Amtrak - The National Railroad Passenger Corporation
Amtrak is a federally owned railroad which provides national passenger train service in the United States. Amtrak was created in 1971 to relieve most railroads from being required to continue to provide passenger service. In return, the railroads agreed to allow Amtrak to use its tracks.
In Michigan, Amtrak provides passenger service on three lines. It operates three round trips each day between Pontiac via Detroit to Chicago, Illinois (CN/Conrail/Amtrak/NS). The second route has a single round trip each day between Port Huron and Chicago, via Battle Creek (CN/Amtrak/NS). The third route has a single round trip each day between Grand Rapids and Chicago via Porter, Indiana (CSX/NS).
Amtrak operates on two sections of track which are not owned by freight railroads. Amtrak itself purchased former Conrail trackage between Kalamazoo and Porter, Indiana. In 2013, the State of Michigan purchased former Norfolk Southern trackage between Dearborn and Kalamazoo. The first line offered trains that exceed 80 m.p.h. in a section which uses advanced positive train control. High speed operation is also planned for the Dearborn to Kalamazoo route as well. Norfolk Southern continues to provide freight service on both of these lines through trackage rights.
Amtrak has stations in Albion, Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Benton Harbor/St. Joseph, Birmingham, Dearborn, Detroit, Dowagiac, Durand, Flint, Grand Rapids, Holland, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Lapeer, Michigan City, Niles, and Pontiac in Michigan.
Website: Amtrak
Photo: Amtrak 427 is eastbound at the Battle Creek station. 2006 [Dale Berry photo]
News Feed from Google: Amtrak
News Feed - Amtrak
26 October 2024
- Amtrak train slams into car that ended up on tracks in north Chicago suburbs - CBS News
- Amtrak’s Borealis train ridership reaches 100K in five months - Star Tribune
- New Amtrak train hits passenger milestone - WXOW.com
- New Amtrak Borealis train connecting Milwaukee to Twin Cities has 100,000 riders in first five months - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
- Two injured in carjacking Friday at Martinez Amtrak station - The Mercury News
- Morton Grove crash: Pawel Malecki charged with DUI after bystanders rescue him from vehicle hit by Amtrak train at Lehigh Avenue - ABC7 Chicago
- Ride the rails from Miami to Chicago in limited-time Amtrak Floridian route - Palm Beach Post
- Westport Amtrak Station receives major upgrades amid broader infrastructure improvements - WPTZ
- How to travel from Indy to the East Coast with Amtrak - INDYtoday
- Steam building in the Capital City to rebuild Amtrak, get passengers back on the rails - WCTV
- The USA’s quietest train station revealed - with 247 passengers last year - The Independent
- Mobile groundbreaking yields no news on start for Amtrak Gulf Coast service - TRAINS Magazine
- Amtrak to Hold Public Board of Directors Meeting in Seattle - Amtrak Media
- 12 hours on Amtrak - Observer Online
- Amtrak train between Twin Cities and Chicago sees ridership milestone - KSTP