The argument about what people do once they get to the station is specious.  It's the same situation as someone coming in by airplane.  They either rent a car or get picked up by the friends they're visiting or the get a taxi or whatever.  Granted, not many people fly between Cincinnati and Columbus, or even Cleveland, but it doesn't matter because people do come to all these places without cars when they fly, and they manage just fine.  The advantage here is that the train station is much more centrally located so there's many more options to get around.  Besides, for all the people who can't "make it work" on the train, there's plenty of people who do.  This mindset where if something doesn't work 100% all the time for everybody in every circumstance then it's not worth doing must stop. 

If 3C existed, I think people from Dayton would go to Columbus and Cincinnati in great numbers to do things in the downtown areas. It would be a cakewalk to take the train to a Reds or Bengals game, for example.

I use the airport comparison too, but at least with a downtown train station you can walk from it to lots of destinations close by. The exception is Cincinnati Union Terminal, but at least the taxi ride isn't too far to downtown, and there is also the #1 bus from CUT through downtown to Mount Adams, Walnut Hills, Clifton/UC and the zoo.

 

And just because the train serves downtowns that aren't as chock-full of everything we'd want them to be, amazing things start happening to downtowns when they are served better by trains and transit. These are some of downtown development plans promoted in anticipation of 3C....

 

Sharonville:

 

Dayton (3C station is at lower-right):

 

Riverside-AFB (this project will move forward but with shorter, low-density buildings spread among lots of parking):

 

Another view of Riverside showing the initial and later phases' proximity to the 3C rail line and station (the value recapture from this one station-area development would have paid for the 3C's entire annual operating subsidy):

 

Springfield, with the 3C rail line running right through this area at upper-left:

 

Cleveland (a variation of this may still happen, but drastically scaled back):

 

And just in case you wondered where the Cincinnati and Columbus 3C stations were going to be located, this is they. You could walk out of the Columbus station and reach a lot of important destinations in less than 5 minutes, with many more accessible by COTA's frequent High Street bus services to OSU, Clintonville and German Village....

 

 

 

 

But alas, it was not to be. Right, Johnny?

 

I've always loved the idea that somebody would subject themselves to driving all the way from Downtown Cincinnati to Downtown Cleveland without stopping for food, bathroom breaks or to stretch like they were doing the Cannonball Run just to beat the train by 5 mph. And that's assuming that they never hit construction or traffic jams and don't get pulled over by the State Highway Patrol for speeding.

 

Especially with children in the car. "Sorry kid, you just gotta piss your pants. I'm expressing my freedom to outrun a train."

 

Also keep in mind that the trains can always go faster with improvements. Just going to a 90 mph top speed/60 mph average speed cuts the endpoint to endpoint time to about 4:15

I am posting this here because this kind of improvement (allowing passenger trains to serve a station from more than one track) is critical for providing more fluid traffic flow for the expansion of Amtrak service on existing, busy rail lines. All Ohio stations need this improvement, too. BTW, Waterloo is 30 miles north of Fort Wayne on the Chicago-Toledo-Cleveland-East Coast route, and is the second-busiest Amtrak station in Indiana behind Indianapolis....

 

Waterloo Amtrak station to feature new depot

By Christian Sheckler of The News-Sentinel 

Thursday, June 14, 2012 - 6:43 am

 

The upgraded Amtrak train station planned for Waterloo – a $6 million project in all – will feature a brand-new depot instead of improvements to a historic station, town officials said.

 

The Waterloo Town Council voted Tuesday night to approve a contract with the U.S. Department of Transportation that will bring a $1.8 million grant to help with the upgrades. Amtrak will put more than $4 million toward the project, which is set to begin in early 2013, town manager DeWayne Nodine said.

 

“I think everybody sees it as a plus for Waterloo from the standpoint of downtown revitalization,” Nodine said of the project. “It'll be a thousand-percent improvement over what we've got now.”

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120613/NEWS/120619837/1005

I am posting this here because this kind of improvement (allowing passenger trains to serve a station from more than one track) is critical for providing more fluid traffic flow for the expansion of Amtrak service on existing, busy rail lines. All Ohio stations need this improvement, too. BTW, Waterloo is 30 miles north of Fort Wayne on the Chicago-Toledo-Cleveland-East Coast route, and is the second-busiest Amtrak station in Indiana behind Indianapolis....

 

Waterloo Amtrak station to feature new depot

By Christian Sheckler of The News-Sentinel 

Thursday, June 14, 2012 - 6:43 am

 

The upgraded Amtrak train station planned for Waterloo – a $6 million project in all – will feature a brand-new depot instead of improvements to a historic station, town officials said.

 

The Waterloo Town Council voted Tuesday night to approve a contract with the U.S. Department of Transportation that will bring a $1.8 million grant to help with the upgrades. Amtrak will put more than $4 million toward the project, which is set to begin in early 2013, town manager DeWayne Nodine said.

 

“I think everybody sees it as a plus for Waterloo from the standpoint of downtown revitalization,” Nodine said of the project. “It'll be a thousand-percent improvement over what we've got now.”

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120613/NEWS/120619837/1005

 

Waterloo's historic depot about four years ago. Since then it has had considerable work including insulation, heat, restrooms, and restoration of origininal tall

windows. It sees occasional use for community events. The historic depot is more than a block east of the present facility, and I speculate one objection to using

it is that stopped westbound trains would have blocked a busy street and highway crossing.

 

 

The present facility, nearest scheduled passenger rail connection for Fort Wayne, population > 200K. Parking is on a sloping narrow strip surfaced with coarse

gravel, between the "platform" and the street.

 

 

 

 

 

Eastbound passengers boarding.

 

Thanks Rob. Now if they are going to have a second platform with a shelter on the other side of the tracks for loading from that track, then how are they going to get passengers over to it? I hope it won't be an across-the-tracks walkway, but something safer -- over or under the tracks. An Amtrak locomotive engineer who works the Lake Shore Limited out of Toledo asked me that question yesterday.

I would think that the $6 million would be enough to include a bridge above the tracks, with spiral or zig-zag ramps for handicapped access. As sticky as NS is about passengers crossing tracks, I can't imagine they would have signed off on it without some such provision. I don't see them tunnelling under that busy mainline, although maybe there are techniques I don't know about. There are no existing culverts under the tracks that could be enlarged to handle pedestrian traffic.

Map Key

High Speed Rail - 125-220mph

Regional Rail - 80-125mph

Commuter Rail - 50-100mph

 

http://www.midwesthsr.org/projects-by-state

 

Map Key

High Speed Rail - 125-220mph

Regional Rail - 80-125mph

Commuter Rail - 50-100mph

 

http://www.midwesthsr.org/projects-by-state

 

 

just a question why wasn't Akron listed in the Ohio hub system.

Do a search of this site and you will see a number of posts on this subject. If not, let me know and I'll provide a synopsis.

On the busy Chicago-New York City passenger rail route, Waterloo, IN officials announced last week they are moving forward on a new station to allow passenger trains to process passengers from more than one track while other trains are passing through. This is essential to increase capacity for more freight and passenger rail traffic. See this news article from last week:

http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120613/NEWS/120619837/1005

 

Now, Rochester, NY officials announced they have received enough funding to start construction on their new $38 million train station that will replace a "temporary" station built in 1978. Unlike the existing station, the new facility will allow passenger trains to process passengers from more than one track. See article from today:

http://www.rbj.net/article.asp?aID=191647

 

And see graphics and maps here:

http://reconnectrochester.org/blog/2012/05/rochester-intermodal-rail-station-update/#more-717

 

More TIGER IV grant awards are being announced this week. Fingers are crossed!!

 

Fast train to Debtsville

Ohio's shunned high-speed rail dollars weren't a blessing for California

Thursday July 5, 2012 7:58 PM

 

Remember when Gov. John Kasich took a heap of grief for killing Ohio’s 3C passenger-rail project, sending back $385 million in federal stimulus funds? A fiasco in California shows Kasich made the right call: Hopping aboard the federal gravy train would have derailed Ohio’s newly recovering budget.

 

The Golden State grabbed the lion’s share of Ohio’s returned federal dollars for its fast-rail system, only to now realize it is swamped with debt. Voters there have a serious case of buyer’s remorse.

 

As Kasich predicted, costs skyrocketed and ridership is unlikely to support the investment. A new poll shows that if a bullet train ever does run between Los Angeles and San Francisco — somewhat doubtful — most people say they would use it rarely or never. A ticket would cost $123 each way; travel websites were offering round-trip airline tickets this week for $174.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/editorials/2012/07/06/1-fast-train-to-debtsville.html

Respond at:

http://www.dispatch.com/content/pages/opinion/send-letter-to-editor.jsp

Advocates For Passenger Rail Back Proposed Columbus-Chicago Link

July 24, 2012

by Tom Borgerding

89.7 NPR News Managing Editor

 

Advocates for passenger rail service in Columbus are backing a proposal to start Columbus to Chicago service through Lima and Fort Wayne, Indiana. Ken Prendergast of All Aboard Ohio, says Fort Wayne civic leaders envision 110 mile per hour passenger trains would run daily from Columbus to Chicago and back.

 

“And that’s what we call kind of a ‘toe in the water’ approach to introducing passenger rail service to a region that has not had it in a long time.” Says Prendergast

 

READ MORE:

http://beta.wosu.org/news/2012/07/24/advocates-for-passenger-rail-back-proposed-columbus-chicago-link/

All these high-speed train systems listed in the editorial ignore the foundation of an extensive conventional rail system on which those high-speed systems were built. Imagine building the Interstate system without first developing the network of two-lane state highways. America seems more interested in the glitz than the evolution and hard work those nations took to get there.......

 

 

Fast Trains: Upstate rail languishes while politicians debate

The Post-Standard Editorial Board

Posted:  08/07/2012 2:00 AM

 

Taiwan’s bullet trains started running in 2007 and now carry 32 million passengers a year on 214 miles of track, at speeds of up to 186 mph.

Germany’s carry 74 million passengers on 798 miles of high-speed track. France’s trains hurtle 1,178 miles at up to 220 mph, carrying 114 million riders. Japan’s pioneering bullet trains carry 289 million passengers on 1,655 miles of track.

 

China may soon have more high-speed track than the rest of the world combined. Spain, England and Italy already have fast trains, soon to be joined by India, Iran, Turkey, South Korea, Belgium, the Netherlands, Brazil, Argentina, among others. So far there are at least 10,000 miles of track, built with government funds.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://mobile.syracuse.com/advsyra/db_/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=breeKDxK&full=true#display

http://allaboardohio.org/2012/08/08/booming-chicago-cleveland-buffalo-nyc-rail/

 

Booming! Chicago-Cleveland-Buffalo-New York City passenger rail services

kjprendergast on August 8, 2012

 

$2.2 billion in capital improvements, 1.6 million annual ridership — and growing!

 

There are more than 1.6 million reasons why passenger rail is very much alive between the Midwest and East Coast rail hubs. That’s how many people rode trains in the 960-mile Chicago-Cleveland-Buffalo-New York City travel corridor – one of the world’s most populous.

 

Or, we could have bragged there were 2.2 billion reasons, pointing to the dollar value of rail infrastructure safety and performance improvements built since 2010, underway or in detailed engineering – today.

 

Either way, All Aboard Ohio is committed to encouraging Amtrak, the Federal Railroad Administration, Congress, en route communities and host railroads Norfolk Southern and CSX Transportation to keep partnering, working, improving, building and expanding.

 

The need is there. A decade of growth in rail travel is due to the rising cost and growing inconvenience of car and air travel, more young people preferring public transportation over driving, aging baby boomers lacking the stamina for long-distance driving and improved rail service quality.

 

There are nearly 4,500 people per day riding on trains that traveled on at least 100 miles of the Chicago-Cleveland-Buffalo-New York City route. That ridership includes 613,640 passengers in 2011 on long-distance trains (Lake Shore Limited and Capitol Limited), a 5.2 percent rise over 2010.

 

And it includes 1,023,698 riders on short- and medium-distance trains (Empire Service and the Maple Leaf), a 4 percent increase over 2010. This does not include Amtrak’s Chicago-Michigan trains which use the westernmost 40 miles of the Chicago-New York City route and carried 797,017 riders in 2011. SOURCE http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/968/399/ATK-11-133%20Record%20FY11%20Ridership%20and%20Revenue.pdf

 

Unlike government-owned and financed airports and highways, the Chicago-New York City rail corridor is owned mostly by private interests, namely Norfolk Southern Corp. west of Cleveland and CSX Transportation Inc. east of Cleveland. NS and CSX operate about 150 freight trains per day on substantial portions of this route.

 

If this rail facility did not exist, at least 40,000 trucks per day would be added to a highway system whose physical condition consistently receives poor grades by the American Society of Civil Engineers in its annual report cards. Thus All Aboard Ohio is committed to creating win-win situations for passengers and freight when advocating infrastructure improvements that accommodate growth for both modes.

 

Thus, the following significant rail infrastructure improvements (planned or underway) are important for accommodating the growth of passenger and freight rail services in the busy Chicago-New York City corridor.

 

SEE ALL THE PROJECTS, LISTED FROM WEST TO EAST, HERE http://freepdfhosting.com/f84dd94fb3.pdf

can you imagine the amtrak ridership #s if the rides were actually available at convenient times in ne ohio instead of the hour of the wolf? off the charts!

 

There is so much potential east of the Missisisppi for investing in high speed rail.  It's a shame that 50% of this county cannot see into the future.  They worry about our grandkids paying the tab, but if we don't invest now the grandkids will be screwed.

By the way, to handle the same number of travelers that Amtrak carries on some or all of the Chicago-New York City rail corridor each day, it would take 56 fully loaded, double-deck buses (the 81-seaters Megabus uses) or 35 fully loaded jet aircraft (the common, two-class 128-seat 737-300 jets).

I am going to post this is many areas as it involves many facets of transportation:

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Planning/SPR/StatewidePlanning/access.ohio/Pages/default.aspx?utm_source=Greater+Ohio+Supporters&utm_campaign=e90e3eca0e-July_2011_Newsletter4_29_2011&utm_medium=email

As one study of passenger rail through Ohio and Indiana is nearing completion, another one for a slightly different route is getting underway....

 

 

Last updated: August 9, 2012 2:24 p.m.

Study to bolster push for Chicago-Fort Wayne-Columbus train

Statement as issued Thursday by NIPRA:

 

The Northeast Indiana Passenger Rail Association announced today that funds have been secured to conduct a feasibility study and to build a business case for the return of rail service from Fort Wayne to Chicago, with plans to extend service to Columbus, Ohio.

 

Councilman Geoff Paddock, a founding board member of NIPRA and Fred Lanahan, President of the NIPRA Board of Directors announced that $80,000 has been raised by NIPRA to launch the Northern Indiana/Ohio Passenger Rail Corridor Study and Business Plan. This study will be conducted by Transportation Economics and Management Systems, Inc, (TEMS) which has a proven record of producing compelling analysis of the benefits of transportation systems in the United States, particularly passenger rail.

 

“This is the next step for NIPRA in its efforts to see passenger rail return to Fort Wayne and Northern Indiana,” said Paddock. “State officials, including Governor Daniels, have urged those interested in promoting rail service to substantiate its economic benefits to the state. The TEMS study will highlight the economic impact rail has and the number of jobs that could be created. The business plan will go far beyond previous studies to develop financing and funding arrangements that could sustain rail service into the future. The study will also lay groundwork for an assessment of potential public/private partnerships, including freight, that could work to implement rail service,” Paddock said.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20120809/BLOGS01/120809526

As one study of passenger rail through Ohio and Indiana is nearing completion, another one for a slightly different route is getting underway....

 

 

Last updated: August 9, 2012 2:24 p.m.

Study to bolster push for Chicago-Fort Wayne-Columbus train

Statement as issued Thursday by NIPRA:

 

The Northeast Indiana Passenger Rail Association announced today that funds have been secured to conduct a feasibility study and to build a business case for the return of rail service from Fort Wayne to Chicago, with plans to extend service to Columbus, Ohio.

 

Councilman Geoff Paddock, a founding board member of NIPRA and Fred Lanahan, President of the NIPRA Board of Directors announced that $80,000 has been raised by NIPRA to launch the Northern Indiana/Ohio Passenger Rail Corridor Study and Business Plan. This study will be conducted by Transportation Economics and Management Systems, Inc, (TEMS) which has a proven record of producing compelling analysis of the benefits of transportation systems in the United States, particularly passenger rail.

 

“This is the next step for NIPRA in its efforts to see passenger rail return to Fort Wayne and Northern Indiana,” said Paddock. “State officials, including Governor Daniels, have urged those interested in promoting rail service to substantiate its economic benefits to the state. The TEMS study will highlight the economic impact rail has and the number of jobs that could be created. The business plan will go far beyond previous studies to develop financing and funding arrangements that could sustain rail service into the future. The study will also lay groundwork for an assessment of potential public/private partnerships, including freight, that could work to implement rail service,” Paddock said.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20120809/BLOGS01/120809526

 

I wish them luck.  With the Tea Party infiltrating Indianapolis the economic benefits bar is sure to keep moving higher.

That's assuming anyone will ask for state funding help.

Or the feds would put "obligations" on the state, as we saw with our 20th century governor.

There's more than one way to skin a cat. This is an example of a different way of moving forward......

 

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/state-regional/passenger-trains-run-miami-orlando/nQFqz/

What is preventing this in Indiana or Ohio?

Florida East Coast is a unique situation a) Miami-Orlando is a tourist-heavy market with a VERY high volume and b) the passenger trains are a catalyst that allows FEC to develop extensive land holdings near the stations. It would be very unlikely to replicate this elsewhere without some public support.

Glad to see there is East Coast interest in an improved link to Chicago. But he advocates raking leaves off the tracks so trains can run faster.... Now why didn't I think of that!  :-P

 

Fast Track 'Low Speed' Passenger Trains

By ROBERT ORR | OTHER OPINION

The Hartford Courant

5:14 p.m. EDT, August 22, 2012

 

I travel by rail frequently, mostly because flying has become so unappealing.

 

I have a GPS speedometer on my cell phone and note with surprise how often the train travels at speeds at or above 130 mph. These are standard trains, not the Acela. I've tested the GPS speedometer in my car (not at 130 mph!) where it registers pretty close to what the dashboard speedometer reads, so I believe the 130 MPH reading is accurate.

 

Nonetheless, the trip from New York to Chicago takes 19 hours. The distance is 960 miles, meaning the average speed is 50 mph. If the train could get closer to its capabilities (and I mean current capabilities with no enhancements) the Chicago schedule would be more like the time it takes between New Haven and Washington on the regional Amtrak trains.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/hc-op-orr-rail-travel-0823-20120822,0,6440826.story

Funding goes to airports so that orthodontists can fly their Cessnas on weekends instead. 

 

I heard a public radio story this week that Continental/United airline screwed up and sent their airplanes to the wrong airports.  Airline customers had to wait a long time for the airline to figure out how to get the airplanes to the proper places to transport the customers.  The public spends plenty to increase capacity for air travel.  Their lobbyists have a better game than the railroad lobbyists.  Sad

Glad to see there is East Coast interest in an improved link to Chicago. But he advocates raking leaves off the tracks so trains can run faster.... Now why didn't I think of that!  :-P

 

He mentions the train hits 130 MPH. ???

 

He mentions the train hits 130 MPH. ???

 

I think he was referring to trains on the Northeast Corridor.

Yeah... I took the Lake Shore Ltd fro Cleveland to NYC and also used a GPS speedometer on my phone... the fastest we got was 90-95 mph... but that was only for short stretches. If it got to 130, that would take the travel time down significantly.

I thought 79 MPH was the top speed all the way from CHI to NYC.

 

As an unrelated note, I recently rode Amtrak from CHI to IND, and the top speed on that stretch is 59 MPH, and I verified that we were right on that speed for much of the trip with my phone's GPS speedometer.  The track actually isn't bad except for one stretch of about 30 miles on the old Monon Railroad (which is crazy bumpy), so I'm not sure why the top speed is so low.

I thought 79 MPH was the top speed all the way from CHI to NYC.

 

So did I... but we were definitely over 80 mph for several long stretches in NY...

I thought 79 MPH was the top speed all the way from CHI to NYC.

 

So did I... but we were definitely over 80 mph for several long stretches in NY...

 

The normal top speed for passenger trains over 94 miles between Poughkeepsie and Hoffmans (just west of Schenectady) is 110 mph. There is a long stretch of single track west of Albany which causes some delays on this mostly passenger-only section, but is being double tracked for $92 million in state/federal funds. More sections will be brought up to 90/110 mph as planning is completed....

http://freepdfhosting.com/f84dd94fb3.pdf

 

But don't take my word that 110 mph already exists. Here's comes the "Lake Shore" to Cleveland, Toledo and Chicago....

 

Can one train make an impact on reducing airport congestion and easing road damage from buses? Yep...

 

http://tinyurl.com/9zfwhxu

This route shares the 40-mile Chicago, IL-Porter, IN section with trains to Toledo, Cleveland and the East Coast.......

 

http://www.connectthemidwest.com/2012/09/public-meetings-scheduled-for-chicago-detroitpontiac-passenger-rail-corridor-program/

Public Meetings Scheduled for Chicago-Detroit/Pontiac Passenger Rail Corridor Program

 

Posted WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 5 2012 in PRESS RELEASES

 

CHICAGO – The departments of transportation for Michigan, Indiana and Illinois, in association with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), are announcing a series of public meetings for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that will be prepared for the Chicago-Detroit/Pontiac Passenger Rail Corridor Program. The meetings are being held to:

 

- Introduce the public to the program,

 

- Discuss the purpose and need for improvements,

 

- Present a range of possible route alternatives, and

 

- Identify potential issues that should be considered in the EIS.

 

The EIS is being prepared to evaluate passenger rail improvements along a 304-mile rail corridor between Chicago and Detroit/Pontiac, Mich. The EIS will evaluate the effects of upgrading rail infrastructure and facilities to safely accommodate potential passenger rail service improvements. Effects on the natural environment, jobs, the economy, air quality, traffic, and neighborhoods will be considered.

 

MDOT and its state and federal partners are seeking input from all members of the public, government agencies and tribes. Staff will be available to answer questions at four upcoming meetings. Exhibits and other reference materials will be on display and presentations made.

 

All comments must be received by Oct. 15 to be included in this step of the EIS process. Multiple options for submitting comments are available including:

 

- Fill out a comment form at a public meeting,

 

- Use the online comment form at www.GreatLakesRail.org,

 

- Dial the toll-free number at 877-351-0853, and

 

- Mail your written comments to Bob Parsons, MDOT, P.O. Box 30050, Lansing, MI 48909.

 

Public meetings will be held in each of the three states and will be open to the public between 4 and 7 p.m. A presentation will be held at 4:30 p.m. and repeated at 6 p.m. The same information will be presented at each meeting.

 

Illinois

 

Wednesday, Sept. 12, 4 to 7 p.m. CST

Chicago Union Station in the Union Gallery Room (off the Great Hall)

500 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago

 

 

Indiana

 

Thursday, Sept. 13, 4 to 7 p.m. CST

Michigan City – City Hall

100 East Michigan Blvd., Michigan City

 

 

Michigan

 

Wednesday, Sept. 26, 4 to 7 p.m. EST

Double Tree by Hilton Hotel

5801 Southfield Expressway, Detroit

 

Thursday, Sept. 27, 4 to 7 p.m. EST

Radisson Plaza Hotel

100 W. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo

(Parking validation will be provided for the Radisson parking garage.)

 

An online public meeting also will be provided where the public can conveniently view all meeting information. This self-guided meeting will be available at www.GreatLakesRail.org starting Friday, Sept. 7, 2012.

 

Fast Facts:

 

- Departments of transportation in Michigan, Illinois and Indiana are hosting a series of public meetings to help prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the Chicago-Detroit/Pontiac Passenger Rail Corridor.

 

- The EIS will help evaluate passenger rail improvements along a 304-mile corridor in three states.

 

- Public comments must be received by Oct. 15 and can be submitted in multiple ways.

 

- Check the website for more details: www.GreatLakesRail.org.

 

# # #

New logos added to Chicago-St Louis trains.....

 

That is a TERRIBLE logo.  There are five different fonts on that thing and one of them looks like the 1990's idea of futuristic.

That is a TERRIBLE logo.  There are five different fonts on that thing and one of them looks like the 1990's idea of futuristic.

 

I care more about what it says, which is way cool.

Way.

Previously awarded but never obligated, until now....

 

http://www.fra.dot.gov/roa/press_releases/fp_FRA%2025-12.shtml

 

U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Awards $71.3 Million to Indiana to Reduce Passenger Rail Delays in the Midwest

 

U.S.Department of Transportation

Office of Public Affairs

Washington, D.C.

www.dot.gov/affairs/briefing.htm

News

 

 

FRA 25-12

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Contact: Kevin F. Thompson

Tel.: (202) 493-6024

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today awarded $71.3 million to the State of Indiana to help alleviate congestion in one of the region’s most delay-prone rail corridors. The Indiana Gateway Project will both relieve congestion and support the development of higher performing intercity passenger rail service in the Midwest.

 

“The Indiana Gateway project will create jobs and grow our economy over the long-term by moving people and goods more efficiently than ever before,” said Secretary LaHood.  “This project will help eliminate severe chokepoints in the region’s rail network while creating capacity to handle future rail demand as our population grows.”

 

The project is located on 29.3 miles of track owned by Norfolk Southern Railway between Porter, Indiana, and the Indiana/Illinois state line and at one location on Amtrak’s line. The improvements will include track reconfiguration and track and signal upgrades, all of which will help improve service reliability while creating jobs and relieving congestion.

 

“No economy can grow faster than its transportation network allows,” said Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph C. Szabo. “This investment will eliminate chokepoints and create an environment where intercity passenger trains and freight service can operate fluidly without prolonged delays.” 

 

More than 90 freight trains and 14 Amtrak intercity passenger trains currently travel the area between the Indiana/Illinois State border and Porter, Indiana, every day.   

 

The completion of this project will significantly strengthen the Midwest Regional Rail Network, which will connect more than 40 cities in the Midwest.   More than 100 million people call the Midwest region home, with the vast majority of residents living within 500 miles of the Chicago rail hub. Using the Gross Domestic Product as a measure, the Great Lakes-Midwest economic region would be the fifth largest economy if it were its own country.

 

With more than $2.5 billion are already invested in the Midwest since 2009, funding 39 projects in eight states, the Federal Railroad Administration and its state partners are making great progress on High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail projects across the Midwest. Nationwide, more than $12.0 billion has been invested in 153 projects in 32 states, laying the foundation for a 21st century passenger rail network.

 

####

FYI, this is from another rail discussion list. This project affects Amtrak's Chicago-East Coast trains through Bryan, Toledo, Sandusky, Elyria, Cleveland and Alliance, as well as Amtrak's Michigan routes. It should provide some reductions in delays that plague this busy piece of railroad......

________________

 

At long last, the $71 million upgrade of the NS Chicago Line between Porter Jct (MP 482) and the IL state line is ready to go. NS had originally objected to some of the projects but apparently an agreement has been reached. Here's the story:

 

http://www.rtands.com/index.php/passenger/intercity/indiana-gateway-project-receives-713-million-in-federal-funds.html?channel=286

 

I obtained a breakdown of how this money is to be spent from the Indiana DOT files a year or so ago. I'm not sure if this list has changed since NS finally agreed to the project.

 

New control point with #20 universal crossvers at MP 479.3

New passing siding on Amtrak line at MP 238 (Mich Central MP number)

New control point with #20 universal crossvers at MP 485

Add #20 universal crossvers to CP 487

Construct 3rd main track MP 490.2 to MP 492.5

New control point with #20 universal crossvers at MP 495

Construct 3rd main track CP 497 to CP 501

Add #20 universal crossvers to CP 505 and construct 3rd main track CP505 to 06.

 

The second item is on the Amtrak route just east of Porter.

The third and fourth items are in the Burns Harbor area.

The fifth is in the Miller area of Gary.

The seventh extends from the Pine Jct area west to where ex-PRR connection joins the main.

The last is just east of the Hammond-Whiting Amtrak station

 

###

Wish they would hurry up and increase Cardinal service.

Wish they would hurry up and increase Cardinal service.

 

I don't think that is going to happen anytime soon, since a portion of the line is owned by a shortline railroad and it would have to spend millions to add capacity to allow Daily Cardinal service.

FYI.........

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: September 25, 2012

 

Contact: Reginald G. Victor

Supervising Transportation Planner

Department of Transportation and Engineering

[email protected]

 

Railroad Improvement and Safety Plan

Open House - October 24, 2012

 

The City of Cincinnati is hosting a Public Open House on October 24, 2012, to seek public feedback on the Draft Railroad Improvement and Safety Plan (RISP).

 

WHEN: Wednesday, October 24, 2012, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm (presentation at 7:00 pm)

 

WHERE: Cincinnati Museum Center

Losantiville Dining Room

1301 Western Avenue

Cincinnati, OH 45203

 

Complementary parking is available. Indicate that you are attending the RISP Public Meeting. This location is accessible from Metro Bus Route #1.

The Railroad Improvement and Safety Plan (RISP) brings all of the railroad related work conducted by the City of Cincinnati into one planning document. This will assist in coordination with the railroads as well as regional and state partners. It will also assist the City in prioritizing projects for funding opportunities.

Specifically for the City of Cincinnati, the RISP goals are to:

• Identify railroad improvements that will ease rail congestion and enhance the on-time freight deliveries to local companies.

• Assist new companies/developments to obtain freight rail service.

• Reduce the impediments at the interface of roadway and railroads – safety and efficiency.

• Identify rail improvements for enhanced Amtrak service to the City.

• Identify rail improvements for the Midwest Regional Rail System (intercity passenger rail) and commuter rail service.

 

The Amtrak Station (not normally open during daytime hours) and Tower A will be open for public viewing. Tower A, the former train control tower, overlooks Norfolk Southern’s Gest Street Intermodal Facility.

 

The draft document that describes the RISP can be viewed at:

http://cincinnati-oh.gov/dote/linkservid/86F733B4-B5B3-B4C1-A1CD1CEC30E0055D/

 

For more information about our department, visit: http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/dote

Amtrak's Chicago-to-Indy 'Hoosier State' line may end next year due to funding dispute

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

September 21, 2012 - 3:53 pm EDT

 

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — An Amtrak passenger line that runs between Chicago and Indianapolis could come to a halt next year unless Indiana and federal officials resolve a funding dispute.

 

Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari has confirmed that Amtrak plans to end the Chicago-to-Indianapolis Hoosier State route effective Oct. 1, 2013. That route has stops in Lafayette, Rensselaer and Dyer, with an optional stop in Crawfordsville.

 

Under the expected change, the separate Cardinal route that travels from New York to Chicago would continue to serve Lafayette three mornings and three nights a week on its route.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/f5fabc018bfe40ffb78e72a91005f154/IN--Amtrak-Lafayette

Amtrak's Chicago-to-Indy 'Hoosier State' line may end next year due to funding dispute

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

September 21, 2012 - 3:53 pm EDT

 

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — An Amtrak passenger line that runs between Chicago and Indianapolis could come to a halt next year unless Indiana and federal officials resolve a funding dispute.

 

Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari has confirmed that Amtrak plans to end the Chicago-to-Indianapolis Hoosier State route effective Oct. 1, 2013. That route has stops in Lafayette, Rensselaer and Dyer, with an optional stop in Crawfordsville.

 

Under the expected change, the separate Cardinal route that travels from New York to Chicago would continue to serve Lafayette three mornings and three nights a week on its route.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/f5fabc018bfe40ffb78e72a91005f154/IN--Amtrak-Lafayette

 

I've taken that route before and its already in dire need of funding.  Extremely old train that was hot, uncomfortable, outdated and even broke down at a station where we were stuck for 45 minutes.  That trip was a poignant reminder of just how far behind the rest of the world we are when it comes to modern rail transport.

Extremely old? Really?? I believe the rail cars it uses are Horizon fleet cars built in 1988-89. They are boxy and are getting a lot of hard miles on them since they were originally designed as commuter cars. They rack up a lot more miles in intercity service. So they may look old, but they're not. The Hoosier State also serves as Amtrak's shuttle train to take rail cars and locomotives from its Chicago hub to its major repair and overhaul facility in Beech Grove, IN -- a SW suburb of Indianapolis. Amtrak got the facility for a bargain (free?) from bankrupt Penn Central RR when it was disposing of assets in the early 1970s. There has been some discussion of relocating it considering how unsupportive Indiana is of passenger rail. If Indiana refuses to support the Hoosier State train, that may be the last straw for Amtrak.