Passenger Trains > Michigan DOT: Bicycles welcome on the Blue Water

> Michigan DOT and AMTRAK WELCOME BICYCLISTS TO MICHIGAN BLUE WATER
> TRAINS

> Bikes carried on Port Huron-Lansing-Chicago route in September

> Starting Sept. 6, bicycles will be accepted aboard the Amtrak Blue
> Water (Trains 364 & 365), a service sponsored by the Michigan
> Department of Transportation (MDOT) that operate s daily between
> Port Huron and Chica go via East Lansing and Kalamazoo.

> Uniquely in the Midwest, rail cars on the Blue Water have been
> modified to create an area to securely carry up to four bikes per
> train on a popular route that serves two large state universities
> (Michigan State and Western Michigan) and several bicycle-friendly
> communities.

> There is a $10 charge for transporting a bike, in addition to the
> railfare, and cyclists are encouraged to lock their bikes onto the
> brackets mounted in the café cars when they walk their bicycles on
> the trains.

> “We’ve worked with the cycling community to modify these railcars so
> bikes can be secured without disassembly,” said Derrick James,
> Amtrak Director of Government Affairs - Central and an avid cyclist
> who is one of the Amtrak liaisons to the cycling community. “We look
> forward to measuring the success of this service with an eye to
> expansion to additional routes across our national network."

> “Bicycle travel and tourism is impor tant in the state of Michigan,”
> said Tim Hoeffner, director of the MDOT Office of Rail. “Amtrak
> inclusion of bike service on Blue Water trains is beneficial for
> Michigan travelers.” Amtrak services in the Chicago Hub also welcome
> walk - on bikes on routes in Illinois and Missouri in unmodified
> railcars.

-MDOT, Amtrak

Good to hear. New railcars would really help with this, as 4 per train is hardly anything. On Metra people are used to 4-6 per car.

At the expense of cafe tables...I can't say I agree with this move.

The Michigan DOT just opened a huge can of worms by
deciding to allow bicycles on their trains. 4 per train
is not going to begin to scratch the surface of the demand
that is out there. And practicalities read their heads:
how are any bicyclists supposed to know ahead of time
whether or not there is room for their bicycles on any
particular train? And where are passengers who want
to eat in the cafe car supposed to sit? I, too, am opposed
to taking away care car seats for bicycles.

When you open a can of worms, the only way to re-can
them is to get a much bigger can!

I believe the bicycles need a reservation just like the people do
so they should know before they go to the train station

Margaret_SP_fan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> particular train? And where are passengers who
> want
> to eat in the cafe car supposed to sit?

Where does it say that all of the seating is being removed in the café car? If space is being created for four bicycles, it seems that only one table and set of seats would need to be removed.

Is this the style they are using on Blue Water? These replaced the tables on one side of the aisle

---

Sorry that I posted something that said that I thought
taht all the cafe car seating was beig removed to make
space for bicycles. I object to any space being removed
for bicycles.
At least bicyclists will have to reserve space ahead of time
so that ticket-sellers will know howmany spaces -- if any! --
are left.

I was thinking in terms of what Caltrain is doing, and not in
terms of a regional rail service. I apologize for not
understanding.

Margaret

3 years ago family and I(3 bikers) flew to Quebec City and rode our bikes to Perce QC. Shipping 3 bikes + a box of gear to Quebec City cost $980 via FedEx (personal effects have to be shipped by air). The bike riding was fantastic. On the return took the ViaRail to Montreal. Upon arrival in Montreal found out that Amtrak does not allow bikes or anything else from Montreal to Schenectady. It was a disaster.

Sure wish there were 3 bike racks that we could have used.

Dan