natininja

^^^ I would think there could be a partnership between OHTransit (or whatever) and Amtrak, to allow splitting the proceeds of such tickets. ^ Good point, bringing up Europe. Each country, so far as I know, has its own rail company. Still, you can get direct trains between cities, passing through different countries. I believe the crew just switches when a border is crossed, and there is some system for sharing trains.

jMeck, post your reply from here as a comment on his review.

I guess someone (say Amtrak) could do it with public funding. I'd have to imagine the controlling board would have to jump on board with any solution.

^ For the same reason private railroads couldn't compete when they all disappeared so many years ago: a private rail industry cannot compete with a subsidized highway network. Why don't you take your question to its logical extension and ask why a private company cannot operate I-71?

Considering the Enquirer's and FOP's reactions to the display by Fountain Square, what do you think they would say about a working display?

Assuming construction starts soon!!!

Good article. Glad to see Cbus getting some well-deserved attention. I didn't realize Cbus has a higher gay population percentage than Chicago.

I am not a country fan, at all. But the saving grace is it's a live music venue. It could be really cool if more of them signed on; preferably of better genres. It would be nice if the Blue Wisp could move there.

Drive-thrus would tend to segregate them from the neighborhoods.

Congratulations on your first topic! First things first: fix the grammar in the subject.

Ah, problem: I'm going to Newark, not DC. No checked baggage for that trip. (Not to NYP either.) That would probably be why the rep didn't mention the possibility. I'm going to be very disappointed if this doesn't get worked out. :(

Someone should bring this up to the Clifton neighborhood association. It seems the restaurateurs have already created the brand. Now the marketing needs to commence. Put up signs on that block. Get blurbs into guide books. Create a page on the Cincinnati USA site.

^ NICE! Thanks for the eye candy!

^ Probably true. Why would they take a controversial stance, when it could cost them support and funding for their own projects? If there were a way for them to know with a strong degree of certainty that their support would shift the streetcar from not-happening to happening, they would probably come out in support because it will benefit them in the future. But since their support is unlikely to be a major determining factor one way or the other, they would potentially be shooting themselves in the foot by taking a stance.

I should have recorded his name, but I didn't. It was the "certain passenger cars" part which inspired me to call and ask. And it was a good thing I did, if what the guy told me was correct. (It would be even more infuriating to show up with the bike on the day of departure and find out I couldn't take it! Then frantically trying to decide what to do with the damn thing!) I forgot about the change in policy for checking bags (and the rep didn't offer the idea). Perhaps that is a solution. I might just have to figure out a way to box it, as I don't have a carrying bag. (Cardboard, packing tape, and bubble wrap should do, I guess?) The only solution the rep offered was to ship it UPS for $50. LOL, no thanks. I'd rather buy a used bike off Craigslist for the $100 round trip that would be. I have some time to get this figured out before my trip, but it seems patently absurd that one wouldn't be able to bring a folding bike on any Amtrak route. It would be in Amtrak's best interest to accommodate, even encourage, such a complimentary style of travel.

^ Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying chains should be avoided completely. I guess the key lies in my neologism "chainfest", and how you wish to define it. I think a key part of my definition (and, hey, I'm the creator :))would be "dominated by chains". So a McD's or Subway here or there is fine. Fill it with this type of establishment, and we have a problem. Planet Hollywood, Foxsports Grill, etc., would IMO be "dominating chains" which, by their singular presence, would tilt the flavor greatly towards "chainfest". Maybe you could squeeze one in there, but that would severely restrict which other tenants would be acceptable. Basically, I'm saying I agree with you, and didn't mean to imply something inconsistent with what you said.

Can I be ColDEMON?

WAY2GO VOTTO!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's definitely a big chain. If the Banks becomes a chainfest, I will be severely disappointed. The architecture is bad enough...fill it with chain stores, and it will taint the riverfront for years.

I know this isn't news, but it is Amtrak related. I spoke to an Amtrak rep yesterday, who informed me that I cannot take my folding bicycle on the Cardinal, because it has no Superliner cars. I'm really pissed about that. I've been allowed to gate check the thing on airplanes before, yet I can't take it on a train? WTF!!!! It actually makes me question whether I made the wrong choice buying a train ticket vs. a plane ticket. I'm willing to deal with the time difference, and the lack of baggage checking, but I want to take my f@$#ing bike!!!!!!!!!!!!! Edit: As a side note, the rep was kind enough to inform me that the closest place I could go with the bike was Cleveland. Chalk another reason up why Cleveland has better rail service. I guess I can just go ahead and bike to and from Cleveland from Cincy in order to ride the damn train.

I'm surprised by Indianapolis's ranking. Above Philly? Wow.

Awesome!!!

^ What was your handle on BBS's?

We should have the same billboard as Illinois made it clear at the Midwest High Speed Rail Association's fall conference that they would apply to receive the $400 million Ohio will give up. Yes, I think being factually accurate is more important than exploiting the rivalry. Don't stoop to their level of propaganda.

^ Just don't try introducing Zwarte Pieten to the States.