Blue Water (passenger train)
| Amtrak's Blue Water | |
|---|---|
| Numbers | 364, 365 |
| Route | Port Huron, Michigan Chicago, Illinois |
| Distance | 319 miles (513 km) |
| Dates of operation | 2004 – present |
| Track owners (non-Amtrak) |
CN |
Blue Water is a passenger train service operated by Amtrak as part of its Michigan Services. The 319-mile (513 km) line connects Port Huron, Michigan and Chicago, Illinois. It was inaugurated by Amtrak in 1974 to run between the two cities. Between 1982 and 2004, this route was replaced by International Limited, and was operated jointly by Canadian VIA Rail and Amtrak between Chicago and Toronto. On April 25 2004, International Limited was discontinued by Amtrak due to decreasing ridership. Amtrak restored service between Chicago and Port Huron with Blue Water. VIA Rail still operates trains on the former International Limited route as far south as Sarnia, which is across the border from Port Huron. Blue Water is funded in part by the Michigan Department of Transportation.[1]
Route details
The Blue Water operates over Norfolk Southern Railway, Amtrak, and Grand Trunk Western Railroad trackage:
- NS Chicago Line, Chicago to Porter
- Amtrak Chicago-Detroit Line, Porter to Kalamazoo
- NS Michigan Line, Kalamazoo to Battle Creek
- GTW Flint Subdivision, Battle Creek to Port Huron
Station stops
Blue Water runs as train 364 eastbound and 365 westbound, making the following station stops:
- Niles (Amtrak station)
- Dowagiac (Amtrak station)
- Kalamazoo Transportation Center
- Battle Creek (Amtrak station)
- East Lansing (Amtrak station)
- Durand Union Station
- Flint (Amtrak station)
- Lapeer (Amtrak station)
- Port Huron (Amtrak station)
High-speed rail
The Detroit-Chicago corridor has been designated by the Federal Railroad Administration as a high-speed rail corridor.[2] A 97-mile stretch along the route of Blue Water from Porter, Indiana to Kalamazoo, Michigan is the longest segment of track owned by Amtrak outside of the Northeast Corridor.[2] Amtrak began speed increases along this stretch in January 2002. Ultimately, speed increases to 110 mile-per-hour service are planned.[2][3]
References
- ↑ Amtrak - Routes - Midwest. Michigan Services. Retrieved on 2006-10-30.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2005. State of Michigan. Retrieved on 2006-10-30.
- ↑ "Michigan: Amtrak taking service to new speeds", WNDU-TV. Retrieved on 2006-11-01.
External links
- Amtrak - Michigan Services
- Amtrak Michigan Services Website
- Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers
