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State-owned rail
State-owned rail
MDOT manages 665 miles of state-owned rail lines. These five lines are operated under contract by five freight railroads. Intercity passenger rail service is also provided by Amtrak on a 135-mile state-owned line between Kalamazoo and Dearborn.
A permit must be obtained to access any state-owned property. Additional agreements may be necessary for long-term use. Permission must be obtained from MDOT for the placement of utilities or other facilities on any of the state-owned corridors. MDOT also provides temporary access and construction permits for its corridors, except Kalamazoo-Dearborn. As the state's accelerated rail corridor, temporary access and construction on that corridor is managed by Amtrak.
Rail standards, specifications and resources
2025 Typical Plans (applies to all lines except Dearborn-Kalamazoo)
2021 Typical Plans (applies to all lines except Dearborn-Kalamazoo (archived))
2015 Railroad Specifications (applies to all lines except Dearborn-Kalamazoo)
Contractor pre-qualification (required for MDOT bid projects)
Other MDOT Real Estate permits
Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act: Snowmobiles on railroad right of way