 
Youngprofessionaldetroiter
Member
Username: Youngprofessionaldetroiter
Post Number: 403
Registered: 07-2008
| | Posted on Sunday, September 28, 2008 - 1:02 pm: |    |
I was out with one of my friends who's a recent grad and business analyst for a consulting firm. He "lives" in Farmington Hills. I say, "lives" because most consultants (especially right out of school) travel to their engagements 4-5 days of the week. He told me that if/when the train does get going from Detroit to DTW, he would love for the area directly around the train to develop decent housing and nightlife. It wouldn't have to be a big project, but just enough so that there's a critical mass. Again, think the size of Downtown Royal Oak or Birmingham. He would love just walk or cab to the train station and commute to DTW and the same on the way back.
I think there's several hundred to a thousand young professionals who commute to DTW weekly and would consider moving downtown when this thing gets off the ground. Not to mention that we also would be less likely to lose these guys to Chicago if they were living in a fairly cool downtown area...rather than Farmington Hills. (Not to hate on FH, but not a hotbed of activity for singles there).
How about out to you all in DYes world...any of you regular DTW commuters? If so, would you be interested in living within walking distance of a commuter train? What things would be important to you?
YPD
p.s. I asked him if he'd consider the same if it were a dedicated bus line to DTW.
No. |
French777
Member
Username: French777
Post Number: 585
Registered: 10-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, September 28, 2008 - 8:18 pm: | |
I can't wait till this train is done!
It looks like it would be up and running soon (2010-2011) |
Iheartthed
Member
Username: Iheartthed
Post Number: 3503
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, September 28, 2008 - 10:33 pm: | |
I'll believe it when I see it. If I remember correctly, it was originally promised to be running this Fall... |
Youngprofessionaldetroiter
Member
Username: Youngprofessionaldetroiter
Post Number: 404
Registered: 07-2008
| | Posted on Monday, September 29, 2008 - 9:49 am: | |
^I'll believe it before I see it as long as work is continuing to be done. Timelines are less important to me than constant steady progress. If it takes them til 2013, that's fine. From what SEMCOG tells me, they're fighting the logistical challenges of coordinating the existing freight schedules with commuter rail.
As soon as the project is "stuck" in politics, that's when I get worried. |
Detroitrise
Member
Username: Detroitrise
Post Number: 3645
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Monday, September 29, 2008 - 9:55 am: | |
quote:I'll believe it when I see it. If I remember correctly, it was originally promised to be running this Fall...
Agreed.
Whenever a person in this region (or state) says something will be done at a specific time, you'll be waiting another 10 years before you hear anything else about it.  |
Detroitrise
Member
Username: Detroitrise
Post Number: 3646
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Monday, September 29, 2008 - 9:57 am: | |
quote:It looks like it would be up and running soon (2010-2011)
Impossible. They haven't even gotten the route & details layed out, let along the money to pay for the train, rail maintenance, and the other miscellaneous expenses (cleaning, labor, etc.). |
Iheartthed
Member
Username: Iheartthed
Post Number: 3504
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Monday, September 29, 2008 - 10:09 am: | |
quote:^I'll believe it before I see it as long as work is continuing to be done. Timelines are less important to me than constant steady progress. If it takes them til 2013, that's fine. From what SEMCOG tells me, they're fighting the logistical challenges of coordinating the existing freight schedules with commuter rail.
Do you really believe it takes five years to coordinate a train schedule? It's not like they have to lay any new tracks, or build some elaborate train stations. Heck it took barely 2 years for the Book Cadillac to be gutted and virtually rebuilt. |
Professorscott
Member
Username: Professorscott
Post Number: 1638
Registered: 12-2006
| | Posted on Monday, September 29, 2008 - 10:16 am: | |
'rise, the route is completely determined, and has been for some time. SEMCOG is also quite convince that the service can be funded. The only thing being worked out right now is operational details, and specifically the answers to two questions:
1. How much upgrade of infrastructure will be required in order for the passenger service and the freight service to both run smoothly?
2. How many passenger trains per day can we run in both directions, and at what times, again so both services run smoothly?
SEMCOG has been working with the freight railroads on these issues. I'm told they are working together cooperatively, which is a far cry from three years ago, when one of the freight railroads was simply saying "no".
So as far as I can tell from talking to a couple of the participants, one at SEMCOG and one other person, things are moving along. The negotiations are detailed and therefore complicated, which is why this is taking as long as it is. Remember, the freight railroads own all of the existing infrastructure, so we can't just do whatever we like. |
Youngprofessionaldetroiter
Member
Username: Youngprofessionaldetroiter
Post Number: 405
Registered: 07-2008
| | Posted on Monday, September 29, 2008 - 10:51 am: | |
quote:Do you really believe it takes five years to coordinate a train schedule?
It does if they're not your trains or your tracks. The Book Cadillac deal was complex, but you had one major investor with a lot of money, Ferchill, who has a lot to gain by pushing it through. This rail project, on the other hand, is being pushed through by a quasi-government organization who doesn't even control or own the infrastructure on the project.
Like I said. I don't care about the timeline. I just want to see steady progress. |
Warrenite84
Member
Username: Warrenite84
Post Number: 399
Registered: 01-2007
| | Posted on Monday, September 29, 2008 - 3:03 pm: | |
This project will happen sooner or later, IMHO. My biggest concern is of an updated system that is centrally controlled, so that Detroit does not have a Los Angeles type (commuter/freight collision likelihood). |
Detroit313
Member
Username: Detroit313
Post Number: 728
Registered: 02-2006
| | Posted on Monday, September 29, 2008 - 4:25 pm: | |
Transit Center-
I was the city would collaborate with private businesses and purchase the MCS and turn it (back) into Metro Detroit transit center.
1. It could serve as the terminal point for the DTW, AA train (the tracks run to the MCS anyway)
2. Combine both bus systems and headquarter them along with the new light rain operations. That would fill the building with employees and create a need for business in the area.
3. If the city could also persuade greyhound to open a new location inside or near. Again more business in a central location.
The MCS could be the home of S.E. Michigan transit.
I envision MCS to be in the top 5 busiest transit systems in the country simply by merging the existing system today. And the potential for growth is out of the roof.
(taxi stands, city and suburban buses, (future) light rail, Amtrak, Greyhound...)
That could be a great new beacon of Detroit (transit) that the city could be proud of again.
<313> |
Trainman
Member
Username: Trainman
Post Number: 779
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Monday, September 29, 2008 - 10:40 pm: | |
If you posters want this train soon then there is something you can do about it.
Write your leaders to support a state constitution change. Then if this gets done, support a NEW County Sales Tax on fast food and most other goods to be re-distributed to pay for passenger fares.
It does not look like our industries will support this without taxpayer support and our federal and state governments are not willing to just pay for this without any kind of local support at this time. |
Mwilbert
Member
Username: Mwilbert
Post Number: 406
Registered: 11-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2008 - 7:36 am: | |
MCS is in a silly location for a transit hub. |