Amtrak Explores Restoring Passenger Train from Detroit to Toronto

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens is excited about talks to restore the Amtrak passenger train from Detroit to Toronto.

Curbed Detroit is reporting that Amtrak, in its annual report, submitted requests to Congress for funding for 2020.

But it doesn't include any details including costs, timelines or infrastructure upgrades that would be required.

Dilkens says there are a lot of questions and few answers.

"I think it is really too early to tell and to say what the city's role would be at this point," he says.  "What we are seeing here is a request by Amtrak for extra grants in 2020 and as part of that document they have submitted, they talk about the restoration of the Detroit Toronto service."

Dilkens says there would be some logistics involved such as crossing the border and customs and "whether they are able to do that on the Detroit side before the train is released or whether it would have to stop in Windsor for customs inspection."

But he is pleased the project is on the radar.

"Just exciting to see that this reference is listed in the document, that someone at Amtrak is thinking about how they can provide service back to Canada and I'm hopeful that they are able to make this happen after a grant approval in 2020."

Right now, passengers who want to go from Detroit to Toronto, must take a bus from Detroit to Windsor and then hop onto a Via Rail train to Toronto.