| A strong majority of the close to 15,000 area residents who participated in the citizen-based Grand Vision planning process said they supported bringing rail service back to our region. Intercity passenger rail service ended in 1966, and freight rail service has declined steadily as well. The recent Michigan By Rail Public Forum showed that interest is indeed strong, and the Grand Vision has put together this page to help you learn more about rail in our region. We will update and add to this page as new information is available, so please post your comments about the future of rail in our area or useful links below! | ||
Michigan By Rail Public Forum: July 22, 2010 Roughly 130 people attended the Rail Forum, and there was something of a Grand Vision twist. Instead of listening to a series of experts talk about rail, everyone broke off into groups around large sized Michigan maps and with stickers, rulers & pencils they marked where they live where they'd like to go and where they felt rail lines should go.
Each group then got to show off their map with their ideas about the future of rail to the entire crowd. What is special about this, is that the maps are now going to go to the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to aid in the creation of of a statewide rail transportation plan. Get the full report on the Michigan by Rail Forum and visit michiganbyrail.org for more information about upcoming rail forums elsewhere in Michigan and the Department of Transportation's process for determining the future of railroads in Michigan. The History of Rail in Michigan
Wikipedia's History of Railroads in Michigan says that railroading in Michigan began in 1830, seven years before the territory became a state, with the chartering of the Pontiac and Detroit Railway. We found a great PBS feature on the history of railroads in Michigan that takes you from the building of the railroads through the lumber era, into Michigan's industrial boom and to the point where rail declined. You can watch it all on YouTube!
The photo above shows the old railroad along East Grand Traverse Bay. Don's Rail slideshow has more cool old photos - many from our area. Stay tuned to the "rail" tag for more stories! Through The Big Story, the Grand Vision seeks to inform the residents of our region about issues relating to the implementation of the Grand Vision. |
Other Voices..."It's energy efficient in comparison to car travel. It's very easy and makes sense for people on business or students because they can get work done rather than driving." Emery Gyr, speaking about rail as a mode of travel From Time for Better Railroads in Michigan? by the Michigan Land Use Institute: “When gas hit $4, we realized that we’re stranded without transportation options. It was a very palpable loss of mobility. It was a jolt." Tim Fischer, Michigan Environmental Council Via 9 & 10 News video report on the Forum "Transportation drives development, it’s not the other way around. If we hope to see this region grow in a sophisticated way, I think it’s going to be based on the transportation systems and the accessibility.” -Kimberly Pontius, Traverse Area Association of Realtors 
The Grand Vision Transportation Working Group seeks to ensure that transportation projects are designed to maintain and improve the existing road system, increase public transportation services between cities and villages in the region, and expand infrastructure serving pedestrians and bicyclists both in and out of town. |
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I would very much like to become involved in your rail discussions, planning, etc. I am a railfan (train enthusiast) and photographer of trains, and have been traveling by and researching trains for years and years. My interest and knowledge would be beneficial to your discussions and planning, I'm sure.
Thanks.
Mike Burgess
Railfan@Charter.net
I would very much like to become involved in your rail discussions, planning, etc. I am a railfan (train enthusiast) and photographer of trains, and have been traveling by and researching trains for years and years. My interest and knowledge would be beneficial to your discussions and planning, I'm sure.
Thanks.
Mike Burgess
This was a very worthwhile demonstration and forum. The turnout was extraordinary and the participation by local elected officials was very encouraging. We're fortunate to have Rep. Wayne Schmidt involved as he is a good voice for rail solutions in the state and he is engaged in our local efforts. Seeing people come out the back of their homes and businesses, or stopping on the side of the road to watch the train go by and wave was also very encouraging. This is what the Grand Vision is all about….big ideas with energy and excitement.
Does anyone have any good examples of multi-modal transportation locations in Michigan? Connecting air, rail, auto, truck, rapid transit bus, urban light rail and so on will be the key to success.
Maybe someone from Grand Vision–or commenters Kimberly or John–should attend Rail-Volution in Portland, Oregon, October 18-21. Scholarships may still be available. I attended a few of these annual events some years back as a member of the Transportation Working Group at West Michigan Environmental Action Council, and enthusiastically endorse them. These conventions of rail supporters are a great way to see what others are doing around the nation, and to get answers on many of the pressing questions, such as how to pay for this, how to achieve intermodal networks, etc. Note that the focus is on building livable communities, where access to goods and services is the focus–not mobility (as in "one person, one car"). Check it out at http://www.railvolution.com.
Just a guy from Grand Haven