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Local 168 Moves Michigan

A Conductor manages the P's and Q's of getting from A to B- on time. A watchful eye over comings and goings. Conductors are ready to face any obstacle to keep life moving. The conductor’s job involves more than collecting tickets. He is the “captain” of the train. He supervises other train crew, looks out for the safety of everyone aboard, and makes sure that every passenger pays the correct fare. Passengers often need help loading and unloading their suitcases into the overhead bins. Not to mention, conductors are constantly opening and closing heavy train doors, either when switching cars or coupling/uncoupling cars—which is essentially disassembling a train to move things around. The engineer is responsible for running the train and following signals and speed restrictions en route, under direction of the conductor who determines when a train can safely depart a station and is in charge of all train movements. These two distinct roles compliment one another and cannot work without the other.

Since 1841 between Kalamazoo and Detroit and until 1971, Michigan's intercity passenger rail had been provided by private railroads. In 1971, Amtrak was created to operate the nation’s intercity passenger rail system. During the Amtrak era, 1971 to the present, intercity passenger rail service to Michigan started with two daily round trips between Chicago and Detroit. This was increased to three daily round trips in 1974, with one of the three going to Toledo. In 1994, the two daily round trips ending in Detroit were extended to Pontiac. In 1995, the third daily round trip that ended in Toledo was rerouted to Pontiac, which is the service configuration today. The Chicago-Port Huron service (Blue Water) began in 1974 and the Chicago-Grand Rapids service (Pere Marquette) began in 1984, both with one daily round trip, which continues to be the level of service today. Statewide ridership was relatively steady for many years before the major increases occurring after the turn of the century. Michigan's hardworking Amtrak Conductors safely move around 1.5 million passengers annually!

Intercity passenger rail has contributed to the economic well-being of Michigan. Safe and sustainable rail can help power Michigan out of the economic, climate and social crises we face today. Safety and sustainability is a new economic and social model that redefines the role of passengers, workers, employers, the state and the environment. Public investment in rail can kickstart the recovery of our economy. Rail and public transport are the key to the green modal shift we need in transport.

Rail fuels economic and social equality through access to employment, skilled jobs and higher wages. On average, every one job created in rail creates another job in manufacturing, food, trade or other sectors. Rail also provides citizens with the mobility needed to access jobs and livelihoods.

The economic benefits of intercity passenger rail, featuring accelerated rail, include:

• Linking people with jobs and educational opportunities

• Supporting economic development

• Increasing productivity

• Bringing more visitors to more places

• Increasing property values in the vicinity of stations

Contributing to environmental efficiency Emerging commuter rail service has the potential to provide economic benefits to Michigan residents, businesses and visitors.

The U.S. transportation system is 96% petroleum dependent, accounts for 71% of the country’s oil use, and consumes 25% of the world’s net oil output.
U.S. motorists’ fuel consumption alone accounts for 11% of the world’s total oil production.
Amtrak trains are 47% more fuel-efficient than traveling by car, and 12 times more efficient than airlines.
Public transportation saves the U.S. 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline every year.
Trains are the only public transportation mode that can run on electricity over long distances at high speeds.
New locomotives will be even more green. New standards will cut trains’ particulate emissions by up to 90% and nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 80%.

SOURCE: Energy consumption facts from Amtrak and the Association of Rail Passengers