Friday afternoon rail news:
Montana’s Bky Sky Passenger Rail Authority elects Strohmaier as president
Missoula County Commissioner Dave Strohmaier, the driving force behind the effort to create Montana’s Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority, will serve as first president of the organization, the Missoula Current reports. In its second official meeting on Wednesday, the organization learned that two more counties were exploring the possibility of joining, which would give it 14 members. KXLH-TV reports the group also heard from Amtrak’s Rob Eaton, its West director for government affairs and state supported services. Eaton said Amtrak would help the agency work with potential host railroads Montana Rail Link and BNSF Railway as it works to restore passenger service on the former North Coast Hiawatha route, last served by Amtrak in 1979.
Port Huron & Detroit Historical Society’s future in doubt because of COVID, financial issues
The future of the Port Huron & Detroit Historical Society because of the combined impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, an alleged embezzlement, and a lack of financial planning. The organization’s president, Dan Meinhard, told the Port Huron Times Herald that investigation is continuing into less than $15,000 in funds that are reportedly missing — a significant amount of the society’s $25,000 annual revenue — and that the pandemic has limited fundraising and events. The organization seeks to preserve the history of the PH&D and other area railroads, and to maintain and restore a Port Huron roundhouse as a museum complex, along with railroad equipment. The roundhouse requires more than $1 million in repairs. Meinhard told the newspaper he “would be surprised” if the organization survives the year. More information on the organization is available at its website.
‘Small fire’ stops Amtrak train in Michigan
Fifty-nine people were evacuated from an Amtrak train in Decatur Township, Mich., on Friday after a small fire was reported in the train’s locomotive, WOOD-TV reports. A photo on the train’s website shows a firefighter at the doorway of the train’s Siemens Charger locomotive. Passengers were evacuated because the locomotive problem left the train without heat.. A tweet on the Amtrak Alerts Twitter feed says the train, the westbound Blue Water from Port Huron, Mich., was to terminate in Niles, Mich., with alternate transportation to be provided to Chicago.
