Here is a report and a video from WNDU about the Michigan By Rail forum in St Joseph.

St. Joseph, MI

September 9, 2010

By Brandon Lewis

brandon.lewis@wndu.com

Rep. Fred Upton joined several local politicians to gain support among residents for high speed rail.

The forum was held at the Shadowland Ballroom in the shadow of the Amtrak rail station.

“I think it’s very important and I think it is a major area and Congressman Upton has taken a very big role in getting us in that direction and I think it’s a wonderful decision to do that,” said Mary Brown, who attended the event.

Several dozen residents attended the information session, which included interactive activities where they were able to plan their own high speed rail service through the state.

“It’s interesting because other people have ideas that you may not have thought of and II could just see between all the groups commonality between us and the planners will maybe take that into consideration when they actually make a final plan,” said Brown.

“It is a partnership between the public, between the feds and the state government here in Michigan. We want to make sure the budget and everything else reflects that,” said Upton. “If we can get this technology in place we’ve got the locomotives, the safety of the crossings, we can see it develop, really I think, around the country.”

The project is still in the development stages and must survive several elections.

“I led the designation fight, bipartisan, back in the 90’s to put this corridor on the map for high speed rail, but now is the time to deliver,” said Upton.