By By RYAN STEWART / Niles Daily Star
NILES - For the past week, people going into the Niles Amtrak Station saw a flier on the front door stating that the station would be closing down. The flier has since been moved into the ticket counter window. The message, however, may not be accurate at all.
The notice reads, “The historic Niles train station is on a list of stations to be closed by Amtrak. To help save our station please contact the following governmental officials on the web….” The governor and area representatives and legislators are then listed.
Though the flier is in the window of the ticket counter at the Niles Amtrak Station, when asked to comment, the ticket agent at the station declined to answer.
According to State Senator Ron Jelinek (R-Three Oaks), Amtrak is getting less funding from the state. They have been getting $7.1 million, but this year only received $6.1 million.
When asked about the subject, Sean Bonyun, speaking on behalf of U.S. Representative Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph), said “We've looked into it and the claims are baseless. The station is in no jeopardy whatsoever.”
Those were the very clear words of Marc Magliari who is with Amtrak's Media Relations Office in Chicago. Magliari even expressed doubts that the flier in the ticket window at the station was even official.