MI HR0257

Declares May 12, 2012, as Train Day in Michigan to commemorate the 143rd anniversary of the golden spike driven on May 10, 1869, which completed the first transcontinental railroad.

Recognizes Michigan's passenger rail infrastructure, including a new rail corridor from Dearborn to Kalamazoo funded through federal high-speed and intercity passenger rail (HSIPR) investment, which combined with existing Amtrak service will create the longest passenger rail controlled corridor outside the northeast corridor.

Highlights that over 880,900 people used trains in Michigan during fiscal year 2011 and that Amtrak serves over 30 million Americans annually across 46 states, with ridership growing in 8 of the last 9 years.

Emphasizes the environmental and economic benefits of passenger rail, including reduced greenhouse gas emissions (0.2 percent of travel industry total), improved fuel efficiency, job creation in manufacturing, and support for rural communities lacking other intercity transportation options.

Calls for communities to hold commemorative events at railroad stations to celebrate the role of intercity passenger rail in providing mobility and supporting livable, transportation-oriented development.