Muskegon long term goals include Amtrak…?

[MQT1223]

https://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/20 ... goals.html

Apparently Muskegon is flirting with the idea of having a Chicago connection involving either busses or rail.

I just can’t see Amtrak even remotely considering this at all. Even though Holland isn’t that far, you’d almost need a totally separate train to run north, such as making P372/373 a permanent fixture that terminates/orginates at Muskegon instead of an extra Holiday train. Only other way I could see it work is you utilized the Wye in Waverly to make the Pere Marquette work in this case, an up and back scenario…

Not to mention all of the work that would be needed to make Michigan Shore suitable for passenger rail. You’d probably need to have a regular operator at the swing bridge in Grand Haven as well, despite that bridge seeing little to no train traffic otherwise.

Could Grand Haven function as an intermediate stop in between Holland and Muskegon?

I think the planners in Muskegon are a little TOO ambitious when it comes to the idea of having passenger rail up there.

[AARR]

The paper railroad, Muskegon Shoreline (MUSH) which recently acquired the lines north of Holland from G&W, have declined to spend any money on this project. They will invest all their energy and resources on building the freight traffic. viewtopic.php?f=24&t=38700 . It will be up to the Federal or State if they want to waste taxpayer dollars on the project.

[Ypsi]

Considering the word train is used basically once in the article and it’s in the line “by train or bus” talking about a connection to Chicago, I would guess they will look at the cost of having a separate train and settle on an Ambus to GR or Holland connecting with the Pere Marquette. A separate connection would really only hit muskegon and grand haven (grand haven being within reasonable driving distance of Holland anyway) which would either require a separate crew/ train or add 1-2 hours to the GR trip making it not time worth it.

[GRHC]

Back in the day there used to be a Muskegon / Holland passenger train.
This is what it looked like on its final run.

The train would come in from Muskegon to Holland in the morning make its connection with the Pere Marquette passenger train from Grand Rapids to Chicago. They would then park the lone passenger car on a siding in front of the Holland depot (I remember seeing this passenger car when I was a young child) then at night they would reverse the process.

[BL2-1843]

As you can see by the photo, there were a few GP7s in the 5800s and GP9s in the 6000s with steam generators in them for this service, and others out of state. Some BL2 units in the 1840 series used to work this job as well.

[J T]

Apparently Muskegon is flirting with the idea of having a Chicago connection involving either busses or rail.

It'll only be "buses." It will never be rail.

[PatAzo]

A bus is the best option. Lease one, hire a couple drivers, set up a ticketing scheme and your in business. Minimal capital up front. Use a charter service when your bus goes down for maintenance or a driver is sick.

To get to Chicago, Holland is the best connection. From a transportation prospective Muskegon to Grand Rapids would better serve the people of Muskegon.

[J T]

From a transportation prospective Muskegon to Grand Rapids would better serve the people of Muskegon.

Odd that there isn't already a bus that runs between Muskegon and Detroit via I-96.

[Plannerdad]

Or combine it with the proposed WM Express, between GR and Holland. The plan would be to start with buses and evolve into rail, depending on ridership, cost, funding, railroad concurrence, etc., etc.

[GRHC]

As you can see by the photo, there were a few GP7s in the 5800s and GP9s in the 6000s with steam generators in them for this service, and others out of state. Some BL2 units in the 1840 series used to work this job as well.

I would have to agree if they were going to do it a bus connection is how it would be done. It sure would be nice to see passenger trains in Muskegon again like the one in the pic at the Depot in downtown Muskegon.

[MQT1223]

Apparently Muskegon is flirting with the idea of having a Chicago connection involving either busses or rail.

It'll only be "buses." It will never be rail.

Obviously, but this is Railroadfan not BusBusfan. I can't see it happening either but they have some sky high politicians up there.

[dalek ling]

http://www.marp.org/?page_id=29 this is a map from the Michigan Association of Railroad Passenger. Of the states vision of Passenger Rail. It also include the Coast to Coast line, A2TC, and extension to Petoskey, Detroit to Bay city, Detroit to Port Huron, GR to Kalamazoo, and Detroit to Toledo.