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AMTRAK back in Depot Town, Ypsilanti??

Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2011 7:32 pm
by Michael
http://www.annarbor.com/news/ypsilanti/ ... /index.php

Also another article on restructuring AMTRAK travel between Detroit and Chicago
http://sites.google.com/site/amtrakdayt ... ities/home

Re: AMTRAK back in Depot Town, Ypsilanti??

Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2011 9:16 pm
by JANGAJONGA
Hmmm i could see this working. getting to the depot in AA from ypsi can be tricky....

Re: AMTRAK back in Depot Town, Ypsilanti??

Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2011 9:17 pm
by willardgarrett
Michael wrote:Also another article on restructuring AMTRAK travel between Detroit and Chicago
http://sites.google.com/site/amtrakdayt ... ities/home
Not the best researched or fact-based or realistic article by ANY means. If you look, it was created by an architect who probably has very little knowledge of rail transportation but believes he does.

Re: AMTRAK back in Depot Town, Ypsilanti??

Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2011 9:20 pm
by TrainWatcher
Only problem I see.... WHERE??? The current old MC depot is privately owned and in no way able to sustain passengers without atleast a few thousand if not million to revamp the old depot. There is no platform, even though the article says the SEMCOG/MiRail project is planning one and that might not even happen.

Only option I see? Looking at Bing Maps, there is a "run around" track located next to the freight house that could hold the current 8-10 car Amtrak train without any issue, but seriously there isn't that much NS traffic to even warrant Amtrak taking a siding anymore on the Michigan Line. The runaround though looks like in order for that to happen it would need new ties, prolly rail, etc. The parking doesn't seem to be an issue as there are atleast 2 large parking lots within walking distance.

Now on to NS. Only train that "runs" on that line besides Amtrak is the Local, now B33? Nothing else between atleast Jackson and Wayne. Don't see any traffic issues there, and no industries to contend with. As far as NS goes, their only problem would be reroutes over the Michigan Line as NS did a few times in 2010.

Just my $.02, and yes, I would be for it.

Re: AMTRAK back in Depot Town, Ypsilanti??

Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2011 10:43 pm
by ns8401
James, the old #1 main and the yard lead for the old freight house yard are both old jointed rail and haven't been used since 1987... unlikely that they would do anything to them without tearing up the tracks and laying down some new rail, they'd have to because at the east end of the freight house both tracks have been severed by NS... Most likely they would just tear them out or put a path over the tracks, (crossing anyone?) on the freight house side and let that be the platform. It isn't as though there's gonna be a train on that track or anything.

Re: AMTRAK back in Depot Town, Ypsilanti??

Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 12:07 am
by sd70accsxt700
TrainWatcher wrote:Only problem I see.... WHERE??? The current old MC depot is privately owned and in no way able to sustain passengers without atleast a few thousand if not million to revamp the old depot. There is no platform, even though the article says the SEMCOG/MiRail project is planning one and that might not even happen.

Only option I see? Looking at Bing Maps, there is a "run around" track located next to the freight house that could hold the current 8-10 car Amtrak train without any issue, but seriously there isn't that much NS traffic to even warrant Amtrak taking a siding anymore on the Michigan Line. The runaround though looks like in order for that to happen it would need new ties, prolly rail, etc. The parking doesn't seem to be an issue as there are atleast 2 large parking lots within walking distance.

Now on to NS. Only train that "runs" on that line besides Amtrak is the Local, now B33? Nothing else between atleast Jackson and Wayne. Don't see any traffic issues there, and no industries to contend with. As far as NS goes, their only problem would be reroutes over the Michigan Line as NS did a few times in 2010.

Just my $.02, and yes, I would be for it.

Did I miss something again? What are you talking about. All the article talks about its wanting a station stop added. Why would you need someplace to park a train if it just a station stop. In the article it says this is SEPERATE from the commuter service.

Re: AMTRAK back in Depot Town, Ypsilanti??

Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 2:27 am
by ns8401
If the commuter train stops there it will be a 5 minute hello goodbye type of affair, the train will not live in Ypsilanti, more like in Ann Arbor off the old AA interchange. Besides they'd just share a station between the two, (although why have a station that close to Ann Arbor?) maybe a flag stop at best?

Re: AMTRAK back in Depot Town, Ypsilanti??

Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 10:40 am
by Michael
Stations like Birmingham have little to no overnight parking and no more than bus stop accommodations. Ypsilanti already has much more than that so it seems they would just need to get a platform which will happen anyways if the Detroit - Ann Arbor commuter train ever gets running.

I am just amazed in reading that article that Ypsilanti has a Mayor AND a City Manager. Do they really need both?

Re: AMTRAK back in Depot Town, Ypsilanti??

Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 12:59 pm
by OwlCaboose2853
Michael wrote:Stations like Birmingham have little to no overnight parking and no more than bus stop accommodations. Ypsilanti already has much more than that so it seems they would just need to get a platform which will happen anyways if the Detroit - Ann Arbor commuter train ever gets running.

I am just amazed in reading that article that Ypsilanti has a Mayor AND a City Manager. Do they really need both?
Commuter rail line will have stop in Ypsilanti (March 2010); look map for new two platforms;
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/ind ... ave_s.html
Remember that EMU's students and staffs in Ypsilatnti, they need riding on the train. Gas $$$$ will be up!