Ann Arbor to Detroit Wolverine day trip - uneventful until the end...

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Joined
Sep 2, 2011
Messages
947
Location
Ann Arbor, MI
Today I went on a day trip on the Wolverine from Ann Arbor to Detroit and back to see a Red Wings game. I used to do this all the time in San Diego with the Surfliner for Ducks/Angels games in Anaheim (usually against the Red Wings or Tigers), but the Wolverine’s more limited schedule only allows one to do this from Ann Arbor if the game starts after 350 arrives (scheduled 1:40pm) and ends before 355 departs (scheduled 6:18pm), with some extra padding on each end. So basically a 2:30 or 3pm game. Today’s game was 3pm, so I decided to give it a go, though I waited until I was on the train to buy a game ticket (if the train was over an hour late I was going to just cancel). Of course, this sort of trip would be more optimally served by commuter rail or bus, but we don’t have that (thanks, everybody who voted no on the RTA in 2016!)

I arrived at ARB 40 min or so before the train, because that’s when the local bus could get me there (being hourly on Sunday). Saw people there waiting for Amtrak and Greyhound, as a Greyhound route to Toronto was arriving shortly (may have to try that sometime, as I wouldn’t have to go to Windsor as with VIA). Train arrived basically on time, and about a dozen people boarded 350 for the eastbound journey (actually surprised its that many - I guess it must be since there isn’t much else for transit between Ann Arbor and Metro Detroit). Trip was uneventful, and the train arrived at DET a few minutes behind schedule. Hopped on the QLine streetcar at Baltimore St station (right next to Amtrak) and took that to Little Caesars Arena, making it there with plenty of time to spare before the game.

The game didn’t go great - Wings lost 5-3 to the Sharks after being up 3-1. Funny enough, I have taken a train to/from a Wings/Sharks game before - though it was Caltrain in San Jose (I was staying in SF). After the game, I made my way out to the QLine, and managed to just miss one. As the next one was 28 min out, which would miss the train, I got a Lyft to the station (I could have taken a DDOT bus, but didn’t have the small change required and wanted to make sure I made 355). Made it to the station 10 min before the train was to depart. I know, cutting it close, but there was a Detroit Connector bus (an Ann Arbor-Detroit bus sponsored by the University of Michigan that runs a few times per day) at 7:30 I could take if I missed it. Boarded basically on time, and then pulled out of the Detroit station.

However, shortly after we left the train ground to a halt. An announcement was made that a billboard had blown onto the tracks (we’re having severe wind storms here today), and we had to wait for them to remove it to proceed. I started to think we may be looking at hours of delay, or even a return to the station and some bustitution. We started moving in the opposite direction, which made me think we were returning to the station. However, when we were almost back we reversed direction, and ultimately proceeded down the route, making it to our Dearborn stop and proceeded towards Ann Arbor (and ultimately Chicago, though I won’t be along for the ride). Upon leaving the train, I found out that the backup move was to switch to another track unobstructed by the billboard. Glad they could do that - otherwise it would have likely been hours and/or bustitution. Arrived about 35 minutes late - missed the last possible bus connection home from ARB (if the train was on time I’d have made it), so took another Lyft home (sigh...the Lyfts cost more than my DET-ARB return...really need more transit here). I guess you can chalk that up to Detroit being the Motor City. All in all, a nice day trip on the Wolverine (a lot harder to do than on the Surfliners). Though I will get a chance to ride some Surfliners soon, as I’m taking a trip to San Diego in a few days (flying there and back, as I’d prefer a few extra days of avoiding winter to riding the SWC, though I do enjoy that route)
 
I'm still mad about that RTA vote. We absolutely, 100% need rapid transit with an airport connection. Detroit is growing (yay) as new talent arrives to work for the Big 3 and other companies. Downtown is hopping.
 
Thanks for the report. Is there much hope in the near future for transit/connectivity improvements in SE Michigan?
 
However, when we were almost back we reversed direction, and ultimately proceeded down the route, making it to our Dearborn stop and proceeded towards Ann Arbor (and ultimately Chicago, though I won’t be along for the ride).
I heard your train pass in front of my apartment about an hour after you posted this.

I'm on the far east side of Kalamazoo. After the train made its stop at KAL and proceeded to Chicago, it struck a vehicle on the far west side of town. It's been a long night for 355:

https://wwmt.com/news/local/car-stuck-by-train-in-kalamazoo-injuries-and-parties-involved-unclear
 
Thanks for the report. Is there much hope in the near future for transit/connectivity improvements in SE Michigan?
The issue is that there’s a lot of suburban cities/townships in Wayne/Oakland counties that opt-out of existing suburban SMART system (which is the cause for many of the gaps) and they have fought against inclusion in a new regional system. Oakland County’s Executive L. Brooks Patterson has insisted that any new proposal after the 2016 failure include the ability for communities to opt-out, which is a non-started for everybody else due to the fact that the opt-outs are one of the main issues with the current system in the first place. Due to this disagreement, the counties failed to put a new plan up for a vote in 2018.

Ann Arbor’s transit system (AAATA) is completely separate from transit in the rest of SE Michigan (the suburban SMART system and Detroit’s DDOT,) - it is generally better than SMART, though off-peak service still leaves something to be desired (particularly on Sundays, which is when this trip took place). It also does not connect with anywhere outside Washtenaw County aside from a premium airport bus and a couple trips/day commuter express bus to Canton - mostly because all the western Wayne county communities which border Washtenaw opt out of SMART.

There is some hope that perhaps they get their act together and put something up in 2020, now that there is a new Governor and some turnover on the county level. We will see - if something like we had in 2016 does get put up and passes, we could have a commuter rail connection (or perhaps BRT) from Ann Arbor to Detroit and BRT/expanded local bus service in other areas, including areas that currently opt-out of transit. Ann Arbor has talked about building a new train station as well (in part due to the prospect of commuter rail), but that is yet another can of worms (many oppose spending money in a train station and/or dislike the current proposed site because it is designated city parkland, though currently serving as a parking lot).
 
Thanks for your very multi-modal transit report! I love hearing when people do this. :D

I do feel for y'all up in cold Michigan with much less transit than needed. :unsure:
 
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