Possibly to expand the scope of this topic 'a bit', New Buffalo MI, unlike its larger neighbor, Michigan City IN some ten miles to the West, is a growing vacation destination community. There is casino gaming, a number of lakeview condominium developments, and an array of national brand hotels - all within a comparatively compact downtown area.
This is of course in contrast with "staid and stagnant" Michigan City, whose Downtown impresses me as a wasteland. While I am not a boat owner, there is "just something" to me "not right" about having to dock or moor a boat either at a public marina or a yacht club under the face of a large electric power generator (coal fired; great for railroad transportation, not so great for the boat owners).
Both Mr. Dunville and i know of at least one gin mill to the East of town that is "not too worried' about enforcement of whatever smoking laws are on the books within the jurisdiction; I'm not about to be hanging around there to see to what extent the patrons "know when to say when" at about Midnight on a weekend.
OK so much for "knocking'; let's look at the positive, or what Amtrak has tried to do to serve New Buffalo (as noted Michigan city has frequent South Shore - NICTD - service, where one can be treated to the paradox of riding the newest railcars in North America down city streets - as in Toonerville Trolley). Amtrak would like to have two of its "four a day' stop at a Downtown station that would be within walking distance of the previously noted entertainment attractions. Presently the Chicago-Grand Rapids "Pere Marquette" stops at an Amshack to the South of town - albeit adjacent to a railroad museum.
However, construction of this station has been deadlocked for at least two years, or at least that is when "service to begin....TBA" began showing up in Amtrak timetables. Exactly why is unclear, but there have been suggestions that ADA interests are requiring that the station have hi-level (48") platforms so that an ADA covered person could board or alight a train using whatever car they choose. This would of course preclude Amtrak from operating any kind of bi-level equipment on the route (Superliners are often assigned to Michigan trains during the Winter). Furthermore, the sponsors of the project - the municipality I believe - find that hi-level platforms will make the project "cost prohibitive'.
So here goes where Amtrak is trying to do it right offering service to an expanding ridership base, but is apparently being blocked by the interests of one relatively small constituency. "O tempora O mores".
