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Me too.
My profile pic is an accurate depiction of how I felt about adults in bunny suits.J T wrote: ↑Wed Oct 05, 2022 5:05 pmI was excited for the Easter bunny to come when I was a child.dalek ling wrote: ↑Tue Oct 04, 2022 1:24 pmOwners and buissness workers In Cadillac are excited for A2TC
That’s a good plan. I don’t think they would stop in Marion. Another thing they should add is an observation/ bar car. They plan to have trains running at there pace after the study. 2024-2030KenB wrote: ↑Mon Oct 10, 2022 2:18 pmWell right now the A2TC train is a big boondoggle BUT once we are forced into electric automobiles and IF they run the trains to actually serve all the people a train is a good idea.
1. Train has to run daily. Both directions.
2. Need a special car to haul snowmobiles/ATV's at a cheap rate.
3. Train needs to stop in Howell, Durand, Mt. Pleasant, Clare, Alma, Marion, Cadillac.
4. Need park & ride lots these locations.
5. Need DMU's to operate TC to at least Cadillac during mid day. Mon-Sat.
6. Need agreement with CN to get the trains accross the diamond at Durand. Not hold passenger
train waiting for a train out of Flint or Lansing.
7. Need train to average at least 50 mph over the whole route.
To do all of this tracks must be up-graded, trains built. Schedule set-up. If we start now, (2023) can have trains running in 2033.
Don't be so sure about your statement, Amtrak has been running the wolverine trains with close to record load factors since the spring break meltdowns and high prices at the airlines. Which made some of the public question the integrity of the airline industry in the US.joeyuboats wrote: ↑Mon Oct 10, 2022 4:56 pmIf they cannot run present day Amtrack, reliably,on schedule, what makes people think this will work??Don't hold your breath.
I don't think I've heard of anyone taking a plane from Metro to Chicago, unless to catch a connecting flight. I took the train to Chicago to catch a plane several times 15-20 years ago, but I wouldn't roll the dice on that now.David Collins wrote: ↑Thu Oct 13, 2022 10:37 amDon't be so sure about your statement, Amtrak has been running the wolverine trains with close to record load factors since the spring break meltdowns and high prices at the airlines. Which made some of the public question the integrity of the airline industry in the US.joeyuboats wrote: ↑Mon Oct 10, 2022 4:56 pmIf they cannot run present day Amtrack, reliably,on schedule, what makes people think this will work??Don't hold your breath.
Both trains I rode to/from Chicago (351/354) were sold out, on a Thursday and a Sunday. Which may seem impossible. But when you think about it, it takes less time to take the train from Ann Arbor (where most passengers got on/off), than to drive to metro airport, getting there two hours early, waiting on boarding your flight, actually flying, getting your baggage and then driving to wherever you're going in CHI.
There are TONS of people (including my family, it's quite an interesting time at the dinner table when we talk about this ) who believe that this is feasible, however, they haven't done enough math to realize that this is a complete waste of time and money, and (if taxpayers are paying for this), it will be coming out of THEIR pockets if it fails.
The old interchange track crossing Main Street aka BR US-23 and did had cantilever crossing signals. That interchange track was used by the old Ann Arbor RR switch run based out of Ferry Yard located on the U of M campus. That interchange track is long gone now.KenB wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 11:33 pmFuther to what I wrote on Oct 10, 2022 about AA2TC
At the Ann Arbor end, the old interchange track between AA and MCRR would have to be installed including four quadrent gates at Main St. and power switches on both ends. After train gets on MCRR they would use the existing Amtrak depot. Than there are two plans. Depending on time. Train would go East to Dearborn and turn on the Junction Yard branch wye at Townline and could lay over at he Dearborn station until time to go back North.
If not enought time for the Dearborn Run than train could go to Willow Run yard, be turned on wye and lay over until time to go back North. At Willow Run radio controled turnouts would have to be installed.
The Dearborn run would get people from the West side of Detroit and also service AA with another train.
On the North End. With DMU's operating South out of TC, DMU's could also go to Petoskey again depending on schedule of main AA toTC train.
If all of this is done along with connecting bus service this would make up-North fully connected. I will not live long enough to see it.
Before we get the AA2TC train we should get a Detroit to Michigan City train on the C&O.
Well at Michigan City there is a Casino which is a destnation location. There is also a connection to the south Shore for people who are not going to Chicago such as South Bend or Gary and other points on the CSS.
So you are suggesting Amtrak run a train all the way from Detroit through Grand Rapids to Michigan City and leave them a mile away from the South Shore station? Or did you have greater plans?KenB wrote: ↑Mon Oct 24, 2022 8:47 amWell at Michigan City there is a Casino which is a destnation location. There is also a connection to the south Shore for people who are not going to Chicago such as South Bend or Gary and other points on the CSS.
It is about connectivity. Connecting the points in between major cities. The airlines, and Amtrak too, think all people want to go Detroit to Chicago but really people need to connect to smaler places such as Lansing to South Bend or Gary. People do live in these other places.
Holland Michigan to Detroit Michigan passenger rail service has already been discussed a few years ago.justalurker66 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 24, 2022 5:40 pmSo you are suggesting Amtrak run a train all the way from Detroit through Grand Rapids to Michigan City and leave them a mile away from the South Shore station? Or did you have greater plans?KenB wrote: ↑Mon Oct 24, 2022 8:47 amWell at Michigan City there is a Casino which is a destnation location. There is also a connection to the south Shore for people who are not going to Chicago such as South Bend or Gary and other points on the CSS.
It is about connectivity. Connecting the points in between major cities. The airlines, and Amtrak too, think all people want to go Detroit to Chicago but really people need to connect to smaler places such as Lansing to South Bend or Gary. People do live in these other places.
No station on the C&O line in Michigan City ... so spend millions of dollars building one or providing a connection where the C&O crosses the AML so one can get Detroit to Michigan City trains to the closed Amtrak station in Michigan City.KenB wrote: ↑Mon Oct 24, 2022 10:58 pmYes. Detroit to Michigan City. Yes, there is a several block difference between the two stations. Would have to work with the City to have a shuttle bus between the two stations. Having train end in St. Joseph is good. Heck, you get off the train right at the beech but if you get to Michigan City you have more connectivity and a Casino as a draw.
If a Holland Michigan to Detroit Michigan train is routed through Michigan City there is a problem. Extending a Holland to Detroit train to become a Chicago to Detroit via Grand Rapids train might work but there isn't a Holland to Detroit train to extend. Nor would it connect Ann Arbor to Traverse City.