One thing to keep in mind is that many of the delays actually originate in the Illinois and Indiana portion of the line, where there are several bottlenecks associated with freight lines, not to mention old signals and switches.

In those areas, Amtrak doesn’t own the tracks, so it has to take a back seat to freight sometimes.

Those delays spillover into the Michigan portion of the line.

However, the stimulus high speed rail funding that has been approved will address two major bottlenecks in Indiana and Illinois, which will do a lot to keep the line on time. See [link]

Amtrak actually owns much of the route’s track in Michigan. In fact, there’s a stretch in Michigan that is the longest Amtrak-owned track in the nation outside of the Northeast Corridor between Washington D.C. and Boston.

This route has a high potential to run uninterrupted at higher speeds than today, and these improvements will go along way toward doing that.

Last time I took the train to Chicago for a school trip, it took 7.5 hours to get there and 6.5 to return. Many stops for freights, malfunctioning switches, and several “mystery stops” for no apparent reason.

I’d like to see the on-time record as well as the net revenue after expenses before I would label this route a success.

“But that is to Chicago, not Detroit, yes?”

If you mean where is the bulk of the passengers getting on at Ann Arbor headed, I would think you’re correct, to Chicago.

The Amtrak service really isn’t useful as a commuter service, except for someone doing a reverse commute, from Detroit to Ann Arbor. The first train heading east to Detroit leaves Ann Arbor at 1 p.m.

I am a long time bike commuter, and that is the really the beauty of riding a bike. And as far as public showers go- if you are getting sweaty on your commute you are riding too hard. “Transport, not Sport” is the proper attitude to bike commuting. The too common suggestion that riding a bike to work requires that you have a shower available to you is more of a discouragement than a help in getting people to begin bike commuting.

Honestly, I can’t think of anyone who would be willing to use a public shower in a Buss/Train station or parking garage, certainly no woman. At least, it would require a full-time attendant to control access and decency, and that would be expensive. Otherwise, are people going to bring their own towels and soap with them on their bikes? It makes no sense at all. As said by others, this is just a parking garage. The “Transportation Center” glue-ons are just wishful thinking.

Now, there is one population to which this could be helpful- the homeless folks living under the bridges and along the river in that area. The access to clean water, sanitary facilities and showers would be a great improvement to their situation.

Ticket revenue earned by Amtrak from the line, however, was up 11 percent.

“That Amtrak station is hardly ever at capacity”

That’s not really true.

Despite my skepticism about the proposed commuter rail and this boondoggle of a parking garage on Fuller, I support an expansion of the existing Amtrak station.

I’ve taken the Amtrak to Chicago several times. Mostly leaving Ann Arbor on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, and coming back on Sunday. On those days, all of the parking spaces have been full, even those on the other side of the tracks where you have to park in the dirt or on the elevated grassy area adjacent the bridge.

The fact is the Wolverine Amtrak service, despite a lack of investment over the years, is well used and is successful.

Should a Fuller Road Station go through and Amtrak ridership actually increase, is there a way to negotiate an official walkway between Gallup Park and the Arb?

We do a great job of planning for vehicles, but not always for pedestrians.