MARP Member Meeting
Saturday, September 25, 2010
* ** 9:30 am – 11:30 am ***
St. Ignace Transportation Center
700 U.S. 2, Saint Ignace, MI 49781
(906) 643-1531
Our September meeting will be at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 25, at the St. Ignace Transportation Center. This will be the first MARP meeting ever in the Upper Peninsula and will celebrate Indian Trail’s 100th anniversary and the extension of Amtrak Thruway service to Sault Ste. Marie. Members are encouraged to bring family or friends and make this a mini-vacation.
MARP will recognize Indian Trails expansion of through-way service to Bay City and Sault St. Marie with an award and a birthday cake. We will also present an award to State Senator Jason Allen for his successful efforts to create a Passenger Rail Caucus in the legislature.
Harry Gow of Transport Action Canada (formerly T-2000) is planning to attend to help honor Indian Trails and will give a brief statement of rail passenger conditions in Canada. Judy Gross will provide MARP with a presentation on the history of passenger rail in St. Ignace.
MARP will elect officers for the 2010-2012 period at the meeting. A quorum is needed for elections, so it is important that we have good attendance. The slate submitted by the nominating committee includes: Chair – Robert Tischbein; Vice-Chair – Barney Whittier; Secretary – Hugh Gurney; At Large (Communications) – Kay Chase; At Large (Public/Governmental Affairs) – John Langdon; At Large (Membership) – Kathleen Newell; At Large (Meetings) – Jim Wallington; Metro Detroit Regional Chair – Jim Hinkins; Northern Regional Chair – Don Monteith. Candidates are still being sought for the East/Central and the Western Regional Chair positions. If you would like to toss your hat in the ring or if you have a suggestion, please send an email to nominations chair Barney Whittier whittierbc@comcast.net
Members are encouraged to take advantage of Indian Trail’s $35.00 per person round trip fare from any point in Michigan served by Indian Trails or from Milwaukee. Call Brenda Cheney before September 12 at Indian Trails (800)292-3831 ext. 217 for tickets. Ask for the special rate for the MARP-Indian Trails meeting.
Call the Voyager Inn at 1-877-643-1530 and mention the MARP-Indian Trails meeting to get the special $55 room rate.
Although we are encouraging the use of public transportation, send a reply to this email if you would like to be connected with others to carpool to the meeting.
Note that the meeting will begin at 9:30 am so that members and their families/friends can enjoy some of the many activities available in and around St. Ignace, including the ferry to Mackinac Island, among other things. See www.marp.org for complete details. E-mail jwallington@msn.com if you have any questions. Even more information has been compiled at: http://www.marp.org/?p=1884
Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers
OTHER EVENTS OF INTEREST
September 14, 2010
Great Lakes Central has extended an invitation to MARP members and others to visit the Owosso train yard between 1:00 and 2:30 pm to view the on-going renovations of the Mi-Train coaches that will be used for the Howell-Ann Arbor and Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter services. Please reply to this email if you plan to attend so Mike Bagwell can plan accordingly.
When you are finished at the GLC yard, you can hop over to the Indian Trails facility for the 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm open house celebrating their 100th Birthday. Call 1-800-292-3831 for the location of the open house.
October 14 – 16, 2010
MARP members are invited to attend the bi-annual meeting of the NARP Council of Representatives taking place at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and Conference Center, 187 Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids MI 49503. The keynote speaker on Friday, October 15, is Joseph Szabo, Federal Railroad Administrator. On Thursday, October 14, is a limited-capacity, first-come-first-served bus tour of rail interest that includes a ride and lunch on the Coopersville & Marne Railway. The tour will begin at 8:30am at the Amway Grand Plaza and should be complete around 4-4:30pm. Separate registration for the tour is $40.
For more information visit the MARP website http://www.marp.org/?p=2193