MARP Member Meeting
Saturday, 16 November 2019, 11 AM – 1 PM
First United Methodist Church
212 S Park St W, Kalamazoo MI 49007
On Saturday, November 16, MARP members will gather at the First United Methodist Church in Kalamazoo. The meeting will begin at 11 AM to accommodate those who may wish to come by train.. Please make note of this change of time.
This will be an interesting and enlightening meeting. You will hear how technology is beginning to change railroad operations around the world as the industry seeks to address the challenges of environmental sustainability. An “Overview of Hydrogen-Powered Railway Vehicles” will be presented by Andreas Hoffrichter who is the Burkhardt Professor in Railway Management and the Executive Director of the Center for Railway Research and Education in the Broad College of Business at Michigan State University.
Those of you planning to come by train have two choices for “the last half-mile”. If you come on the Wolverine, you have plenty of time to walk the 5 blocks to the church—maybe have a coffee along the way. Even Blue Water passengers would have sufficient time unless the train is late. In any case, we will have drivers at the station to provide transportation for those desiring rides. Please send email to marprail@yahoo.com if you are taking the train, so we have an idea how many drivers are needed.
If you are driving from home, plan on extra time. The Kalamazoo Holiday Parade is taking place at the same time as our meeting. This will make getting around downtown and finding parking a challenge.
The map on the Kalamazoo Holiday Parade website may be helpful. The Kalamazoo Amtrak Station is across the street from PARKING RAMP 4 ARCADIA at the top of the map. Bronson Park is in the center of the map and the church is across the street to the west of the Park and on the south side of Academy. The church parking lot is likely to be full, but you may find on-street parking in the area to the west and south of the church. Or try the city lots 17, 18, or 30 at the top left portion of the map, just 3 blocks north of the church.
The interactive website Downtown Kalamazoo Parking Information can provide driving directions from your point of origin. Carpooling is strongly encouraged.
We will enjoy our usual post-meeting lunch at the Blue Dolphin Restaurant, just a short walk from the church if it appears that moving your car will be more trouble than it’s worth.
For you train riders, there will be lots of downtown activity to enjoy and coffee shops or breweries where you can imbibe and rest your feet until train time. Or you might wish to visit the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts or the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. Both are close by.
We look forward to seeing you in The ‘Zoo!
MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION OF RAILROAD PASSENGERS
