a polite no to your proposal. JUST DO IT...

Doktor No,you happen to know how to get ahold of the people of MARP? Wouldnt mind starting there.

JStryker722 wrote:Doktor No,you happen to know how to get ahold of the people of MARP? Wouldnt mind starting there.

Google is your friend

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