In February, Amtrak’s Wolverine Service, which runs from Chicago to Detroit, saw an increase of 6.3 percent for the month and 18.1 percent for the 2011 fiscal year, which started in October. Depot host Ron Leatz shared ridership data with Dowagiac City Council Monday night.

The report showed 33,437 riding the Wolverine in February 2010 and 35,539 in February 2011.

Overall, the 18.1-percent ridership surge consisted of 171,120 for FY 2010 compared to 202,134 for FY 2011. Leatz reported that Blue Water ridership increased 20.1 percent for February and 26.4 percent for the year.

At the Dowagiac depot, more precisely known as the Amtrak Intermodal Terminal,1,579 boarded the train in 2010 while 1,775 deboarded here — a station activity total of 3,354.

Since 2009, when 2,453 were counted, that’s a 36.7-percent increase. “One of the highest in Michigan,” Leatz said. “From 2008 to 2010, we had an increase of 24.2 percent. All of Amtrak increased 17 percent” between 2009 and 2010.

Consulting the Wolverine conductor a week ago Saturday, Leatz learned 490 people were aboard the train.  “The only thing we have to worry about is if we ever have an incident in this community, I don’t know how we’re going to handle it. That’s a lot of people.”

City Manager Kevin Anderson responded, “We do have emergency plans — not only for that, but for other types. I just want to assure the community that our public safety people, both here locally and in the county, do have emergency contingency response plans in place.”

Mayor Don Lyons added, “A lot of people spend hours practicing those plans.”