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Constitutional Amendment Could Boost Train Funding by LARRY SOBCZAK Lected for Transportation

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Constitutional Amendment Could Boost Train Funding by LARRY SOBCZAK Lected for Transportation WINTER 2015 Volume 42, Number 1 Constitutional amendment could boost train funding BY LARRY SOBCZAK lected for transportation. estimated $112 million increase Passenger train and mass In a December lame-duck to the Comprehensive Transpor- transit programs in the state may session, Michigan lawmakers tation Fund (CTF) which funds Michigan Association see an estimated $112 million in- approved plans for a statewide programs such as passenger of Railroad Passengers crease annually if voters approve ballot proposal and an 11-bill trains, transit programs, intercity www.marp.org an amendment to the state con- package that could yield $1.2 bus and freight rail. stitution raising the sales tax and billion a year in new funding for The $112 million fi gure for restructuring how taxes are col- roads and bridges as well as the (See FUNDING, page 6) WHAT’S INSIDE… Amtrak sets revenue record in 2014 See Page 3 Meet new MARP Board members See Page 4 All aboard the Michigan Flyer See Page 5 On-time performance & the Supreme Court See Page 7 DOUBLE TRACK. Crews deliv- ered rails on Dec. 23 in Dearborn just west of the new train station for a second mainline. Workers will install a second track from PAID 44870 Monroe Street in Dearborn to U.S. POSTAGE U.S. PRESORT STD. PRESORT the diamond at Wayne Junction PERMIT NO. 10 PERMIT NO. SANDUSKEY, OH SANDUSKEY, this spring. This means tracks 1 and 2 will run from Town Line (Greenfi eld Avenue in Dearborn) to CP Ypsilanti, just east of De- pot Town. The upgrade is funded by part of a $240 million federal grant awarded in 2010 to up- grade passenger service to 110 mph between Detroit and Chi- cago. (Photos by Steve Sobel.) Wrong timing idles commuter cars BY LARRY SOBCZAK MDOT was spending $1.9 mil- time it takes to order passenger rail The public and Michigan lion annually in leasing fees to cars from the manufacturer and lawmakers are asking how the Federated Rail to essentially store the unexpected changes in rail- Michigan Department of Trans- 23 commuter railcars in Owosso. road ownership as well as funding portation (MDOT) ended up The article prompted the while MDOT was waiting for the with nearly two dozen commuter Michigan House of Representa- railcar order to be fi lled. railcars sitting in a rail yard in- tives’ Transportation Committee “It’s not like ordering a stead of providing service to Ann to convene Feb. 10 to get an- brand new automobile,” MDOT Arbor as originally intended. swers from MDOT Director Kirk Spokesman Michael Frezell The questions arose from an Steudle on the matter. said. “They are not sitting around article published in the Detroit The answer to how the situa- in a factory waiting for custom- MARP 510842 PO Box MI 48151-6842 LIVONIA Free Press Feb. 1 that revealed tion developed is in the long lead (See COMMUTER, page 3) Page 2 Th e Michigan Passenger Winter 2015 Michigan Association of Railroad Th e Michigan Passenger Passengers, Inc. is published four times annually by the Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers, Inc. OFFICERS Copyright © 2015 Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers, Inc. Chair All articles not originated by MARP are copyrighted by their Larry Krieg respective originators. All rights reserved. Articles used in 734-347-2179 accordance with the Fair Use Clause of the United States [email protected] Constitution. Vice Chair The Michigan Passenger welcomes submissions on passenger rail Jim Wallington 517-303-6038 issues for publication. Material sent for publication should be sent [email protected] to our Editor at: [email protected]. Secretary Clippings from newspapers and magazines must include the Position open. publication’s name and date. Photos sent in by e-mail should be in Interested? [email protected] JPEG format. We reserve the right to edit all submissions.To subscribe to this Treasurer Jeanie Merckel publication, join MARP by fi lling out the application below. All 734-717-0326 MARP members receive a copy of this publication sent to their [email protected] home or business. Michigan Passenger Editor & MARP Webmaster: REGIONAL CHAIRS Larry Sobczak, [email protected] Metro Detroit Robert Patterson 586-781-6891 313-836-3736 [email protected] Contributors: Kay Chase East/Central Michigan Steve Vagnozzi John DeLora 517-349-4889 Hugh Gurney [email protected] Jerry Huddleston Steve Sobel West Michigan Warren Fritz 269-998-4308 [email protected] About MARP… Northern Michigan Don Monteith The Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers, Inc. (MARP) 231-675-1026 was established in 1973 as a consumer advocacy group to improve [email protected] intercity rail and bus service, improve local transit and encourage the preservation of historic railroad stations. AT-LARGE EXECUTIVES MARP is not affi liated with Amtrak, the railroads, governments or John D. Langdon any political party. MARP is incorporated as a Michigan non-profi t 616-218-9009 [email protected] organization and is exempt from federal income tax under the IRS code, 501( c )(3) as a charitable educational organization. Dues and Kay M. Chase donations to MARP may be tax-deductible in accordance with the 269-388-3777 IRS code. [email protected] Kathleen Newell MARP is an all-volunteer organization. Its membership consists of 310-740-0421 passengers and citizens who want a viable, balanced transportation [email protected] system in Michigan. We can all use the help we can get! Don Westcott http://www.marp.org [email protected] [email protected] 810-234-1427 http://www.facebook.com/pages/michigan-association-of-railroad-passengers http://twitter.com/michrailpass JOIN MARP TODAY! It’s easy. Just fi ll out and return this form! PO BOX 510842 LIVONIA MI 48151-6842 Winter 2015 Th e Michigan Passenger Page 3 continuous double track segment A new feasibility study was refurbished bi-level stainless COMMUTER between Dearborn and Ypsilanti needed for WALLY and the steel commuter cars from the (Continued from and replacing antiquated signals study is a necessary component 1950s and 1960s versus purchas- dating back to the 1930s. to receiving federal grants and ing brand new cars. page 1) “We can’t run a commuter funding for the project. The cost to refurbish the rail- ers to buy them. As a matter of service along that section of track Frezell said that while the cars was approximately $450,000 fact, there is a shortage of com- until the work is complete,” said cars were being refurbished, the apiece, whereas purchasing new muter rail cars in some parts of Tim Hoeffner, who is Director of source of funding for the com- railcars would have cost between the country so we are lucky to MDOT’s Offi ce of Rail. muter services at the federal lev- $2 million and $3 million apiece. have them now.” The work is expected to be el had switched from the Federal At that rate, MDOT would The 23 refurbished commut- completed after the 2016 con- Highway Administration to the have had to pay lease fees on er cars were ordered by MDOT struction season. Federal Transit Administration the refurbished cars in the in 2010 at a cost of $10.3 million Meanwhile, the Ann Arbor and the Federal Railroad Admin- Owosso yard for decades be- for commuter service between Railroad was sold to Watco in istration causing problems for fore the cost exceeded that of Ann Arbor and Detroit as well as 2013, affecting the Ann Arbor to grant applications. brand-new cars. Ann Arbor and Howell. Howell service which is known Hoeffner said that the com- Despite the savings, Hoef- In 2013, MDOT became the as the Washtenaw and Livings- muter projects were on a fast track fner said that if he could have new owner of the segment of the ton Line or WALLY. to completion in the late 2000s anticipated the unexpected Norfolk Southern Railway which In a break from the old own- when the railcar order was placed changes in funding and own- the Ann Arbor to Detroit commut- ers, Watco said it was interested and that it would have been unac- ership, he would have delayed er service is slated to run along. in allowing the commuter ser- ceptable to have funding but no the order. vice to use their tracks. The state is now in the pro- cars to operate the service. “Obviously we would like cess of rehabilitating that seg- “It really changed the nature of the project,” Frezell said. He said the state saved con- to have those cars in service,” ment of the track, creating a siderable money by leasing the he said. Amtrak sets revenue record in fi scal year 2014 Amtrak generated record they said. continues, Amtrak offi cials said. Boardman and Amtrak Chair- revenue of $3.2 billion during “Our efforts to operate a more In recent years, the railroad has man Tony Coscia said. fi scal-year 2014 and recorded fi nancially sound railroad for our expanded state-supported servic- “Our fi nancial performance the lowest operating loss since stakeholders continues to exceed es, introduced Wi-Fi and eTick- over the past year is the clear- 1973 at $227 million. expectations,” Amtrak President eting technologies, procured new est indication yet that Amtrak’s During the 2014 fi scal year, and Chief Executive Offi cer Jo- equipment for the Northeast Cor- investments, operating effi cien- which ended Sept. 30, Amtrak seph Boardman said. “Amtrak’s ridor and long-distance services, cies and focus on its customers covered 93 percent of its oper- customer value proposition im- implemented a major planning is paying off,” Coscia said.
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