Franklin Street Station

[Hermod]

GTW/CN is really the solution to our transit problems. We need a downtown depot. MCS is not convenient to downtown like Brush St was. From Brush St you have the line out Woodward to Pontiac, the line out Gratiot to Richmond, and a convenient connection to the old Michigan Central line out Stephenson to Utica.

It would take some track work to move the western trains from Ann Arbor [[Michigan Central) or Brighton [[Pere Marquette) into downtown.

You could run light rail on heavy rail routes, something like the old Budd RDC cars
http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=212672

or the more modern DMUs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UTZC...eature=related

like we have on Florida Tri-Rail

[casscorridor]

GTW/CN is really the solution to our transit problems. We need a downtown depot. MCS is not convenient to downtown like Brush St was. From Brush St you have the line out Woodward to Pontiac, the line out Gratiot to Richmond, and a convenient connection to the old Michigan Central line out Stephenson to Utica.

It would take some track work to move the western trains from Ann Arbor [[Michigan Central) or Brighton [[Pere Marquette) into downtown.

You could run light rail on heavy rail routes, something like the old Budd RDC cars
http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=212672

or the more modern DMUs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UTZC...eature=related

like we have on Florida Tri-Rail

MCS isn't too far from Downtown, and the most important reason why it should once again be the depot is that the tracks that lead to Canada pass through it, in addition to all other lines. Almost all lines lead to the MSC. There is no better location. Yes, Downtown would be more convenient, but a light rail could be built and would only be a couple stations from Downtown.

[Hermod]

MCS isn't too far from Downtown, and the most important reason why it should once again be the depot is that the tracks that lead to Canada pass through it, in addition to all other lines. Almost all lines lead to the MSC. There is no better location. Yes, Downtown would be more convenient, but a light rail could be built and would only be a couple stations from Downtown.

Uhh, I was trying to get regional rapid transit up and running quickly. I think the lines I mentioned could be up and running long before M-1 light rail gets beyond Grand Blvd.

[mcsdetroitfriend]

MCS isn't too far from Downtown, and the most important reason why it should once again be the depot is that the tracks that lead to Canada pass through it, in addition to all other lines. Almost all lines lead to the MSC. There is no better location. Yes, Downtown would be more convenient, but a light rail could be built and would only be a couple stations from Downtown.

That would mean rebuilding the infrastructure that once already existed and linked the MCS to downtown via streetcar on the west side entrance. It could be done, but the 2 mile gap between downtown and the depot were part of the reason for its ultimate demise, or so one could gather.

The line to Canada was built first which was the reason for the depot's location. In the post "Detroit's Last Depot" you can read all about that decision to build there etc etc etc.