Michigan: Amtrak's ridership up on Wolverine line

[marmar]

[font size="1"]Amtrak's Wolverine in Detroit.[/font]

from the Detroit Free Press:



More people are taking the train.

Nationally, a record 15 million passengers rode Amtrak in the first half of its fiscal year 2013 (October 2012-March 2013,) a new Amtrak report reveals.

In Michigan, ridership overall during the period was up 4%, fueled by a strong performance by the Wolverine line between Pontiac and Chicago.



• Wolverine ridership was 245,073, an 8.9% jump over the same period a year earlier.

• The Blue Water line from Port Huron to Chicago saw a slight decline in ridership — down 3.1% to 86,400 riders in the six-month period. ...................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.freep.com/article/20130410/FEATURES07/304100158/Amtrack-Michigan-Traveler-train-Wolverine-line

[elfin]

1. Love the Wolverine

Take it each year from Chicago to Ann Arbor for Homecoming. Just a few $ extra for "business class."

Big fan of Amtrak Hiawatha, too from Milwaukee to Chicago. Really nice way to visit their museums without driving and parking hassle. That ridership also up. Stupid Walker nixed high speed to Madison. Was looking forward to that. Badger Bus only OK as a sub for that route, so end up driving and cursing Walker yet one more time on another issue.

[FrodosPet]

2. Will it be on separate tracks someday?

Tracking Amtrak arrival times in order to schedule cars is an important part of my job. The Wolverine is 30 or more minutes late A LOT. More like usually, because freight is the priority on that line.