It is a glorious day anytime anyone – especially an automobile company – announces an interest in passenger trains. Such is the case at Michigan Central Station, which for 75 years (1913-88) was the main passenger train station in Detroit. At 13 stories, above two...
Poised to be Michigan’s most popular train
By connecting the state’s political, business, cultural and tourism capitals with its major educational hubs, the line would be a dynamo of innovation and economic rejuvenation.
And an opportunity exists for Michigan Department of Transportation to purchase these tracks from CSX to create a passenger focused line.
When paired with the Wolverine Corridor, this route would create a Regional Rail network linking 8 million people.
Corridor Basics
Type
- Shared-Use
Status of Pere Marquette:
- Just one daily roundtrip Grand Rapids – Chicago
- In Corridor ID, with modest goal of two daily roundtrips
Status of Coast-to-Coast:
- No service
- MDOT studying the route as-if in Corridor ID, service goal not set
Our Proposal:
- Combine the Pere Marquette and Coast-to-Coast into a single corridor
- Partner with CSX for hourly service
Part of a statewide network
This is just one piece of what should be an aggressive program to link the state with affordable trains and expanded bus lines.
A comprehensive plan is the key to making all of this work: fast trains, frequent service, coordinated schedules, fixed bottlenecks, and a new railroad hub. California is the first to do such a plan, and Michigan should follow their lead.
Please take a moment and let state leaders know: We need a statewide transportation plan that moves us well beyond the same old same old.
Ask Governor Whitmer and your legislators to make regional rail a priority
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