The New Michigan Commuter Rail

A woman at work told me on Friday that they would be showing off the train that would be part of the new Commuter Rail system.  I knew about the proposed route going from Ann Arbor to Detroit but this one was highlighting the route that would go from Ann Arbor to Howell.

 The railroad itself would be operated by the Great Lakes Central Railroad and from the displays on the train itself, there would be trains leaving every half hour (or maybe every hour).   The lines would be leased from CSX.

 I was expecting to see something more akin to one of the Metra trains I see in Chicago but this will do I guess.

 There is also a proposal to run the train from Ann Arbor to Detroit with stops along the way.  I'm really hoping that this one will get off the ground because I would love to ride the train on that track (but I don't really want to do the Amtrak with its two times per day that I would do).

 I think it is pretty cool that commuter rail is getting a look in Michigan because I think it is something that is long overdue.  I guess my concern is that this area doesn't have enough population density to make a viable commuter service but I'm hoping that I get proven wrong.

 The cars themselves have two decks.  The upper deck has a single row of chairs and the bottom row looks like the picture above.  It looks like standard commuter rail fare.

 A sort of shot of the outside of the car.  As you can see it is split level (but not like what I experience out west).

 Another shot of the engine.

 Another angle of the engine.

 And as I was heading back to my car.

One more shot for good measure.