Private developers paid for a new, relocated Amtrak train station in New Buffalo. The station opened for business today.

The first train was greeted by a crowd of about 100 people. The New Buffalo High School Marching Band was also there.

“This is the first station that we’re aware of, that has been built totally with private funds in the nation,” said Michael Franke, Amtrak Assistant Vice President.

New Buffalo is about 70-miles from Chicago, although it’s hoped that the new station will eventually allow the two communities can become ‘closer’ in terms of commuting time.

“This line is on the high speed designated corridor, yes,” said Franke. “The current stimulus money that’s available from the federal government includes money for high speed and inner city rail.”

If the line were to become a high speed rail corridor, the commute time between New Buffalo and Chicago could be cut to 45 minutes. The current commute time is about an hour and 15 minutes.

Franke warns that the high speed designation isn’t likely to come anytime soon: “Wildest dreams, could be by 2012.”

Real estate developers paid for the new Amtrak station.

It is located about a block from the beach by Whitaker Street.

The old Amtrak station in New Buffalo was located on the south end of town.

“We’re excited that it’ll help our economy and hopefully boost some of our unsold condos,” said New Buffalo Mayor Rusty Geisler.

Geisler pointed out that the condo complex across the street from the new station has 35-unsold units. The new train station is designed to make housing in New Buffalo more appealing to those who work in Chicago.

“The family that can basically afford to buy one of the condos that may have a job in Chicago can catch a train on Friday evening, be back here for the weekend, and catch a late train back Sunday night or train back about 11:30 p.m. on Monday,” Geisler said.

David Bunte was among the eight ticketed passengers who boarded at the New Buffalo Amtrak station today. “Just moved over here from Chicago, so this is how I’ll be commuting back and forth to Chicago and to my office,” he said.

Bunte said he used to live on the north side of Chicago so, “It would take me longer than an hour to get downtown at times so, to me it’s just as convenient.”

The number of Amtrak trains that stop in New Buffalo on a daily basis will double now that the new station is up and running.

Westbound trains will arrive in New Buffalo at 11:34 a.m. and 10:25 p.m., while eastbound trains will top at 6:23 p.m. and 8:16 p.m.

The new service provides a first time rail connection between New Buffalo, and Michigan cities like Port Huron, Flint, East Lansing, Ann Arbor and Detroit.

“I think that it opens up the Harbor Country area to the rest of the State of Michigan in that we have about 14 more stops that we didn’t have before toward the east side of the state,” said Geisler.

New Buffalo is now being served by the Blue Water and Wolverine lines.

The switch means that New Buffalo will no longer be served by the Pere Marquette line.

On November 1st, the Four Winds Casino will start shuttle bus service to the new Amtrak station.