Train Station Pizza in Saint Joseph, Michigan

This is the first installment of our new series, Thom in the Midwest. In this series, Thom goes to different towns across the Midwestern states that he previously did not know well yet. The goal: explore, eat good food, and maybe see a train.
Today we are in the state of Michigan, in the southern town of St. Joseph. With a population of around 8000, it’s a small town, but popular with beach-goers from around the region. While its railroad bridge and beaches are famous, perhaps most well-known is the local pizza joint: Silver Beach pizza. This restaurant is located inside the Amtrak train station!
Thom had always wanted to try it, and while waiting for Amtrak Pere Marquette 370, he finally got to order some silver beach pizza. What’s the final verdict on the pizza, and on St. Joe? Find out!
Trains Are Awesome!

[@alloralou4722]

I used to work in downtown St Joe and now live around 10 minutes away. There are a lot of nice beaches in southwest Michigan!

[@dexteralexander2437]

The Midwest! Yes! Small towns! Yes! New places to visit, new experiences, beautifully videoed, expertly edited, illuminatingly narrated. “Thom In The Midwest” began with great promise, and is certain to fulfill that promise. My wife and I will follow Lindsey and you with great interest as you travel through this great region.

[@danielziemke8020]

Love your video. I grew up in Benton Harbor / St. Joe. Michigan's Twin Cities. I currently live in Lansing and put in for a weeks' vacation. So, I'll be taking the Blue Water to Chicago. Then I'll take the Pere Marquette from Chicago to St. Joe to visit family.

[@danielziemke8020]

I've eaten at Silver Beach Pizza and it's the best. I miss watching the sunset at Lions Park and Silver Beach. I used to rollerblade between Lions Park and Silver Beach. I also liked Tiscornia, Jean Klock, and Rocky Gab. As well as Warren Dunes State Park and Grand Mere.

[@Buckskin1290]

L301 runs by there and M327 and M326 do too along with C800 and C801!

[@NonstopEurotrip]

Excellent Thom I like the vlog style videos with much more than just trains in! Looks a lovely little town too 🚆🤗

[@Thom-TRA]

Thanks man! For some reason this one was very relaxing to film.

[@tobyradenbaugh8965]

The West Coast of Michigan is spectacular - one of the best kept secrets in usa All four seasons. Esp Summer & Fall The Freshwater Sea . Massive dunes Picturesque wineries Insane Sunsets. Tons of festivals. St Joe is 👌❤️ Dont tell anyone

[@joshc2650]

You should check out Frankenmuth, I dont know about trains, but it sure is cool!

[@ViciousVince]

Agree. It's not too far from Port Huron or Lapeer on the Blue Water line, but some non-rail transportation is necessary.

[@Devinator6205]

Aye I live here love getting pizza at silver beach. This video gives me a nice new look at my hometown. Thanks :)

[@Thom-TRA]

It’s very charming!

[@jasonrobinson9900]

Very cool. As we live in St. Joe but never have we taken the Amtrak anywhere. It was a cool video.

[@wayneeschbank2895]

The new Amtrak carriages look great and looks like the seats can be turned to face the direction of travel. Pizza looks that good I would be happy to go to St Joseph for that alone but the rest of town looks like a great place to see and thank you Thom for the video

[@Thom-TRA]

Pizza was delicious!

[@daveallan3743]

In off to michigan in April and intend to visit this place its looks so lovely there

[@ChescatRailfanning]

I went there, it was great, I could hear the train horns! Also I collected a stone that looked like among us

[@Thom-TRA]

A sus rock

[@ryansmith290]

11:57: Huff park, nice 👍

[@STHSIndustries2K6]

There's a pizza place in a train station. Now people can dine while waiting for their train. St. Joseph Station. The train is lead by a Siemens Charger which will replace amtrak's GE P42DCs. Unfortunately all Amtrak P42DCs are gonna be scrapped. Next episode: Thom and Julie board exo commuter rail in Montreal. You ride the Pere Marquette. Amtrak revived the Pere Marquette from Pere Marquette railroad and Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. Wow I see you captured a CSX Train and more trains while waiting for a pere Marquette train. Happy Travels.

[@jrmcdowe]

Trains really are awesome and so are your videos. Glad I found them. Please keep posting.

[@Thom-TRA]

Thank you! Don’t worry, I will!

[@loganicana4899]

thank you for talking about my city

[@Thom-TRA]

You’re welcome!

[@thetrueglasses]

st joe!! my grandparents live here and i've spent a lot of time in the downtown. unfortunately i've never been by rail, but if indiana decides to pretend to fix their highways AGAIN this summer, i might cajole my parents into letting me take this trip by rail. i hope you enjoyed the downtown and ofc the silver beach pizza!

[@thetrueglasses]

also, if you ever come again, stop at the caffe tosi for dessert and get something with the "bit of swiss" logo. i don't go down there often and my grandparents live a walkable distance away from the actual bit of swiss bakery so i have many more options but the stuff from bit of swiss is so good. as in world championship winning good.

[@anthonywarrener1881]

Thank you for a great video ! I really will have to visit St.Jo ! The Pere Marquette is a neat train especially with the new Venture cars. The name is of course a nice reminder of the railroad bearing that name which became part of the CSX corporation I believe. Many thanks, and glad you both enjoyed the Pizza !

[@joannefranklinjennings6049]

Thank you ❤ Awesome video. I live in Chicago as well and St. Joseph MI is on my list of places to visit

[@Thom-TRA]

It’s a lovely place!

[@ck4426]

Really enjoyed this vlog so much!!! I’m forwarding it to people I know who live there and people who visit there. Thanks so much!!! 😃

[@danielhurst7432]

My Step mom used to live in St. Joe Michigan. Part of me wants to come back to Michigan. But It's Hard. I hope to ride an Amtrak train one day.

[@MartyTuro]

I must go back to St. Joe soon

[@SteveH-TN]

Appreciate you sharing this video I never stopped in st Jo despite having passed by road, many times.

[@Thom-TRA]

It’s worth a visit!

[@musicphilebd9862]

I've visited St Joseph and Silver beach recently. Really beautiful beach and cool things to see . I did go to the pizza shop as well, but the line at the counter was sooooo long. I would recommend ordering an hour before the actual time you are planning to eat it lol

[@Thom-TRA]

I ordered well in advance too because of been warned of the crowds

[@NovejSpeed3]

Why doesn't Antrak have a train museum? When they get one you better be the curator!

[@Thom-TRA]

Wow, thanks for just inventing my dream job!

[@londonwhaley8690]

I enjoyed the video👍👍

[@GDJason]

Great video. Seems like a nice town. Looking forward to seeing more of this series, I've lived in the Midwest my whole life but there's a lot I've yet to see. I'm also a fan of the new Amtrak cars even though I haven't been on one yet. Looking forward to them rolling out on the Hiawatha service!

[@Thom-TRA]

Every place has its issues but I’m glad to be able to highlight some of the stuff here in the Midwest. Even if I will never personally say the word pop… 😂 Thanks for putting me out of my venture car loneliness! Hoping they’ll be on the Hiawatha soon (haven’t seen any cab cars delivered yet, there’s lots of business class ones waiting outside Chicago tho…)

[@GDJason]

@@Thom-TRA I never call it pop either, but I will happily use the term bubbler 🤣. I'm lucky enough to work in downtown Milwaukee and have a view of the mainline between here and Chicago so i get to see that and the Empire Builder along with the freight traffic daily. Of course they don't let me stare out the window all day though

[@ViciousVince]

St. Joe was one of the earliest places my parents took me as a child, 60+ years ago. That carousel (or Midwest term merry-go-round) at 7:12 was an attraction for me, as was the beach. My parents went there by boat from Chicago before I was born, but we went by car once I was in the picture. I'm not sure if the train was an option before Amtrak. Grand Trunk, maybe?

[@Thom-TRA]

Wow you typing the word merry-go-round just unlocked this entire Midwestern vocabulary I forgot I had 😂

[@ViciousVince]

@@Thom-TRA Like "teeter-totter" for what the rest of the world calls a "see-saw"?

[@bryanschlippjr4894]

That train seen in the intro was L301 with that clinchfield paint scheme

[@Thom-TRA]

Yes, it’s featured later in the video as wel

[@bryanschlippjr4894]

@@Thom-TRA the train bridge was first opened in 1903, the oldest living bridge to operate for boats to go thru, big or small, and whenever any trains ex. Coal trains, Amtrak trains, CSX freights coming down the railway, they make this weird bridge tender sound for it to close. they use the other sounds to let any bog boats thru the M-63 drawbridge. As of today, the 119 year-old train bridge still stands, works good today. There used to be a water tower there. Unfortunately, the water tower was demolished on September 27th, 2010.

[@williamboorn2097]

nice GP-9

[@gedeonrail]

enjoyed this video, nice view

[@Thom-TRA]

Thank you!

[@1jamarks]

I was born in St. Joe which I came to this after seeing the K train and the Redlands Train so that's pretty weird. I'll have to ask my parents about the effect of seeing chicago in fall and spring.

[@Thom-TRA]

I enjoyed my visit to St Joe!

[@bluedub02]

I live in st. Joe

[@user-ke3tv1yh1p]

I actually live right next to St. Joseph *just 10 minutes away.

[@jacobhayden869]

They have the best pizza

[@Thom-TRA]

It’s so good

[@ericasarat1834]

I believe it was 2019 when Amtrak increased Pere Marquette service for the holidays (Mid-November thru the first week in January) to twice a day service. So you had a train departing Grand Rapids and departing Chicago in the morning and in the evening. I don't know if they had two physical trains running the route or it was the same one just making a much faster turn around. As I recall, it was well received with a lot of additional traffic. I was hopeful that it would lead to an increase in overall service. But... Covid happened...

[@Thom-TRA]

That’s always been my biggest complaint about the PM is that it’s only once a day. Hopefully with the new federal funding we can go back to that additional frequency.

[@jackychung9902]

I like pizza

[@Thom-TRA]

Good, that means you’re a normal human 😂

[@Logannnnnnnnnnn]

Me too

[@WoodwardMart]

Awesome video! If you were trying for a day trip, whereby you could travel to and from Chicago in one day… where would you recommend?

[@Thom-TRA]

I’d recommend going up to Wisconsin! Or Quincy Illinois is probably my favorite.

[@WoodwardMart]

@@Thom-TRA interesting on Wisconsin! I did check out your Quincy, IL video too. Thanks for the advice

[@lukestrainsandotherstuff]

Have you ever been to holland because it’s super nice

[@Thom-TRA]

Yes, I’ve been to Holland many times!

[@lukestrainsandotherstuff]

@@Thom-TRA I think I saw one of the last Pere maurqutte with superliners in holland

[@user-nc5gt5ut2d]

Nice job. Is Dearborn coming on this series? I would really like to see how to get from the Amtrak Station to The Henry Ford in video. Nice job overall just too bad you and your wife's trip had to be on those crummy Venture Cars lol.

[@Thom-TRA]

You know I like the venture cars! Also, no, probably not. I’ve personally just been to Dearborn and the Ford too many times. I wish the old Amtrak station at the museum was still open.

[@RailfanVince]

The tracks are owned by CSX, but every time I railfan there is see a LOT of BNSF coal trains.

[@Thom-TRA]

CSX uses BNSF locomotives for some of their runs on that line