KJP

From the editors at Harrisburg, PA's newspaper... http://www.pennlive.com/editorials/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1175555418198000.xml&coll=1 America 'unnecessarily at risk' by looming fall-off in petroleum Tuesday, April 03, 2007 The nation has been put "unnec essarily at risk," according to the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office. The reason: failure of federal agencies to have a "coordinated or well-defined strategy either to reduce uncertainty about the timing of a peak [in oil production] or to mitigate its consequences." Peak oil is the point at which the production of "conventional" oil reaches the highest level it will ever achieve. After that, it will decline at a fairly rapid rate.

Big deal. I got to see the Lake Shore Limited go by this morning, also doing 50 mph!! Oh, wait, the TGV did 350 mph? Er, never mind...

Oh, by the way, got another call from Channel 19 today. They wanted to ride the Lakeshore Limited up to Erie tomorrow (I assume they would only go as far as Erie!) to do a segment about the new train schedule and asked me for permission. I should've told them "Yeah, sure, go right ahead!" Instead, my conscience got the better of me. So I referred them to Amtrak media relations in Chicago. Turns out they wanted to ride this morning, but some breaking news got in the way. That's what that call was about, which I noted in my earlier message.

Most of that data used by Bill Hutchison were from the governor's Transition Team report. And whose name appears on the cover of that report? Then-ODOT Transition Team chief, now ODOT Director James Beasley!

Thanks for posting those. This first daylight Lakeshore Limited at Cleveland arrived from Chicago 19 minutes EARLY (6:03 a.m.). It departed right on time at 7 a.m. All the other Amtrak trains last night at Cleveland were 1-2 hours late. There was no media at the Amtrak station, however. I took a photo of the LSL just east of downtown, with the morning sun lighting the skyline behind it. I don't know how well it will come out, since the sun hadn't risen high enough yet to illuminate the train. After I stopped at Starbucks in the Warehouse District to get an OJ and a muffin, Channel 19 called me to ask if the train had departed Cleveland yet. I guess they were counting on it being late (can't blame them)! BTW, it was fun driving out from downtown at the posted speed limit (OK, slightly above) while the inbound rush-hour traffic was inching its way toward the Inner Belt. But the fact that I just saw an Amtrak train depart Cleveland on-time and in daylight while all this activity was going on was a new experience. I hope Amtrak markets this train locally so it doesn't stay a "secret service."

I think a bigger factor lending to West 117th's design is trying to be more cost-conscious. No longer is RTA spending $10 million+ for stations like Windermere, Triskett or even $7 million+ stations like Superior and Ohio City. RTA is trying to keep station renovation costs to $5 million or less. RTA isn't even replacing West 117th's platform or its canopy. Instead it's renovating what's already there.

Wow! Thanks for doing that!! :type:

I love your avatar, Musky. Don't let anyone convince you to remove it!

That would be "In-the-buffs."

I wasn't too happy about that either. Do those who advocate for better airline or highway transportation constitute aviation and road buffs? What if they, as we, simply believe that people deserve better transportation?? I guess that makes all advocates (regardless of issue) a buff.

But maybe less and less heating-degree days in the future!

Some rip-and-read radio copy.... _________________ Amtrak Adjusts Early-Morning Schedule 04-02-2007 5:42 AM (Cleveland, OH) -- People who ride Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited from Cleveland to New York City won't have to get up so early in the morning. The rail service changed its schedule to allow an eastbound stop in Cleveland at 7 a.m., three hours later than before. Amtrak officials say the only downside is passengers won't arrive in New York until 6:45 p.m. The Lake Shore Limited's westbound timetable to Chicago will remain unchanged for now. Metro Networks Communications Inc., A Westwood One Company

I often don't agree with Dick Feagler's comments because they are too narrow-minded, IMHO. And while he addressed one narrow issue - race - in that column, it's a significant enough issue that deserves a whole column. A lot of columns, in fact. And that's part of the problem. I'm glad Feagler is discussing an issue a lot of whites won't discuss publicly. It's the issue that deserves the most discussion, yet seems to be discussed the least. This region needs race therapy, not burying unresolved emotions and un-treated wounds from race-related calamaties of decades past (Hough/Glenville riots, busing, etc) and ongoing calamaties (sprawl, crime/drugs, etc). If we can calm our fears, we'll be able to accomplish so much more.

They do have cross-state (daytime) Amtrak service, and pretty decent bus services, especially from eastern PA (Scranton, Allenton etc) into New York City, or at least to the western termini of the NJ Transit commuter rail lines. And while we lament the condition of SEPTA or even PAT, they still offer more extensive transit services than in any Ohio city (which are also pretty shitty IMHO).

Thanks for the report, Rob. I think it's important to note that business travelers don't constitute the other half. I don't remember the breakdown by purpose of trip, but business travel nationwide by intercity rail is relatively small. Obviously it's more substantial in the Northeast, Midwest corridors, the West Coast and a few other places. Sadly, that's where some view rail as the only places where it's worth keep. Like trips to grandmother's house to Thanksgiving aren't important... Gee, whatever happened to the family values mantra of the neocons? But, you're right, that too many people (especially those inside the D.C. Beltway) think of a train as a plane in terms of traveling from point to point, and serving only those locations. When I did the media interviews Friday about the Lake Shore rescheduling, the reporters were surprised to learn the train stops in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse...etc etc. The question came up twice when reporters asked who would spend 12 hours on a train when it takes 8 hours to drive to New York City. I bet them that they couldn't drive from Cleveland to Buffalo, Rochester or Syracuse any faster (legally) than they could by train. The reporter from the Morning Journal wasn't aware the train stopped in Sandusky, then asked if that was the last station in Ohio (westward). I informed him that the LSL also stops in Toledo and Bryan. Geography... sheesh. He (and others) would probably be amazed at how many stations are served by the western long-hauls.... Coast Starlight (Seattle - Los Angeles) - 29 stations Largest population center served enroute: San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose MSA at 7 million Smallest population center served enroute: Dunsmuir, Calif. at 1,900 people Southwest Chief (Chicago - Los Angeles) - 32 stations Largest population center served enroute: Kansas City MSA at 1.8 million Smallest population center served enroute: Williams, Ariz. at 3,000 people (freakin' metropolis compared to the other routes' smallest!) California Zephyr (Chicago - San Francisco) - 34 stations Largest population center served enroute: Denver/Boulder MSA at 2.6 million Smallest population center served enroute: Granby, Col. at 963 people (Colfax, Calif at 1,496 is a close second. A few others are in the 2,000 to 5,000 range) Texas Eagle (Chicago - Los Angeles) - 40 stations Largest population center served enroute: Dallas/Ft. Worth CMSA at 5.2 million Smallest population center served enroute: Sanderson, Texas at 861 people (runners up - Lordsburg, NM 3,379; Walnut Ridge, Ark 4,925; Maricopa, Ariz.'s 900 population doesn't really count in my book because it's the Phoenix-area station) Empire Builder (Chicago - Seattle/Portland) - 46 stations Largest population center served enroute: Minneapolis/St. Paul MSA at 3 million Smallest population center served enroute: West Glacier, Montana at 250 people (a dozen other stations across Montana and North Dakota have 1,000 to 5,000 people yet are spaced up to 100 miles apart - talk about isolation! The Empire Builder is their only link to the outside world in winter.) And, just in you were wondering the smallest city in Ohio to have an Amtrak station is... (drumroll please) ...Bryan, Ohio with 8,333. Its station regularly draws more Amtrak riders per year than Bryan has residents in the town, as it draws from a pretty large area.

Too bad the neighborhood doesn't. Last time I checked, pavement doesn't generate transit ridership, doorways with people inside them, or wanting to be inside them, do. The more there are and the closer they (doorways and people) are to the transit station, the more the station's turnstiles will spin. Funny how that seems to be such a difficult concept to grasp (fortunately, not on this forum).

Where did you find that? I looked all over the LMJ site and didn't see a thing. Thanks for posting it! It's a decent story, aside from the misID of my title and the strange subhead (likely written by an editor who apparently didn't read the story -- happens all the time).

I'm also bothered by the ambassadors being on motorized equipment. It makes it more difficult for people to approach them to ask questions or even to exchange friendly greetings.

Interesting!

If you want to get behind the Planning Commission's vote, speak up. There's no such thing as silence, as someone else's voice will surely fill the void you leave.

http://www.cleveland.com/business/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/business/117533050799020.xml&coll=2 Corn turns into gold for farmers More acres being planted this year to meet ethanol demand Saturday, March 31, 2007 John Funk Plain Dealer Reporter Corn soon will be coming out of the nation's ears if U.S. farmers have their way -- enough of the golden kernels to make motor fuel and livestock feed. At least for a year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported Friday that more than 90.4 million acres of farmland are scheduled for corn planting this spring -- up 15 percent over 2006 and the highest since 1944. John Wallbrown, owner of Deerfield Farms in Portage County, is among those aiming to grow more maize.

Currin is my hero. I love politicians who stick their necks out to reach goals that can't be reached any other way. Too bad they're such a rare breed.

Attaboy!

Yes I can! :-D I sez it all da time.

SGS?