.jpg) TheWolverine inAnn Arbor, Michigan, December 2019. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Service type | Higher-speedinter-city rail | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Locale | Midwestern United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First service | May 1, 1971 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current operator | Amtrak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former operator | Penn Central | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Annual ridership | 438,427 (FY 25)  3%[a][1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Route | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Termini | Chicago, Illinois Pontiac, Michigan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stops | 17 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Distance travelled | 304 miles (489 km) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average journey time | 6 hours[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service frequency | Three daily roundtrips | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Train numbers | 350, 352, 354 (eastbound) 351, 353, 355 (westbound) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| On-board services | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Catering facilities | Café Car | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technical | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rolling stock | Amfleet /Siemens Venture Siemens Charger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)standard gauge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating speed |
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| Track owners | NS,CN,Amtrak,MDOT,CR | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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TheWolverine is ahigher-speed passenger train service operated byAmtrak as part of itsMichigan Services. The 304-mile (489 km)[3] line provides three daily round-trips betweenChicago andPontiac, Michigan, viaAnn Arbor andDetroit. It carries a heritage train name descended from theNew York Central Railroad (Michigan Central).
Duringfiscal year 2023, theWolverine carried 420,569 passengers, a 14.5% increase from FY2022's total of 367,254 passengers.[4]
Before Amtrak's takeover of most private-sector passenger service in 1971 theWolverine was one of three trains which operated over theMichigan Central route between Chicago and Detroit. Under Penn Central operation it continued through South-WesternOntario (Canada) toBuffalo, New York. Amtrak retained two trains (the other was the renamedSt. Clair) and truncated the operation to Detroit but otherwise changed little. In April 1975, Amtrak introduced French-builtTurboliner equipment to the Michigan route and added a third round-trip.[5] A pool of three Turboliner trainsets served the route, and the three round-trip pairs were numbered 350—355, train numbers which are still in use today. Amtrak dropped the individual train names and rebranded all threeTurboliner, in common with similar services toSt. Louis, Missouri andMilwaukee, Wisconsin. The new equipment led to massive gains in ridership, topping 340,000 in 1975 and 370,000 in 1976.[6]: 195–196
The Turboliners became a victim of their own success. Although fast (and flashy), they were unable to reach their design speed of 125 miles per hour (201 km/h) because of the poor quality of the Penn Central track in Michigan. The five-car fixed consists had a maximum capacity of 292 passengers, which was often not enough. Starting in March 1976 Amtrak began replacing some of the Turboliners with conventional equipment, including newAmfleet coaches. Individual names returned to the corridor, with the heretofore unnamed third train becoming theTwilight Limited.[6]: 195–196 The last Turboliners left the corridor in 1981.[6]: 202
Amtrak extended theWolverine andTwilight Limited toPontiac on May 5, 1994.[5] With this change service began at anew station in Detroit'sNew Center. Although theMichigan Central Station inCorktown, Detroit, had closed on January 6, 1988, trains continued to stop at a temporary platform just east of the old station. Besides Pontiac, new stations were opened atRoyal Oak andTroy. TheLake Cities also began serving Pontiac after the end of Toledo service in 1995.[6]: 199–200 [7]
Amtrak dropped individual names again in 2004 and named all three trainsWolverine.
Due to the increased ridership on these trains, Amtrak tested an additional Chicago-KalamazooWolverine frequency September 2 to 7, 2010. This was done to determine all that would be involved in operations should Amtrak decide to initiate such service in the future.[8]
Michigan City station closed on April 4, 2022. At that time, it was served by just1+1⁄2 round trips.[9]
The federal government considershigh-speed rail service to be rail service which at any time reaches the speed of 110 miles per hour (177 km/h) or higher.[10] In 2006 the Detroit–Chicago corridor was designated by theFederal Railroad Administration as a high-speed rail corridor[11] and in October 2010, the State of Michigan received US$150 million from the federal government to increase track speeds to 110 mph (177 km/h) between Kalamazoo and Dearborn.[12] In 2016, work to allow higher-speed operation on 41 miles (66 km) of track between Battle Creek and Jackson, including "...replacing 26,000 railroad ties, repairing or installing 15 track switches, realigning or modifying 29 railroad curves, repairing 23 railroad grade crossings and improving road profiles at crossings", was completed.[13]
Amtrak owns the 97-mile (156 km) stretch of theWolverine's route fromPorter, Indiana toKalamazoo, Michigan and it is the longest segment of track owned by Amtrak outside of theNortheast Corridor.[11] Starting in January 2002 Amtrak began track improvements to increase the allowed speed along this section of track. Amtrak trains currently travel at top speeds of 110 mph (177 km/h) along this section of track.[14]
In December 2012, MDOT completed its purchase from Norfolk Southern of 135 miles (217 km) of track between Kalamazoo and Dearborn.[15] This will make it easier to maintain track and eventually upgrade it to 110-mile-per-hour (180 km/h) running. As part of the purchase agreement, MDOT also agreed to double-track the line east ofYpsilanti.[16]
On May 25, 2021, the maximum speed on the 45-mile (72 km) section between Kalamazoo andAlbion was increased to 110 mph (177 km/h).[17] The section between Albion andJackson was expected to be upgraded to the higher speed limit during fiscal year 2022, followed by the Ypsilanti toDearborn section in fiscal year 2023. The final MDOT-owned section between Jackson and Ypsilanti would be targeted for the higher speed limit in fiscal year 2024.[18] On-time performance increased from under 35% in 2019 to nearly 70% in 2025.[19]
In a June 2014 report prepared for MDOT, the number of round trips on theWolverine line was projected to increase from 3 to 10 by the year 2035.[20] By that time, the line was planned to havedouble-tracking for about 75% of the route.[21] As of 2015[update], about 160 mi (260 km) of the line was not double-tracked.[22]
In March 2016,Ypsilanti approved $2 million toward the construction of atrain platform in theDepot Town area of the city along theWolverine route. MDOT estimated that the stop would attract 9,000 annual riders.[23] In June 2020 the city rescinded the $2 million after failing to receive a federal grant to move the project forward. The last train to serve Ypsilanti was theTwilight Limited in 1985.[24]
In August 2019, Amtrak proposed extending at least one round trip from Detroit toToronto via theWindsor–Quebec City Corridor. The service would require track upgrades and the construction of a border processing facility. An intermediateAmtrak Thruway bus connection to Toronto was also raised.[25] The extension is planned to begin service in 2027, pending customs approvals and track upgrades.[26][needs update]
This table shows the names given to trains which operated over the Chicago-Detroit corridor under Amtrak. It excludes trains that diverge at Battle Creek, theBlue Water andInternational, or the localMichigan Executive commuter service. Shortly after Amtrak began operating the ex-Penn Central services, trains regained names, train #14/17 reclaimedWolverine and train #355/356, formerly theTwilight Limited, became theSaint Clair.Turboliner Service was used in conjunction with conventional namedAmfleet-equipped service.
TheWolverine operates overNorfolk Southern Railway, Amtrak, Conrail, andCanadian National Railway trackage:
As of 2025[update], eachWolverine operates with two state-ownedSiemens Charger locomotives, 3-5Siemens Venture coaches, one Venture business class car, and one Venture cafe car.Amfleet and (until early-2025)Horizon cars are still sometimes used as the Venture cars are being gradually phased into service. The locomotives operate inpush-pull configuration, with one locomotive on each end of the consist. Due to the FRA requirement of positive train control for operations above 79 mph, locomotives on theWolverine are required to have Positive Train Control, supplied by Amtrak's Incremental Train Control System. Because of this modification the units equipped with PTC are usually captive to the Michigan services.
Between 2016 and 2018 Michigan expected to take delivery of newbilevel cars which would displace the Horizons and Amfleets in regular service. In addition, in early 2014 theMichigan Department of Transportation issued arequest for proposal aimed at acquiring additional passenger equipment for use between 2014 and 2017.
In September 2014, the state of Michigan reached an agreement withTalgo, a Spanish railcar manufacturer, to buy two trainsets for theWolverine, at a cost of $58 million.[28] The trains had been previously built for the state of Wisconsin, before plans for expanded passenger rail service in that state were canceled and the trainsets placed in storage.[28] The new equipment would have provided a substantial upgrade in passenger amenities over the Amtrak-owned railcars used on the route. Despite this proposal, the Talgo railcars remained at the Amtrak facility in Beech Grove[28] until 2019 when they were moved back to Milwaukee.[29] In 2019, the trains were being considered for use for the Amtrak Cascades route in the Pacific Northwest instead of in Michigan,[29] but the trains were ultimately sold to Nigeria for use on theLagos Rail Mass Transit.[30]
The bilevel car order never materialized due to the failure of a critical crash test by the manufacturer. In the end, the order was switched to new single-levelSiemens Venture cars that are similar to theBrightline fleet.[3] By January 2021, some Venture cars had been delivered to Amtrak for testing and were being deployed on theWolverine route for test runs.[31]
Michigan was also involved in a joint purchase with other states to purchase the newSiemens Charger locomotives.[32]
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