About Time
Monday, 31 March 2014 01:27![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dr_phil_physicsSince we moved to West Michigan, Amtrak train service has been split. One lines runs from Chicago to Kalamazoo, and then to places like East Lansing, Detroit and Flint. The Pere Marquette line goes from Chicago to Holland and Grand Rapids.
There are at least two more trains that would make sense. One would be service between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo -- that would take advantage of the multiple trains through Kalamazoo, as well as the higher speed sections being updated. The other would be east from Grand Rapids to Lansing and Detroit directly.
There may be movement on the latter. An article the other day on Mlive talked about a study.
I think this would be a great train service which I would be happy to take advantage of from time to time. If there was one trainset, it would overnight in Holland -- two trains daily could start from both Holland and Detroit -- and make a day trip possible both ways. I did once spend some hours at a conference exhibition in Chicago on the Pete Marquette. I had a free pass to the conference exhibit hall, after all. (grin)
It's not world class high speed rail, but it's a start.
Dr. Phil
There are at least two more trains that would make sense. One would be service between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo -- that would take advantage of the multiple trains through Kalamazoo, as well as the higher speed sections being updated. The other would be east from Grand Rapids to Lansing and Detroit directly.
There may be movement on the latter. An article the other day on Mlive talked about a study.
The so-called “Coast to Coast” line would go through Grand Rapids, Lansing and metro Detroit, and could connect major colleges as well as health care organizations such as those along Grand Rapids’ Medical Mile. The line would travel at a speed of 79 mph, compared to the current maximum speed of 65 mph on the Pere Marquette, Langdon said.I assume this would be separate from the once daily Grand Rapids-Holland-Chicago run, given the early morning departure from and late night arrival at G.R. Chicago-Lansing-Detroit passengers would be better served through Kalamazoo.
Most of the route would run on tracks currently owned by CSX Transportation, Langdon said.
I think this would be a great train service which I would be happy to take advantage of from time to time. If there was one trainset, it would overnight in Holland -- two trains daily could start from both Holland and Detroit -- and make a day trip possible both ways. I did once spend some hours at a conference exhibition in Chicago on the Pete Marquette. I had a free pass to the conference exhibit hall, after all. (grin)
It's not world class high speed rail, but it's a start.
Dr. Phil
