Granholm to talk high-speed rail in Jackson on Monday

[Scooterb]

http://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/index ... d_rai.html

Granholm to talk high-speed rail in Jackson on Monday
by Chris Gautz | Jackson Citizen Patriot
Friday August 21, 2009, 11:48 PM
Gov. Jennifer Granholm is scheduled to arrive in Jackson on Monday by Amtrak train.

She is expected to make an announcement here about plans to bring high-speed rail to Michigan.

Last month, Granholm signed a memorandum of understanding that created a partnership with seven other states to fund the Midwest Corridor. It's a regional plan that will connect cities with frequent and reliable high-speed rail, according to a statement from Granholm's office. The state's portion would extend from Pontiac to Detroit to Chicago.

Local officials have been working hard to make sure Jackson is included in any high-speed rail plans.

The event begins at 1:15 p.m. at the Jackson Amtrak Station, 501 E. Michigan Ave.

Dr. Salah Huwais, executive director of Jackson Citizens for Economic Growth, is encouraging area residents to come out and greet her.

[GreatLakesRailfan]

I'm not sure I like the idea of Michigan paying for Amtrak service in northwest Indiana. If Indiana wants Amtrak service too, they should be footing the bill for the Wolverine-corridor service between Michigan and Illinois. Goodness knows, with the money they got from leasing the toll road, they should be more than able to cover the cost of the couple miles of AMTK service there.

[railohio]

Indiana already pays for service in the northwest corner, it's called the South Shore and serves residents better than upgraded Detroit to Chicago Amtrak service would. The simple fact is this: If Michigan wants their service to be useful, in other words serve a city outside of the state, it's going to to have to pay for it to happen.

[Scooterb]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090824/N ... rail-plans

Posted: 6:09 a.m. Aug. 24, 2009
Granholm to announce high-speed rail plans
ASSOCIATED PRESS

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Gov. Jennifer Granholm will announce plans related to high-speed rail in Michigan as she takes an Amtrak train from Dearborn to Jackson.

Granholm is expected to talk today about how federal stimulus money can help Michigan speed the process of developing high-speed rail corridors. A deadline for federal grant applications is the same day.


Granholm has proposed trimming spending by 22% for Amtrak service in the state. Funding would drop by half starting in October under a GOP plan.


She said in a radio address Friday that high-speed rail would give state residents another option for business and recreational trips.


In a nod to tight economic times, the governor plans to pay the $16 for her train ticket.

[LSRC]

I'm just thinking, is the 90 mph that Amtrak does in the Southwest corner of the state not fast enough? If it were me, I'd focus a little bit more on working with the Class 1s to eliminate the delays (which are what slow the trains down after all) than focus on spending money on the Amtrak line. For me (and many of my other non-railfan friends), it's not that the ride's too long or too slow that makes it unappealing, it's the fact that there are so many delays, especially in the Chicago area.

[PAT.C]

LSRC HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FOR A SHORT RUN [DET TO CHI], 90MPH WITHOUT DELAYS WOULD BE WELL ACCEPTED IF THE DELAYS WERE ELIMINATED.
GOING 80 AND 90 FOR A COUPLE HOURS THEN SETTING STILL FOR A HALF HOUR [OR MORE] SURE LOWERS THE AVERAGE SPEED AND RAISES TEMPERS.

[leo28150]

Amen to that!!!! I can verify the heat; last night we were pretty much on time everywhere until we were coming into PTH, the dispatcher tells us that because 394 is too long and blocking the switch into main 4--so we can get into the station--and a way too long 393 is to come thru the tunnel first before he leaves, that we will be at Tappen for a while. He was right as we sat there long enough to go from 10 mins. early to over an hour late; not many smiling faces getting off the train last night

While the current speed is 79 mph on the Amtrak--ITCS is in a testing phase--they say it will be up to 110 this fall; problem is that this will only be for 60-some miles. Perhaps when they get off the dime and purchase the rest of the Michigan line and get it upgraded for some higher speeds will there be any real gains towards a realistic time spent traveling between Chi and Det.

[OwlCaboose2853]

Gov. Jennifer Granholm is not qualifying about Amtrak on Michigan Lines. Amtrak still be an average and slow speed rail in Washtenaw County.

[KenB]

Gov Grandholm gave a talk at the Dearborn, Mich. Amtral station this morming before she got on a very clean coach on #353 this morning for her trip to Jackson.
She said the state has submitted its applications for rail improvment. Those can be viewed on the MDOT web page. She talked about building rail cars in Michigan. Mentioned that there is a lot of talk about addiding capicty from Porter to Chicago.
Rep John D. Dingell is with her. They did say that if the plans are approved construction could begin next year since the Feds want to get these projects going ASAP.
We will see but it is most important that besides critizing everything via the web that YOU write your represintavies in both Lansing and Washington if you support rail. That really is the only way better rail service can be had.
KenB

[Beal99]

The problem too isn't always MI, that Porter-Chicago segment is bottleneck HELL with the NS, I'm very much on the "see it believe it" fence on midwest high speed rail

[Cinderpath]

Seriously though, I think the name "High Speed Rail" is a joke, when in most places it means speeds <150mph. 110mph, is well, MSR but hey it is a start, and we need to start somewhere. I'd love to see electrification of the route. South America (Argentina) will most likely have HSR before the USA has a true high speed rail train comparable to Europe and Asia. France will shortly go to standard 220mph operation, powered by "Green", non-carbon emitting nuclear power plants

BTW the economic development and jobs created along high speed rail routes in Europe and Asia have been nothing short of amazing, the increase in tax revenues due to companies locating along them are over time offsetting the infrastructure cost, not to mention in many cases once the trains reach a high level patronage, there has been very little subsidy for them. (I say very little, because as well all know, ALL forms of transportation are either directly, or indirectly subsidized). The idea of trying to get carbuilders to locate here is a great one, with the manufacturing talent that is here in this state.

While I have not always been the biggest Granholm fan, but I certainly give her credit for having a vision of a modern rail future, that can create long-lasting and sustainable jobs here that cannot be outsourced. As always, it is easy for the naysayers and detractors to criticize, but trying to fulfill a vision is a great thing. If the mindset that exist today was around in the 1960's we'd have never made it to the moon.

[hoborich]

Pardon me for raining on the parade, but where is the money coming from. Michigan has a 2 BILLION dollar budget shortfall, and Granholm isn't talking about how she plans to deal with it. The feds are broke, and just announced there would be no cost of living increases for Social Security, for at least two years! And I can recall Granholm blustering about creating "cool cities" that people would want to move to, in her State of The State address a couple years ago. Granholm talks a good game. That's about as far as it goes.

[OwlCaboose2853]

High Speed Rail - On The Wrong Track?
Steve Carmody (2009-08-24)
ANN ARBOR, MI (Michigan Radio) - http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/michi ... t-15299257

Governor Granholm will take a ride on an Amtrak train Monday to promote a campaign to bring high speed passenger rail service to Michigan.

Granholm has joined with seven other Midwest governors to ask for billions of dollars in federal aid for high speed rail projects including a link connecting Detroit to Chicago.

But one economist says it's a waste of money.

Randal O'Toole is a senior fellow with the conservative Cato Institute. He says high speed rail services in Asia and Europe have proven to be expensive and ineffective.

"The ticket fares aren't going to cover the costs," says O'Toole, "Amtrak loses money on its operations between Boston and Washington. That's the densest population in the country. If they lose money there, they'll lose money everywhere."

The Obama administration is making $8 billion available for high speed rail projects in the coming years.

[Scooterb]

Doing good guys, lets just keep partisian politics off this thread as it could spiral out of control.

[AARR]

If Amtrak can improve it's on-time performance I'll gladly use them more. I know a lot of business people who would.

[jwilliam33]

Somehow we have to get people(and our legislature) past the profitability standard that Amtrak and other rail operators are being tied to. I'm a businessman and believe in businesses making profits to survive, however, it is abundantly clear here and abroad that passenger rail needs to be viewed in the same context as investment in other modes of transportation whether that be auto, air or water. None of these other investments of our tax dollars are held to a profitability standard and are truly public services. Imagine the roads that would be abandoned if their ability to generate a profit were the criteria! The investment is made for the benefit of the public. This is the approach that needs to be taken toward passenger rail, that it is an alternative transportation mode for the benefit of the public. It will never be profitable or self sustaining.

[hoborich]

I agree. It would be nice to get something for our tax dollars, besides the latest F-35 jet fighters, or missile system.

[OwlCaboose2853]

Michigan's high-speed rail funding application could impact Ann Arbor's Amtrak station

[pfs]

I agree. It would be nice to get something for our tax dollars, besides the latest F-35 jet fighters, or missile system.

We don't even get them...we 'sell' them to countries and then 'forgive' the debts.

I fully agree with jwilliam33, rail should be treated similar to the interstate highways. The long term payoffs would be great.

[hoborich]

Yeah. Whatever happened to public service, and using tax dollars for the public good. Where is it written that every public service has to make a profit? Legislators are paid with our tax dollars and they don't make a darn profit for the government.