Battle Creek Transportation Center

Last updated

Battle Creek, MI
Battle creek amtrak station.jpg
The station in 2007, before its refurbishment in 2012.
General information
Location119 McCamly Street South
Battle Creek, Michigan
United States
Coordinates 42°19′05″N85°11′16″W / 42.31806°N 85.18778°W / 42.31806; -85.18778
Line(s)
Platforms1 side platform
Tracks2
Bus operatorsAiga bus trans.svg Amtrak Thruway
Aiga bus trans.svg Greyhound Lines
Aiga bus trans.svg Indian Trails
Aiga bus trans.svg Battle Creek Transit
Construction
ParkingYes
AccessibleYes
Other information
Station code Amtrak: BTL
History
RebuiltJune 12, 2012
Passengers
FY 202224,581 [1] (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg Amtrak Following station
Kalamazoo
toward Chicago
Blue Water East Lansing
toward Port Huron
Wolverine Albion
toward Pontiac
Former services
Preceding station BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg Amtrak Following station
Kalamazoo
toward Chicago
Lake Cities Albion
toward Pontiac
International East Lansing
toward Toronto

Battle Creek Transportation Center is an intermodal station in Battle Creek, Michigan, used by Amtrak, Indian Trails and Greyhound Lines. [2] It is at the split between the routes of Amtrak's Blue Water and Wolverine passenger trains. The International Limited, which had started in 1982 as joint operation by Via Rail and Amtrak between Chicago and Toronto, was discontinued in 2004. [3]

Contents

The intermodal facility reopened in 2012 following an extensive renovation. New finishes give the depot a fresh, modern appeal, and new canopies and mechanical systems were also installed.

History

The current Amtrak station was built to replace two older train stations, the Battle Creek Grand Trunk Station [4] [5] and the Michigan Central Railroad Depot (also known as the Penn Central Railway Station). The Michigan Central Railroad depot has been on the National Register of Historic Places since April 16, 1971, while the Grand Trunk Depot has been on the NRHP since 1980.

The Grand Trunk Depot is now the headquarters for the local branch of Community Action and the Michigan Central Railroad Depot is now a restaurant called Clara's on the River.

In September 2010, the state of Michigan got $3.6 million from the federal government to refurbish the station, including renovations to parts of the interior and exterior and bringing the station to accessible standards. [6] On August 3, 2011, a temporary station operated out of a trailer to the northwest of the station building was planned to open while renovations took place for the next nine months. [7]

The new station, which opened on June 12, 2012, features a new entrance and passenger drop-off area, secure long-term parking lot, improved exterior lighting and landscaping. The interior was completely remodeled, with office space for Amtrak and other tenants and an upgraded passenger waiting area. [8]

Eight Amtrak trains serve Battle Creek daily, with three round-trips from Chicago to Detroit/Pontiac on the Wolverine, one Blue Water round-trip from Chicago to Port Huron, and Amtrak Thruway Motorcoaches to and from Flint. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Trunk Western Railroad</span> American railroad

The Grand Trunk Western Railroad Company was an American subsidiary of the Grand Trunk Railway, later of the Canadian National Railway operating in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. Since a corporate restructuring in 1971, the railroad has been under CN's subsidiary holding company, the Grand Trunk Corporation. Grand Trunk Western's routes are part of CN's Michigan Division. Its primary mainline between Chicago and Port Huron, Michigan serves as a connection between railroad interchanges in Chicago and rail lines in eastern Canada and the Northeastern United States. The railroad's extensive trackage in Detroit and across southern Michigan has made it an essential link for the automotive industry as a hauler of parts and automobiles from manufacturing plants.

<i>Michigan Services</i>

Michigan Services are three Amtrak passenger rail routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with the Michigan cities of Grand Rapids, Port Huron, and Detroit, and stations en route. The group falls under the Amtrak Midwest brand and is a component of the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michigan Central Railroad</span> US railroad established 1846

The Michigan Central Railroad was originally chartered in 1832 to establish rail service between Detroit, Michigan, and St. Joseph, Michigan. The railroad later operated in the states of Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois in the United States and the province of Ontario in Canada. After about 1867 the railroad was controlled by the New York Central Railroad, which later became part of Penn Central and then Conrail. After the 1998 Conrail breakup, Norfolk Southern Railway now owns much of the former Michigan Central trackage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LaSalle Street Station</span> Train station in Chicago

LaSalle Street Station is a commuter rail terminal at 414 South LaSalle Street in downtown Chicago. First used as a rail terminal in 1852, it was a major intercity rail terminal for the New York Central Railroad until 1968, and for the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad until 1978, but now serves only Metra's Rock Island District. The present structure became the fifth station on the site when its predecessor was demolished in 1981 and replaced by the new station and the One Financial Place tower for the Chicago Stock Exchange. The Chicago Board of Trade Building, Willis Tower, and Harold Washington Library are nearby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michigan Central Station</span> Former railroad station in Detroit, Michigan

Michigan Central Station is the historic former main intercity passenger rail station in Detroit, Michigan. Built for the Michigan Central Railroad, it replaced the original depot in downtown Detroit, which was shuttered after a major fire on December 26, 1913, forcing the still unfinished station into early service. Formally dedicated on January 4, 1914, the station remained open for business until the cessation of Amtrak service on January 6, 1988. The station building consists of a train depot and an office tower with thirteen stories, two mezzanine levels, and a roof height of 230 feet. The Beaux-Arts style architecture was designed by architects who had previously worked together on Grand Central Terminal in New York, and it was the tallest rail station in the world at the time of its construction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Durand Union Station</span> Train station in Durand, Michigan, USA

Durand Union Station is a historic train station in Durand, Michigan. The station, which now serves Amtrak Blue Water trains, was originally a busy Grand Trunk Western Railroad and Ann Arbor Railroad hub, as well as a local office for Grand Trunk Western, from its construction in 1903 until 1974. It is currently owned by the city of Durand and leased by Durand Union Station, Inc. a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and maintenance of the building and its surrounding property.

<i>International</i> (Amtrak train) American named passenger train (1982–2004)

The International was a named passenger train operated between Chicago and Toronto. It was originally an overnight train operated by the Grand Trunk Railway of Canada and its successors the Canadian National Railway and Grand Trunk Western Railroad, running as far as Montreal. The train was cut back to Port Huron, Michigan, in 1970 and discontinued in 1971.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capital Area Multimodal Gateway</span>

Capital Area Multimodal Gateway, also known as East Lansing station, is an intermodal transit station in East Lansing, Michigan. Operated by the Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA), it is served by Amtrak's Blue Water passenger train, local buses, and intercity buses. It opened in 2015 to replace a nearby Amtrak and bus station operating since 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kalamazoo Transportation Center</span>

The Kalamazoo Transportation Center is an intermodal complex in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan. Amtrak and Greyhound provide regular service there. The center is also the major downtown transfer hub for Kalamazoo's Metro Transit bus system.

<i>Wolverine</i> (Amtrak train) Amtrak service between Chicago, IL, and Pontiac, MI

The Wolverine is a higher-speed passenger train service operated by Amtrak as part of its Michigan Services. The 304-mile (489 km) line provides three daily round-trips between Chicago and Pontiac, Michigan, via Ann Arbor and Detroit. It carries a heritage train name descended from the New York Central.

<i>Blue Water</i> (train) Amtrak service between Chicago, IL and Port Huron, MI

The Blue Water is a higher-speed passenger train service operated by Amtrak as part of its Michigan Services. The 319-mile (513 km) route runs from Chicago, Illinois, to Port Huron in Michigan's Blue Water Area, for which the train is named. Major stops are in Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, East Lansing, and Flint.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ann Arbor station</span>

Ann Arbor station is a train station in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States that is served daily by Amtrak's Wolverine, which runs three times daily between Chicago, Illinois and Pontiac, Michigan, via Detroit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birmingham station (Michigan)</span>

Birmingham was an Amtrak train station in Birmingham, Michigan, served by the Wolverine service. The station was located on an embankment at the eastern end of Villa Road, and consisted of a concrete platform with a small shelter and wheelchair lift. On October 13, 2014, the station was closed and replaced by the Troy Transit Center, located about 1,200 feet (370 m) southeast on Doyle Drive in Troy, Michigan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dowagiac station</span> Railway station in Dowagiac, Michigan, U.S.

Dowagiac is a train station in Dowagiac, Michigan, served by Amtrak, the United States' railroad passenger system. The station was built by the Michigan Central Railroad in 1902, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flint station (Michigan)</span>

Flint station is an inter-modal transportation center in Flint, Michigan. It is served by Amtrak's Blue Water route, and doubles as the intercity bus station for Amtrak Thruway and Indian Trails, as well as the local city bus service, the Flint Mass Transportation Authority, who owns the station. The station was built as part of the Amtrak Standard Stations Program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vernon J. Ehlers Station</span>

The Vernon J. Ehlers Station is a train station in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States served by Amtrak, the U.S. national railroad passenger system. The station is the terminus of the Pere Marquette line that connects Chicago's Union Station to Grand Rapids. It opened at its new location on Century Avenue under the Wealthy Street/US Highway 131 overpass, immediately south of The Rapid's Central Station. It is named in honor of then-Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jackson station (Michigan)</span>

Jackson station is a historic Amtrak station in Jackson, Michigan, United States. It is served by three daily Wolverine trains between Chicago and Pontiac and a single daily Amtrak Thruway bus between Toledo, Detroit, Jackson, and East Lansing. The station was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Windsor station (Ontario)</span> Railway station in Ontario, Canada

Windsor station is a train station in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It is the western terminus of Via Rail's Quebec City–Windsor Corridor. It is located in the Walkerville neighbourhood adjacent to the Hiram Walker distillery, near the Detroit River. During the week, it is served by eight Via Rail train trips per day, of which 4 originate in Windsor and 4 return to Windsor from Toronto. In 2012, Windsor was listed as the seventh busiest station in the country, according to Via.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle Creek station (Michigan Central Railroad)</span> Station in Battle Creek, Michigan

Battle Creek station, listed in the National Register of Historic Places as the Penn Central Railway Station, is a disused train station in Battle Creek, Michigan. It opened on July 27, 1888. Rogers and MacFarlane of Detroit designed the depot, one of several Richardsonian Romanesque-style stations between Detroit and Chicago in the late nineteenth century. Masonry of Lake Superior red sandstone, noted for its distinctive patterns, provides one of the most striking aspects of the Depot's exterior. Another prominent feature of the Depot is its clock tower.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pontiac Transportation Center</span>

The Pontiac Transportation Center is an intermodal terminal station located in Pontiac, Michigan that is served by Amtrak's Michigan Services Wolverine. The transportation center is also served by Indian Trails intercity bus service and Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) regional bus service.

References

  1. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2022: State of Michigan" (PDF). Amtrak. June 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  2. "MDOT puts Battle Creek Intermodal Transportation Center". michigan.gov. Michigan Department of Transportation. June 12, 2012.
  3. Matt Melzer (April 23, 2004). "Final Run of the Amtrak / VIA International". TrainWeb.org. Retrieved August 4, 2015. From 1982, Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada had jointly operated the International train between Chicago and Toronto
  4. Battle Creek Grand Trunk Station (Michigan Passenger Stations) Archived January 15, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  5. "The Battle Creek Grand Trunk Depot (Community Action Alliance)". Archived from the original on September 28, 2012. Retrieved December 13, 2012.
  6. "Michigan wins federal grant to rehabilitate Battle Creek station". Trains Magazine. September 2, 2010. Retrieved September 6, 2010.
  7. "July 29, 2011: Hotline No. 717". NARP. July 29, 2011. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved August 1, 2011.
  8. 1 2 "Battle Creek, Michigan, Amtrak Station Now Transformed and Open" (PDF). Amtrak. June 12, 2012. Retrieved October 10, 2015.