Windsor Ontario - After a half-century pause, resuming passenger service through the Detroit River Rail Tunnel has moved a major step forward after U.S. rail company Amtrak reached agreement with CP Railway to use the underground passage for its passenger trains.
 
Passenger service through the rail tunnel between Windsor and Detroit would set up a potential Chicago-to-Toronto connection the company has been aggressively pursuing in recent years which would be established in tandem with VIA Rail on this side of the border.
 
Amtrak's use of the rail tunnel in Windsor was included as part of a large-scale deal involving the two companies and Kansas City Southern (KCS) railway.
 
The agreement is designed to expand several key Amtrak passenger routes that, aside from using the rail tunnel, includes improved Chicago-to-Milwaukee connections, plus new links in the south involving New Orleans and Dallas.
 
"CP has been an excellent host of Amtrak intercity passenger service year after year and has established itself as a leader in the railroad industry," said Amtrak president Stephen Gardner.
 
"We welcome CP's commitment to our efforts with states and others to expand Amtrak service and are pleased to have reached an agreement formalizing CP's support of Amtrak expansion in the midwest and the south."
 
There are no timelines for restoration of a Windsor-Detroit rail passenger connection as several more steps must be undertaken.
 
"The first step for service between Ontario and the U.S. was getting access to the tunnel that CP owns. This is the first step connecting Michigan, Detroit, and Toronto via Windsor. There are a lot more steps that need to be taken before we can start selling tickets, said Marc Magilari, spokesman for Amtrak.
 
A Chicago-to-Detroit-to-Toronto passenger rail connection that travelled through Windsor was last in place roughly 50 years ago utilizing the now 110-year-old Detroit River Rail Tunnel.
 
Amtrak has already taken several steps in hopes of restoring the service.
 
The rail company released its "2035 Vision" last spring that included a map of proposed new passenger routes and enhancements of existing service lines.
 
The plan illustrated an enhanced Chicago to Detroit connection, plus a new service line linking Detroit to Toronto.
 
Three years ago, Amtrak first sought restoration of Detroit-to-Toronto service in its US$1.8 billion budget request to the federal government in Washington.
 
"What happens to the train on other side of the tunnel?" said Magiari when asked about the company's next steps.
 
"We have had preliminary conversations with VIA. We also would be interested in talking with the provincial government and Ministry of Transportation on what are their ideas. We will have to talk with all stakeholders, including the communities involved, whether that's Windsor, London, Toronto, or any others in between. This is certainly important for us, that's why it was included in our discussions with CP."
 
Detroit-Toronto rail passenger service is believed to have ended on 30 Apr 1971 according to Amtrak.
 
But the service at that time wasn't fully direct as it involved a change of trains and rail carriers in Welland.
 
The company believes the last direct train between Detroit and Toronto was some time between 1968 and 1970, prior to the establishment of Amtrak.
 
Cross-border Canada-U.S. rail passenger service is not unprecedented as Amtrak has run trains connecting Vancouver and Seattle, a Toronto to Buffalo connection that routes through Niagara Falls, plus a Montreal connection to upstate New York and the City of New York.
 
CP released a statement indicating it was "committed" as a host railroad to working with Amtrak to "implement its long-term strategic vision," which will "bring new and expanded inter-city passenger rail service to more North Americans."
 
"We are proud of the success we have achieved as a host railroad providing industry-leading service to Amtrak on our lines. CP is pleased to continue to support Amtrak and its infrastructure projects to provide capacity needed to accommodate additional service," said Keith Creel, president and CEO for CP.
 
The rail tunnel exits in Windsor just off Wellington Road and south of Wyandotte Street West.
 
It has long been solely used for freight under ownership of CP.
 
"This is an exciting first step. It's something real now more than just theoretical. Getting access to the tunnel makes it real," Magliari said.
 
Dave Battagello.