roll-on train service to Michigan

From Todd Scott's blog, Amtrak will be beginning roll-on service for bikes on its lines to Detroit, Grand Rapids and Lansing:

http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2011/04/28/amtrak-aiming-for-roll-on-bic...

Goody! I'll still drive most of the time for the flexibility it gives me, but it does remove an impediment for many people.

David

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Permalink Reply by BalloonBiker on May 2, 2011 at 3:41am

This is fantastic news! Michigan has some really beautiful areas that would be great for bike touring!

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Permalink Reply by Jared on May 2, 2011 at 4:10am

Too bad the schedule isn't really suitable to day trips.

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Permalink Reply by jen on May 2, 2011 at 5:17am

Don't mean to burst your bubble guys, but I work for Amtrak and I haven't heard anything about this. One thing that Amtrak is good for is making promises. They have been telling us for the last 2 years that they are going to add checked baggage service on the wolverine. As for them removing seats for bike racks I will only believe it when I see it. The Michigan trains are some of the most heavily traveled corridor service. We have upwards of 500 people packed on these trains on the weekends. I highly doubt they would remove revenue seating for bike racks. I would love roll on service just as much as you guys but as I said before Amtrak loves to make promises.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on May 2, 2011 at 2:29pm

I was just thinking how I want to take a train to Detroit, get off, have no mass transit options then ride my bike through deserted/dangerous areas.

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Permalink Reply by wigner on May 3, 2011 at 3:56am

i hope this happens. i've been wanting to do rides to st joseph / benton harbor from chicago. there's a great brewery there the livery run by a cyclist. ride out, drink beer, train home. plus train rides are so freakin cool

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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on May 4, 2011 at 12:53am

Who wants to go to MI? ;)

Would have loved to have been able to take the train to Madison though (bike or not.)

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Permalink Reply by David P. on May 4, 2011 at 2:55am

Jen,

That does put a bit of a potential damper on the news - hopefully you can let us know if you hear something internally that confirms that this is actually happening.

David

jen said:

Don't mean to burst your bubble guys, but I work for Amtrak and I haven't heard anything about this. One thing that Amtrak is good for is making promises. They have been telling us for the last 2 years that they are going to add checked baggage service on the wolverine. As for them removing seats for bike racks I will only believe it when I see it. The Michigan trains are some of the most heavily traveled corridor service. We have upwards of 500 people packed on these trains on the weekends. I highly doubt they would remove revenue seating for bike racks. I would love roll on service just as much as you guys but as I said before Amtrak loves to make promises.

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Permalink Reply by David P. on May 4, 2011 at 2:58am

With an attitude like that, you're better off staying in Chicago :)

Detroit is a great city to ride in, but you do have to take it for what it is, rather than for what it isn't. There is no more need to ride theough the worst areas of Detroit than there is the worst areas of Chicago. I mean, I'm not going to hang out around 6 Mile & Gratiot at night on a bike, nor on foot or in a car. But even bad-looking areas are fine to ride through.

David

Mike Zumwalt said:

I was just thinking how I want to take a train to Detroit, get off, have no mass transit options then ride my bike through deserted/dangerous areas.

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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on May 4, 2011 at 8:28am

I hear there are piles of abandoned bicycles laying around next to foreclosed houses from when they were cleaned out in Detriot. It'd be neat to train over there and bring a few back home to fix up.