Michigan Services

Map of Amtrak routes in Michigan.

Michigan Services

Legend

|  Chicago |

0mi

|  |

|
|
|
|

|  |

|  |

| Illinois

Indiana

| Hammond–Whiting

Wolverine only

| 16 mi

26 km

|  |
|  |

|  |

| Indiana

Michigan

New Buffalo |

| 62 mi

100 km

| 89 mi

143 km

St. Joseph
Niles |

| 89 mi

143 km

| 116 mi

187 km

Bangor
Dowagiac |

| 102 mi

164 km

| 151 mi

243 km

Holland
Kalamazoo |

| 138 mi

222 km

| 176 mi

283 km

| Grand Rapids

Pere Marquette

Battle Creek |

| 160 mi

257 km

|  |
|  |

|  |
Albion |

| 184 mi

296 km

| 208 mi

335 km

East Lansing
Jackson |

| 205 mi

330 km

| 238 mi

383 km

Durand
Ann Arbor |

| 243 mi

391 km

| 256 mi

412 km

Flint
Dearborn |

| 271 mi

436 km

| 274 mi

441 km

Lapeer
Detroit |

| 281 mi

452 km

| 319 mi

513 km

| Port Huron

Blue Water

Royal Oak |

| 292 mi

470 km

|  |
Troy |

| 296 mi

476 km

|  |

| Pontiac

Wolverine

| 304 mi

489 km

|  |
|  |  |  |  |  |

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Michigan Services are three Amtrak passenger rail routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with the Michigan cities of Grand Rapids, Port Huron, and Pontiac, and stations en route. The group falls under the Amtrak Midwest brand and is a component of the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative.

The Michigan Services routes are:

* Blue Water (364/365): Chicago to Port Huron, Michigan
* Pere Marquette (370/371): Chicago to Grand Rapids, Michigan
* Wolverine (350/351/352/353/354/355): Chicago to Pontiac, Michigan

The routes carried 780,549 passengers during fiscal year 2018.[1]

Up until fiscal year 2014, the State of Michigan only subsidized the operations of the Pere Marquette and Blue Water at a cost of $8 million in fiscal year 2014. Starting fiscal year 2014, the state took on the costs of operations for the Wolverine pushing the state subsidy to $25 million.[2]

No checked baggage service is available on Michigan Services routes.

## History[edit]

When Amtrak was founded in 1971, five private companies provided inter-city passenger service in Michigan: the Baltimore & Ohio (B&O), the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O), the Grand Trunk Western, the Norfolk & Western, and Penn Central. Services provided:[3]

Company  | Route  | Name  | Notes

|
|
|

Baltimore & Ohio  | Detroit—Cincinnati  | Cincinnatian |
Chesapeake & Ohio  | Chicago—Grand Rapids  | Pere Marquette |
Holland—Muskegon  | Pere Marquette connection  |
Grand Rapids—Detroit  | Pere Marquette | Two round-trips daily
Ashland—Detroit  | George Washington connection  | Weekend-only
Grand Trunk Western  | Chicago—Port Huron  | formerly the International Limited |
Chicago—Toronto  | Maple Leaf |
Chicago—Detroit  | Mohawk |
Norfolk & Western  | St. Louis—Detroit  | Wabash Cannon Ball |
Penn Central  | Chicago—Detroit—Buffalo  | formerly the Motor City Special |
Chicago—Detroit—Buffalo  | formerly the Wolverine | Until 1967, four years earlier: eastern terminus: New York City
Chicago—Detroit  | formerly the Michigan and Twilight Limited |

Upon taking over national passenger rail service on May 1, 1971, Amtrak discontinued almost all of these, keeping just two round-trips on the Penn Central's Chicago—Detroit line. Detroit lost its direct connections to St Louis, Cincinnati, Buffalo and the Canadian province of Ontario.[4] On its first new timetable, issued on November 14, 1971, Amtrak bestowed names on these trains: the Wolverine and the St. Clair.[5] In mid-May Amtrak announced a Toledo, Ohio—Detroit connection to the new Chicago—New York Lake Shore with financial support from the state of Michigan; this train was canceled before it ran because of poor track conditions between the two cities.[6]

### Turboliners[edit]

A Turboliner at Porter, Indiana in 1977.

On April 10, 1975, Amtrak introduced French-built Turboliner equipment to the Michigan route. Amtrak added a third round-trip to the corridor on April 27. A pool of three Turboliner trainsets served the route, and the three round-trip pairs were numbered 350—355, which are still in use today. Amtrak dropped the individual train names and rebranded all three Turboliner, in common with similar services to St. Louis, Missouri and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The new equipment led to massive gains in ridership, topping 340,000 in 1975 and 370,000 in 1976.[7]: 195–196

The Turboliners became a victim of their own success. Although fast (and flashy), they were unable to reach their design speed of 125 mph (201 km/h) because of the poor quality of the Penn Central track in Michigan. The five-car fixed consists had a maximum capacity of 292 passengers, which was often not enough. Starting in March 1976 Amtrak began replacing some of the Turboliners with conventional equipment, including new Amfleet coaches. Individual names returned to the corridor, with the heretofore unnamed third train becoming the Twilight Limited. The last Turboliners left the corridor in 1981.[7]: 195–196, 202

### Blue Water[edit]

A Via Rail EMD F40PH leads the International into East Lansing in 1996.

See also: Blue Water (train) and International Limited

Amtrak restored service to the Grand Trunk Western northeast of Battle Creek on September 15, 1974, with the inauguration of the Blue Water. This train originated at Port Huron and served Lapeer, Flint, Durand, and East Lansing before joining the Chicago—Detroit trains at Battle Creek and continuing to Chicago. The state of Michigan spent $1 million on track rehabilitation. Amtrak renamed the train the Blue Water Limited on October 26, 1975, and it used Turboliners 1976—1981.[7]: 203–204, 208

Michigan, Amtrak and the Canadian province of Ontario had discussed restoring Port Huron—Toronto service since 1973; this finally occurred on October 31, 1982, with the extension of the Blue Water Limited, which was renamed the International Limited (later shortened to International). Amtrak and Via Rail, the state-supported Canadian rail company, jointly operated the International until April 25, 2004, when cross-border service was discontinued: massive border delays post-September 11 led to falling ridership. Amtrak and Michigan agreed to truncate service at Port Huron and bring back the old Blue Water.[7]: 207

### Pontiac and Toledo[edit]

The Michigan Central Station hosted Amtrak in Detroit 1971—1988; trains continued to serve the area through 1994.

Main article: Lake Cities (Amtrak train)

On August 3, 1980, Amtrak extended the St Clair, the midday Chicago—Detroit train, to Toledo, Ohio. The train was renamed the Lake Cities and continued to use Turboliner trainsets until mid-1981.[7]: 202 [8] The Lake Cities schedule allowed both east- and westbound connections with the Chicago—New York Lake Shore Limited, eliminating the need for Michigan travelers to backtrack through Chicago. Budget cuts led Amtrak to discontinue service to Toledo on April 1, 1995.

Amtrak extended the Wolverine and Twilight Limited to Pontiac on May 5, 1994. With this change service began at a new station in Detroit's New Center. Although the Michigan Central Station in Corktown, Detroit had closed on January 6, 1988, trains continued to stop at a temporary platform just east of the old station. Besides Pontiac, new stations were opened at Royal Oak and Birmingham. The Lake Cities also began serving Pontiac after the end of Toledo service in 1995.[7]: 199–200 [9]

### Pere Marquette[edit]

Main article: Pere Marquette (Amtrak train)

Amtrak considered two routes for a Chicago—Grand Rapids train: the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (ex-Pere Marquette Railway), which ran along the Lake Michigan coastline and joined the main Chicago—Detroit line at Porter, Indiana; and a Conrail (ex-Pennsylvania Railroad) route via Kalamazoo. Although the Conrail route was faster, a dispute over costs led to the selection of the C&O route. Service began August 5, 1984, with stops at Grand Rapids, Holland, Bangor, St. Joseph, New Buffalo and Hammond-Whiting.[7]: 209 [10] Like the Blue Water, the Pere Marquette receives financial support from the state of Michigan.

## Track[edit]

The Wolverine passes through Ypsilanti on the old Michigan Central main line, now owned by the Michigan DOT. The Pere Marquette passing a farm south of Holland on the old Pere Marquette Railway, now CSX.

The tracks used were originally part of the Pennsylvania Railroad, New York Central Railroad, Grand Trunk Railway and Pere Marquette Railway systems, and are now owned by CSX, Norfolk Southern, the Canadian National Railway, Conrail and Amtrak. The following lines are used:

### Blue Water[edit]

* Grand Trunk Western Railway (GT), Battle Creek, Michigan (on the Michigan Central Railroad east of Kalamazoo) to Port Huron, Michigan, now CN

### Pere Marquette[edit]

* Pere Marquette Railway, Porter, Indiana to Grand Rapids, Michigan, now CSX

### Wolverine[edit]

* Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway (PRR), Chicago, Illinois to Whiting, Indiana, now NS
* Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway (NYC), Whiting to Porter, Indiana, now NS
* Michigan Central Railroad (NYC), Porter to Detroit, Michigan, Amtrak between Porter IN and Kalamazoo MI to the west and MDOT d/b/a Amtrak from Kalamazoo MI to Dearborn, minus CN track through Battle Creek and Conrail in Detroit
* Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee Railway (GT), Detroit to Pontiac, Michigan, now CN

## Proposed improvements[edit]

### High-speed rail[edit]

The Detroit-Chicago corridor has been designated by the Federal Railroad Administration as a high-speed rail corridor.[11] A 97-mile (156 km) stretch along the route of Blue Water and Wolverine from Porter, Indiana to Kalamazoo, Michigan is the longest segment of track owned by Amtrak outside of the Northeast Corridor.[11] Amtrak began speed increases along this stretch in January 2002 to 95 mph (153 km/h) between Niles and Kalamazoo. Increases to 110 mph (180 km/h) were first approved along the corridor in February 2011 between Porter and Kalamazoo.[12] On May 25, 2021, the federally approved accelerated-speed rule went into effect along the corridor from Kalamazoo to Albion.[13]

### Expansion[edit]

The Michigan Department of Transportation has petitioned Amtrak to add a daily train between Chicago and Kalamazoo, departing Chicago in late evening and returning from Kalamazoo in the morning.[14] Amtrak operated an extra frequency during the Labor Day weekend in 2010. The trains, 356–357, left Kalamazoo at 5:50 am and returned from Chicago at 10:00 pm.[15] In 2013 Amtrak ran special holiday trains, numbers 356 & 359 out of Chicago to Ann Arbor. These trains arrived in Ann Arbor at 3pm and departed west an hour later at 4pm.[16] There are proposals to establish passenger service between Detroit and Grand Rapids via Lansing.

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Passenger Rail Statistics". mdotjboss.state.mi.us. Michigan Department of Transportation. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
2. ^ VanHulle, Lindsay (October 6, 2013). "Amtrak works with the state to upgrade service, raise number of riders". Gannett Michigan. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
3. ^ Kelly, John (June 5, 2001). "Amtrak's beginnings". Classic Trains. Archived from the original on June 2, 2008. Retrieved August 11, 2010.
4. ^ Amtrak (May 1, 1971). "Nationwide Schedules of Intercity Passenger Service". Retrieved August 11, 2010.
5. ^ Amtrak (November 11, 1971). "Nationwide Schedules of Intercity Passenger Service". Retrieved August 12, 2010.
6. ^ "Detroit-Toledo Train Cancelled". Argus-Press. May 26, 1971. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
7. ^ a b c d e f g Sanders, Craig (2006). Amtrak in the Heartland. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-34705-3.
8. ^ "Michigan–Toledo Runs Instituted By Amtrak". Toledo Blade. July 9, 1980. Retrieved April 16, 2010.
9. ^ Amtrak (May 1, 1994). "National Timetable Spring/Summer 1994". Retrieved November 5, 2011.
10. ^ Amtrak (October 28, 1984). "National Train Timetables". Retrieved November 5, 2011.
11. ^ a b "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2005" (PDF). State of Michigan. Retrieved October 30, 2006.
12. ^ "Amtrak trains in Kalamazoo approved for 110 mph travel". MLive. February 8, 2012. Retrieved March 9, 2012.
13. ^ "Amtrak Midwest trains get green light to increase max speed on Michigan route". Progressive Railroading. May 18, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
14. ^ Russon, Gabrielle (April 30, 2010). "Michigan asks Amtrak for another Kalamazoo-to-Chicago train". Kalamazoo Gazette. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
15. ^ "Amtrak Is The Way To Have More Fun During The Last Holiday of The Summer" (PDF). August 27, 2010. Retrieved November 25, 2011.
16. ^ "Amtrak Adds More Wolverine Service Trains For Holiday Travel To And From Michigan" (PDF). December 17, 2013. Retrieved January 6, 2014.

## External links[edit]

* Michigan Services Train
* Amtrak Michigan Services
* Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers

* v
* t
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Amtrak routes

Long
distance|

| West|

* California Zephyr
* Coast Starlight
* Empire Builder
* Southwest Chief
* Sunset Limited
* Texas Eagle

|

East|

* Auto Train
* Capitol Limited
* Cardinal
* City of New Orleans
* Crescent
* Lake Shore Limited
* Palmetto

| Silver Service|

* Silver Meteor
* Silver Star

|

Corridor|

| West|

* Amtrak Cascades
* Heartland Flyer
* Winter Park Express (seasonal)

Amtrak California|

* Capitol Corridor
* Pacific Surfliner
* San Joaquins

Midwest|

* Hiawatha Service
* Missouri River Runner
* Great River (planned)
* Northern Lights Express (planned)

Illinois Service|

* Illini and Saluki
* Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg
* Lincoln Service
* Quad Cities (planned)

Michigan Services|

* Blue Water
* Pere Marquette
* Wolverine

East|

* Downeaster
* Mardi Gras Service (planned)

| Northeast Corridor|

* Acela
* Northeast Regional
* Amtrak Virginia

|

Knowledge Corridor|

* Hartford Line
* Valley Flyer
* Vermonter

Empire Corridor|

* Adirondack
* Berkshire Flyer (seasonal)
* Empire Service
* Ethan Allen Express
* Maple Leaf (with Via Rail Canada)

Keystone Corridor|

* Keystone Service
* Pennsylvanian

NC By Train|

* Carolinian
* Piedmont

* v
* t
* e

Railroads of Michigan

Common carriers|

* Ann Arbor Railroad
* Adrian & Blissfield Rail Road
* Charlotte Southern Railroad
* Canadian National
* Coopersville & Marne Railway
* CPKC
* CSX
* Delray Connecting Railroad
* Detroit Connecting Railroad
* Escanaba & Lake Superior Railroad
* Grand Elk Railroad
* Great Lakes Central Railroad
* Grand Rapids Eastern Railroad
* Grand Trunk Western Railroad
* Hamilton Northwestern Railroad
* Huron & Eastern Railway
* Indiana Northeastern Railroad
* Indiana and Ohio Railway
* Jackson & Lansing Railroad
* Lapeer Industrial Railroad
* Lake Superior & Ishpeming Railroad
* Lake State Railway
* Mid-Michigan Railroad
* Marquette Rail
* Michigan Shore Railroad
* Michigan Southern Railroad
* Mineral Range Railroad
* Norfolk Southern
* Soo Line Railroad
* Sault Ste. Marie Bridge Company
* Wisconsin Central Ltd.
* West Michigan Railroad

Passenger carriers|

* Amtrak
* Ann Arbor–Detroit Regional Rail (proposed)
* Detroit People Mover
* ExpressTram
* QLine

Private carriers|

* Carmeuse Lime & Stone
* New Boston Rail Services

Heritage railroads|

* Coopersville & Marne Railway
* Huckleberry Railroad
* Lake Linden & Torch Lake Railroad
* Little River Railroad
* Michigan Transit Museum
* Quincy & Torch Lake Cog Railway
* Southern Michigan Railroad Society
* Steam Railroading Institute
* Weiser Railroad

* See also: History of railroads in Michigan
* Former carriers in Michigan
* List of United States railroads by political division

* v
* t
* e

High-speed rail in the United States

Services|

| Active|

* Acela

|

Under construction|

* Brightline West
* California High-Speed Rail

Planned|

* NEC Future
* Northeast Maglev
* Baltimore–Washington
* North Atlantic Rail
* Texas Central Railway

Higher-speed rail
90 to 125 mph (145 to 201 km/h)|

* Amtrak
* Empire Service
* Keystone Service
* Lincoln Service
* Michigan Services
* Northeast Regional
* Pacific Surfliner
* Southwest Chief
* Texas Eagle
* Brightline

Corridors|

* Chicago Hub
* Empire Corridor
* Florida
* Illinois
* Keystone
* Nevada
* New York
* Northern New England
* Ohio Hub
* Pacific Northwest
* South Central
* Southeast

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