Chicago - Columbus - Pittsburgh was derailed by hyperloop hype the last round. Let's hope that is dead and buried.
Ohio finally starts the process for new Amtrak service
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JamesWhitcombRiley
Lead Service Attendant
Not one, but two hyperloops in the thing I quoted! Reminds me of the hype over the Foxconn plant in Wisconsin.
I was involved in applying for an economic development grant way back when. The projects range in quality, for sure. Every community that knows about them wants them. In our case, a very good dude I worked for was selling a good idea to a community for it to apply for as ED. The idea ended up getting swiped by another firm with political connections, and never came off.
But the examples here are higher level, driven by states.
I guess the FRA process worked and the hyperloops were weeded out?
10TV (one of the local stations here in Columbus where I am) did a very content-rich news story on how passenger rail could impact Columbus by investigating how it impacts the Bloomington-Normal area.
With plans for passenger rail in Ohio, see how one midwest city capitalizes on it
I loved the tracked-down footage of the last Amtrak train seen in Ohio. I'm hoping that one day, we get past these "studies" and see actual progress starting to happen.
With plans for passenger rail in Ohio, see how one midwest city capitalizes on it
I loved the tracked-down footage of the last Amtrak train seen in Ohio. I'm hoping that one day, we get past these "studies" and see actual progress starting to happen.
This video outlines Amtrak plans to extend mid-west service in Ohio. The map and presentation show some very positive things
Not sure if these posts would be moved to the Ohio finally starts the process for new Amtrak service thread, but we appreciate the share @dlagrua ! As an Amtrak railfan in Columbus itself, I'm hopeful, but I know it's quite a long ways away.
Another considered route to possibly head through Columbus...
Plans to restore Midwest, Fort Wayne passenger rail system chug along
Plans to restore Midwest, Fort Wayne passenger rail system chug along
Maverickstation
Lead Service Attendant
Here is an excellent article from Cleveland.com. What Ohio can learn from Michigan Amtrak Service.
https://www.cleveland.com/news/2024...michigan-when-it-comes-to-amtrak-service.html
https://www.cleveland.com/news/2024...michigan-when-it-comes-to-amtrak-service.html
I saw this article a few days ago and loved it.
TBH, when I want to head to Chicago via train, I always head up to the Ann Arbor station from here in Columbus. It's a 3-hour drive from me, and well worth it due to the CL and the LSL (from either Toledo, Cleveland, nor Elyria and Sandusky) not having the best scheduling options for when I want to do a weekend trip in Chicago.
Plus, I get the venture cars and charger too.
It seems none of the plans talk about what seems to me to be an obvious route: a daytime Cleveland - Chicago train which would also serve Toledo, Elkhart and South Bend as well as other towns, at a more reasonable time than the LSL or Capitol/Floridian. It would take about 6 hours. The drive is 5 hours and change nor considering traffic, so I think the train would be competitive considering 5+ hours and dealing with traffic vs sitting back relaxing for a little longer time.
With multiple people traveling I'm stopping almost hourly for someone to use the restroom anyways. I'd take a train all the time if it was available.
Metra Electric Rider
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I've said it before and I'll say it again, Cleveland daytime service is low hanging fruit. Considering the terrible hours ridership is pretty good. It would be many times larger with multiple trains at convenient hours just on the LSL routing and if you added in Detroit and the other two C's, well....
Ohio would have to fund (or get a grant) for the portion across northern Indiana. Indiana almost certainly would not kick anything in. The "3C" solves the potential political problem of state funds being spent for service in a different state.
Perhaps after Ohio gets the service and likes it, it can more easily expend money for service which benefits Indiana.
I remain very, very skeptical that the political will exists in Ohio to move forward with this. They'll go through the motions, spend Federal money on studies and in the end not be willing to spend their own dollars. There are other culture wars that the ruling class deems as higher priorities. I am speaking as an Ohio native who keeps close tabs on the pulse of the state. It's a shame because, if done right with appropriate capital, I believe that the 3C could be a success, not to mention daytime Cleveland-Chicago service. But it will require a major capital investment, no doubt about it.
I agree, the fact that Indiana is involved probably dooms it. At best it would be a situation like the Downeaster where Maine essentially subsidizes service that NH gets for free.
Metra Electric Rider
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Some of the cities and counties in Northern Indiana might chip in something since it would be a big benefit to them - if enough prod the state they might actually be more inclined to help. The state IS funding the South Shore branch to Munster.
Michigan appears to be more supportive of passenger train service. IMHO, it makes sense to rebuild the section of track between Toledo and the Detroit area, where it would join the tracks heading west through Dearborn, Ann Arbor, and other stops in Michigan.
The fly in the ointment is how the train leaves Toledo's Amtrak station. Does it require a reverse move after arriving from Cleveland?
The fly in the ointment is how the train leaves Toledo's Amtrak station. Does it require a reverse move after arriving from Cleveland?
Why should that doom it? The state of Michigan funds trains that pass through Indiana without any subsidy from Indiana, and it seems to be working.
Anyway, why do these have to be state-supported trains? The Hugh Speed Rail Alliance's Lakeshore Corridor proposal involves two new long distance New York - Chicago trains that also happen to provide good daylight service on the Cleveland -Toldeo-Chicago Corridor. They also provide some Toledo-Cleveland-Buffalo (and even Albany) service at reasonable calling times. Just because Indiana might get a "free ride" for people wishing to travel to or from South Bend doesn't mean that all of the other users should "cut their nose to spite their face" and oppose service between Chicago and Ohio.
I'm starting to picture Columbus having both a horizontal / north-to-south service (3C+D) and a vertical / east-to-west service (Indiana to Pittsburgh) service running through here. As much as it sounds so good, I'm not sure it will actually happen. I constantly daydream about this though.
Yes if they are LD trains like the Lakeshore Corridor Proposal then they would be funded by Amtrak. A Cleveland - Chicago train would only be 341 miles so would come under the state supported category, so either Ohio would have to pay the whole thing or get Indiana to pony up.
JamesWhitcombRiley
Lead Service Attendant
Detroit is cut off from the east unless you take the Thruway bus from Toledo.
The FRA LD Study, has one solution, as of Meeting 4: New Orleans - Nashville - Cincinnati - Columbus - Toledo - Detroit.
Amtrak Corridor ID has a state-supported train: Cleveland - Toledo - Detroit. Ohio took the free $500k grant for a preliminary study. After that the state would have to pay an increasing percentage.
The two trains that stop in Toledo, the Lake Shore and the Capitol Ltd., were not selected for increased frequency by Corridor ID, so the FRA LD Study also did not consider them. (The only LD plans that made it from Corridor ID to the FRA LD Study were a daily Cardinal, a daily Sunset Ltd. and restarting the northern leg of the Empire Builder.)
The upshot is frequency did not get much priority in these plans. As for the network, important short connections were left to state-funded trains, or less reliable, and less likely to be frequent, LD trains. At least in some areas. Denver would be a contrast I guess.
One other LD Study train crosses Ohio: DFW - Indianapolis - Pittsburgh - NYC.
Two other Corridor ID trains cross Ohio. The famous 3C+D received the $500K, Cleveland - Cincinnati. And the Midwest Connect, Chicago - Ft. Wayne - Columbus - Pittsburgh did too. But the sponsor for that grant was not a state, it was the city of Ft. Wayne, with organization by the Northern Indiana Rail Passenger Association.
The FRA LD Study, has one solution, as of Meeting 4: New Orleans - Nashville - Cincinnati - Columbus - Toledo - Detroit.
Amtrak Corridor ID has a state-supported train: Cleveland - Toledo - Detroit. Ohio took the free $500k grant for a preliminary study. After that the state would have to pay an increasing percentage.
The two trains that stop in Toledo, the Lake Shore and the Capitol Ltd., were not selected for increased frequency by Corridor ID, so the FRA LD Study also did not consider them. (The only LD plans that made it from Corridor ID to the FRA LD Study were a daily Cardinal, a daily Sunset Ltd. and restarting the northern leg of the Empire Builder.)
The upshot is frequency did not get much priority in these plans. As for the network, important short connections were left to state-funded trains, or less reliable, and less likely to be frequent, LD trains. At least in some areas. Denver would be a contrast I guess.
One other LD Study train crosses Ohio: DFW - Indianapolis - Pittsburgh - NYC.
Two other Corridor ID trains cross Ohio. The famous 3C+D received the $500K, Cleveland - Cincinnati. And the Midwest Connect, Chicago - Ft. Wayne - Columbus - Pittsburgh did too. But the sponsor for that grant was not a state, it was the city of Ft. Wayne, with organization by the Northern Indiana Rail Passenger Association.
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What is the northern leg of the Empire Builder? Do you mean Southern leg through Billings?
Which never was the Empire Builder and not a "southern leg" of anything. The ex-NP route through southern Montana was operated as the North Coast Hiawatha under Amtrak.
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Any idea what the northern route was then?
Not a clue. Perhaps the MSP-Duluth Northstar? Which was not a "leg" of the Builder, either.
