The new station will open on Monday October 27. For a trial, passengers will be dropped off at the current station Friday, then the train will be parked at the new station for testing purposes.
Grand Rapids Amtrak Station
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Will it be named the Joe Hess Amtrak Station? LOL ( or maybe The 2 Joes?)
It will be the Vernon J. Ehlers station named after the Republican Congressman who championed for rail travel in West Michigan.
reppin_the_847
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I'm hoping they can boost the Pere Marquette frequency to at least 2X a day from its current 1X a day frequency now that this new station is about to open in Grand Rapids.
neroden
Engineer
While the new station was *necessary* before increasing the frequency (because of the terrible location of the old station, with the train blocking a bunch of streets), it was not *sufficient* (Michigan needs to fund the train, CSX and NS need to agree to run it, and it's possible the second station track would need to be installed). I hope the second frequency gets started too, but I wouldn't expect it soon.
W
walker
Guest
Vern Ehlers' name is on the side of the building in much larger letters than the Amtrak sign. While old Vern talked a good game when it came time to vote for the funding of the station, ironically he followed the party line and voted against it. He's been invited to the dedication but so far there is no word that he will attend. He's retired now and his replacement Justin Amash is a hard core libertarian. There's not much chance that Amash will be very helpful in shepherding an increase in frequency. Hopefully since the state of Michigan would be funding any additional service, Amash might not matter.
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reppin_the_847
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I understand that Michigan is helping to finance the high-speed Wolverine corridor between Detroit & Chicago. Plus as we know the speed between Kalamazoo, MI & Porter, IN has been boosted to 110 MPH for the Wolverine & Blue Water trains. Does this pot of money (for the HSR corridor) not help out the Pere Marquette in any way or is it an entirely separate pool of funds?
D.P. Roberts
Conductor
So just to clarify... they're naming the station after a guy who voted against its creation?
Hey, its politics! Congress critters take credit all the time for stuff they voted against!
They're different from regular people!
They're different from regular people!
keelhauled
OBS Chief
It doesn't help, the Pere Marquette route splits long before the high speed running starts. Should the proposal to build dedicated passenger rail tracks in Indiana ever come to fruition, that would help the Pere Marquette, but as of now there are no major projects planned for the Pere Marquette route.
In politics nothing is as it seems! In the spring of 2009 Mr. Ehlers voted against an appropriations bill that contained the funding for the new Grand Rapids station. This was during the time when everything was falling apart in the economy. He felt that this bill was so loaded with pork that he voted against it even though - ready for this? - He had previously added the $3.8 million station pork himself! From what I understand he felt that he could forgo his own prized earmarks in order to get a better handle on things.
Additionally, when it came to Amtrak Mr. Ehlers did indeed support it. Two items I could find quickly are 1) In 2006 voted yes to add $214 million (HR5576 amendment 1008) to the original $900 million. 2) In 2008 voted yes for the $9.7 billion (HR6003) Amtrak Reauthorization bill.
Since the Pere Marquette is a state funded train it will be up to MDOT to fund a second train. The state and local officials I have talked to do want to add a second train to this route, so we shall see.
reppin_the_847
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At least there is hope! Michigan politicians are generally supportive of rail lately unlike the counterparts in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana (outside of NW Indiana), etc.
neroden
Engineer
It does not help the Pere Marquette in any way. Different tracks.
The future planned-but-unfunded "South of the Lake" project would help the Pere Marquette:
http://www.greatlakesrail.org/
There is also a proposal to connect the Pere Marquette to the high-speed Amtrak line north of New Buffalo (also unfunded).
There is a third proposal for Grand Rapids - Lansing - Detroit service (also unfunded).
There has been general support among politicians for passenger rail in Michigan. A good thing.
Amash's views on rail service are actually... really thin, almost nonexistent from what I can tell. I would guess he doesn't have a real opinion. Get him on a few decent train rides (i.e. no 5 hour delays) and keep hammering on how rail should be funded just like roads, he might come round.
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