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Running the Numbers on High-Speed Trains By Edward L. Glaeser Edward L. Glaeser is an economics professor at Harvard. http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/04/running-the-numbers-on-high-speed-trains/ Is President Obama’s vision of hyper-fast trains racing through America a sound transportation policy or a costly boondoggle? Last week, I began a four-part series on the costs and benefits of high-speed rail. The readers of last week’s post seemed particularly eager to get to traffic congestion and the environment, but space constraints compel me to push these off until next week. Today I will get mired in the sometimes dull arcana of rail costs and direct benefits to users. I’m going to frame the discussion around an imaginary 240-mile link between Dallas and Houston, but the basic formula for direct costs and benefit is general: .........

^Is there much of a difference in the specifications between the Colorado DMU and the other two DMU, which I assume are both European? It seems that the other two are sleeker and more modern as opposed to the "boxier" Colorado DMU.

I'm guessing that the horizontal alignment elements (spirals, curves, transitions) are quite a bit different in 110 mph vs. 220 mph. The 220 mph horizontal design should require longer spirals/curves to transition into tangent sections. I have no idea what the horizontal alignments are like for the proposed passenger corridors, but that difference in sprials/curves alone could lead to higher right-of-way costs. Secondly, I imagine the different base material depths (ballast, sub-ballast, base) would be significantly different at the higher speeds, which add to the cost. The other significant cost item is grade separation. I thought 110 mph did not necessarily have to be grade separated, but 220 mph does require grade separation. This factor alone significantly increases the cost when comparing 110 mph service vs 220 mph service. A related cost is the different bridge loading and design. The 220 mph service should require a more robust design - again increasing costs. I agree that it is an interesting question to pose - something that would need to be examined as part of a benefit-cost ratio.

Indiana keeps Lima in running for high speed rail Heather Rutz 2009-07-10 19:03:00 LIMA — Indiana officials did something Friday that keeps Lima in the high speed rail game. Indiana applied Friday for $49 million in federal money to study engineering and environmental options for high speed rail routes. It also made a strong public commitment to a southern route, that would move trains from Chicago to Columbus through Fort Wayne, Ind., and Lima rather than northern route, Mayor David Berger said. More at: http://www.limaohio.com/news/lima-39180-running-high.html

$49 million? That seems like a really large amount of money to do a feasibility study and economic study.

First tenants at Grandview Yard unveiled Business First of Columbus - by Brian R. Ball Plans for the first phase of the Grandview Heights mixed-use development include a 126-room hotel, a fitness center and a 90,000-square-foot office building. Plans filed with the city July 7 show developer Nationwide Realty Investors Ltd. wants to build the first $40 million worth of projects as it continues planning for the broader, $500 million to $600 million redevelopment on 90 acres in the suburb’s industrial core. The city’s planning commission will consider the Hyatt Place hotel, Urban Active fitness center and a planned Jason’s Deli in the office building as conditional uses. The preliminary and final development plan must go through the commission as well as Grandview Heights City Council. Dublin-based M&A Architects, the designer of the three-story office building, plans to occupy at least 20,000 square feet on the top floor. The plans mark the first projects presented to the city for approval since Nationwide Realty first began acquiring the former Big Bear Stores Co. distribution complex and surrounding properties in May 2006. Read more at http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2009/07/06/daily27.html

Ohio on The Right Track Tuesday, July 7, 2009 6:43 PM By Stephanie Mennnecke Ohio is on the right track, and soon Ohioans will be too! A passenger train proposal is in the works to connect Ohio's 3-C's, Cleveland Columbus and Cincinnati. Tuesday afternoon representatives from all over the Buckeye State met to discuss this plan, and to pitch why their city should be a stop too! ........... http://www.10tv.com/live/content/onnnews/stories/2009/07/07/On_The_Right_Track.html?sid=102

Cost of rail line linking Greensburg, Arnold with Pittsburgh lower than expected By Rich Cholodofsky TRIBUNE-REVIEW Saturday, June 20, 2009 Westmoreland County transit officials are poised to begin planning for two commuter rail lines that would link Greensburg and Arnold with Pittsburgh. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/westmoreland/s_630373.html

State now says highway stimulus funds won't pay for any studies Monday, June 15, 2009 4:50 PM ASSOCIATED PRESS COLUMBUS -- Ohio will use its share of federal highway stimulus money for construction-ready road projects, giving up the idea of using a portion for studies and design work. Ohio initially passed over some construction projects, steering 7 percent of its $774 million in highway stimulus money for planning and preliminary studies. The move angered some local leaders who hoped the money would build even more new roads and bridges. The Ohio Department of Transportation said today that all $57 million that had been set aside for planning will go toward construction projects. Spokesman Scott Varner says the move was made at the request of federal transportation officials, who preferred to see the money spent on projects that could create jobs quickly. http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/06/15/ohio_stimulus.html?sid=101

IBM Opens Rail Center In Beijing; Eyes China's Rail Spending June 11, 2009: 03:15 AM ET http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200906110315DOWJONESDJONLINE000416_FORTUNE5.htm BEIJING -(Dow Jones)- International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) opened a Global Rail Innovation Center in Beijing Thursday, in a bid to profit from increased spending on rail infrastructure in China and around the world. IBM is setting its sights on rail projects as businesses worldwide tap public stimulus spending to supplement faltering private demand. Keith Dierkx, the new director of the center, said in an interview the current buildout of rail systems is a "once in a generation opportunity," similar to the interstate highway program in the U.S. in the 1950s, and before that, the drive to extend railroads across the U.S. China's massive public spending plan also offers opportunities for information technology companies in other areas. In April, IBM launched a health care solutions lab aiming to take a chunk of the $124 billion that Beijing will spend to upgrade its health care system over the next three years. .............

The FRA has posted presentations (and one video) from the regional workshops on their web site. These workshops have been set up to help states apply for ARRA funds for high speed rail. http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/2241

ODOT Plan Would Bring High-Speed Train Through Ohio Valley Posted: 4:35 pm EDT June 3, 2009 Officials in Ohio are competing for federal money to build a high-speed train that will run through the Ohio Valley. Read more at: http://www.wtov9.com/news/19648367/detail.html

I believe that some teams still travel by train today - the NL East Teams (Philadelphia, Washington, and NY Mets) have used the Acela in the past to travel. I remember a few years ago during Mike Piazza's last year for the NYM that he wanted the team to travel by train in suits, hats, etc similar to the article above. The Acela service does get quite a bit of marketing at these stadiums especially in NY.

Federal funds were used to construct the transit center, which means that ADA compliance was a requirement for the project. I would find it hard to believe that ADA compliance was not met as part of the FWW project for the surrounding area. I apologize in advance for my lack of Cincinnati knowledge, but why would CUT be considered the long term station location? To me the station needs to be close to downtown or The Banks area. It would be quite a walk/bike ride from CUT to the CBD or The Banks area. This gap could be cut down by a transit connection, but it seems a more central location would be more beneficial. By placing the multimodal hub near the Riverfront area, riders have easy access to the proposed streetcar, pro sports facilities, mixed-use development, etc.

One thing (of many) that jumps off the page to me is the estimated funding level of the upcoming federal transportation bill...that is estimated to be twice that of the last transportation bill from 2005. Study: $50B need to fix aging rail transit systems By JOAN LOWY 1 day ago WASHINGTON (AP) More than one-third of the trains, equipment and facilities of the nation's seven largest rail transit agencies are near the end of their useful life or past that point, the government said Thursday. Many have components that are defective or may be critically damaged. A report by the Federal Transit Administration estimates it will cost $50 billion to bring the rail systems in Chicago, Boston, New York, New Jersey, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., into good repair and $5.9 billion a year to maintain them. .......... http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gGoQn3mrT9x9KyTud3kjJutqEQhwD97T2B2G1

High-speed trains: 'Rail czar' would help Midwest to land stimulus money, Ray LaHood says By Jon Hilkevitch | Tribune reporter April 25, 2009 A proposed Midwest passenger high-speed rail network is among six corridors likely to share an $8 billion federal stimulus pot to modernize tracks and replace aging trains with new fleets, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Friday. Read more at: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-lahood-rail_25apr25,0,4615249.story

Newark acquires five parcels downtown for development Foundation donates land, buildings; Angels in Action will be displaced by plans BY AMY HOLLON • Advocate Reporter • April 24, 2009 http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090424/NEWS01/904240307&s=d&page=1#pluckcomments NEWARK -- Two blighted downtown Newark buildings are expected to be demolished this summer to make way for eventual development. The Gilbert Reese Family Foundation on Wednesday donated to the city of Newark five parcels containing two buildings at 37 S. Third St., south of the Courthouse Square. Community Development Director Judith Carr said that includes what commonly is known as the Shapiro building -- because at one time it housed the Shapiro Legal Center -- the building next door, where Jerry's Fabrics previously was located, and the grass north of the two buildings. That means a move for Angels in Action, a local nonprofit group dedicated to raising money for families dealing with illnesses. The foundation has permitted the group to work out of the Jerry's Fabrics building since late 2007.

Stimulus Money To Improve Rails In Jefferson County Posted: 5:37 pm EDT April 14, 2009 Updated: 7:04 pm EDT April 14, 2009 http://www.wtov9.com/news/19179579/detail.html Ohio Transportation Stimulus funds will be used to improve the Gould Tunnel outside Mingo Junction in Jefferson County. Mike Paprocki with The Brooke Hancock Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission said, "It's an important link from the rail yard. It connects Norfolk Southern Railroad and Ohio Central Railroad. That services a lot of coal mines and trains that go to the Apex mine."

U.S. readies plans for high-speed rail development http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE53D78C20090414 By Lisa Lambert and John Crawley WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration is expected to unveil its plans on Thursday for accelerating development of high-speed rail, a concept that in the past has had mixed political support and little public funding. "It will be broad and strategic," Karen Rae, acting head of the Federal Railroad Administration, told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday about the initiative described by officials as President Barack Obama's top transportation priority. "It's going to talk about how we begin to create this new vision for high-speed and intercity rail," Rae said. .........

Tiberi blasts ODOT for not funding Cherry Valley interchange By CHARLES A. PETERSON • Advocate Reporter • March 30, 2009 http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/20090330/UPDATES01/90330042 GRANVILLE — Licking County must mount a more intense campaign to convince Gov. Ted Strickland and the Ohio Department of Transportation to fund a study for and construction of a Cherry Valley Road/Ohio 16 interchange, U.S. Rep. Pat Tiberi said Monday in Granville.

Ugh...it is very frustrating to see these "arguments" against the project. The first two ($99 fares and Greyhound routes) I could see (unfortunately) where he doesn't know any better. Close-minded politicos rarely look at facts that go against the beliefs. However, the fact that he thinks transportation funds can be used for anything besides transportation purposes shows how uninformed our politicians may be. The capital funds and maintenance/operation funds will come from either state and/or federal transportation dollars. These funds do not come from the GRF (to my knowledge) and they have to be used for transportation purposes. I would expect the chairman of the Transportation Committee to know this.... :wtf:

Does the $7M cover all the Ohio Hub Corridors? I guess more directly to my interests - would the allotted funds cover the costs to study the Chicago-Lima-Columbus-Pittsburgh corridor(s)?

Very good, thanks for the explanation. Are these studies to wrap up around the same time?

I'm a little confused (not surprising :roll:) - what will the $450K be used to study? I thought that the 3-C study was underway and being performed by Amtrak/ORDC/ODOT. Is this to be used on studies for additional corridors?

The fast lane blog (US DOTs blog) has done almost a 180-degree turn from when Mary Peters started it over a year ago. There was an interesting discussion started today about high speed rail - see link below. The question "Is High Speed Rail Worth It" was posed to several industry "experts" and their responses are provided. Not to anyone's surprise, the Reason Foundation and Highway groups believe HSR is bad. There is also responses from Ray LaHood (US DOT Secretary and Gov (VA) Tim Kaine in support of HSR. http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/03/is-highspeed-rail-worth-it.php