Amtrak to speed at 110 mph, but Porter Junction remains obstacle

Amtrak has received federal approval for trains on some routes in Michigan and northern Indiana to increase speeds to 110 mph, shaving more time off runs, the railroad and Michigan transportation officials announced Tuesday.

However, a key project centering on the Porter Junction still is held hostage to disagreements between railroads and state and federal transportation officials, meaning Amtrak trains could still be subject to frequent delays there.

As of two weeks ago, there was no agreement that would allow the Indiana Gateway project to move forward, creating 700 construction jobs, according to Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission Executive Director John Swanson.

Indiana Department of Transportation spokesman Will Wingfield confirmed Tuesday no agreement has been reached to date. INDOT officials participate in biweekly calls where the Federal Rail Administration and Norfolk Southern Railroad discuss agreement terms, he said.

The $71.4 million Indiana Gateway project was one of the first to win federal high-speed rail funds more than two years ago, but other projects have whisked forward while it remains on the siding. Amtrak trains have to jostle their way through Porter Junction in competition with up to 90 freight trains per day. The passenger trains are subject to delays going both east and west.

Amtrak announced Tuesday the approval for 110 mph speeds comes after the installation and testing of a train control safety system on Amtrak-owned track that runs between Kalamazoo, Mich., and Porter. The previous top speed was 95 mph.

Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman pointed out it is the first time high-speed rail has been expanded outside the Amtrak-owned Northeast corridor. It is the first of two high-speed "spokes" planned to run from the Chicago "hub," Boardman said. The other is a high-speed route to St. Louis.

Amtrak's Wolverine Service between Pontiac and Chicago via Detroit and Ann Arbor and the Blue Water service between Port Huron and Chicago via East Lansing run on the Michigan and Indiana tracks. Eight Amtrak trains per day run those routes.

More details are expected Feb. 15. Amtrak plans to extend 110 mph service in other parts of Michigan in the coming years.