(The following story by Angela Mullins appeared on the Times Herald website on April 5.)
PORT HURON, Mich. — Amtrak riders, upset about plans to cut the rail company’s International line and offer only an early-morning option for Chicago-bound passengers, rallied Sunday in Port Huron to derail the changes.
“If they take this train away, I’m stuck. There’s no place for me to go,” said Margaret Cordray, 85, of Algonac, who frequently takes the train to western Michigan to visit relatives.
Led by members of Save Our Trains Michigan, a few people gathered in a small building at Port Huron’s nearly empty 16th Street Amtrak station to have their voices heard.
While signing petitions in opposition of the changes, people said they came to the rally with hopes government and Amtrak official will listen to their concerns.
Beginning April 26, the Amtrak line — which will be called the Blue Water — will halt its services to Toronto. The only Chicago-bound train will leave Port Huron at 5:15 a.m. It’ll return at 10:50 p.m.
It previously left Port Huron at 12:20 p.m. and returned at 4:50 p.m. The time changes upset some residents such as Cordray.
The changes are in response to budget concerns and because the route has lost ridership in the past several years, Amtrak officials said.
“Anything to do with Amtrak and funding will always come down to the last minute,” said Matt Marderosian, the leader of Save Our Trains Michigan, which is planning a rally Sunday in East Lansing.
“We just want the passengers to make the decision.”
Frances Fowler, 76, of Port Huron fears the worst.
She rides the train about three times a month to visit relatives in Chicago.
“They’re going to get rid of it just like the buses, and we’re going to be boxed in,” Fowler said at Sunday’s rally.
“At least we can let (the state and Amtrak) officials know how we feel.”