To Access the Ann Arbor Crossing form US-23 from the south and I-94 from the east, get onto I-94 headed towards Ann Arbor. Take exit 172 Jackson Road turn right to head east on Jackson Road. Follow Jackson Road east until it turns into West Huron Street. When you reach Main Street turn left. Continue on Main Street to Depot Street and turn right to head east. Continue on Depot Street until you see the Ann Arbor Amtrak station on the left.

 

Train Frequency

 

Amtrak Michigan Line: 6

Ann Arbor Railroad: 0-4

 

While Ann Arbor may lack the train frequency, it makes up for it in predictability. On the Amtrak Michigan Line there are 6 regularly scheduled trains. Train 351 (all westbound trains end in odd numbers) is due into Ann Arbor at 7:25 AM EST. The next train is 353 which is due in at 12:16 PM. Shortly after, train 350 is due into Ann Arbor at 1:05 PM. Later in the evening, train 352 is due into Ann Arbor at 6:16 PM. Shortly after train 355 is due at 7:20 PM. The last train of the day is train 354, which is scheduled into Ann Arbor at 11:20 PM. The best hours for watching the Amtrak trains are during the lunch hour from 12-2 PM and the evening rush from 6-8 PM. Norfolk Southern has the haulage rights on the Amtrak Michigan line, and also dispatches the line for Amtrak. Until recently, they ran a pair of freight trains through Ann Arbor. However those freights no longer run. On occasion, Norfolk Southern will run locomotive moves through Ann Arbor to swap locomotives in Jackson for maintenance. These runs are infrequent and unpredictable, and run at all hours of the day in between the Amtrak Moves.

 

The Ann Arbor railroad is generally a nocturnal railroad, however customer needs and interchange times can vary. The Ann Arbor dispatches a road train 6 days a week up the length of the line and return, generally Monday-Sunday. Depending on the amount of work they have on the way north, they generally run through Ann Arbor between 11 PM and 3 AM northbound, However the can run at any time of day depending on crew availability, customer needs, and based on other factors. Depending on the timeliness of their interchange partner Great Lakes Central Railroad at Osmer, they can be expected southbound around 1-2 hours later. The Ann Arbor also runs dedicated grain extras as needed. Grain trains can run any time of day, any day of the week.

 

Points of Interest

 

The area around the Ann Arbor Amtrak station is a good spot to watch the Amtrak trains. The west approach to the station is a sweeping curve that follows the contours of the Huron River. About half a mile from the station is the new center building, which offers an elevated platform adjacent to the AML with an open view of the tracks. In view from the new center is signal 37, which is a vintage New York Central Era Type a Searchlight Signal. To the east of the station is the Broadway Street Overpass, which offers a great vantage point for westbound trains. Also to the east is Riverside Park, which runs adjacent to the AML for a few hundred feet.

 

For watching the Ann Arbor Railroad, a popular photographic spot is the Crossing of the Huron River above the AML. Access to the bridge can be done from Riverside Park on the north side of the Huron River. A low pedestrian crossing of the river below the bridge offers an ideal spot for photography. The Ann Arbor railroad is restricted to 10 MPH through the city of Ann Arbor, and there are several at grade and above grade street crossings though out the city. If you have a vehicle and are able to chase the train, it is very easy to follow the line through Ann Arbor and see the train at multiple locations.

Just to the north of Ann Arbor is the interchange between the Ann Arbor Railroad and the Great Lakes Central Railroad at Osmer. Generally when the Ann Arbor railroad sends a train north to the interchange, the GLC will also send a train south to arrive at the same time. To access Osmer from the Ann Arbor Amtrak station, Head west on Depot Street to Main Street. Turn Right onto Main Street and head towards US-23 North. Get onto US-23 North and then immediately get off at Exit 4 Barton Drive. At the end of the ramp, turn right to head west on Barton Drive. Barton drive turns into Whitmore Lake road and heads north. Stay on Whitmore Lake Road for approximately a mile until you see warren road. Turn right onto warren road and head east. You will cross over US-23 and then see the Ann Arbor Railroad tracks. This will be the south end of the interchange yard, a 3 track facility. Both railroads generally spend about an hour to two hours interchanging cars, with a majority of the work occurring on the north end of the yard. To access the north end of Osmer, continue on Warren Road until you come to Gleaner-Hall Road. Turn left onto Gleaner-Hall Road to head north. At the end of Gleaner-Hall Road, turn right onto Joy Road and head west until you hit the GLC railroad tracks.

Food and other attractions.

 

Food and Restrooms

 

Ann Arbor has a wide variety of dining options. In the city there are a wide variety of restaurants to eat at. They run from Café’s and Dives to 5 star dining and everything in between. Most of the restaurants are located either on Main Street or State Street. A local favorite is the Pizza House, located just off of the University of Michigan’s central campus and State Street at 618 Church Street. Fast food options can be found either at the Michigan Union off of State Street, or towards I-94 south of Ann Arbor. There are several other attractions to see in Ann Arbor, including the University of Michigan’s beautiful Central campus, the State Street Theater, several museums as well as a thriving shopping district. Be forewarned that Parking is at a premium in Ann Arbor.

 

Scanner Frequencies

 

Amtrak/MDOT Michigan Line Road and Dearborn Dispatcher: 160.8000

Ann Arbor Railroad: 161.49000

Great Lakes Central Railroad: 160.575000