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MiTRAIN and WALLY: Will they work?

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  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: The one state that really sucks for railfanning. Clue, its in the midwest
  • 30 posts
MiTRAIN and WALLY: Will they work?
Posted by ThamasTehTrain on Sunday, April 14, 2019 12:21 PM

It’s no suprise that commuter rail in michigan is messy, if not nonexistent. But 2 new services are planned, one for detroit-ann arbor, the other for ann arbor-howell. However, these services are disconnected from the state owned commuter agency, the Suburban Mobility for Regional Transit, better known as SMART. I think smart should stand for Southeastern Michigan Area Regional Transport, but back on topic. In my opinion, MiTRAIN and WALLY shpuld be merged into a new SMART commuter rail. Niw i may make a data sheet for it later.

One of the only railfans who gives a crap about the MMA, despite not living IN the northeast.

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Posted by MidlandMike on Sunday, April 14, 2019 9:28 PM

The Howell service I believe was pushed as an alternative during reconstruction of parallel US Route 23.  However, judging from what I see by ocassionally driving that route, the reconstruction is done.  MDOT had some Metra bi-levels refurbished for the Ann Arbor service, paid to store them for about 5 years, and then told the owner they would not pay storage any more.  Google Earth image of Yuma, MI, shows them still sitting there at the wrong end of ex-AA track.  As I recall, suburban voters turned down a SMART milage.

  • Member since
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  • From: The one state that really sucks for railfanning. Clue, its in the midwest
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Posted by ThamasTehTrain on Tuesday, April 16, 2019 9:15 PM

What do you mean by turning down a smart milage? And if SEMCOG is going to be discontinued, well, that would suck.

One of the only railfans who gives a crap about the MMA, despite not living IN the northeast.

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Posted by Overmod on Tuesday, April 16, 2019 9:53 PM

ThamasTehTrain
What do you mean by turning down a smart milage?

I think he means 'SMART millage', meaning the addition of some number of tenths of a cent (aka "mills", one thousandth of a dollar) to the tax rate to help pay for the service.

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Posted by MidlandMike on Tuesday, April 16, 2019 9:57 PM

ThamasTehTrain

What do you mean by turning down a smart milage? And if SEMCOG is going to be discontinued, well, that would suck.

 

I may have mixed up SMART with RTA.  I just remember a recent Detroit Free Press article that said the failure of some milage had put a hold on Rail/BRT proposals.

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Posted by Steve B500 on Wednesday, April 17, 2019 9:23 AM

Michigan resident here. From all appearances WALLY and MI-TRAIN are dead in the water. Nothing new to report for years now, and as much of a fantasy as the Ann Arbor- Traverse City train.

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: The one state that really sucks for railfanning. Clue, its in the midwest
  • 30 posts
Posted by ThamasTehTrain on Friday, April 19, 2019 4:18 PM

Yet again, now this new 110 MPH Higher speed route between detroit and toledo is planned. I wonder what stock it would use.

One of the only railfans who gives a crap about the MMA, despite not living IN the northeast.

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