Michigan Mass Transit Super Thread

[LMich]

The National Association of Realtors is proposing the concept of starting rail service between Traverse City and Williamsburg as a demonstration project to eventually connect Northern Michigan with the southern Michigan rail network. A better way to think of it is a connection between the city and the resort communities to the east with the problem being that this doesn't exactly go through Acme.

New Traverse City proposal favors passenger rail service over highway

Associated Press

August 10, 2014

TRAVERSE CITY — It’s time to consider providing passenger rail service between Traverse City and the nearby community of Williamsburg as a start toward reviving train travel in Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula, a nonprofit advocacy group says.

The Michigan Land Use Institute said that using the 11-mile stretch of rail could boost tourism and development in the area.

“It’s a low-cost way to add capacity to our existing transportation network while supporting development along the track at the same time,” said James Bruckbauer, a transportation policy specialist with the institute and author of the report.

Such a passenger rail line could be a first step toward restoring Traverse City’s passenger rail connection to the rest of the state, Bruckbauer said.

It would cost much less to upgrade the track than to reconstruct a 1.5-mile section of U.S. 31, the highway linking Traverse City and Williamsburg, according to the report.

“While year-round daily commuter trains might be too expensive for now, a seasonal tourist-shuttle could be a low-cost, achievable first step,” the institute said in a statement. “The estimated cost to improve the tracks — less than $2 million — is modest when compared to the $9 million cost to reconstruct just 1.5 miles of U.S. 31,” the institute said.

...

If they have the money to do this, that's great. But, I have my doubts about a service like this being successful. I get that they want to use existing rail lines, but even if they built new rails directly to say Acme, I'm not sure this would be much of a success. I'd much rather them concentrate all of their energies into getting something to connect to the south. There has been a concept for years to get passenger service between Traverse City and Southeast Michigan via the old Tuscola & Saginaw Bay Railway (which is also the railway and its spurs that this commuter service would use) owned by the Great Lakes Central Railroad. These tracks would cross Amtrak's Blue Water service in Durand (basically right between Lansing and Flint), and the Wolverine in Ann Arbor.

I'm not sure that even in-season if you'd have enough commuters to support this small stretch, unless the plan is to use some kind of heritage rolling stock, and do this for special events.

BTW, for anyone interested in seeing a railway map of Michigan, here's the link.

[ardecila]

I'm glad to see this kind of community-level support for rail building in Michigan... but I think you're right that this service would have very limited appeal.

[subterranean]

I would use an "up north" rail line for sure. The traffic getting to and from Traverse City, particularly during the summer, is horrendous and dangerous. If it were affordable, e.g., comparable to the tank of gas it takes to get there and back, it would be worth it to me. The issues I foresee for a lot of in-state travelers would be the cost of buying tickets for an entire family. Also, where do you hitch your boat, snowmobile, etc.?

[subterranean]

Sideline: I never realized how extensive and weird the rail network was around the tri-city region. But I guess considering its industrial heritage, including Dow, and its proximity to one of the few inland navigable rivers leading to Saginaw Bay/Lake Huron, it makes sense.

[LMich]

Originally Posted by subterranean

Also, where do you hitch your boat, snowmobile, etc.?

I'm not sure if this was rhetorical or facetious, but if you're going to be taking the train, I guess the point is that you'll be renting those services and amenities at the destination, or you'd store those things up there year-round.

BTW, the thing I'm surprised about is concerning our rail network is that Traverse City isn't connected to West Michigan.

[subterranean]

Originally Posted by LMich

I'm not sure if this was rhetorical or facetious, but if you're going to be taking the train, I guess the point is that you'll be renting those services and amenities at the destination, or you'd store those things up there year-round.

BTW, the thing I'm surprised about is concerning our rail network is that Traverse City isn't connected to West Michigan.

It was facetious.

TC actually was connected, but that service ended in 1966. I wonder if the track still exists or if it's been converted to a rail trail.

[JonathanGRR]

The tracks, once part of the Grand Rapids & Indiana, from Grand Rapids to Cadillac have been converted into a rail trail--the White Pine Trail State Park. The tracks south of Grand Rapids and north of Cadillac are still in use.

[LMich]

Originally Posted by subterranean

It was facetious.

I was just being sure.

In other mass tranist news, the first demonstration of the commuter rail passenger cars which are planned to serve Metro Detroit's two long-planned commuter rail services will be held tommorrow during the Howell Melon Festival.

Friends of Wally are sponsoring the static demonstration, and the Steam Railroading Institute will provide hour-long rides.



Man, I really hope with the state revamping stations and services for Amtrak, that they'll start focusing on regional and commuter rail in the state. WALLY's been trying to get moving since 2006. We already have all of the equipment just sitting out waiting to be used.

The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, which oversees the WALLY project, is focused on a study that will update data, including cost and ridership interest figures, said Michael Benham, the authority’s strategic planner.

The new feasibility study, using a $640,000 federal grant, will pinpoint project costs and ridership demand for the estimated $32 million rail project. The study is expected to get underway in about two weeks.

A separate $160,000 in county and local government contributions will also go toward the study.

To date, planners have relied on a 2007 study to determine whether a commuter rail line between Howell and Ann Arbor is feasible. The original study and follow-up surveys cost about $300,000, and were funded by local governments, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, Great Lakes Central Railroad and the University of Michigan.

Benham said this weekend’s MiTrain car rides in Howell will be a big step forward because riders — who would pay WALLY through rider fees and likely tax dollars — will get to experience the possible rail line.

The set is stored up in Owosso.

The Michigan Department of Transportation has spent $9.5 million to refurbish 23 rail cars that would be used for either the Howell-to-Ann Arbor or Ann Arbor-to-Detroit lines. The cars are stored in Owosso.