Category Archives: FYI

Special speakers scheduled for regular member meeting on Sept. 23, 2017

MARP Member Meeting
Saturday, September 23. 2017
9:30 a.m. – Noon
Durand Union Station
200 Railroad Street, Durand MI 48429

Map & Directions

MARP will hold a general membership meeting on Saturday, September 23 at Durand Union Station, 200 Railroad Street, Durand MI 48429.

NOTE the change in start time: the meeting will begin with socializing at 9:30 AM and run until Noon.

You won’t want to miss the speakers we have lined up. William Hamilton, senior analyst, Michigan House Fiscal Agency, will tell us about the history of funding for state supported trains and the very interesting “sausage-making” procedures of the May Budget Conference tasked with meshing House and Senate bills to finalize the annual state budget. From MDOT’s Office of Rail, Michael Frezell, Communications, and Al Johnson, Passenger & Operations Manager, will have updates on ongoing projects of the MDOT Office of Rail.

The 44th Annual Meeting, originally set for this date, has been tentatively rescheduled for November.

Midwest Rail Conference slated for Aug. 15-17, 2017 in Kalamazoo

Midwest Rail Conference
“Midwest Connections: Passenger and
Freight Rail Look to the Future”
Au
gust 15-17, 2017
W
MU Fetzer Center, Kalamazoo MI

 

In its fifth year, the Conference focus has been expanded to encompass the broader Midwest region. In addition, the 2017 conference will join forces with two other events by leading rail transportation organizations: the Summerail 2017 event organized annually by the Freight Rail Transportation Committee (AR040) of the Transportation Research Board; and the annual meeting of National University Rail Center (NURail), the first USDOT OST-R University Transportation Center dedicated to the advancement of North American rail transportation.

Events will kick off with the Student Scholarship Fundraiser Golf Outing at the Ridgeview Golf Course and Committee Meetings on Tuesday morning/afternoon, followed by the Opening Reception and live music with the Norfolk Southern Lawmen Band at the Bell’s Brewery “Backroom” in Kalamazoo.

Technical Sessions will take place all day Wednesday, August 16, at the WMU Fetzer Center. The luncheon Keynote Speaker will be Joseph McHugh, senior vice president and chief for Amtrak Government Affairs and Corporate Communication.

The opening plenary session is a panel on “Autonomous Vehicles and Their Impact on the Rail Industry”. Following that, three panelists will talk about “State DOT Rail Programs” in Ohio, Indiana and Wisconsin. “High(er) Speed Rail” will be discussed from the perspectives of IL-DOT, an academic researcher, and a rail and transit consultant from Parsons Brinckerhoff. Other break-out sessions will discuss “Future of Freight”, “Urban Rail”, “Short Lines”, and “Inter-City Passenger Services”.

The conference will wrap up on Thursday with field trips featuring a visit to a Cargill facility in Decatur, a train ride to Battle Creek on the upgraded Wolverine Higher Speed Rail Corridor, topped off with a visit to the Little River Railroad in Coldwater.

CLICK HERE to view the Conference Program

REGULAR REGISTRATION begins July 1 at a rate of $250 per person.

Blocks of rooms at four Kalamazoo hotels will be held until July 24 for conference participants.

To register, view the complete 3-day Agenda, and learn about lodging Visit  rail.mtu.edu/event/mrc2017

Regional transit topic of League of Women Voters Meeting

The League of Women Voters Dearborn-Dearborn Heights will present a forum on Regional Transit at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13.  The meeting will be held at Christ Episcopal Church Fellowship Hall in Dearborn.  The church is located at 120 N. Military, at Cherry Hill.

Attendees will learn about the proposed Regional Transit Authority (RTA) millage proposal which will be on the November ballot, as well as how its passage could affect local residents and businesses.

Scheduled speakers are Megan Owens, Executive Director, Transportation Riders United; Barry Murray, Director of Economic and Community Development, Dearborn; and Lynette Ish-Green, Project Manager, Healthy Wayne.

The meeting is free and all are welcome.

For more information, please call (313) 278-6476 or email info@lwvddh.org.                                                                                                         

###

What You Need to Know About Regional Transit:

A Community Forum Sponsored by the LWV Dearborn-Dearborn Heights

Thursday, October 13, 2016 at 7 p.m.

Christ Episcopal Church Fellowship Hall, 120 N. Military (at Cherry Hill)

Megan Owens, Executive Director, Transportation Riders United

Transportation Riders United (TRU) is a nonprofit group dedicated to improving transit in greater Detroit through education, engagement and advocacy.

Barry Murray, Director of Economic and Community Development, Dearborn

Lynette Ish-Green, Project Manager, Healthy Wayne

Healthy Wayne is a collaboration between Beaumont Health, the City of Wayne and Wayne-Westland Community Schools District, joining with residents and community leaders to create a roadmap to improve community health.

Come and join with your neighbors in learning more about the RTA Millage Proposal. This event is free and all are welcome.

For more information, please call 313.278.6476

League of Women Voters Dearborn-Dearborn Heights

                   Making Democracy Work                                           

www.lwvddh.org                  www.VOTE411.org

Kids Ride Free on the Pere Marquette

Enjoy Savings on Tuesday, Wednesday
and Thursday Travel

On the Pere Marquette, up to two kids ages 2 – 12 can ride free with each adult rail fare purchased for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday travel between Grand Rapids, MI, and Chicago, IL.

Valid for Sale
Now through August 30, 2016

Valid for Travel
May 31 – August 31, 2016

Terms and Conditions
  • Valid for sale May 18 – August 30, 2016.
  • Valid for travel May 31 – August 31, 2016.
  • Valid for travel on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday only.
  • Blackouts apply on all other days.
  • Valid for up to two (2) free child rail fares for children ages 2 – 12 when accompanied by a paid regular (full) fare adult.
  • The free child and paid adult must travel together on the same itinerary and have tickets issued together.
  • Valid for travel on the Pere Marquette.
  • Seating is limited; seats may not be available on all trains at all times.
  • Fares are subject to availability.
  • Not combinable with any other discount offer.
  • In addition to the discount restrictions, this offer is also subject to any restrictions, blackouts and refund rules that apply to the type of fare purchased.
  • Fares, routes, and schedules are subject to change without notice.
  • Once travel has begun, no changes to the itinerary are permitted.
  • Other restrictions may apply.

Kids Ride Free on the Pere Marquette     https://www.amtrak.com/kids-ride-free-on-the-pere-marquette
Enjoy Savings on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Travel
Purchase by August 30, 2016 for Travel Through August 31

 

Amtrak is offering 20 percent off fares for the Blue Water, Pere Marquette and Wolverine trains

Don’t sit in your house and wait for warm weather. See the fun activities Michigan has to offer this winter by planning a Pure Michigan Snow Day and taking advantage of the hot savings Amtrak is offering on their Michigan trains! From now until March 31, Amtrak is offering 20 percent off fare for the Blue Water, Pere Marquette and Wolverine trains. Below are just a few of the special prices available (adult fares, each way, as low as):

Chicago to Detroit $28.00
Chicago to Grand Rapids $24.80
Chicago to Port Huron $24.80

             To receive discounts, apply Amtrak fare code V441 for Michigan trains. The fare code must be used to take advantage of these low fares. Tickets are non-refundable and some blackout dates apply. See the Deals tab on Amtrak.com for other applicable restrictions, including advance reservation and purchase requirements for discounts through March 31. Terms and conditions vary.

Once you have your ticket, here is a sampling of special events occurring now until the end of March:

Amtrak Route

Event

City

Dates

Wolverine

North American International Auto Show

Detroit

Jan. 11-24

Blue Water/

Wolverine

Kalamazoo Beer Week

Kalamazoo

Jan. 16-23

Wolverine

Avondale Train Show

Auburn Hills

Jan. 17

Blue Water

Port Huron Chilly Fest

Port Huron

Jan. 22-23

Pere Marquette

Annual Chili Tour

St. Joseph

Jan. 29

Blue Water

Art & Craft Beer Fest

Lansing

Jan. 29-30

Pere Marquette

St. Joe Winter Beer Fest

St. Joseph

Jan. 30

Wolverine

Winter Fun Fest

Ann Arbor

Jan. 30 – Feb. 20

Blue Water/

Wolverine

Coopers Glen Music Festival

Kalamazoo

Feb. 5-6

Pere Marquette

Magical Ice Fest

St. Joseph

Feb. 5-7

Wolverine

Paczki Day

Hamtramck

Feb. 9

Wolverine

Meridian Winter Blast

Detroit

Feb. 12-14

Wolverine

Ann Arbor Train Show & Sale

Saline

Feb. 13-14

Pere Marquette

Beer Week

Grand Rapids

Feb. 17-28

Blue Water/

Wolverine

Pub & Grub Fest

Battle Creek

Feb. 20

Pere Marquette

Winterfest

Grand Rapids

Feb. 25

Wolverine

Autorama

Detroit

Feb. 26-28

Pere Marquette

LaughFest

Grand Rapids

Mar. 10-20

Wolverine

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Detroit

Mar. 13

Beyond the special events, the following list is an excerpt of family-friendly attractions that will keep visitors warm indoors. These attractions are open year-round:

Amtrak Route

Attraction

City

Blue Water/

Wolverine

Air Zoo

Kalamazoo

Wolverine

Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum

Ann Arbor

Blue Water

Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland

Frankenmuth

Wolverine

Detroit Institute of Arts

Detroit

Blue Water

Durand Union Station/Michigan Railroad History Museum

Durand

Pere Marquette

Federick Meijer Garden & Sculpture Park

Grand Rapids

Blue Water

Flint Institute of Arts

Flint

Pere Marquette

Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum

Grand Rapids

Blue Water/

Wolverine

Gilmore Car Museum

Kalamazoo

(Hickory Corners)

Pere Marquette

Grand Rapids Children’s Museum

Grand Rapids

Pere Marquette

Holland Museum

Holland

Wolverine

The Henry Ford

Dearborn

Blue Water/

Wolverine

Kalamazoo Valley Museum

Kalamazoo

Blue Water

Michigan Historical Center

Lansing

Wolverine

Michigan Science Center

Detroit

Blue Water

Michigan State University Museum

East Lansing

Blue Water

Port Huron museums

Port Huron

Blue Water

Sloan*Longway

Flint

Wolverine

University of Michigan Museum of Natural History

Ann Arbor

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) does not endorse the events and attractions listed above as they just offer a snapshot of what visitors and residents can do along the Amtrak routes. For more information on other events, attractions, dining, lodging and connecting transportation to the trains, visit the following travel and visitor bureau websites:

Pure Michigan

Calhoun County Visitors Bureau

Dearborn Visitor and Welcome Center

Discover the Blue

Discover Kalamazoo

Experience Grand Rapids

Flint and Genesee Chamber of Commerce

Frankenmuth Convention and Visitor’s Bureau

Four Flags Area Council on Tourism

Greater Lansing Convention and Visitor’s Bureau

Holland

Lapeer Chamber of Commerce

New Buffalo Travel and Visitor’s Guide

Saugatuck/Douglas

St. Joseph Today

Shiawassee County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau

Visit Ann Arbor

Visit Detroit

Visit Grand Haven

West Michigan Tourism Association

Ypsilanti Convention and Visitor’s Bureau

 

Amtrak conductor talks to passenger on the Blue Water

A conductor talks to passengers aboard the Amtrak Blue Water.

More information at: http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MIDOT/bulletins/12f7aed