BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, AMTRAK STATION NOW TRANSFORMED AND OPEN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 12, 2012

BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, AMTRAK STATION NOW TRANSFORMED AND OPEN; Amtrak and local officials celebrate $3.6 million in improvements

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. -- The City of Battle Creek has completed a $3.6 million renovation and remodeling of the Intermodal Transportation Center used by Amtrak and other carriers, transforming a relic of disco-era design into a modern facility that is so different that even the entrance and the address have been changed.

Officially open now at 119 McCamly Street South, the station features include a new entrance/passenger drop-off area, fenced long-term parking lot, improved exterior lighting and landscaping, as well as remodeled office space for Amtrak and other tenants. The new secure long-term overnight parking lot can be accessed off of the former Capital Avenue entrance. The interior portion of the facility received a complete remodeling and now features a passenger lobby with a vending area that includes café seating.

The facility serves Amtrak rail passengers, Amtrak Thruway Connection passengers on Indian Trails motorcoaches and Greyhound intercity bus riders. All tenants moved into the new facility on May 23, 2012, with a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony held today with local, state and Amtrak officials.

Funding was provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 with a grant competitively awarded to the City of Battle Creek.

Eight Amtrak trains serve Battle Creek and Michigan daily, with three round-trips from Chicago to Detroit/Pontiac via Ann Arbor and Dearborn on the Wolverine Service, one Blue Water round-trip from Chicago to Port Huron via East Lansing, and Amtrak Thruway Motorcoaches to and from Flint. More than 50,000 Amtrak passengers used the Battle Creek station last year.

The station has also been modernized with an eye toward more Amtrak growth, since the Wolverine Service is a federally-designated high-speed corridor and Amtrak initiated 110 mph service earlier this year on a portion of the route in Northwest Indiana and Western Michigan.

About Amtrak®:

Amtrak is America's Railroad®, the nation's intercity passenger rail service and its high-speed rail operator. A record 30.2 million passengers traveled on Amtrak in FY 2011 on more than 300 daily trains - at speeds up to 150 mph (241 kph) - that connect 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian Provinces. Amtrak operates intercity trains in partnership with 15 states and contracts with 13 commuter rail agencies to provide a variety of services. Enjoy the journey® at http://Amtrak.com/ or call 800-USA-RAIL for schedules, fares and more information. Join us on http://facebook.com/Amtrak and follow us at http://twitter.com/Amtrak .

About Battle Creek

Known as "Cereal City," Battle Creek is located in Calhoun County. We have a proud history and promising future of providing the world's leading food brands, research and training. We're home to Kellogg Company's world headquarters, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and the International Food Protection Training Institute. Battle Creek has many other major corporate members of our community including Post Cereals, Ralcorp, Denso, II Stanley, and Duncan Aviation. The city is revitalizing downtown to accommodate food science and other innovation industries. Battle Creek's Air National Guard Base, commercial airport and industrial park are diversifying our economy and attracting worldwide businesses for military, aviation, aerospace and alternative energy. Nearby rivers, forests, parks and the world-class Binder Zoo make our city a family friendly area for outdoor play.