While unused tracks throughout the state are being repurposed as recreational trails (aka rails to trails), many are still being utilized by both passenger and commercial trains. Following is a glimpse at some of the tracks and trains of Michigan, past and present.
Today on Michigan in Pictures, a photo entitled this train must dead end by freckles~ is featured.
farlane writes about this Fall photo:
Kathy is from Ann Arbor. This photo might be too. It is part of a set of Fall 2006 photos that you will want to check out.
While trying to locate another photo for this story in the Absolute Michigan Photo Pool on Flickr, I found this one at right, along with some interesting facts. DarrylW4 writes:
"Michigan doesn't have many rail tunnels. In fact, there are exactly two -- one in Detroit to Windsor, the other in Port Huron to Sarnia. The favorite of most rail fans seems to be the Port Huron tunnel owned and operated by Canadian National. This tunnel sees a good amount of traffic including much of the traffic from the CN/IC Flint Sub and Amtrak's International. The Port Huron Amtrak station was constructed between the yard and tunnel making it a great rail fanning location with views of both the tunnel and yard (and access to wash rooms during station hours)."
Click on DarrylW4's picture to read the rest of the story
Take a look at this train must dead end by Michigan in Pictures
View search results for 'train' in the Absolute Michigan Photo Pool on Flickr
Chug on over to the results of keyword search 'train' on Absolute Michigan
Read about the Pere Marquette Railway on Wikipedia
You can visit MichiganRailroads.com to learn more about trains past and present
One Comment
It seems to me that existing railtracks could be put to good use in Michigan.
Through proper planning, and perhaps some fed stimulus dollars, has anyone considered looking at re-introducing rail as a viable tourism option? Not for just getting people to Michigan, but beyond that.
Say, a coastline rail - patterned after the Oriental Luxury lines so popular in Europe.
Additional depots in tourism areas, or more lines running from Grand Rapids to those areas.
Considering not just the end destination, but how people might get from a depot to outlying areas rich in experiential tourism, i.e. inland lakes, campsites and resorts. Through the use of a sort of "reverse engineering" such as the addition of rental vehicles (and not just any vehicles, but infrastructure for use of electric and hybrid transport, or bike, rental, with luggage pick up and drop off options.) Even allowing for resorts to run for example, horse drawn carriage transport, snowmobile or CAT transport in the winter - fun and different ways for tourists to enjoy all the state has to offer.
Michigan has a chance here of becoming a bell-weather for the use of green energy and creating inter-state transport options that would be a shining example of infrastructure. Creating something of this nature that works for tourism would set an example for other parts of the nation dealing with transport issues. Not to mention the jobs it would create, and the ideal way in which it would allow people more flexibility in getting to different seasonal jobs around the state.
It seems to that putting some funding into researching this possibility would be prudent and good for the state and it's residents. Rail was the right choice 100 years ago, and I think it's the right choice again.
Post a Comment