MDOT Accelerates Track Work

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

MDOT Accelerates Track Work AUTUMN 2013 Subsidy for Amtrak services triples Volume 40, Number 4 BY LARRY SOBCZAK Prior to the implementation into law in 2008, some rail ad- On Oct. 1 the costs of Am- of PRIIA’s section 209, Michi- vocates, including many MARP trak service to Michigan taxpay- gan was already covering the members, were worried that the ers jumped from approximately difference with a subsidy for the Michigan legislature might not $8 million to $25 million a year. Pere Marquette serving Grand be agreeable to increasing the Rapids to Chicago and the Blue The increase in cost was state’s subsidies. Michigan Association Water serving Port Huron to Chi- of Railroad Passengers due to section 209 of the Pas- cago but not the Wolverine serv- “We have a legislature that is very open to rail in general,” said www.marp.org senger Rail Improvement and ing Pontiac to Chicago. Amtrak Investment Act of 2008 (PRIIA) covered all of the difference be- Tim Hoeffner who is Director of which stipulates that states must tween revenue and expenditures Rail at the Michigan Department WHAT’S cover more of the difference be- on the Wolverine route prior to of Transportation. “It is maybe tween revenue and expenditures one of the friendliest legislatures INSIDE… the current fi scal year which be- on routes under 750 miles long gan on Oct. 1. to rail in my time at MDOT.” serving their state. (See PRIIA, page 3) Parking problems When PRIIA was signed in Port Huron See Page 3 Past, present and future of Englewood See Page 4 South Of Lake study moves forward See Page 5 MARP celebrates forty years of service See Page 6 PAID 44870 WORKING ON THE RAILROAD. Norlfolk Southern track gangs replace rails and ties in West Dear- U.S. POSTAGE U.S. PRESORT STD. PRESORT born in an effort by the Michigan Department of Transportation to bring speeds on the tracks between PERMIT NO. 10 PERMIT NO. SANDUSKEY, OH SANDUSKEY, Dearborn and Kalamazoo from 79 mph to 110 mph. Read an account of the work being performed on page 8. (Photo by Steve Sobel) MDOT accelerates track work BY LARRY SOBCZAK benefi ts from more reliable track Wolverine trains #350 and Transportation offi cials are conditions and eliminates the #353 have seen the bulk of de- hoping to squeeze two con- need for similar track disruptions lays and schedule changes dur- struction years of work into one next year between Dearborn and ing the construction. Some trains season this fall along the Mich- Kalamazoo,” said Al Johnson, have been cancelled outright igan-owned rail line between MDOT Rail Operations Man- while others have terminated at Dearborn and Kalamazoo. ager. Jackson with buses transporting The goal of the construction passengers to their fi nal destina- Amtrak, the Michigan De- tions. partment of Transportation and blitz is to get passenger train Norfolk Southern Railway are speeds up to 110 M.P.H. by 2016 Amtrak and MDOT offi cials coordinating their efforts to re- and cut the travel time between warn that all Michigan trains habilitate a major portion of Detroit and Chicago by more can be affected by the construc- the railroad by Thanksgiving than two hours. tion and urge passenger to check by opening up long construc- When all 2013 phases of the with Amtrak at the Amtrak web- tion windows four days a week project are complete in Novem- site or automated phone service between freight and passenger ber, more than 30 miles of new when making fi nal preparations traffi c during the mornings and track and 130,000 new crossties to leave for the train station. afternoons. will be installed by crews work- Turn to page 8 to see and read MI 48318-0076 ca, Ɵ ing ten-hour days. more about the construction. MARP 180076 PO Box U “This work provides great Page 2 Th e Michigan Passenger Autumn 2013 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 © 2013 Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers, Inc. Chair All articles not originated by MARP are copyrighted by their Robert Tischbein respective originators. All rights reserved. Articles used in 586-726-9737 accordance with the Fair Use Clause of the United States [email protected] Constitution. Vice Chair The Michigan Passenger welcomes submissions on passenger rail Larry Krieg 734-347-2179 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 Hugh Gurney publication’s name and date. Photos sent in by e-mail should be in 517-545-2979 JPEG format. [email protected] We reserve the right to edit all submissions.To subscribe to this Treasurer publication, join MARP by fi lling out the application below. All David Randall MARP members receive a copy of this publication sent to their 248-924-4078 home or business. [email protected] Michigan Passenger Editor & MARP Webmaster: REGIONAL CHAIRS Larry Sobczak, [email protected] Metro Detroit 586-781-6891 Jim Hinkins 313-881-6258 [email protected] Contributors: Clark Chenetski East/Central Michigan John DeLora Rosemary Horvath 989-506-9539 Hugh Gurney [email protected] Steve Sobel West Michigan Vacant Contact MARP if you interested in this position. About MARP… [email protected] The Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers, Inc. (MARP) Northern Michigan was established in 1973 as a consumer advocacy group to improve Don Monteith intercity rail and bus service, improve local transit and encourage (231) 675-1608 the preservation of historic railroad stations. [email protected] MARP is not affi liated with Amtrak, the railroads, governments or AT-LARGE EXECUTIVES any political party. MARP is incorporated as a Michigan non-profi t organization and is exempt from federal income tax under the IRS John D. Langdon 616-218-9009 code, 501( c )(3) as a charitable educational organization. Dues and [email protected] donations to MARP may be tax-deductible in accordance with the IRS code. Jim Wallington 517-303-6038 MARP is an all-volunteer organization. Its membership consists of [email protected] passengers and citizens who want a viable, balanced transportation Kay M. Chase system in Michigan. We can all use the help we can get! 269-388-3777 [email protected] http://www.marp.org [email protected] Kathleen Newell http://www.facebook.com/pages/michigan-association-of-railroad-passengers 310-740-0421 [email protected] http://twitter.com/michrailpass Autumn 2013 Th e Michigan Passenger Page 3 PRIIA If anything, PRIIA has seemed vice on the Blue Water. For a $10 January to the Wolverine trains. to have the effect of improving fee, passengers can bring their bi- MDOT’s share of the cost of (Continued from amenities on Michigan trains. cycle onto the train and leave it on the service will be $1 million which page 1) In August, Amtrak announced a rack in the café car. Hoeffner said should be recouped it would be adding a “quiet car” to Advocates of bicycle service within a year through increased The state legislature included the Wolverine trains. such as the League of Michigan ticket revenues from increases in the increased subsidy when it ap- The quiet car gives passengers Bicyclists say that the service helps ridership. proved the 2013-2014 fi scal year bridge the gap between the train budgets last spring without po- a place to relax without being dis- “There defi nitely seems to be a turbed by other passengers using station and the passenger’s fi nal relation between the amenities and litical rancor which seemed to sur- destination or origination point. round comparatively smaller in- electronics, phones or talking. PRIIA. There seems to be an effort creases in the subsidy during prior In September, Amtrak an- MDOT is working with Am- by Amtrak to increase ridership on legislative sessions. nounced it is offering bicycle ser- trak to introduce Wi-Fi service this state-funded trains,” he said. Ridership gain squeezes parking in Port Huron BY JOHN DeLORA It’s no secret that ridership on the Michigan-supported Blue Water has been soaring. Rider- ship through the end of July is up 9.6 percent over the same period last year. The Blue Water ridership surge is causing parking prob- lems at the Port Huron Amtrak station. The 60 space parking lot has been overwhelmed, leading Port Huron offi cials to begin consid- CRAMMED IN. Some passengers boarding Amtrak’s Blue Water train in Port Huron end up parking on the lawn ering options, including: outside the station because all of the designated parking is full. (Photo by John DeLora.) • Expanding the existing A recent midweek survey of The VIA coach fare from $316.00 US. This roundabout lot (very diffi cult but probably the Port Huron lot showed cars London, ON to Vancouver is routing is offset by the much possible, depending on willing- parked everywhere possible, in- $587.00 CDN, while the Am- lower cost and the spectacular ness of nearby landowners to sell cluding in between the Amtrak trak coach fare from Port Huron scenery on the Coast Starlight. at a reasonable price), station tracks and the busy CN to Vancouver (using the Empire Canadians can save $203.00 by • Establishing an off-site freight mainline close by. The Builder) is $384.00 US. If a pas- using the Empire Builder route lot with a shuttle bus connection survey revealed 113 cars at the senger is not time-sensitive, they and a whopping $271.00 by us- to the station (not likely to be station; the surprise was that can lower the cost even further ing the Southwest Chief routing.
Recommended publications
  • GAO-02-398 Intercity Passenger Rail: Amtrak Needs to Improve Its
    United States General Accounting Office Report to the Honorable Ron Wyden GAO U.S. Senate April 2002 INTERCITY PASSENGER RAIL Amtrak Needs to Improve Its Decisionmaking Process for Its Route and Service Proposals GAO-02-398 Contents Letter 1 Results in Brief 2 Background 3 Status of the Growth Strategy 6 Amtrak Overestimated Expected Mail and Express Revenue 7 Amtrak Encountered Substantial Difficulties in Expanding Service Over Freight Railroad Tracks 9 Conclusions 13 Recommendation for Executive Action 13 Agency Comments and Our Evaluation 13 Scope and Methodology 16 Appendix I Financial Performance of Amtrak’s Routes, Fiscal Year 2001 18 Appendix II Amtrak Route Actions, January 1995 Through December 2001 20 Appendix III Planned Route and Service Actions Included in the Network Growth Strategy 22 Appendix IV Amtrak’s Process for Evaluating Route and Service Proposals 23 Amtrak’s Consideration of Operating Revenue and Direct Costs 23 Consideration of Capital Costs and Other Financial Issues 24 Appendix V Market-Based Network Analysis Models Used to Estimate Ridership, Revenues, and Costs 26 Models Used to Estimate Ridership and Revenue 26 Models Used to Estimate Costs 27 Page i GAO-02-398 Amtrak’s Route and Service Decisionmaking Appendix VI Comments from the National Railroad Passenger Corporation 28 GAO’s Evaluation 37 Tables Table 1: Status of Network Growth Strategy Route and Service Actions, as of December 31, 2001 7 Table 2: Operating Profit (Loss), Operating Ratio, and Profit (Loss) per Passenger of Each Amtrak Route, Fiscal Year 2001, Ranked by Profit (Loss) 18 Table 3: Planned Network Growth Strategy Route and Service Actions 22 Figure Figure 1: Amtrak’s Route System, as of December 2001 4 Page ii GAO-02-398 Amtrak’s Route and Service Decisionmaking United States General Accounting Office Washington, DC 20548 April 12, 2002 The Honorable Ron Wyden United States Senate Dear Senator Wyden: The National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) is the nation’s intercity passenger rail operator.
    [Show full text]
  • Canadian Rail I
    Canadian Rail i No. 328 MAY 1919 ..:, -~IAN ISSN 0006 - 46.75 Published monthly by The Canadian Railroad Historical Association P.O. Bo x 22, Station B Montreal Quebec Canada H3B 3J5 EDITOR: M. Peter Murphy EDITOR EMERITUS: S. S. Worthen BUSINESS CAR: J. A. Beatty OFFICIAL CARTOGRAPHER: William A. Germani uk LAYOUT: Michel Paul et CALGARY & SOUTH WESTERN L. M. Unwin, Secretary 60-6100 4th Ave. NE Calgary, Alberta T2A 5Z8 OTTAWA D. E. Stoltz, Secretary P. O. Box 141, Station A, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 8V1 FRONT COVER: PACIFIC COAST This is AMTRAK train #64 the R. Keillor, Secretary 'Niagara Rainbow' crossing P. O. Box 1006, Station A, Vancouver the Falls View Bridge over the British Columbia V6C 2P1 Ni aga ra Ri ve r between Ontari 0 ROCKY MOUNTAIN and New York State. The photo C. K. Hatcher, Secretary was taken on December 29, 1978 P. O. Bo x 6102, Station C, Edmonton and this passenger service was A1 berta T5B 2NO discontinued on January 31, 1979. Note the CN. RDC's in the back­ WINDSOR-ESSEX DIVISION ground as well as the CN freight R. Ballard, Sr., Secretary about to cross their bridge. 300 Cabana Road East, Windsor, Ontario N9G 1A2 OPPOSITE: TORONTO & YORK DIVISION This is a typi cal train before J. C. Kyle, Secretary discontinuation of the 'Niagara P. O. Box 5849, Terminal A, Toronto Rainbow' which operated between Ontario M5W 1P3 Detroit (Windsor), Niagara Falls, NIAGARA DIVISION Buffalo and New York. The train Peter Warwick, Secretory usually consisted of one diner, P.O. Box 593 two coaches and a baggage car.
    [Show full text]
  • Report on Streamline, Light-Weight, High-Speed Passenger Trains
    T F 570 .c. 7 I ~38 t!of • 3 REPORT ON STREAMLINE, LIGHT-WEIGHT, HIGH-SPEED PASSENGER TRAINS June 30, 1938 • DEC COVE RDALE & COL PITTS CONSULTING ENGINEERS 120 WALL STREE:T, N ltW YORK REPORT ON STREAMLINE, LIGHT-WEIGHT HIGH-SPEED PASSENGER TRAINS June 30. 1938 COVERDALE & COLPITTS " CONSUL..TING ENGINEERS 1a0 WALL STREET, NEW YORK INDEX PAOES J NTRODUC'r!ON • s-s PR£FATORY R£MARKS 9 uNION PAC! FIC . to-IJ Gen<ral statement City of Salina >ioRTH WESTERN-UNION PAcln c City of Portland City of Los Angd<S Cit)' of Denve'r NoRTH W£sTERN-l.:~<IOS P \ l"IIIC-Sm 1HrR" PACirJc . '9"'~1 Cit)' of San Francisco Forty Niner SouTHERN PAclnC. Sunbeam Darlight CHICAco, BuR~lNGTON & QuiN<'' General statement Origin:tl Zephyr Sam Houston Ourk State Mark Twain Twin Citi<S Zephyn Den\'tr Zephyrs CHICACO, ~ULWACK.EE, ST. l'AUL AND PACit' lt• Hiawatha CHICAOO AND NoRTH \Yss·rr;J<s . ,; -tOO" .•hCHISON, T orEKJ\ AND SAN'rA FE General statement Super Chief 1:.1 Capitan Son Diegon Chicagoan and Kansas Cityon Golden Gate 3 lJID£X- COIIIinutd PACES CmCAco, RocK IsLAND AND PACIFIC 46-50 General statement Chicago-Peoria Rocket Chicago-Des Moines Rocket Kansas City-Minneapolis Rocket Kansas City-Oklahoma City Rocket Fort Worth-Dallas-Houston Rocket lLuNOJS CENTRAL • Green Diamond GULF, MOBlL£ AI<D NORTHERN 53-55 Rebels New YoRK Cesr&AI•. Mercury Twentieth Century Limited, Commodore Vanderbilt PENNSYLVANiA . 57 Broadway Lirruted, Liberty Limited, General, Spirit of St. Louis BALTIMORE AND 0HJO • ss Royal Blue BALTIMORE AND OHIO-ALTO!\ • Abraham Lincoln Ann Rutledge READ!KC Crusader New YoRK, NEw HAvEN A~'l> HARTFORD Comet BosToN AND MAINE-MAt"£ CeNTRAL Flying Yankee CONCLUSION 68 REPORT ON STREA M LINE, LIGHT-WEIGHT, HIGH-SPEED PASSENGER TRA INS As of June 30, 1938 BY CovERDALE & COLPITTS INTRODUCTION N January 15, 1935, we made a the inauguration ofservice by the Zephyr O report on the performance of and a statement comparing the cost of the first Zephyr type, streamline, operation of the Zephyr with that of the stainless steel, light-weight, high-speed, trains it replaced.
    [Show full text]
  • THE Hotbox the OFFICIAL PUBLICATION of the NORTH CENTRAL REGION, NATIONAL MODEL RAILROAD ASSOCIATION
    $3 THE HotBox THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NORTH CENTRAL REGION, NATIONAL MODEL RAILROAD ASSOCIATION VOL. 54, NO. 4 WINTER 2013 FIRST NEWS- MAUMEE EXPRESS 2014 April 25-27, 2014 RAILFANNING Garden Railroads Post NORTH CENTRAL CROSSING CONVENTION PLUS- RR History, Timetable, NMRA-NCR-Division News & more! HotBox Editorial Barry Hensel, Editor Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! The HotBox Yes, it’s that time of the year – the Holidays! Well, that’s also a great time WINTER 2013 of the year for us, as perhaps hundreds of new model railroaders will be Vol. 54, No. 4 given their first train sets. Hopefully that starts them on the path that you EDITOR too have followed – a rewarding fun hobby! It is one of, if not the greatest Barry Hensel of hobbies. Why? Because of all you can do within our hobby. Have you 43642 Lotus Dr thought about it? Our hobby is so many other hobbies rolled into one. Canton, MI 48188 Carpentry, basic electrical, model making, photography, computers, 734-649-3056 [email protected] electronics, artistry, architecture and theatrical (as in OPS). If you are a model railroader, you are also all of those too! Here’s hoping that you Editorial Advisers can have an influence over some of those new model railroaders. Know Jack Watson Dave McMullian someone that got their first train set? How about being a mentor to them. Tim Fisher It would be rewarding to you both. Good Luck! Proof Readers The NCR 2013 Convention – NORTH CENTRAL CROSSING is Marge Hensel John Beres complete and was a great time.
    [Show full text]
  • FEDERAL REGISTER VOLUME 32 • NUMBER 247 Friday, December 22, 1967 • Washington, D.C
    FEDERAL REGISTER VOLUME 32 • NUMBER 247 Friday, December 22, 1967 • Washington, D.C. Pages 20697-20760 Agencies in this issue— Agricultural Research Service Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service Agriculture Department Air Forée Department Atomic Energy Commission Business and Defense Services Administration Civil Aeronautics Board Civil Service Commission Commerce Department Consumer and Marketing Service Emergency Planning Office Farm Credit Administration Federal Aviation Administration Federal Communications Commission Federal Highway Administration Federal Housing Administration Federal Power Commission Federal Trade Commission Fish and Wildlife Service Fiscal Service Interior Department Internal Revenue Service Interstate Commerce Commission Mines Bureau National Aeronautics and Space Administration Navy Department Securities and Exchange Commission Detailed list of Contents appears inside. 2-year Compilation Presidential Documents Code of Federal Regulations TITLE 3, 1964-1965 COMPILATION Contains the full text of Presidential Proclamations, Executive orders, reorganization plans, and other formal documents issued by the President and published in the Federal Register during the period January 1, 1964- December 31, 1965. Includes consolidated tabular finding aids and a consolidated index. Price: $3.75 Compiled by Office of the Federal Register. National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration Order from Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 Published daily, Tuesday through Saturday (no publication on Sundays, Mondays, or on the day after an official Federal holiday), by the Office of the Federal Register, National FEDEMUaPEGISTER__ _ Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration (mail address National Area Code 202 - Phone 962-8626 Archives Building, Washington, D.C. 20408), pursuant to the authority contained in the Federal Register Act, approved July 26, 1935 (49 Stat.
    [Show full text]
  • Great Lakes Maritime Institute
    JANUARY - FEBRUARY, 1978 Volume XXVII; Number 1 GREAT LAKES MARITIME INSTITUTE DOSSIN GREAT LAKES MUSEUM Belle Isle, Detroit, Michigan 48207 JAN/FEB, 1978 Page 2 MEMBERSHIP NOTES Welcome to 1978! A brand new year, a brand new slate, and a brand new outlook. It is going to be difficult to keep up with the pace set in 1977, but the continued success of the Institute demands that we not just meet, but surpass last year. At the close of the year our member­ ship had grown to approaching 1,50C. pretty good for an organization that had 97 members in 1959...but this year we’ll shoot for 1,600. It’ll take a lot of work, and you’ll have to help, but you always have, so we should make it. Telescope production last year produced a total of 244 pages, and in addition to that we produced the FITZGERALD book with 60 pages. For the uninitiated, this means your Editor typed, then Varityped 608 pages. This much production takes a lot of time, but we are going to do something about it, and we’ll have an announcement to make perhaps as early as the next issue. Not only will what we have planned result in far less work to getting Telescope out, but it will produce a far better product. Yes, 1977 was a good year...but 1978 looks better. MEETING NOTICES Regular membership meetings are scheduled for January 27, March 31, and May 19 (early to avoid Memorial Day weekend). All meetings will be at the Dossin Museum at 8:00 PM.
    [Show full text]
  • Results of the Lake Michigan Mass Balance Study: Mercury Data Report
    Results of the Lake Michigan Mass Balance Study: Mercury Data Report February 2004 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office (G-17J) 77 West Jackson Boulevard Chicago, IL 60604 EPA 905 R-01-012 Results of the Lake Michigan Mass Balance Study: Mercury Data Report Prepared for: US EPA Great Lakes National Program Office 77 West Jackson Boulevard Chicago, Illinois 60604 Prepared by: Harry B. McCarty, Ph.D., Ken Miller, Robert N. Brent, Ph.D., and Judy Schofield DynCorp (a CSC Company) 6101 Stevenson Avenue Alexandria, Virginia 22304 and Ronald Rossmann, Ph.D. US EPA Office of Research and Development Large Lakes Research Station 9311 Groh Road Grosse Ile, Michigan 48138 February 2004 Acknowledgments This report was prepared under the direction of Glenn Warren, Project Officer, USEPA Great Lakes National Program Office; and Louis Blume, Work Assignment Manager and Quality Assurance Officer, USEPA Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO). The report was prepared by Harry B. McCarty, Ken Miller, Robert N. Brent, and Judy Schofield, with DynCorp’s Science and Engineering Programs, and Ronald Rossmann, USEPA Large Lakes Research Station, with significant contributions from the LMMB Principal Investigators for mercury and Molly Middlebrook, of DynCorp. GLNPO thanks these investigators and their associates for their technical support in project development and implementation. Ronald Rossmann wishes to thank Theresa Uscinowicz for assistance with collection, preparation, and analysis of the samples; special thanks to staff of the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Great Lakes Water Institute Center for Great Lakes Studies, USEPA Great Lakes National Program, and USEPA Mid-Continent Ecology Division for collection of the samples.
    [Show full text]
  • Interaction of Lifecycle Properties in High Speed Rail Systems Operation
    Interaction of Lifecycle Properties in High Speed Rail Systems Operation by Tatsuya Doi M.E., Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Tokyo, 2011 B.E., Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Tokyo, 2009 Submitted to the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering Systems at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology June 2016 © 2016 Tatsuya Doi. All rights reserved. The author hereby grants to MIT permission to reproduce and to distribute publicly paper and electronic copies of this thesis document in whole or in part in any medium now known or hereafter created. Signature of Author: ____________________________________________________________________ Institute for Data, Systems, and Society May 6, 2016 Certified by: __________________________________________________________________________ Joseph M. Sussman JR East Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Engineering Systems Thesis Supervisor Certified by: __________________________________________________________________________ Olivier L. de Weck Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Engineering Systems Thesis Supervisor Accepted by: _________________________________________________________________________ John N. Tsitsiklis Clarence J. Lebel Professor of Electrical Engineering IDSS Graduate Officer 1 2 Interaction of Lifecycle Properties In High Speed Rail Systems Operation by Tatsuya Doi Submitted to the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society on May 6, 2016 in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Engineering Systems ABSTRACT High-Speed Rail (HSR) has been expanding throughout the world, providing various nations with alternative solutions for the infrastructure design of intercity passenger travel. HSR is a capital-intensive infrastructure, in which multiple subsystems are closely integrated. Also, HSR operation lasts for a long period, and its performance indicators are continuously altered by incremental updates.
    [Show full text]
  • Syrconventioncity1926.Pdf
    ~~,. ~l1n:~;~'i..~i1W;!!l""'" 15-:' ~ospitality 1 ~IS 0 OSPITALITY finds its true meaning in Syracuse. For many years Syracuse has been world famous for III) the manner in which it has entertained its guests. In Syracuse a guest immediately feels that its people are taking him into their hearts to make sure that his stay is both pleasant and profitable. Syracuse has had much experience in handling large crowds. For many years it has been the home of the great New York State Fair, one of the .greatest expositions of its kind in America. Such conventions as the World's Dairy Congress, the American Foundrymen's Association, State Democratic, the Elks, Knights of Columbus, ete., have proven Syracuse's ability to care for meetings of major im- portance. For smaller meetings, the fact that many organizations return to Syracuse year after year, without solicitation, is the best evidence of the wonderful treatment which has been accorded them by Syracuse business men and hotels. Syracuse has a regularly organized Convention Bureau as a division of the Chamber of Commerce, which is avail- able at all times to assist convention organizations in f" making arrangements and to see that their needs are promptly supplied. Any data on Syracuse's convention facilities can be readily obtained by writing to this organization. Bon'Vention. ~otels HE hotels of Syracuse are particularly well equipped and qualified to handle conventions. They have been hosts to conventions for many years and experience has shown them the way to care properly for any type of convention meeting.
    [Show full text]
  • Northern Michigan Rail Ridership Feasibility and Cost Estimate Study
    NORTHERN MICHIGAN RAIL RIDERSHIP FEASIBILITY AND COST ESTIMATE STUDY PREPARED FOR: The Groundwork Center For Resilient Communities Grant Fiduciary: Bay Area Transportation Authority PREPARED BY: Transportation Economics & Management Systems, Inc. OCTOBER 2018 FINAL REPORT This page intentionally left blank NORTHERN MICHIGAN RAIL RIDERSHIP FEASIBILITY AND COST ESTIMATE STUDY About the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities The Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities works with people to build a thriving local farm and food economy; to make Michigan towns and villages stronger, more walkable, bike-able, and transit- friendly; and to develop local, clean energy. They seek to achieve on-the-ground results in northwest Michigan and leverage them to support other communities and improvements to state policy. All of this is designed to strengthen the local economy, protect the environment, and build community. Re-establishing passenger rail service between Ann Arbor, Petoskey, and Traverse City—homes to growing technology industries—will link the growing northwest with population centers in the southeast and universities along the way. Civic and business leaders believe this effort will help our state attract the next generation workforce that wants to live and thrive in Michigan without depending on a car. Groundwork believes that bringing passenger rail service back to northern Michigan is possible in less than a decade with a focused campaign of public engagement, technical analysis, and support from community, state and federal agencies. For More Information Groundwork center 148 E. Front Street, Suite 301 Traverse City, MI 49684-5725 (231) 941-6584 [email protected] Introduction October 2018 Page i NORTHERN MICHIGAN RAIL RIDERSHIP FEASIBILITY AND COST ESTIMATE STUDY This page intentionally left blank Introduction October 2018 Page ii NORTHERN MICHIGAN RAIL RIDERSHIP FEASIBILITY AND COST ESTIMATE STUDY Acknowledgements This study was prepared by Transportation Economics & Management Systems, Inc.
    [Show full text]
  • MDOT Michigan State Rail Plan Tech Memo 2 Existing Conditions
    Technical Memorandum #2 March 2011 Prepared for: Prepared by: HNTB Corporation Table of Contents 1. Introduction ..............................................................................................................1 2. Freight Rail System Profile ......................................................................................2 2.1. Overview ...........................................................................................................2 2.2. Class I Railroads ...............................................................................................2 2.3. Regional Railroads ............................................................................................6 2.4. Class III Shortline Railroads .............................................................................7 2.5. Switching & Terminal Railroads ....................................................................12 2.7. State Owned Railroads ...................................................................................16 2.8. Abandonments ................................................................................................18 2.10. International Border Crossings .....................................................................22 2.11. Ongoing Border Crossing Activities .............................................................24 2.12. Port Access Facilities ....................................................................................24 3. Freight Rail Traffic ................................................................................................25
    [Show full text]
  • 1.0 Purpose and Need of the Proposed Action
    1.0 Purpose and Need of the Proposed Action 1.1 Description of the Proposed Action The City of Ann Arbor, Michigan in partnership with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) have proposed to construct an intermodal station within the City of Ann Arbor. This project would support the existing Amtrak intercity service between Detroit, Michigan and Chicago, Illinois, the planned Midwest High Speed Rail service between Detroit/Pontiac and Chicago and the future proposed regional commuter rail service (see Section 1.6, Relationship to other Transportation Planning Initiatives). This Environmental Assessment will include an evaluation of the existing station location along with other alternatives in Ann Arbor, and will assess their ability to support current and future Intercity Passenger rail service, in addition to local and regional transit, pedestrian and bicycle transportation. 1.2 Project Study Area Exhibit 1.1: Project Study Area Source: ESRI The project study area is located in the City of Ann Arbor, Michigan, along the rail line used by the Wolverine Intercity Passenger rail service, (see Exhibit 1.1) from where the City boundary on the northwest meets the rail line, southwest through the city to the city limits at the intersection of US Highway 23 and the rail line. The project study area for the proposed intermodal station is completely within the city limits of Ann Arbor as the City of Ann 1 Arbor will assume ownership of a new station. The existing station is located at 325 Depot Street, northwest of the central Ann Arbor downtown area, the University of Michigan (U-M) central campus and the U-M Medical Center.
    [Show full text]