(The following story by Larry O’Connor appeared on the Battle Creek Enquirer website on September 17.)
ALBION, Mich. — The city is the latest to get on board with other communities opposing a proposed handover of railway lines without safeguards passenger service will be fully maintained.
At Monday’s meeting, city council members unanimously passed a resolution against the proposed transaction between Norfolk, Va.-based Norfolk-Southern Corp. and Pittsburg, Kan.-based Watco Cos. Inc. The plan would transfer rail lines running between Ypsilanti and Kalamazoo to newly formed Michigan Central Railroad based in Kalamazoo.
The cities of Battle Creek, Marshall and Saline and Ann Arbor Charter Township already have passed resolutions opposing the sale.
A single track runs through downtown Albion, which serves as an Amtrak stop.
City officials said they are worried the freight operator will not maintain the stretch of railroad to Amtrak standards. A few weeks ago, Albion officials joined others along the railway for a meeting with railroad officials in Battle Creek.
“A gentleman from Watco tried to convince us that when they buy that railroad track — a section of track that goes through every community — there will be no change in service whether passenger or freight,” Mayor William Wheaton said. “We all seem to have a problem with that (pledge).”
Officials fear slower freight trains will get preference over passenger rail service. Passenger trains travel up to 79 mph, whereas freight move at about 45 mph.
“In Albion, we only have a single line. So traffic on this line between Detroit and Kalamazoo is particularly heavy,” City Manager Mike Herman said. “If Amtrak has to pull over to the side and wait for a slow freight, it can really cause problems with their schedules.”
Federal officials have the final call. The pending sale is before the Federal Surface Transportation Board for consideration.
At the meeting two weeks ago, Wheaton said he tried to get guarantees from Watco official on crossing-arm upgrades. Superior and Albion street crossing arms need repairs, Wheaton said.
“He couldn’t give me an answer,” the mayor said.