The Michigan Department of Transportation and Amtrak are saying full speed ahead on expanding the state's high-speed train service.
Amtrak will take over maintenance on the former Norfolk Southern Railway route used by Amtrak's Wolverine Service and Blue Water trains Saturday. MDOT purchased 135 miles of the railroad last year.
MDOT says this will allow track improvements to begin to bring more areas high-speed train service. The department says improvements may begin as early as this spring.
Amtrak trains currently reach 110 mph along an 80-mile stretch between Porter, Ind. and Kalamazoo. The expansion of the high-speed service is expected to start between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek and head eastward.
MDOT and Amtrak say the goal is to get passengers between Chicago and Detroit in about 5 hours.