(The following story by James McCurtis Jr. appeared on the Lansing State Journal website on November 6.)
LANSING, Mich. — Amtrak has proposed cutting Canada out of its Toronto-to-Chicago line to eliminate delays at the border and to help improve its service.
Amtrak officials told members of the state House and the Michigan Department of Transportation on Thursday that starting the line in Port Huron and eliminating Canada from the route that runs through East Lansing would improve arrival and departure times.
“It will serve the ridership better,” said Bruce Hillblom, senior principal contract administration for Amtrak.
Amtrak and MDOT officials are meeting frequently to reach a contract deal for the 2003-04 fiscal year.
If both parties agree on excluding Canada in its Toronto-to-Chicago route, Amtrak might establish a bus service that connects at the Canadian border and takes passengers to Toronto. Amtrak added Toronto to the line that runs through East Lansing in the early 1980s.
In 2002, more than 35,000 people rode the train to and from the Canadian border. But since September 11, security checks at customs have been causing long delays for riders, Amtrak officials said.
Amtrak has been in a dispute with the state over subsidies for the past year. State officials are demanding improved service as a part of any agreement.
Earlier this year, Amtrak threatened to shut down the two state subsidized lines because it needed $7.1 million to operate the routes instead of the $5.7 million the state was willing to give.
After months of discussions between MDOT, Amtrak and lawmakers, Gov. Jennifer Granholm approved a budget of up to $7.1 million to continue subsidizing the lines for this fiscal year, which began Oct. 1.
Amtrak can’t begin the proposed new route until the rail service and MDOT sign a contract, a slow process that has upset legislators.
Amtrak operates two state-subsidized lines in Michigan — one from Grand Rapids to Chicago and the other from Toronto to Chicago. A third line, Detroit to Chicago, does not receive state funding.
Though the parties have not signed a contract, the trains are still running from Chicago to Toronto, and Amtrak doesn’t plan to stop its rail service, officials say.
Before a contract is signed, MDOT wants to be assured the quality of service will improve, said Tim Hoeffner, MDOT manager of rail passenger services.
“The Blue Water has potential,” Hoeffner said. “We want this deal done as soon as possible. It’s a lot of money and we don’t want to pay more for the same old service.”
Members of the House stressed the urgency for MDOT and Amtrak to iron out a deal so the state could plan funding for the rail service.
“We need to make this happen and let me emphasize, make this happen fast,” said Rep. Lauren Hager, R-Port Huron Township, who organized last Thursday’s meeting.
Helen Schubert, an East Lansing student who takes the train once a week to teach at Roosevelt University in Chicago, said she likes the idea.
“I think that’s better, naturally,” Schubert said. “I have landed in Chicago four hours late for various things, especially the delays in customs.”