Government to cancel Amtrak in MI!

[Anonymous]

It was just announced this morining. The Pere Marquette and the Blue Water will be shut down if the Govener approves it. Here's what it says:

Subject: URGENT MICHIGAN ACTION ITEM: Contact Governor Granholm
Importance: High

To NARP Members in Michigan, August 6, 2004--

The final fiscal 2004 Supplemental Appropriations bill approved by the
Michigan House and Senate late Wednesday night (before they adjourned
for the summer recess) contains very serious anti-Amtrak language. The
text of Section 805 reads as follows:

"Sec. 805. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a public
transportation entity shall not receive state operating assistance for
a
scheduled regular route service which is competing with another private
or public carrier over the same route. In situations where there is a
duplicate service, either both the public and private carriers shall
receive the same level of operating assistance or neither one shall
receive operating assistance."

This language, if signed by the Governor, would bring an end to the
Pere
Marquette and Blue Water.

We have been told that that when the contents of the bill were
explained
to the individual members, there was no mention of the fact that this
language was added. So in other words, members were never given an
opportunity to express their opposition to the language.

At this point, the only way to remove the offending language is for
Governor Jennifer Granholm to use the line-item veto. Please contact
Governor Granholm immediately and ask her to strike Section 805 from
the
fiscal 2004 Supplemental Appropriations bill.

You may contact Governor Granholm as follows. Since time is of the
essence, U.S. Mail is not practical:

Lansing: Phone [phone], Fax [phone]
Detroit-area office: [phone]
Upper Peninsula office (Marquette): [phone]

You may also send an e-mail to the Governor via. webform at
http://www.michigan.gov/gov/0,1607,7-168-2...65331--,00.html
(note that you will not receive a response)

Thank you as always for your efforts to preserve these rail services!

--David Johnson
NARP Assistant Director



Regards,

The Team


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[jeaton]

The irony of this is that the provision is, at least in part, the result of a bus line that has sought to hold its competitive position by getting limits placed on Amtrak. Of course the economic benefit received by the bus line from the use of public highways does not count.

I'll venture a guess. The govenor will veto the provision.

[Anonymous]

Airlines and Bus lines use Public infrastructure...And dont detroits Public Bus System serve a number of Suburbs that Greyhound serves as well?

[Junctionfan]

Where do thease trains go?

[Anonymous]

The Pere Marquette goes from Grand Rapids to Chicago, and I'm not sure about the Blue Water.

[Anonymous]

In this day of age.............It was bound to happen!

[Wdlgln005]

The Blue Water is what is left of the Chicago-Toronto service that now ends in Port Huron, Michigan. I understand the primary purpose is to serve MS in Lansing and Flint.

I wonder why after 30+ years of Amtrak we have to keep fighting these silly battles. Probably another nitwit lawyer that thinks Thomas works for Amtrak and Sir Toppam Hat can walk on water.

[UPTRAIN]

We need more railfans in public office!!! MARK, RUN FOR PRESIDENT, POLITICAL PARTY: RAILFANBLICAN!!!

[Junctionfan]

I was planning on taking a train from Toronto to Galesburg via the Windsor tunnel because I though it would be fun to go on superliners and because the Three Rivers arrives really late at Depew station. They stopped running that train now. What the heck is amtrak doing? What are thease fool politicians doing? What is the reason for reducing international rail travel when people are getting tired of the airport delays? I am curious to know what kind of brain activity goes on in thease people...I mean really; my cat could do a better job in office. Sure she will hack up a hair ball once an awhile but at least she won't pretend that she is up for the job of looking out for the contituents and hack up a lie.

[Wdlgln005]

The train got cut because the stupid govmt coudn't find a way to screen the passengers on the train. The train went thru the tunnel OK. Now, you're lucky to find a cab that knows how to drive from Detroit to Windsor or back. THere's thousands of cars/trucks using Ambassador bridge or Detroit tunnel. Should be many more on Port Huron-Sarnia bridge.

I don't know how Amtrak manages on the other international routes, from Seattle-Vancouver, Toronto-Buffalo-New York or Montreal-New York. I'd sure like to see Trains do an article on this subject.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE:
I don't know how Amtrak manages on the other international routes, from Seattle-Vancouver, Toronto-Buffalo-New York or Montreal-New York. I'd sure like to see Trains do an article on this subject.

I see Amtrak running here into Vancouver all the time..... I haven't heard of too many problems at all with that train.