More Amtrak Service In Ohio?

[bms]

If the state of Ohio is paying for the service, there's every reason to stop in Cincinnati.

The value of reaching Cincinnati is really to expand the National Network through Cin

I always believed that a successful 3C corridor could open up the possibility of a new national north south train that could go to either New Orleans or Florida. But I’m probably just having a pipe dream

The train should definitely continue farther south than Cincinnati. But I still doubt Ohio will get any 3C service going before I'm 60, and I'm 39.

 

[PaTrainFan]

The train should definitely continue farther south than Cincinnati. But I still doubt Ohio will get any 3C service going before I'm 60, and I'm 39.

Sad, but true. I am a native Ohioan; it cannot be confused with a progressive state. Now, if you are talking about subsidizing a failing nuclear power plant (thanks to campaign contributions), that works. Moving people efficiently, not so much.

 

[railiner]

The value of reaching Cincinnati is really to expand the National Network through Cin


The train should definitely continue farther south than Cincinnati. But I still doubt Ohio will get any 3C service going before I'm 60, and I'm 39.

If a thru train was 'added' to a decently scheduled "3-C" corridor route...fine. I would like that. But if the only 3-C train were a thru train, not so much. Reliability of Amtrak long distance train timekeeping is not at the point where corridor passengers could depend on them.

 

[MARC Rider]

If a thru train was 'added' to a decently scheduled "3-C" corridor route...fine. I would like that. But if the only 3-C train were a thru train, not so much. Reliability of Amtrak long distance train timekeeping is not at the point where corridor passengers could depend on them.

This is correct. The point of the State of Ohio funding a 3-C corridor is to provide a practical transportation alternative for people in Ohio. Bringing in a few tourists traveling from the south provides much less of a benefit to the state than getting cars off the road in Ohio, reducing traffic congestion and auto emissions. Providing a long-distance service for people traveling across Ohio, but neither originating not detraining in the state provides even less of a benefit.

 

[railiner]

A long distance train, such as the Lakeshore Ltd. traveling across Ohio, can provide thru service, service into, and service out of, at each end, in addition to intrastate service wholly with such as Cleveland to Toledo. In theory, anyway, but in practice, it doesn't work out that way, due to crossing at poor hours, and undependable schedules.

 

[Palmetto]

Amtrak is proposing corridor service, not once a day. But extension of one Empire Service train to Cleveland would be good if you can get PA and OH to chip in--and there's the rub.

 

[Dakota 400]

I am a native Ohioan; it cannot be confused with a progressive state.

As a native Ohioan and a current Ohio citizen, I believe that this statement is a bit too broad. Politically progressive? No, not currently (although Governor DeWine is trying to move us in that direction in some regards). But, progressive in the area of science and technology? Yes. The development of the Sabin polio vaccine, the recently landed Mars lander has components (including the equipment needed to keep the lander warm enough to function), the invention of the airplane: all are a result of work done by citizens of the Buckeye state, just as examples.

 

[Bob Dylan]

As a native Ohioan and a current Ohio citizen, I believe that this statement is a bit too broad. Politically progressive? No, not currently (although Governor DeWine is trying to move us in that direction in some regards). But, progressive in the area of science and technology? Yes. The development of the Sabin polio vaccine, the recently landed Mars lander has components (including the equipment needed to keep the lander warm enough to function), the invention of the airplane: all are a result of work done by citizens of the Buckeye state, just as examples.

But Ohio is becoming more and more " Red" and electing more Trumpie Clones!

 

[Dakota 400]

But Ohio is becoming more and more " Red" and electing more Trumpie Clones!

There are reasons for this that are inappropriate to discuss on this Forum. Our Governor is not one of those whom you mentioned.

 

[Bob Dylan]

There are reasons for this that are inappropriate to discuss on this Forum. Our Governor is not one of those whom you mentioned.

I know, I have lots of Ohio friends, including AUers, who are worried by this trend.( Your Senator Brown is a Good one, the other guy seems to be an Empty Suit!)

 

[railiner]

Amtrak is proposing corridor service, not once a day. But extension of one Empire Service train to Cleveland would be good if you can get PA and OH to chip in--and there's the rub.

Ohio might be more agreeable if the Empire Service train made a couple of stops...such as Conneaut, Ashtabula, Painesville, etc....

 

[Palmetto]

Ohio might be more agreeable if the Empire Service train made a couple of stops...such as Conneaut, Ashtabula, Painesville, etc....

The New York Central used to stop in those places--when there were 6 or 7 trains a day, each way, through there.

 

[railiner]

The New York Central used to stop in those places--when there were 6 or 7 trains a day, each way, through there.

So did the Nickel Plate...and also Greyhound. Greyhound even ran commuter service all around Cleveland and Buffalo along the lakefront, until they sold the rights.

 

[Willbridge]

So did the Nickel Plate...and also Greyhound. Greyhound even ran commuter service all around Cleveland and Buffalo along the lakefront, until they sold the rights.

The August 1974 Official Bus Guide shows Greyhound Lines operating a corridor schedule of locals between Erie and Cleveland - 3x daily, not including trips that ran express between the two cities. And, of course, one of the corridor trips made Sunday only stops in one direction in order to hold operating rights. That side trip through Willoughby had five extra minutes to make the extra flag stops. The good and the bad of regulated transport.

It's all a reminder that there are Amtrak routes already in place but not taking advantage of a corridor's potential for more trains.

 

[railiner]

The August 1974 Official Bus Guide shows Greyhound Lines operating a corridor schedule of locals between Erie and Cleveland - 3x daily, not including trips that ran express between the two cities. And, of course, one of the corridor trips made Sunday only stops in one direction in order to hold operating rights. That side trip through Willoughby had five extra minutes to make the extra flag stops. The good and the bad of regulated transport.

By 1974, Greyhound had long spun off their extensive commuter trippers...you had to go back to the fifties and sixties, to see those.. What remained were a few "accommodation" locals to serve the smaller towns with interstate service, in addition to the express trips, that bypassed them.

 

[CTANut]

I would love to see this happen.
Here is an update:
https://www.columbusunderground.com/heres-the-latest-on-amtraks-plans-for-new-ohio-service-bw1/There already is an authority in Ohio responsible for passenger rail service:
Section 4981.03 | Duties of rail development commission.
Ohio Revised Code
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Title 49 Public Utilities
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Chapter 4981 Rail Development Commission




Effective:
June 27, 2005
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 124 - 126th General Assembly
PDF:
Download Authenticated PDF


(A) The Ohio rail development commission shall do all of the following:
(1) Develop, promote, and support safe, adequate, and efficient rail service throughout the state;
(2) Maintain adequate programs of investigation, research, promotion, planning, and development for rail service, which programs shall include the consideration of recommendations by public or private planning organizations;
(3) Provide for the participation of private corporations or organizations and the public in the development, construction, operation, and maintenance of rail service, and as franchisees of rail service.
(B) In regard to rail service, the Ohio rail development commission is the successor of the Ohio high speed rail authority and the division of rail transportation of the department of transportation. The commission shall succeed to all federal allotments, entitlements, subsidies, and grants now existing, whether such allotments, entitlements, subsidies, and grants are encumbered or unencumbered, in the same manner and with the same authority as the Ohio high speed rail authority and the division of rail transportation exercised prior to October 20, 1994.
(C) Every authority, commission, department, or other agency of this state shall provide the commission with data, plans, research, and any other information that the commission requests to assist it in performing its duties pursuant to this chapter.
(D) The commission may request and contract with any railroad to provide it with data and information necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter. All railroads operating within this state shall provide the requested data and information to the commission. The commission shall not disclose any confidential data or information supplied to it.
(E) The commission shall cooperate with the director of development by exercising the commission's duty to promote and develop rail service in this state in conjunction with the director's exercise of his duty to promote the economic development of this state.
(F) The commission, when developing rail service throughout the state, may give priority to projects undertaken within the geographic boundaries of qualifying subdivisions.
Available Versions of this Section

• June 27, 2005 – Senate Bill 124, 126th General Assembly [ View June 27, 2005 Version ]

 

[neroden]

Since people distrusted this poster and asked for a source - StackPath

Ohio's state legislature is run by longtime incumbent Republicans, who are proud to have only a HS diploma and who hail from mostly rural and southern parts of the state. Rural Ohio views Cleveland the same way rural Illinois views Chicago, or rural New York views New York City. The difference in Ohio is Cleveland isn't big enough to outvote them, so you have something like my 20,000-person inner ring suburb getting only one city bus an hour.

Sherrod Brown is probably the only skilled enough Democratic politician to get elected as Governor, and no Republican Governor is going to help us expand transit in Ohio.

I will note that the urban/rural split is almost nationwide at this point. Rural Nevada views Las Vegas the same way, but there aren't enough rural people in Nevada to outvote Las Vegas.

One reason Ohio has had so much trouble is that it still has a substantial rural population. Another is that poor old Cleveland keeps losing population, though Columbus is gaining. Of course, there are some rural states which are pro-transit (Maine and Vermont are the two most rural states in the US); I've tried to figure out the difference, and part of it may be that ClearChannel never bought up the radio stations in Vermont like it did in most rural areas.