Most Amtrak trains serving Michigan now have faster running times, the Michigan Department of Transportation said this week.
Wolverine Service trains between Chicago and Detroit (Pontiac) have seen 20 minutes cut from their schedules. Blue Water service between Chicago and Port Huron, Michigan, has seen a smaller running time cut.
Both lines use rails owned by Amtrak between Kalamazoo, Michigan, and Porter, Indiana.
Amtrak dispatchers control the Chicago-Detroit line as far east as Dearborn except for a portion of track in Battle Creek that is owned by Canadian National.
MDOT acquired 135 miles of track from Norfolk Southern in 2012 that are used by Amtrak between Kalamazoo and Dearborn except for the CN track in Battle Creek.
The top speed between Porter and Kalamazoo is 110 mph. The maximum speed is 79 mph on the MDOT-owned track, but that is expected to rise to 110 mph this year after the completion of positive train control testing and assignment of Siemens Charger locomotives to the route.
The State of Michigan has used $347 million in federal funds to replace rails, smooth curves, upgrade crossings and signals and improve train signaling and communication systems.
These improvements are expected to result in higher running speeds.
MDOT also funded a new connection in West Detroit for a faster route to a CN line that serves Amtrak stations in Detroit, Royal Oak, Troy and Pontiac.
“At MDOT’s direction, Amtrak work crews have corrected years of deferred maintenance and have taken over dispatching,” said Joe McHugh, Amtrak vice president of state-supported services in a statement. “We have created the longest railroad segment outside the northeast that is being made ready for an even more reliable and faster Amtrak service.”
Tags: Amtrak, Amtrak Blue Water Service, Amtrak in Michigan, Amtrak Midwest corridor trains, Amtrak trains, Amtrak Wolverine Service, Amtrak Wolverines, Chicago-Detroit corridor, Michigan Department of Transportation, Midwest corridor routes
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