Welcome to Freshwater Railway.
Freshwater Railway is a fictitious transit system. We have created it to enrich the dialogue about transit – and to build momentum toward sensible implementation. This project represents a different kind of advocacy: we have presented transit as it would appeal to a commuter rather than a politician.
Please browse the various components of the project:
Ride on >>
Freshwater Railway
Explore the Freshwater Railway system. It is a fictitious transit network linking dozens of communities in Southeast Michigan. We offer it as one piece of a larger, more intricate transit system.
To better inform your wildest commuting fantasies, we have thoroughly detailed our transit services. We've developed consistent identities, detailed routes and realistic schedules. With this information at-hand, we invite you to envision yourself using transit.
The entire Freshwater Railway project contains substantial editorial content. Most of it resides in the About Us section of fwrail.org. Here, we challenge some of the forces which have hobbled transit expansion. We also include wider-scope reflection on transit management and public service in general.
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Read on >>
Freshwater Off the Rail
Freshwater Railway is a personal project. It has afforded the author a chance to integrate material from his core interests:
- Transit Planning & Operations
- Detroit History & Future
- Public Service
- Culture & Demographics
- Geography
- Writing
- Graphic Design/Web Design/Typography
- Photography
- Nontraditional Strategy
As with all similar projects, participation from others who share these interests is strongly encouraged.
Read a first-person account of what inspired this project.
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Question Authority Transit Authority >>
Freshwater Solutions
Transit is a big undertaking. For the past 20 years, we have learned about, observed and worked in the public transit sector – and we've done it all with an eye toward improving transit in Southeast Michigan.
Combining our experience and our passion, we are preparing transit implementation strategies. We are considering the context and the challenges specific to our region. Then, we're charting a route ahead that's inclusive, assertive, incremental and scalable.
Explore the Freshwater Solutions page for some short-term ideas. Keep checking back for more ideas – we're just getting warmed up!
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