Michigan Services
Encyclopedia
Michigan Services is an umbrella term
Umbrella term
An umbrella term is a word that provides a superset or grouping of concepts that all fall under a single common category. Umbrella term is also called a hypernym. For example, cryptology is an umbrella term that encompasses cryptography and cryptanalysis, among other fields...
used by Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
to describe passenger rail service by three routes connecting Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, with the Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
cities of Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
, Port Huron
Port Huron, Michigan
Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administratively autonomous. It is joined by the Blue Water Bridge over the St. Clair River to Sarnia,...
, and Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, and other stations along the three lines. The routes as a group are a component of the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative
Midwest Regional Rail Initiative
The Chicago Hub Network is a collection of proposed fast conventional and high-speed rail lines in the Midwestern United States including of track. Since the 1990s, there have been multiple proposals to improve the links from Chicago, Illinois to major destinations including Indianapolis, Indiana,...
.
The Michigan Services routes are:
- Blue WaterBlue Water (passenger train)The Blue Water, also known as the Blue Water Limited 1975—1982, is a passenger train service operated by Amtrak as part of its Michigan Services. The line connects Port Huron, Michigan and Chicago, Illinois via East Lansing, Michigan....
(364/365): Chicago to Port Huron, MichiganPort Huron, MichiganPort Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administratively autonomous. It is joined by the Blue Water Bridge over the St. Clair River to Sarnia,... - Pere MarquettePere Marquette (passenger train)Pere Marquette is a passenger train service operated by Amtrak as part of its Michigan Services. The 176-mile line connects Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Chicago, Illinois. Pere Marquette is funded in part by the Michigan Department of Transportation...
(370/371): Chicago to Grand Rapids, MichiganGrand Rapids, MichiganGrand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand... - WolverineWolverine (passenger train)The Wolverine is a passenger train service operated by Amtrak as part of its Michigan Services. The line provides three daily round-trips along the Pontiac–Detroit–Chicago route...
(350/351/352/353/354/355): Chicago to Pontiac, MichiganPontiac, MichiganPontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County...
The routes carried a total of 756,651 passengers during fiscal year 2009.
The Pere Marquette and Blue Water services receive funding from the State of Michigan; e.g., $7.1 million in fiscal year 2005–2006. Rising ridership and revenues bumped the FY 2006–2007 amount to $6.2 million.
History
When AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
was founded in 1971, five private companies provided inter-city passenger service in Michigan: the Baltimore & Ohio
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
(B&O), the Chesapeake & Ohio
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis P...
(C&O), the Grand Trunk Western, the Norfolk & Western
Norfolk and Western Railway
The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
, and Penn Central. Services provided:
| Company | Route | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore & Ohio | Detroit—Cincinnati | Cincinnatian | |
| Chesapeake & Ohio | Chicago—Grand Rapids | Pere Marquette | |
| Holland—Muskegon | Pere Marquette connection | ||
| Grand Rapids—Detroit | Pere Marquette | Two round-trips daily | |
| Ashland Ashland, Kentucky Ashland, formerly known as Poage Settlement, is a city in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States, nestled along the banks of the Ohio River. The population was 21,981 at the 2000 census. Ashland is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the 2000 census, the... —Detroit |
George Washington connection | Weekend-only | |
| Grand Trunk Western | Chicago—Port Huron | formerly the International Limited | |
| Chicago—Port Huron | Maple Leaf | ||
| Chicago—Detroit | Mohawk | ||
| Norfolk & Western | St. Louis—Detroit | Wabash Cannonball | |
| Penn Central | Chicago—Detroit—Buffalo | formerly the Motor City Special | |
| Chicago—Detroit—Buffalo | formerly the Wolverine | ||
| Chicago—Detroit | formerly the Michigan and Twilight Limited |
Upon taking over national passenger rail service on May 1, 1971, Amtrak discontinued almost all of these, keeping just two round-trips on the Penn Central's Chicago—Detroit line. Detroit lost its direct connections to St. Louis, Cincinnati, Buffalo and the Canadian province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. On its first new timetable, issued on November 14, 1971, Amtrak bestowed names on these trains: the Wolverine and the St. Clair. In mid-May Amtrak announced a Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
—Detroit connection to the new Chicago—New York Lake Shore
Lake Shore
The Lake Shore was a long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak between Chicago and New York via Cleveland, Ohio. The Lake Shores route paralleled that of the New York Central's famed Lake Shore Limited...
with financial support from the state of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
; this train was canceled before it ran because of poor track conditions between the two cities.
Turboliners
Beginning on April 10, 1975, Amtrak introduced French-built TurbolinerTurboliner
The Amtrak Turboliners are gas turbine trainsets built for Amtrak. The trains were powered by gas turbine engines and ran on diesel fuel. Some were equipped with third rail shoes to enable entry into the underground tunnels approaching Grand Central Terminal and New York Penn Station in New York...
equipment to the Michigan route. Amtrak added a third round-trip to the corridor on April 27. A pool of three Turboliner trainsets served the route, and the three round-trip pairs were numbered 350—355, which are still in use today. Amtrak dropped the individual train names and rebranded all three Turboliner, in common with similar services to St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
and Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
. The new equipment led to massive gains in ridership, topping 340,000 in 1975 and 370,000 in 1976.
The Turboliners became a victim of their own success. Although fast (and flashy), they were unable to reach their design speed of 125 mile per hour because of the poor quality of the Penn Central track in Michigan. Additionally, the fixed five-car consists had a maximum capacity of 292 passengers altogether, which was often not enough. Starting in March 1976 Amtrak began replacing some of the Turboliners with conventional equipment, including then-new Amfleet
Amfleet
Amfleet is a series of intercity railroad passenger cars built for the operator Amtrak by the manufacturer Budd Company in two series during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Today, Amfleet cars are used extensively throughout the Amtrak system outside the western United States...
coaches. Individual names also returned to the corridor, with the heretofore unnamed third train becoming the Twilight Limited. The last Turboliners left the corridor in 1981.
Blue Water
Amtrak restored service to the Grand Trunk Western northeast of Battle Creek on September 15, 1974, with the inauguration of the Blue Water. This train originated at Port Huron and served LapeerLapeer, Michigan
Lapeer is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is the county seat of Lapeer County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,841. Most of the city was incorporated from land that was formerly in Lapeer Township, though portions were also annexed from Mayfield Township and Elba...
, Flint
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
, Durand
Durand, Michigan
Durand is a city in Shiawassee County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 3,933.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.-Demographics:...
, and East Lansing
East Lansing, Michigan
East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located directly east of Lansing, Michigan, the state's capital. Most of the city is within Ingham County, though a small portion lies in Clinton County. The population was 48,579 at the time of the 2010 census, an increase from...
before joining the Chicago—Detroit trains at Battle Creek and continuing to Chicago. The state of Michigan spent $1 million on track rehabilitation. Amtrak renamed the train the Blue Water Limited on October 26, 1975, and it used Turboliners 1976—1981.
Michigan, Amtrak and the Canadian province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
had discussed restoring Port Huron—Toronto service since 1973; this finally occurred on October 31, 1982 with the extension of the Blue Water Limited, which was renamed the International Limited (later shortened to International). Amtrak and Via Rail
VIA Rail
Via Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....
, the state-supported Canadian rail company, jointly operated the International until April 25, 2004, when cross-border service was discontinued. Massive border delays post-September 11 led to falling ridership; Amtrak and Michigan agreed to truncate service at Port Huron and bring back the old Blue Water.
Pontiac and Toledo
On August 3, 1980, Amtrak extended the St. Clair, the midday Chicago—Detroit train, to Toledo, OhioToledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
. The train was renamed the Lake Cities and continued to use Turboliner
Turboliner
The Amtrak Turboliners are gas turbine trainsets built for Amtrak. The trains were powered by gas turbine engines and ran on diesel fuel. Some were equipped with third rail shoes to enable entry into the underground tunnels approaching Grand Central Terminal and New York Penn Station in New York...
trainsets until mid-1981. The Lake Cities schedule allowed both east- and westbound connections with the Chicago—New York Lake Shore Limited
Lake Shore Limited
The Lake Shore Limited is a daily passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States. The train runs between Chicago and Albany, NY, where it divides into two sections that provide thru-service to New York and Boston...
, eliminating the need for Michigan travelers to backtrack through Chicago. Budget cuts led Amtrak to discontinue service to Toledo on April 1, 1995.
Amtrak extended the Wolverine and Twilight Limited to Pontiac
Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County...
on May 5, 1994. With this change service began at a new station
Detroit (Amtrak station)
Detroit is an Amtrak station located in the New Center area of Detroit, Michigan. It is served by the . The station was built in 1994 as a replacement for the former Michigan Central Station, which closed in 1988...
in Detroit's New Center
New Center, Detroit
The New Center is a significant commercial and residential historic district located in Detroit, Michigan, adjacent to Midtown, one mile north of the Cultural Center, and approximately three miles north of Downtown...
. Although the Michigan Central Station
Michigan Central Station
Michigan Central Station , built in mid-1912 through 1913 for the Michigan Central Railroad, was Detroit, Michigan's passenger rail depot from its opening in 1913 after the previous Michigan Central Station burned, until the cessation of Amtrak service on January 6, 1988...
(located in Corktown
Corktown, Detroit
Corktown is the oldest neighborhood in Detroit, Michigan, although the city of Detroit is twice as old. The current boundaries of the current district include I-75 to the north, the Lodge Freeway to the east, Bagley and Porter streets to the south, and Rosa Parks Boulevard to the west...
) had closed on January 6, 1988, trains continued to stop at a temporary platform just east of the old station. Besides Pontiac, new stations were opened at Royal Oak
Royal Oak, Michigan
Royal Oak is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 57,236. It should not be confused with Royal Oak Charter Township, a separate community located nearby....
and Birmingham
Birmingham, Michigan (Amtrak station)
Birmingham is an Amtrak station in Birmingham, Michigan. It is served by the .Baggage cannot be checked at this location; however, up to two suitcases in addition to any "personal items" such as briefcases, purses, laptop bags, and infant equipment are allowed on board as carry-ons.Of the 22...
. The Lake Cities also began serving Pontiac after the end of Toledo service in 1995.
Pere Marquette
Amtrak considered two routes for a Chicago—Grand Rapids train: the Chesapeake and Ohio RailwayChesapeake and Ohio Railway
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis P...
(ex-Pere Marquette Railway
Pere Marquette Railway
The Pere Marquette Railway was a railroad that operated in the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada. The railroad had trackage in the states of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and the Canadian province of Ontario. Its primary connections included Buffalo; Toledo; and Chicago.The company was...
), which ran along the Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
coastline and joined the main Chicago—Detroit line at Porter, Indiana
Porter, Indiana
Porter is a town in Westchester Township, Porter County, Indiana, United States. The population was 4,972 at the 2000 census.Porter is noted for its proximity to the Indiana Dunes State Park and for its railroad heritage...
, and a Conrail (ex-Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
) route via Kalamazoo. Although the Conrail route was faster, a dispute over costs led to the selection of the C&O route. Service began August 5, 1984, with stops at Grand Rapids, Holland
Holland, Michigan
Holland is a city in the western region of the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated near the eastern shore of Lake Michigan on Lake Macatawa, which is fed by the Macatawa River ....
, Bangor
Bangor, Michigan
Bangor is a city in Van Buren County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,933. The city is located in the northeast corner of Bangor Township, but is politically independent....
, St. Joseph
St. Joseph, Michigan
St. Joseph is a city in the US state of Michigan. It was incorporated as a village in 1834 and as a city in 1891. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 8,789. It lies on the shore of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the St. Joseph River, about east-northeast of Chicago. It is the county...
, New Buffalo
New Buffalo, Michigan
New Buffalo is a city in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,200 at the 2000 census. This city is within New Buffalo Township, but is politically autonomous.-Geography:...
and Hammond-Whiting
Hammond-Whiting (Amtrak station)
Hammond–Whiting is a train station in Hammond, Indiana served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system. Currently, the Wolverine is the only Amtrak service that stops at this station. The station also used to serve as the split with the Three Rivers line until March 8, 2005 when the Three...
. Like the Blue Water, the Pere Marquette receives financial support from the state of Michigan.
High-speed rail
The Detroit-Chicago corridor has been designated by the Federal Railroad AdministrationFederal Railroad Administration
The Federal Railroad Administration is an agency in the United States Department of Transportation. The agency was created by the Department of Transportation Act of 1966...
as a high-speed rail corridor. A 97 miles (156.1 km) stretch along the route of Blue Water and Wolverine from Porter, Indiana
Porter, Indiana
Porter is a town in Westchester Township, Porter County, Indiana, United States. The population was 4,972 at the 2000 census.Porter is noted for its proximity to the Indiana Dunes State Park and for its railroad heritage...
to Kalamazoo, Michigan
Kalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
is the longest segment of track owned by Amtrak outside of the Northeast Corridor
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
. Amtrak began speed increases along this stretch in January 2002. Currently, trains reach a speed of 95 mph (152.9 km/h) between Niles and Kalamazoo. Ultimately, speed increases to 110 mph (177 km/h) service are planned.
Expansion
The Michigan Department of TransportationMichigan Department of Transportation
The Michigan Department of Transportation is a constitutional government agency in the US state of Michigan. The primary purpose of MDOT is to maintain the Michigan State Trunkline Highway System which includes all Interstate, US and state highways in Michigan with the exception of the Mackinac...
has petitioned Amtrak to add a daily train between Chicago and Kalamazoo, departing Chicago in late evening and returning from Kalamazoo in the morning. Amtrak operated an extra frequency during the Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
weekend in 2010. The trains, 356-357, left Kalamazoo at 5:50 AM and returned from Chicago at 10:00 PM.
Track
The tracks used were originally part of the Pennsylvania RailroadPennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
, New York Central Railroad
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
, Grand Trunk Railway
Grand Trunk Railway
The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate...
and Pere Marquette Railway
Pere Marquette Railway
The Pere Marquette Railway was a railroad that operated in the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada. The railroad had trackage in the states of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and the Canadian province of Ontario. Its primary connections included Buffalo; Toledo; and Chicago.The company was...
systems, and are now owned by CSX, Norfolk Southern, the Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
, Conrail and Amtrak. The following lines are used:
Blue Water
- Grand Trunk Western Railway (GT), Battle Creek, MichiganBattle Creek, MichiganBattle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek Rivers. It is the principal city of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Calhoun county...
(on the Michigan Central Railroad east of Kalamazoo) to Port Huron, Michigan, now CN
Pere Marquette
- Pere Marquette RailwayPere Marquette RailwayThe Pere Marquette Railway was a railroad that operated in the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada. The railroad had trackage in the states of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and the Canadian province of Ontario. Its primary connections included Buffalo; Toledo; and Chicago.The company was...
, Porter, Indiana to Grand Rapids, Michigan, now CSX
Wolverine
- Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago RailwayPittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago RailwayThe Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway was a major part of the Pennsylvania Railroad system, extending the PRR west from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania via Fort Wayne, Indiana to Chicago, Illinois...
(PRR), Chicago, Illinois to Whiting, IndianaWhiting, IndianaWhiting is a city located in the Chicago Metropolitan Area in Lake County, Indiana, which was founded in 1889. The city is located on the southern shore of Lake Michigan. It is roughly 16 miles from the Chicago Loop and just short of two miles from Chicago's South Side. Whiting is home to Whiting...
, now NS - Lake Shore and Michigan Southern RailwayLake Shore and Michigan Southern RailwayThe Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, sometimes referred to as the Lake Shore, was a major part of the New York Central Railroad's Water Level Route from Buffalo, NY to Chicago, primarily along the south shore of Lake Erie and across northern Indiana...
(NYC), Whiting to Porter, Indiana, now NS - Michigan Central RailroadMichigan Central RailroadThe Michigan Central Railroad was originally incorporated in 1846 to establish rail service between Detroit, Michigan and St. Joseph, Michigan. The railroad later operated in the states of Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois in the United States, and the province of Ontario in Canada...
(NYC), Porter to Detroit, Michigan, now Amtrak west of and NS east of Kalamazoo, Michigan, and Conrail in Detroit - Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee RailwayDetroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee RailwayThe Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee Railway is a defunct railroad which operated in the US state of Michigan during the late 19th and early 20th centuries...
(GT), Detroit to Pontiac, Michigan, now CN
Airport connections
At the Chicago end of all three lines, riders may easily connect to either O'Hare International AirportO'Hare International Airport
Chicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop...
or Midway International Airport, using nearby CTA
Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago Transit Authority, also known as CTA, is the operator of mass transit within the City of Chicago, Illinois and some of its surrounding suburbs....
stations. For O'Hare, riders should walk to the Clinton CTA station and ride the Blue line
Blue Line (Chicago Transit Authority)
The Blue Line consists of a long trunk line in the Chicago Transit Authority's rapid transit system which extends through Chicago's Loop from O'Hare International Airport at the far northwest end of the city, through downtown via the Milwaukee-Dearborn subway, and across the West Side to its...
, which operates 24 hours a day. For Midway, riders should walk to the Quincy/Wells CTA station and ride the Orange line
Orange Line (Chicago Transit Authority)
The Orange Line, is a rapid transit line in Chicago, Illinois run by the Chicago Transit Authority as part of the 'L' system. It is approximately long, and runs below grade and elevated on existing railroad embankments and new concrete and steel structures from Chicago Midway International...
.
Travelers headed to Detroit Metro Airport
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport , usually called Detroit Metro Airport, Metro Airport locally, or simply DTW, is a major international airport covering in Romulus, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. It is Michigan's busiest airport....
should exit at the Dearborn station, take SMART
Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation
The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation ' is the public transit operator serving suburban Greater Detroit. Beginning operations in 1967 as the "SouthEastern Michigan Transportation Authority" or "SEMTA", it operates 44 "linehaul" and three "park-and-ride" bus routes in Wayne,...
bus route 200 west (outbound) and transfer to route 280 south at Middlebelt Road.
Travelers headed to Lansing
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
Capital Region International Airport must take Capital Area Transportation Authority
Capital Area Transportation Authority
The Capital Area Transportation Authority provides mass transit bus service and paratransit within the metro Lansing, Michigan area including Michigan State University .- CATA system :...
bus route 20 north to Grand River Avenue, the route 1 west to Grand Boulevard in Downtown Lansing, then route 14 north to the Airport.
Travelers bound for the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport in Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
should board Metro Transit Bus #12 (Bronson) for direct service to the airport. Amtrak, Metro Transit, Greyhound and Indian Trails are all based at the city's downtown Transportation Center.
Travelers headed to Gerald R. Ford International Airport
Gerald R. Ford International Airport
Gerald R. Ford International Airport is a commercial airport located approximately southeast of Grand Rapids, Michigan in Cascade Township. Originally called Kent County Airport and later Kent County International Airport; in December 1999 the airport was renamed for former resident Gerald R....
in Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
need to take Rapid
Interurban Transit Partnership
The Interurban Transit Partnership operates a public transport system called The Rapid, which provides bus service to the Grand Rapids, Michigan metropolitan area and beyond...
Bus 6 to Woodland Mall
Woodland Mall
Woodland Mall is an enclosed super-regional shopping mall located just outside the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. It comprises over 100 tenants in of retail space, with four anchor stores and a movie theater...
at the main terminal about half a mile from the train station. At Woodland they need to transfer to Bus 17 that will take them to the airport.