Map & Directions 

 

The April 5 general membership meeting will take place at the downtown Detroit campus of Wayne County Community College (WCCCD), 1001 W Fort St, Room 236. Look for the modern building, attractively landscaped, on the south side of Fort Street immediately west of the Lodge Freeway. There is ample off-street parking in 2 lots at the west end of the building.

 

Dr. Frank Dunbar and his WCCCD colleague Howard Smith, will tell us about new programs at WCCCD that will lead toAssociate of Applied Science degrees in Light Rail Transportation designed to prepare students for employment in the light rail industry developing in Detroit  and other urban areas nationwide. Students may focus on Electromechanical work or on Signaling and Communications.  A  Railroad Rules and Safety Certificate (starting Fall 2014) will support employment in the general railroad industry (freight, intermodal, etc.).  

 

Dunbar and Smith cite the coming of the M-1 rail line along the Woodward corridor as a driver of jobs in the coming years. They will explain the WCCCD program, why they developed it and what are the hopes and needs for the future.

 

Dr. Frank Dunbar is Provost, Regional Program Planning, at WCCCD. His varied background includes work as a Landscape Architect, College Professor at three universities,  and Minister.  Model railroads are his hobby.

 

Howard Smith, WCCCD Instructor, worked his way through Youngstown State University on the Erie Lackawanna RR and continued to work  in both operational and executive level positions in the rail industry from 1971 until his retirement for the General Motors Rail Operations Center in 2006. He is on the Board of Directors of the Adrian and Blissfield Railroads and is the principal at alderley LLC, his rail logistics consulting entity.

 

Plan to enjoy our usual no-host lunch following the meeting. See below for other ideas on enhancing your visit to Detroit.

 

If you would like to share a ride to the meeting, please reply to this email. We will do our best to put you in touch with someone driving from your area.

 

We look forward to seeing you in Detroit!

Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers

 

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Spend Your Weekend in Detroit

 

You might think of making a weekend of your visit to Detroit. If you have not been there lately, you may be pleasantly surprised with the variety of places to go and things to see. For several years, I have been telling people that THE place to be on a Friday evening is the Detroit Institue of Arts. Start your evening with a snack or a full dinner at the DIA Café on the lower level. Then wander up to the Rivera Court for live music performance at 7:00 and 8:30 pm. You’ll hear wonderful musicians as you gaze around at the famous Diego Rivera murals celebrating Detroit industry. To cap your evening, the adjoining Detroit Film Theatre will be showing  IN BLOOM on Friday, April 04, and Saturday, April 05, at 9:30 PM. The Inn on Ferry Street is just around the corner when you’re ready to call it a day.

 

Ten Things to Do in Detroit

 

Samurai: Beyond the Sword   is the current special exhibition at the DIA

 

Dine Drink Detroit   by FREEP writer Sylvia Rector highlights smaller spots

 

Detroit Redwings   On April 4, the Rewings play the Sabres at home.

 

Detroit Pistons   are away this weekend