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Some worry about rail deal
Comments 0 | Recommend 0BATTLE CREEK (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - For over a month leaders and customers have worried about whether the sound of an Amtrak train would disappear and put a stop to dreams of high speed rail service in Michigan.
It all stems from plans surrounding the 115 miles of track between Kalamazoo and Ypsilanti.
The current owners, Norfolk Southern, plan to transfer ownership to a smaller company, Watco.
Leaders were worried Watco wouldn't be able to maintain the railway for Amtrak service.
While leaders thought transferring ownership to a smaller company would mean losing Amtrak service, Watco now says they guarantee that won't be the case.
The sound of an Amtrak train is something 3-year-old Darius is used to, he's been riding since he was just two weeks old. Not having this as an option would put him and mom out of options. "I wouldn't travel, goodbye to traveling, I'd have to get a car," said Kissey Rome.
It's why leaders from Ann Arbor to Battle Creek, state and local, met with Ed McKechnie to make sure Amtrak won't be going anywhere.
"It would be a tremendous loss to the southern corridor of the state of Michigan," said Battle Creek Mayor John Godfrey.
"Amtrak will rely on this new company to maintain the line up to the current standards of 79 mph," said Senator Mark Schauer.
It's something McKechnie says Watco will guarantee leaders in writing.
"We're willing to make a binding commitment and put our money where our mouth is to make sure that happens," said McKechnie.
Helping to secure dreams of someday boosting this railway to 110 mph, making a high speed corridor between Chicago and Detroit.
The dream is safer today than it was yesterday. And it's helping to secure transportation for customers like Louise who can no longer drive long distances. "There's many many people like me who need the train."
Leaders say Wednesday's meeting calmed fears, but they want to get a hard copy of that guarantee.
Norfolk Southern will still be involved working with Watco in the joint venture the Michigan Central Railway.
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