Passenger Trains > Amtrak 364/365 Bluewater & 370/371 Pere Marquette

Because of a funding cut by the State of Michigan it is rumored that Amtrak's Bluewater and Pere Marquette will be terminated mid-August. Anyone know the latest? Has anything been done to save these trains?

My group Save Our Trains Michigan and the Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers have been putting up a fight.

As of right now the Michigan Senate has passed there Bill that would return the money back into the budget the House has not passed the Bill yet.

As far as the August 10th 2006 the trains will continue to run on which is called good faith since someone is trying to restore the budget we need you to contact your elected officials and tell them to Fund the Blue Water and Pere Marquette trains.


This is a yearly fight this Bill will only get us thru the end of September 30th 2006 and then we have next years budget which statrs Oct 1st 2006

Doesn't bode well for increased service in the future, does it? Three trains a day between two large metropolitan areas is totally inadequate, especially since speeds are being boosted on the line in question. Reminds me of Chicago-St. Louis before Illinois kicked in more money for that service.

This is the future if the scenario "let the states fund it" wins the day.

This is from MARP

The Senate unanimously passed the FY 2006-07 transportation appropriations bill Wednesday (SB 1097), pretty much as Senator Johnson's committee recommended it.

For Michigan trains, we are starting at $6.1 million, again. Worse yet, the boilerplate language (below) calls for even less "subsidy" in the future AND increased ridership. With full coaches now, how do we do that?

You will be pleased to know that the bill also includes funds to put highway signs up for Michigan International Speedway, to put signs on highways telling people to drive on the right side of the road, and to install a traffic light in Petoskey.

The House is working on its own version of a transportation bill, which at this point still includes a $7.1 million subsidy.

Senate bill boilerplate for Passenger Rail:
Sec. 711. (1) From the funds appropriated in part 1 from the comprehensive transportation fund for rail passenger service, the department shall negotiate with a rail carrier to provide rail service between Grand Rapids and Chicago and between Port Huron and Chicago on a 7-day basis, consistent with the other provisions of this section.
(2) Any state subsidy for rail passenger service between Grand Rapids and Chicago and between Port Huron and Chicago shall be limited to an amount equal to related route revenue and shall not exceed $6,100,000.00.

(3) The rail carrier shall, as a condition to receiving a state operating subsidy, maintain a system to monitor, collect, and resolve customer complaints and shall make the information available to the department, the house and senate appropriations subcommittees on transportation, and the house and senate fiscal agencies.

(4) The department shall submit a report to both the house and senate appropriations committees and the house and senate fiscal agencies by January 1, 2007 that provides a 5-year history on services, ridership, and subsidies.

(5) Future state support for the service between Grand Rapids and Chicago and Port Huron and Chicago is dependent on the department's ability to provide a plan and a contract for services that increase ridership and revenue, reduce operating costs, and improve on-time performance. The department shall include a section in the report required in subsection (4) detailing efforts to reduce the dependence on state operating subsidies and projected operating expenses for the next 2 years, and recommending service alternatives, for the Grand Rapids to Chicago service and the Port Huron to Chicago service.

(6) No state subsidy shall be provided from the funds appropriated in part 1 if the chosen rail carrier is Amtrak and Amtrak discontinued service or any portion of the service between Port Huron and Chicago or Grand Rapids and Chicago during the preceding fiscal year, unless the discontinuance of service was for track maintenance or was caused by acts of God.