I have, thusfar, been silent on this boad re: last week's announcement of distribution of Florida's rejected funds.  I've been collecting my thoughts and trying to temper my initial enthusiasm with thoughts of what could possibly go wrong.  After all, improvements to the passenger rail service between Detroit and Chicago is something that has been much talked-about for 25 years or so.  I am wary of being dissapointed.

 

I have spoken to an employee of MDOT's Rail Services division who said that due to the state's relative lack of money and the sausage-making process that is the budgeting process, there will not be much in the way of freight improvements for him to help over-see this construction season.  It is his feeling and his hope, that MDOT will throw much of its remaining rail-related staff into the completion of this project.  He says this from a somewhat selfish standpoint due to the fact that he needs to put in three more years before retiring.  He also said, however, that MDOT is best suited to transparently let the bids out on a competitive basis in order to ensure the maximum benifit from these dollars.

 

It is his feeling (and mine) that Norfolk Southern, the current owner of the line, would try to pocket as much of the money as possible while trying to do things on the cheap.  It is no secret that they are trying to rid themselves of the line and are pressing the issue with Amtrak and MDOT by placing artifically low speed restrictions on the track for long stretches.  It is important to note that this line isn't exactly teeming with freight trains that would cause these defects through tonnage.  Simultaneously. NS is trying to maximize the amount they recieve from this asset, which, as a publicly-held company, they owe to their stock-holders.  The down side of this is that the $150 mil. grant specifically for the line's purchase announced last year has yet to be utilized.

 

Hopefully MDOT will end up being in charge of the money and we will know soon when things will start happening on this important and growing line.  If I uncover any further details, I will share it under this topic.  Wish us luck up here!

My understanding about the $150 million grant awarded last year is that NS contributed half of the 20 percent match by discounting the market value purchase price of their rail line, and that the other half of the 20 percent match was to come from a bond issue for rail and transit projects. That bond issue failed to pass late last year. The funding has yet to be allocated. So it's going to take some time.

 

Here are some more details....

 

http://www.midwesthsr.org/michigans-federal-grant-faces-uncertain-future

What's significant about th following op-ed is that it is written by retired executive in the financial industry....

 

Guest column: Rail a good alternative to $4 gasoline

 

Written by:

G. DAVID HURD is chairman emeritus and the

retired chief executive officer of The Principal F

inancial Group. Contact: gdavidhurd@netins.

net.

 

7:54 AM, May. 14, 2011|

 

The return of high gasoline prices is a

reminder that Iowa needs to move forward

with an "all of the above" transportation

strategy that provides many options to get

around the state and the region. A key

piece of this strategy is the expansion of

passenger rail, a highly efficient form of

transportation that will give Iowans a

genuine choice compared to driving or

flying.

 

High oil prices do not just impact the price

at the pump, which is already hovering at

$4 a gallon before the start of the summer

driving season. They also raise the price of j

et fuel and, consequently, airline tickets.

With the costs rising for our two primary

ways of getting around the state and

region, we need more choices. Passenger

rail is a choice that would come with a host...

Read full op-ed at: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20110515/OPINION01/105150314/-1/pluckpersona/?odyssey=nav%7Chead

Tea Party governor breaks ranks with Republicans to embrace high-speed rail

Conservatives have attacked 'Obama-rail' as a symbol of government waste. But now Michigan is welcoming the project

The Guardian

 

It looks like Tea Party governors are beginning to have regrets about turning down billions in federal funds for high-speed rail. Either that or they have a renegade in their midst.

 

Barack Obama has made high-speed rail one of the projects of his presidency. On Monday the federal government doled out another $2bn in funds. Nothing surprising there. What was surprising however, was that Michigan's governor, Rick Snyder, and a Tea Party leader of impeccably conservative credentials, was awarded nearly $200m – and that he was glad to take it.

 

The decision makes Snyder an oddity. From New Jersey to Florida, his class of newly elected Republican governors have made a grand display of rejecting federal funds for upgrading America's rail system.

Read more at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2011/may/10/tea-party-movement-rail-transport-obama/print

Walker Blasted for Losing Rail Money

Developer Grunau calls it a 'generational mistake'

By Lisa Kaiser

 

Milwaukee business leaders ripped into Gov. Scott Walker after the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) rejected his bid for $210 million in Amtrak passenger rail upgrades last week.

 

The DOT's rebuke of Walker comes six months after the governor had rejected $810 million of federal stimulus funds for high-speed rail between Milwaukee and Madison, as well as various commuter and freight rail improvements. The Amtrak funds, for the Hiawatha commuter line between Milwaukee and Chicago, had been part of the original stimulus funds rejected by Walker. Walker had reapplied for the Hiawatha project, but was rebuffed last week.

 

“I think we've made a generational mistake in returning the money to Washington,” Milwaukee developer Gary Grunau said at a Public Policy Forum meeting last week.

Read more at: http://www.expressmilwaukee.com/article-14869-walker-blasted-for-losing-rail-money.html

Check out this Union Pacific video on the train taht will be doing the High-Speed Rail track work..... and listen carefully to the economic impacts this crew has on the communities where the "Track Train" rolls through....

 

http://www.idothsr.org/media_center/

 

Gee....could have been Ohio.  :-(

Walker Blasted for Losing Rail Money

Developer Grunau calls it a 'generational mistake'

By Lisa Kaiser

 

Milwaukee business leaders ripped into Gov. Scott Walker after the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) rejected his bid for $210 million in Amtrak passenger rail upgrades last week.[/url]

 

Too bad Ohio business leaders aren't ripping into Kasich about the 3C, Cincy streetcar, etc.  What's the matter with this state? 

 

 

Too bad Ohio business leaders aren't ripping into Kasich about the 3C, Cincy streetcar, etc.  What's the matter with this state? 

 

I think of Indiana and Ohio as the Bermuda Triangle of progressive ideas.

I think of Indiana and Ohio as the Bermuda Triangle of progressive ideas.

 

Progressive ideas in Ohio have, I think, become victims of 20 years of term limits and 30 years of brain drain. 

 

 

I think of Indiana and Ohio as the Bermuda Triangle of progressive ideas.

 

Well said. If it wasn't for the state of Indiana being the custodian of NW Indiana counties' taxes to support the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (http://www.nictd.com/), which supports the South Shore Line, Indiana would be the same color on this map as Ohio....

 

 

I think of Indiana and Ohio as the Bermuda Triangle of progressive ideas.

 

Well said. If it wasn't for the state of Indiana being the custodian of NW Indiana counties' taxes to support the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (http://www.nictd.com/), which supports the South Shore Line, Indiana would be the same color on this map as Ohio....

... and NICTD does a first-rate job. The last few years they've pressed hard to replace obsolete bridges, modernize signaling systems, and upgrade the catenary (some of it sixty years old) with an up-to-date constant-tension system to improve performance and reliability. They've pushed hard to get everything they can, while they can get it, because they're aware of growing pressure to reduce state and federal funds that will be available for infrastructure work.

Tea Party governor breaks ranks with Republicans to embrace high-speed rail

Conservatives have attacked 'Obama-rail' as a symbol of government waste. But now Michigan is welcoming the project

The Guardian

 

It looks like Tea Party governors are beginning to have regrets about turning down billions in federal funds for high-speed rail. Either that or they have a renegade in their midst.

 

Barack Obama has made high-speed rail one of the projects of his presidency. On Monday the federal government doled out another $2bn in funds. Nothing surprising there. What was surprising however, was that Michigan's governor, Rick Snyder, and a Tea Party leader of impeccably conservative credentials, was awarded nearly $200m – and that he was glad to take it.

 

The decision makes Snyder an oddity. From New Jersey to Florida, his class of newly elected Republican governors have made a grand display of rejecting federal funds for upgrading America's rail system.

Read more at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2011/may/10/tea-party-movement-rail-transport-obama/print

 

Snyder is not a Tea Party governor, not even by a longshot. He beat the Tea Party opponents in the Republican primary and refused to take any ideology tests. With that said, he is one of the only Republicans in the Midwest who has an open mind about passenger rail. Michigan is making all the right moves. The state is far more progressive than Ohio and Wisconsin. There also is a huge difference when it comes to environmental issues. Expect Snyder to buck party trends there too. There are a lot of Michigan Republicans with a strong environmental protection bent (protect the Great Lakes).

 

Kasich and Walker are Tea Party governors. Snyder belongs to a different country club. He may end up a Ford Republican. That's not bad since it allows a small chunk of moderates to survive in America. And BTW, Snyder is perhaps more hated by the Tea Party than Obama himself! The snake venom they've unleashed against him is unbelievable. If he were running on a national stage, Fox News and Limbaugh would kill his career in a week.

I think of Indiana and Ohio as the Bermuda Triangle of progressive ideas.

 

Progressive ideas in Ohio have, I think, become victims of 20 years of term limits and 30 years of brain drain.

 

I think 30 years of brain drain did have some effect.

C-Dawg, your comments regarding Gov. Snyder are well-founded.  For the Gaurdian to say that he has "impeccable conservative credentials" was, IMO, completely inaccurate.  Some would call him a RINO.  The main reason, it is thought, that he won the GOP nomination was because so many Democrats crossed-over and voted for him in the primary because he was the unknown quantity and they knew they didn't like the other jokers who were the so-called "favorites."  Maybe Ohio Democrats should have done the same thing re: Kasich.  Everybody knew what he was all about from the get-go.  Are we suprised by the way he's turned out? 

 

Nobody bothered to ask him (Snyder) where he stood on passenger rail issues before the primary or general election.  The general population probably considered that issue to be the least of Michigan's worries!

^agreed about the Guardian; they seem to lack an understanding about the Tea Party, Snyder or Michigan politics... Historically, Michigan has had either Democratic or moderate-type state leadership, esp at governor-- with centrist Repubus in the Ford-Romney (George), Miliken tradition.  The only radical statewide Republican in recent times who would have been Tea Party (tea bagger)-esqe, had the TP existed, was John Engler, whose polarizing, mean-spirited admin begat center-left/pragmatic Dem. Gov Jenifer Grandholm, who went out on term limits in 2010... Rick Snyder campaigned as a 'hip, nerd businessman' who sought to be a unifier,  not a divider.  Which is why, some of his nods to Tea Party platforms caught people off guard, and disappointed many.... His acceptance of HSR funds from Obama is more in line with the Snyder Michiganders thought they elected....

 

... Ohio is much less enlightened, politically, than Michigan which is why Kaisich is not such an anomaly in Ohio... this despite the similarities in the 2 states in terms of industrial base, agriculture and demographics.... and also why our 3-C, HSR money has gone to another state.  Ohio's much more Tea Party friendly.

Our old friend James Nash, formerly a reporter with the Columbus Dispatch who did many a hatchet job on 3C as he relied on Republican operatives like Mike Dawson while keeping opposing views out of the paper, has moved on....

 

http://twitter.com/#!/jmnash

 

Turns out he was dating a Republican Party staffer while covering one of the primary campaign issues during the governor's race. An honorable man would have disclosed that to his editor. And an honorable editor would have re-assigned him to a non-political beat.

Our old friend James Nash, formerly a reporter with the Columbus Dispatch who did many a hatchet job on 3C as he relied on Republican operatives like Mike Dawson while keeping opposing views out of the paper, has moved on....

 

http://twitter.com/#!/jmnash

 

Turns out he was dating a Republican Party staffer while covering one of the primary campaign issues during the governor's race. An honorable man would have disclosed that to his editor. And an honorable editor would have re-assigned him to a non-political beat.

 

Well, well, well. Honor? At the Dispatch? Nah. BTW, a primitive like me does not Twitter, tweeter, twaddle or whatever. In fact, I just dumped my Facebook page to simplify things. What did the link say?

I believe that if 3C had offered "high or at least higher speed," Strickland could have rode it to victory.  Liberals were markedly underwhelmed with the plan and Kasich's campaign hammered the speed issue.

 

Except that previous plans (dating back decades) for true high-speed rail failed because of concerns about cost and ridership.  It's similar to why the Wisconsin and Florida projects failed.  The opponents say "it's too expensive, let's start more slowly and simply."  Though when we do suggest to start more slowly and simply, like with the 3-C project, then "it's too slow, nobody will ride it, we want real high-speed!" 

 

Maybe there's a middle ground?  Some new high-speed alignments from the start, and upgrades to existing routes where feasible, allowing for moderate speed service.  The danger there is that it will be subject to criticism from both sides.  We may just have to wait for gas prices to rise further so people will be forced to deal with the circumstances.  Being proactive would be best, but we may just have to be reactionary instead.  At least we have the plans and won't have to start all over from scratch again, I hope. 

 

My own thought is that the line should have been (and could-still has relevance) proposed from the start as a 90 mph top speed/65 mph avg speed corridor with an auto competitive 4:15 Cleveland-Cincinnati running time. This could have been done with remanufactured secondhand equipment, much cheaper than new, allowing money to be plowed into ROW improvements, including more second track and signaling to permit higher speeds. This could have been done for the original $400 million awarded to Ohio. We could revisit this thru a joint powers authority, but that will be much more difficult for the simple reason that the money will have to be raised some other way and the state is implacably opposed.

 

 

Heck, if it weren't that 39mph stigma, we'd probably have our 3C train today, even with governor psycho (assuming he wants to be reelected). That number really threw so many people off even after it turned out to be on the low side.

Our old friend James Nash, formerly a reporter with the Columbus Dispatch who did many a hatchet job on 3C as he relied on Republican operatives like Mike Dawson while keeping opposing views out of the paper, has moved on....

http://twitter.com/#!/jmnash

 

Turns out he was dating a Republican Party staffer while covering one of the primary campaign issues during the governor's race. An honorable man would have disclosed that to his editor. And an honorable editor would have re-assigned him to a non-political beat.

 

The Dispatch's lack of honor is no surprise... 

 

 

Heck, if it weren't that 39mph stigma, we'd probably have our 3C train today, even with governor psycho (assuming he wants to be reelected). That number really threw so many people off even after it turned out to be on the low side.

 

I was disappointed the way the Strickland administration and his campaign staff and the Ohio Democratic Party let the Repubs get away with this lie.  And the way they allowed the Repubs to take what was always intended to be the first step of a Republican-created plan (The Ohio Hub plan) and use it as a campaign wedge issue.  It's no wonder the Ohio Dems have been marginalized in state-level politics for so long.  They don't know how to defend themselves and fight back.  They can't seem to fight their way out of a wet paper sack. 

 

 

but that will be much more difficult for the simple reason that the money will have to be raised some other way and the state is implacably opposed.

 

We've been through that discussion ad nauseam already, and there is no point in re-hashing why Kasich killed it or trying to lay it at the feet of the backers. Read the title of the topic; it's now "Restarting Passenger Rail In Ohio's 3C Corridor." Do you have any on-topic comments to offer?

 

If the business community in Ohio would get off their rear ends and make noise like the Wisconsin business community has started doing there, we'd get the train back. 

 

ODOT paid $1.3 million for passenger-rail effort, won't seek reimbursement from feds

Published: Wednesday, June 15, 2011, 5:10 PM    Updated: Thursday, June 16, 2011, 7:56 AM

  By Tom Breckenridge, The Plain Dealer

 

COLUMBUS,Ohio -- Ohio will not get back the $1.3 million it spent on a scrapped high-speed passenger rail project.

 

Gov. John Kasich axed the proposed passenger-rail link between Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati when he took office in January.

 

State transportation officials said they didn't push for reimbursement from the federal government because rail officials expressed "great concern" in reimbursing states where no construction would occur, Melissa Ayers, spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Transportation, said in an email.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/06/odot_paid_13_million_for_passe.html

So where does Ohio stand now on supporting rail? I know there's the advocacy group "All Aboard Ohio," but is there any realistic timeline for getting intercity rail in Ohio?

 

I had a great time visiting Cincy last week, but rush hour on 71 made me beg for a freakin' train to drop from the sky and take me the rest of the way!

So where does Ohio stand now on supporting rail? I know there's the advocacy group "All Aboard Ohio," but is there any realistic timeline for getting intercity rail in Ohio?

 

I had a great time visiting Cincy last week, but rush hour on 71 made me beg for a freakin' train to drop from the sky and take me the rest of the way!

 

You're new here to UrbanOhio, but you're preaching to the choir in many of your posts  ;)

On certain days when I-71 rush hour is bad in Cincinnati, it's faster to either cut through Montgomery or Blue Ash on the back roads.

 

I'd rather have commuter/light rail out there than anything. No amount of widening will stop the exodus of suburbanites further out :(

So where does Ohio stand now on supporting rail? I know there's the advocacy group "All Aboard Ohio," but is there any realistic timeline for getting intercity rail in Ohio?

 

I had a great time visiting Cincy last week, but rush hour on 71 made me beg for a freakin' train to drop from the sky and take me the rest of the way!

 

You're new here to UrbanOhio, but you're preaching to the choir in many of your posts  ;)

 

I was in Cleveland a couple weeks back for the Reds/Indians game.  The entire group I was with kept talking about how great a link between these two cities would be.  I obviously agree, but was surprised it wasn't me bringing it up in conversation.  Shame on Kasich forever on that one!  We will get it eventually, but it sure would've been nice to see the benefits of it over the next four years.  Especially with the amount of development and energy going on in the cores of these gorgeous city centers.  This was a game changer for Ohio in the minds of many!  Keep fighting for it!

So where does Ohio stand now on supporting rail? I know there's the advocacy group "All Aboard Ohio," but is there any realistic timeline for getting intercity rail in Ohio?

 

I had a great time visiting Cincy last week, but rush hour on 71 made me beg for a freakin' train to drop from the sky and take me the rest of the way!

 

You're new here to UrbanOhio, but you're preaching to the choir in many of your posts  ;)

 

I was in Cleveland a couple weeks back for the Reds/Indians game.  The entire group I was with kept talking about how great a link between these two cities would be.  I obviously agree, but was surprised it wasn't me bringing it up in conversation.  Shame on Kasich forever on that one!  We will get it eventually, but it sure would've been nice to see the benefits of it over the next four years.  Especially with the amount of development and energy going on in the cores of these gorgeous city centers.  This was a game changer for Ohio in the minds of many!  Keep fighting for it!

 

I'm glad to hear that you had the same sentiments I had visiting Cincy while visiting Cleveland. (And I was actually at two of those Reds beat downs ;)).

 

Was a study ever done to get an estimate on how many more people would do CLE-Cincy or vice verse if rail were created? Thus, an estimate could be made on the economic impact of these tourists or frequent visitors. I know opponents said nobody would ride it, but I think the "cranky old man" voices were simply louder than our modest "yeah, we'd ride it" voices.

 

And does anyone know where rail stands now in Ohio? I think I read on here that Cincy has to do more voting for their street car and that a route might be created from Youngstown/Warren to Pittsburgh.

If you want to get current with what's happening with passenger rail in Ohio, you might want to consider joining All Aboard Ohio .... http://allaboardohio.org/home/

 

They also have most of the information and studies that were conducted during the most recent effort to re-establish passenger rail service in the 3C.

 

You're pretty much spot on in tagging some of the opposition as "cranky old men".... but it was mostly political idealogues who never let the facts stand in the way of what they espoused.

 

 

If you want to get current with what's happening with passenger rail in Ohio, you might want to consider joining All Aboard Ohio .... http://allaboardohio.org/home/

 

They also have most of the information and studies that were conducted during the most recent effort to re-establish passenger rail service in the 3C.

 

You're pretty much spot on in tagging some of the opposition as "cranky old men".... but it was mostly political idealogues who never let the facts stand in the way of what they espoused.

 

 

I've tried signing up for their enewsletter, but I always get an error... I'll keep checking in, though! Is there anything being done to promote it on a grand scale? I think Positively Cleveland should work with Experience Columbus and Cincy's tourism bureau to gain support among the 3-C's.

Get in touch with KJP via personal message on this site.  He can help you with the All Aboard Ohio stuff.

 

Agreed on getting the various convention & visitor bureaus involved.... but don't forget the young professional groups in the 3C's (and Dayton), local Chambers of Commerce.  But ultimately, it's going to take a shift in political will at the state level.

Get in touch with KJP via personal message on this site.  He can help you with the All Aboard Ohio stuff.

 

Agreed on getting the various convention & visitor bureaus involved.... but don't forget the young professional groups in the 3C's (and Dayton), local Chambers of Commerce.  But ultimately, it's going to take a shift in political will at the state level.

 

Will do!

 

And yeah... always with the damn political will! I've made a promise with myself that when I grow into a cranky old man and question what young professionals want to do, that I will just shut the Hell up and let them take over. They keep holding us back so that we catch up to more progressive states as they move onto something else. We're like the Wile Coyote of states!

So where does Ohio stand now on supporting rail? I know there's the advocacy group "All Aboard Ohio," but is there any realistic timeline for getting intercity rail in Ohio?

 

 

Ohio is not going to undertake any passenger rail development projects for the next four years, at least. If anything happens, it will be because of a multi-state or congressional effort involving improved Amtrak services on existing east-west routes.

 

I've tried signing up for their enewsletter, but I always get an error... I'll keep checking in, though! Is there anything being done to promote it on a grand scale? I think Positively Cleveland should work with Experience Columbus and Cincy's tourism bureau to gain support among the 3-C's.

 

The enewsletter is no longer being published as we've gone back to a more regular print schedule of the old "newspaper" version of the newsletter. Those will be posted on the website after a few months pass by, however. If you want more up-to-date information, please subscribe to the newsletter "Ohio Passenger Rail News" by joining All Aboard Ohio. You can also get information from our Facebook and Twitter accounts, which we have new volunteers working on to keep these more up-to-date.

DOT Provides $126 Million to Ease Train Congestion in Chicago Rail Corridor,

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  U.S.Department of Transportation

Office of Public Affairs

Washington, D.C.

www.dot.gov/affairs/briefing.htm

News

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FRA13-11

Friday, June 24, 2011

Contact: Brie N. Sachse

Tel.: (202) 493-6024

 

 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced the Illinois Department of Transportation can now start spending $126 million for Chicago’s Englewood Flyover project that was awarded last year.The project, which will get under way late r this summer, will eliminate one of the nation’s largest rail bottlenecks. The Illinois Department of Transportation contributed $6.6 million to the $133 million project.

 

The Englewood Flyover is a grade separation project south of Chicago Union Station that eliminates one of the most delay-prone intersections in the entire Amtrak system. It separates Rock Island District Metra commuter trains from Amtrak passenger trains traveling on the Norfolk Southern (NS) corridor.

 

“Untying rail congestion in Chicago is critical to developing a Midwest passenger rail network that will connect the 40 largest markets in the Midwest,” said Secretary Ray LaHood. “Building the Englewood Flyover will put Americans back to work this summer and create new orders in our domestic supply chain."

 

An agreement between Illinois, NS and Amtrak also lays the groundwork for an additional express track for high-speed trains to points east and south. Amtrak utilizes the NS line for all trains from Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Indianapolis into Chicago. The State of Illinois will serve as the hub of the Midwest passenger rail network.

 

The Englewood Flyover project is part of the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program, a partnership between the State of Illinois, the City of Chicago, freight railroads, Metra and Amtrak, to remove and reduce train congestion throughout Chicagoland and the Midwest region. This congestion impacts all modes of transportation, forcing more trucks on to the highways, limiting access to airports, and reducing the capacity of railroads, limiting the regions effectiveness as the nation’s transportation hub. In addition to the intercity passenger benefits, the Englewood Flyover will also reduce freight and commuter delays, keeping more people and freight off Chicagoland’s congested highways.

 

“Not only will Illinois see the benefit of new construction jobs and some desperately needed congestion relief, this is a great opportunity for Illinois suppliers to bid on new orders,” said Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph C. Szabo. “Illinois has more railway suppliers than any other state in the country, and does more than $4.5 billion in sales each year.”

 

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and annual appropriations have, to date, provided $10.1 billion to put America on track towards providing new and expanded rail access to communities and improving the reliability, speed, and frequency of existing service. Of that, nearly $6 billion dollars has already been obligated for rail projects. This $126 million obligation was funded through the Recovery Act. In the Midwest, construction started last fall on the Chicago-St. Louis corridor. The Englewood Flyover will mark the first construction between Chicago and Detroit, which has received several grants. The Midwest has also received an award for a new fleet of domestically-built trains.

 

 

Major bridge project in Englewood gets final OK

Flyover designed to unplug rail bottleneck on South Side

By Jon Hilkevitch, Tribune reporter

 

7:11 PM CDT, June 22, 2011

 

Construction could start this summer on a system of rail bridges on Chicago's South Side designed to unplug a major bottleneck that causes thousands of hours of delay each year for freight and passenger trains, officials announced Wednesday.

 

The $133 million Englewood Flyover project has been in the planning stages for years. Federal funding covering 95 percent of the work was awarded last year. But the debt-reduction battle in Congress this year threatened to eliminate funding for the work.

 

It wasn't until Wednesday that the state signed a final agreement with the Federal Railroad Administration, Norfolk Southern Corp. and Amtrak for construction to begin.

 

Read more at: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-englewood-flyover-0623-20110622,0,4028803,print.story

This is good news for Ohio. This investment will also benefit existing Amtrak passenger and NS freight train services to the Northern Ohio cities of Bryan, Toledo, Sandusky, Elyria, Cleveland and Alliance. All of those cities are stations on Amtrak's four nightly Chicago-East Coast passenger trains and passed by NS's 60+ daily trains which are sometimes delayed by having to wait for traffic to clear this busy rail-to-rail crossing. This investment will also provide a faster path for higher-speed passenger trains to those same Northen Ohio cities, as well as a new route for faster trains to Indianapolis and Cincinnati.

 

However, existing Amtrak trains to Indianapolis and Cincinnati do not travel via the Englewood crossing.

CLEJoe wrote:

Was a study ever done to get an estimate on how many more people would do CLE-Cincy or vice verse if rail were created? Thus, an estimate could be made on the economic impact of these tourists or frequent visitors. I know opponents said nobody would ride it, but I think the "cranky old man" voices were simply louder than our modest "yeah, we'd ride it" voices.

 

There was a detailed economic impact analysis done of the original Ohio Hub Plan in 2007.  Tourism was included in the analysis.  The original Ohio Hub Plan included the 3-C, CLE-Pittsburgh, CLE-Toledo-Detroit, and CLE-Buffalo-Toronto.  This was available at www.ohiohub.com, but I just tried it and it appears ODOT has removed public access from the site-- it now requires a password.  The Kasich administration must be afraid of letting people see the Ohio Hub documents.  I'm glad I downloaded them all before Kasich took over.

 

 

 

 

 

Good thing we have a free state run by a government that is open and accessible to its people. Whoops... I must be thinking of a different state in another country.

CLEJoe wrote:

Was a study ever done to get an estimate on how many more people would do CLE-Cincy or vice verse if rail were created? Thus, an estimate could be made on the economic impact of these tourists or frequent visitors. I know opponents said nobody would ride it, but I think the "cranky old man" voices were simply louder than our modest "yeah, we'd ride it" voices.

 

There was a detailed economic impact analysis done of the original Ohio Hub Plan in 2007.  Tourism was included in the analysis.  The original Ohio Hub Plan included the 3-C, CLE-Pittsburgh, CLE-Toledo-Detroit, and CLE-Buffalo-Toronto.  This was available at www.ohiohub.com, but I just tried it and it appears ODOT has removed public access from the site-- it now requires a password.  The Kasich administration must be afraid of letting people see the Ohio Hub documents.  I'm glad I downloaded them all before Kasich took over.

 

You have got to be kidding me! They know those reports are convincing.

^ Kasich and Philosophy: "The New Hitler"

So, I was in Midway, Kentucky yesterday - the midpoint for the the Lexington & Ohio Railroad that still runs daily freight trips between Louisville and Lexington. The line's operator is now RJ Corman, and so we got into the discussion of passenger rail at two shops. I think I pointed this out maybe a while back, but RJ Corman is looking to start up passenger service between the two cities, on trackage he leases from CSX. I don't think I posted the most recent articles, but it looks like money that was to be used to widen Interstate 64 to three-lanes (in each direction) may now be diverted to straighten curves, and do other track maintenance to allow passenger trails to run up to 70 MPH.

 

Then, one of them says, "At least we don't have that jackass of a governor Kasich running out ship."

Sherman, do you know of any news coverage of this? I'd love to share that news with others.

^

I wonder if this is related to that Franfort econ dev guys effort to restart passenger service between Louisville and Lexington.  This guy or office things it would be of benefit to Franffort to get the service running.  I think I posted on this elsewhere.

 

Then, one of them says, "At least we don't have that jackass of a governor Kasich running out ship."

 

Ouch! 

 

 

 

 

 

Kasich shuns buses, trains

Published: Sun, June 26, 2011 @ 12:00 a.m.

By Ken Prendergast

 

Special to The Vindicator

 

Our dear governor sure has lots of interesting things to say. For example, he said he wants Ohioans to get on his bus or he’ll run them over with it. Odd thing is, Gov. John Kasich doesn’t like buses; doesn’t like trains much either, as we all know. He doesn’t seem to like any alternatives to driving in Ohio, except one.

 

The April 16, 2011, Dayton Daily News reported that the governor used the state’s planes for 16 in-state, and four out-of-state trips in his first 81 days in office. It took his predecessor 13 months to equal Kasich’s plane usage.

 

For advocates of better trains and transit, that wasn’t the most telling part of that article. It was yet another memorable Kasich quote: “There is no doubt about it — I can’t get to all these places if I’m not able to fly.”

 

Read more at: http://www.vindy.com/news/2011/jun/26/kasich-shuns-buses-trains/?newswatch

Well written piece, Ken. 

 

Good use of statistics and quotes, as well.  I especially liked the quote from the person at the Ford Motor Company.  That should fit nicely up the butts of those who claim that people always long for the "freedom" of their automobiles and wouldn't dream of using other options if they were available.

What is the context of the Ford quote? You make it sound anti-auto, but I can't imagine something of that nature would come from a Ford person.

What is the context of the Ford quote? You make it sound anti-auto, but I can't imagine something of that nature would come from a Ford person.

 

It's just an auto exec acknowledging that younger people don't have the same urgency about owning a car as their older siblings or parents..... something they (the automakers) are also seeing in the demographics of their sales.  Younger people are much more engaged with their electronic devices and they want transportation that allows them the freedom and time to use those devices (laptops, smart phones, etc).

 

A car does not allow for that kind of activity...at least not safely. 

 

Kasich thinks he can just declare something "cool" and it will be so.  He and his people are so completely out of touch with the wants and needs of upcoming generations that it is laughable.  He might as well show up for his next public event in a white disco suit..... he is that out of touch.

 

What's cool is this.....

 

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2011/06/27/high.speed.train.cnn?&hpt=hp_c2

 

....Something about which our esteemed Governor is clueless.

 

 

^ "Kasich thinks he can just declare something "cool" and it will be so.  He and his people are so completely out of touch with the wants and needs of upcoming generations that it is laughable.  He might as well show up for his next public event in a white disco suit..... he is that out of touch."

 

I could not agree more. He is also totally out of touch with existing generations...and/or those who are unable to drive, do not wish to drive, etc...  for whatever reason. And after reading the article... I still shudder to think ONE GUY has the power to impose his dogma on an entire state!

Sherman, do you know of any news coverage of this? I'd love to share that news with others.

 

Let me see if I saved it in my personal archives.

 

The thing about our proposal in Kentucky, is that it uses a line that RJ Corman owns. It's substantially easier to do improvements to the line - which carries freight four times a day at peak, when you have a cooperative short line operator than a Class One operator. Plus, Corman has other passenger interests - he runs the Bardstown Dinner Train, has proposed one for Lexington (going to Louisville and back), and proposed the White Sulfur Spgs., Wv. - Lexington, Ky. line (Kenneland special from The Greenbrier)!

RJ Corman owns or leases several lines in Ohio, but none of them are rail corridors that would generate a lot of passenger traffic.  They are mostly truncated, rural shortlines that serve either agribusinesses in small communities or local industries.

Heres what I know about a Lexington/Louisville proposal, though the article says the line would extend beyond Lex to Winchester

 

One Mans Train of Thought

 

...its more a local/commuter type concept, not HSR or express service, that is discussed.

City jumping through final hoops for rail station funding

Published: Friday, July 22, 2011

J. Patrick Pepper

Press & Guide Newspapers

 

DEARBORN — With high-speed rail funding targeted for elimination by congressional Republicans, city officials are racing against the clock to get funding for a new Amtrak station in town.

 

City Council on Monday approved several key measures to facilitate the construction of the complex.

 

The resolutions formalized agreements with the state, Amtrak, and the project architect and construction manager to build a $28 million facility using grant money from the federal stimulus law of 2009.

 

Dearborn’s Economic and Community Development Director Barry Murray said Thursday that the resolutions finished up the work the city had to do before the federal government could obligate the grant money.

 

READ MORE AT: http://www.pressandguide.com/articles/2011/07/22/news/doc4e29b7ae45c33480895573.txt