HOLLAND, MI (WHTC-AM/FM) – The Pere Marquette at Holland’s Amtrak Station is one of Amtrak’s top stations in Michigan.
Today Holland Mayor Nancy DeBoer presented a proclamation to Operation Lifesaver, for the National Rail Safety Week (RSW). Operation Lifesaver, Inc. which is a national rail safety education nonprofit that is is working in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation and other organizations to promote rail safety.
Many were on hand at the Holland station Wednesday morning including officials from Amtrack including Marc Magliari the Chicago Amtrak spokesman.
“People who don’t want to drive all the way into Grand Rapids who are on the south side or are looking for free parking in a great place, they come to Holland. Holland and Grand Rapids are the top two stations on this route. This is an important route to us under contract with the Michigan Department of Transportation.”
Magliari says on Tuesday a Lt. from the Michigan State Police rode the rail and she saw people disregarding the lights and going right across the tracks in front of the train.
“Yesterday a person in Holland was ticketed for going across the tracks in the path of the train. Those people are lucky to be ticketed because the other outcome is a whole lot worse.”
Preliminary data from the Federal Railroad Administration for Michigan show eight people were killed or injured in vehicle-train collisions in 2016. In addition, 13 pedestrians or trespassers were injured or killed while walking on or near railroad tracks in Michigan last year.
Amtrak is well on their way to matching last years record with over 31 million people nationwide riding Amtrak.
