Just an FYI and totally IMO.... but informed and respectful critiques directed toward Kasich stand a snowball's chance in hell of making an impact.  Nastygrams have no chance at all.

 

How about getting down on your knees and begging? :)

 

Actually getting down on your knees in front of Kasich might actually sway him.

 

Which may explain this

 

Just an FYI and totally IMO.... but informed and respectful critiques directed toward Kasich stand a snowball's chance in hell of making an impact. Nastygrams have no chance at all.

 

Meh, I don't think there's a difference really to the junior campaign staffer who is looking at them and tallying the topic and whether they are "for" or "against."  But for what it's worth, my note was informed and respectful in addition to expressing anger and bewilderment.  I left out the part about me not living in Ohio though.

Just an FYI and totally IMO.... but informed and respectful critiques directed toward Kasich stand a snowball's chance in hell of making an impact. Nastygrams have no chance at all.

 

How about getting down on your knees and begging? :)

 

Actually getting down on your knees in front of Kasich might actually sway him.

 

Which may explain this

 

 

In the words of one Hank "Bocephus" Williams Jr.... "Y'all are getting screwed and ya ain't gettin' kissed."

What do the mayors of the 3 cities think? Could they all get together and try to talk Kasich out of it?

^ :-D

Personally, I'm opposed to seeking a petition for a direct-democracy ballot issue that would require Ohio to develop a passenger rail system because we elect people to make these decisions. I don't want to see government managed by the ballot box (ala California). I don't support similar efforts to stop transit, road or rail projects, so I don't want to do the opposite to try and get a train service running. If Kasich wants to kill the train, then he will have to live with the consequences of keeping 1 million Ohioans immobilized and putting another 10 million at risk of immobility because they will have no other way to avoid higher fuel prices in the very near future.

 

You do have options. Write to Kasich. Write to editors of newspapers. Speak from the heart. Share with them a personal story about why you want the trains. Personal stories, unlike statistics, cannot be argued or attacked. But say something -- the communiques are logged (for/against) by staffers.

 

Yes, voting with your feet is an option. Like anything else it has benefits and costs. If you do leave, let as many people know why or your action will have no meaning to the people you left behind.

 

Kasich is probably going to stand his ground. I think that we need to find a way to make lemonade out of this sour lemon.

I wonder if he could end up taking the money and then setting up the speed and schedule so that it fails.

I didn't take my own advice.  What can I say.... once you start typing on this issue, well.....

 

Dear Governor Elect Kasich:

 

Congratulations on your election to be the next Governor of our great state.  I am taking the time to write in an attempt to hopefully persuade you to reconsider your stance on the 3C start up train, which would connect the three major economic centers in Ohio.  I and many other young professionals here in the Cleveland area are in favor of this train and would use it for both business and pleasure.

 

Simply put, your stance will only contribute to the growing "brain drain" in this state.  Young professionals overwhelmingly support the train.  Turning away federal money that will simply go to another state and reflect identically on my tax bill is very hard to comprehend.  So is the purported basis of your decision, that being the $17 million yearly operating cost... or, put another way, $1.50 per resident each year.... or, put another way, less than half a cup of regular coffee from ‘Starbucks’ each year for each of your constituents.  Further, that ‘cost’ does not consider the guarantee of the types of Transit Oriented Developments (TOD) which naturally follow such investments in public infrastructure.

 

Please do not make Ohio the ‘sacrificial lamb’ in the GOP's efforts to 'derail' President Obama's passenger rail initiative.  Please make the right choice for our State, regardless of the political consequences you may face within your own party, which at one time supported passenger rail (before President Obama’s announcement of his program to nurture and support HSR programs across the country).  Please remember that it was a Republican Governor that initiated the studies which have led to the “3C” plan.

 

I understand you to be a man who carefully balances the pro’s and con’s of each issue.  I ask you to deliberate long and hard before further entrenching yourself on this issue.  I also ask that you not further "dig you feet in" until you fully understand the consequences of your decision.  The fact that you assumed the federal grant money could be “repurposed” for “other infrastructure projects” for which it was not designated, despite the fact that you yourself were a former congressman who should know otherwise, signals to me and many others who have looked beyond the political rhetoric that you do not have the requisite understanding of the issues involved to make an informed decision free of backroom politics and national party priorities.

 

Thank you for your time and attention.

 

Sincerely,

 

A Native and Resident of Ohio

We might lose out on another $400 million due to Kasich

 

http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/11/09/copy/will-ohio-forfeit-schools-400m-prize.html?adsec=politics&sid=101

^^^ The lemonade I see is more localized passenger rail and freight rail projects.  He will not want to look like he is anti-rail.  He just wants to be known as anti 3C.  So maybe an abbreviated 3C project.  Perhaps a rail line connecting Cleveland to Columbus..  Many possibilities.  Would he be able to renegotiate a Cleveland to Columbus line instead of 3C?  He could still say he won which is all that really matters to him.

I didn't take my own advice. What can I say.... once you start typing on this issue, well.....

 

Dear Governor Elect Kasich:

 

Congratulations on your election to be the next Governor of our great state. I am taking the time to write in an attempt to hopefully persuade you to reconsider your stance on the 3C start up train, which would connect the three major economic centers in Ohio. I and many other young professionals here in the Cleveland area are in favor of this train and would use it for both business and pleasure.......

 

 

Excellent letter! Well stated. I do see this as something that can contribute to brain drain of all ages.

^^I doubt there are really that many possibilities.  One of the real authorities should weigh in, but if the project was substantially different from what was approved and funded, I'd guess they would have to re-apply.

^^^ The lemonade I see is more localized passenger rail and freight rail projects. He will not want to look like he is anti-rail. He just wants to be known as anti 3C. So maybe an abbreviated 3C project. Perhaps a rail line connecting Cleveland to Columbus.. Many possibilities. Would he be able to renegotiate a Cleveland to Columbus line instead of 3C? He could still say he won which is all that really matters to him.

 

Unfortunately you cannot change how federal grant awards are used after they've been awarded unless public hearings are held on the proposed changes and the Federal Railroad Administration agrees with all of this. This adds needless complications and delay to a stimulus program whose purpose is getting the economy going again.

 

The FRA may respond with -- "we're trying to push money out the door and get Americans back to work. If Ohio can't use it for the intended purpose in the time frame they intended to invest it, we will give the money to someone else who is ready to put Americans to work."

 

This is federal money. It's a tailored suit. You can't alter it and still expect to use it.

I think audidave is referring to smaller municipal or regionally funded passenger rail programs.  I'll admit to some bias here, but a Cincinnati-Dayton/Riverside route of some sort would be a good test bed due to its short length and several corridors to choose from.  I bet Dayton would be all for it, but Cincinnati maybe not so much.  It could be as simple as buying a few DMU's and constructing some wooden platforms where necessary and just running with it.  Talk about quick-start! 

its probably a good thing we didnt hear a response from Kasich today about the Lahood letter.  At least he's taking more than a few moments to think about it.

^Sorry but he is not thinking about it and he does not care.

I think audidave is referring to smaller municipal or regionally funded passenger rail programs.

 

I understood the meaning. It doesn't matter. There is no eligible passenger rail project in Ohio that has a federal funding-ready plan. And it takes at least a year to develop one that answers all the questions that the feds will want to know. Again, the FRA is not going to wait for Ohio to get its act together when there are more than a dozen states out there with funding-ready plans that are itching to build/improve passenger rail services.

 

 

^Sorry but he is not thinking about it and he does not care.

 

Bingo!

I agree.  I think we have already seen all the efforts Kasich is going to make before being sworn in.

If the ground is stood about the money going for development of passenger rail....then such can prevent someone like Kasich wasting the money elsewhere, no?  Also, I wrote a "from the heart" letter...not the best, but just an assembly of some thoughts...where should I send it..  It can be read here: http://qualitychatter.com/2010/11/kasich-do-not-de-rail-rail-or-joke-is.html If there is anything inaccurate I should leave out, let me know.

Can Strickland use some of the funds now so they can't send it back?

Im with ya, just sayin he coulda come out today and said "fine, then we dont want the money"; which he has not stated as his position to this point.

I think audidave is referring to smaller municipal or regionally funded passenger rail programs. 

 

I understood the meaning. It doesn't matter. There is no eligible passenger rail project in Ohio that has a federal funding-ready plan. And it takes at least a year to develop one that answers all the questions that the feds will want to know. Again, the FRA is not going to wait for Ohio to get its act together when there are more than a dozen states out there with funding-ready plans that are itching to build/improve passenger rail services.

 

No see, my point is that these would NOT be federal, or even state funded, but locally/regionally funded projects.  Is that doable right now?  Maybe not, but if it's kept simple enough, then maybe just maybe it could be done. 

I didn't take my own advice.  What can I say.... once you start typing on this issue, well.....

 

Dear Governor Elect Kasich:

 

Congratulations on your election to be the next Governor of our great state.  I am taking the time to write in an attempt to hopefully persuade you to reconsider your stance on the 3C start up train, which would connect the three major economic centers in Ohio.  I and many other young professionals here in the Cleveland area are in favor of this train and would use it for both business and pleasure.

 

Simply put, your stance will only contribute to the growing "brain drain" in this state.  Young professionals overwhelmingly support the train.  Turning away federal money that will simply go to another state and reflect identically on my tax bill is very hard to comprehend.  So is the purported basis of your decision, that being the $17 million yearly operating cost... or, put another way, $1.50 per resident each year.... or, put another way, less than half a cup of regular coffee from Starbucks each year for each of your constituents.  Further, that cost does not consider the guarantee of the types of Transit Oriented Developments (TOD) which naturally follow such investments in public infrastructure.

 

Please do not make Ohio the sacrificial lamb in the GOP's efforts to 'derail' President Obama's passenger rail initiative.  Please make the right choice for our State, regardless of the political consequences you may face within your own party, which at one time supported passenger rail (before President Obamas announcement of his program to nurture and support HSR programs across the country).  Please remember that it was a Republican Governor that initiated the studies which have led to the 3C plan.

 

I understand you to be a man who carefully balances the pros and cons of each issue.  I ask you to deliberate long and hard before further entrenching yourself on this issue.  I also ask that you not further "dig you feet in" until you fully understand the consequences of your decision.  The fact that you assumed the federal grant money could be repurposed for other infrastructure projects for which it was not designated, despite the fact that you yourself were a former congressman who should know otherwise, signals to me and many others who have looked beyond the political rhetoric that you do not have the requisite understanding of the issues involved to make an informed decision free of backroom politics and national party priorities.

 

Thank you for your time and attention.

 

Sincerely,

 

A Native and Resident of Ohio

 

Well said.

I never seen an elect handicap a state before they even get into office.

 

No see, my point is that these would NOT be federal, or even state funded, but locally/regionally funded projects. Is that doable right now? Maybe not, but if it's kept simple enough, then maybe just maybe it could be done.

 

Ah, now I see! Some projects may come forward in a few years or so (not including Cincinnati streetcar which is 90% funded and near to a groundbreaking ceremony). These include:

 

>> If 3C money is redirected to Indiana DOT for CLE-CHI, we could some station, signal and track projects before the end of 2011.

>> Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad's extension to downtown Cleveland could start in about 3-5 years.

>> Short extension of GCRTA Blue Line Rapid transit to permit Shaker Heights TOD. Not sure about timeline.

>> GCRTA Red Line Rapid transit station rebuilding projects. These are ongoing.

>> Cleveland Intermodal Station (nee North Coast Transportation Center) possibly within 2-4 years.

>> Completion of the Lorain County Transportation Center (former NYC Depot in Elyria) in 2011.

>> Amtrak's Cardinal service (CHI-IND-CIN-WDC-NYC) could be expanded in 2011 from thrice weekly to daily trains.

>> Amtrak's Capitol Limited service (CHI-TOL-CLE-PGH-WDC) could be united in 2011 with the Pennsylvanian service (PGH-HAR-PHL-NYC) with through cars from Pittsburgh to Chicago offering a second daily round trip from Northern Ohio cities to New York City.

>> And perhaps we may get some Amtrak service/scheduling improvements resulting from the impending Performance Improvement Planning for the Lake Shore Limited route (CHI-TOL-CLE-BUF-ALB-NYC/BOS).

 

Those are all I can think of right now.

What's the best place to send emails/letters to Kasich and the boys?

 

Ah, now I see! Some projects may come forward in a few years or so (not including Cincinnati streetcar which is 90% funded and near to a groundbreaking ceremony). These include:

 

>> If 3C money is redirected to Indiana DOT for CLE-CHI, we could some station, signal and track projects before the end of 2011.

>> Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad's extension to downtown Cleveland could start in about 3-5 years.

>> Short extension of GCRTA Blue Line Rapid transit to permit Shaker Heights TOD. Not sure about timeline.

>> GCRTA Red Line Rapid transit station rebuilding projects. These are ongoing.

>> Cleveland Intermodal Station (nee North Coast Transportation Center) possibly within 2-4 years.

>> Completion of the Lorain County Transportation Center (former NYC Depot in Elyria) in 2011.

>> Amtrak's Cardinal service (CHI-IND-CIN-WDC-NYC) could be expanded in 2011 from thrice weekly to daily trains.

>> Amtrak's Capitol Limited service (CHI-TOL-CLE-PGH-WDC) could be united in 2011 with the Pennsylvanian service (PGH-HAR-PHL-NYC) with through cars from Pittsburgh to Chicago offering a second daily round trip from Northern Ohio cities to New York City.

>> And perhaps we may get some Amtrak service/scheduling improvements resulting from the impending Performance Improvement Planning for the Lake Shore Limited route (CHI-TOL-CLE-BUF-ALB-NYC/BOS).

 

Those are all I can think of right now.

 

Don't forget the West Shore commuter rail!

Try these:

 

[email protected]

[email protected]

 

Gov.-elect John Kasich

340 East Gay Street

Columbus, Ohio 43215

 

While all of these are contact info for his campaign, they are probably still active and may still be used to communicate to his transition team. And while Beth Hansen was his campaign manager, she will be his chief of staff as governor.

It's a shame they took out the B&O St. Louis main (Parkersburg branch) between Parkersburg, WV and Grafton, WV. It had been modernized in the 1950s, with the upgrading of bridges and the removal of most tunnels. It was a fast route and had many advantages over the existing Cardinal :(

 

Don't forget the West Shore commuter rail!

 

I chose not to include it because I don't see it happening for a while. Lorain County is having difficulty finding enough money to complete the alternatives analysis -- the first phase of planning for a project in search of federal construction funds. If Indiana DOT gets the money to do the planning work for Cleveland-Chicago HSR, West Shore Commuter Rail planning could dovetail into it as a route alternative or as a secondary/local-feeder alignment.

Thanks, i was asking two separate questions.  I feel akron metro rail could be on that list. In the latest board meeting report they note that they are buying land in the merriman(cuyahoga) valley for a new train station.  Once metro really gets in the rail business it should take off since most of the line is for tourism.  Instant tod possibilities all along the route.

I think a demonstration in Columbus on inauguration day would be felicitous. It would receive the most attention.

 

Ah, now I see! Some projects may come forward in a few years or so (not including Cincinnati streetcar which is 90% funded and near to a groundbreaking ceremony). These include:

 

... .... ....

>> Amtrak's Cardinal service (CHI-IND-CIN-WDC-NYC) could be expanded in 2011 from thrice weekly to daily trains.

...

Those are all I can think of right now.

 

Early studies from US HSR Assoc and SNCF had the CHI-INDY-CIN route as a key line... what are the chances of Hamilton county and Cincy as a region pushing this despite Kasich? (esp since line improvements would only be in one county, and whereas this could eventually be the key link to the East Coast Accela corridor)

Thinking about this in terms of politics, I think Kasich has almost backed himself into a corner with 3C. There's very little downside to him turning down the federal money. It's almost assured that the people who voted for him don't care for rail (certain urban conservatives excepted, of course), and he's been saying for months now that he'll cancel the 3C line if he's elected. If his core constituency doesn't care about rail and if he's been campaigning on it for so long, there's very little downside to turning down the federal money.

 

I think Kasich's only "out" is the freight railroads. Unfortunately, he's staked himself against finishing the environmental studies. If he allows those to finish, however, he could reasonably argue that the federal expenditure would, in fact, improve freight movement (as he mentioned in his letter to President Obama). From where I stand, I think the best bet to get a change of heart from Kasich isn't arguing the merits of 3C passenger service, but arguing the merits of freight rail as a result of 3C passenger rail. Of course, rejecting 3C money is a win-win for Kasich in the eyes of his base no matter how the money is spent, so I think the freight railroad "out" is a narrow opening indeed. In any case, I'll be writing to Kasich as a generally conservative young professional to let him know that part of my disinterest in staying in Ohio after receiving my masters is a result of his lack of vision for passenger rail.

^Losing 400m is a HUGE deal.

^Yeah, but I think roamingcroat is right.  Losing that 400 million is probably a badge of honor in the eyes of the hard core fiscal conservatives, anti-stimulus folks [never mind that it's going to be spent anyway] and this all may be forgotten quickly by a public who, by and large, is indifferent to rail, even if not against it.

Someone called me yesterday about organizing a pro-3C rally in Cincinnati.  When is the one going to be held in Columbus?

Holding a pro-3C rally in Columbus should involve multiple statewide organizations. I will propose it at our weekly meeting.

 

Early studies from US HSR Assoc and SNCF had the CHI-INDY-CIN route as a key line... what are the chances of Hamilton county and Cincy as a region pushing this despite Kasich? (esp since line improvements would only be in one county, and whereas this could eventually be the key link to the East Coast Accela corridor)

 

That's a possibility, just as chambers of commerce between Cleveland and Pittsburgh are working together for rail improvements there. But if they seek federal funds (and they probably will), the time required for the advanced planning and engineering means there won't be any trains running on those routes anytime soon.

 

Same deal with Akron Metro. They might be able to get categorical exclusions to conducting more detailed NEPA-compliant documentation if they aren't planning to acquire property using federal funds or build anything next to schools, hospitals, historic sites, wetlands, etc. etc.

Dayton-area citizens are getting involved....

 

http://www.wdtn.com/dpp/news/wdtn-community-fight-to-keep-railroad-plans?CMP=201011_emailshare

Feel free to use this! If you want a large version of this, go to AAO's website.

 

^ Do you have it in the code where one can inset it into their website?

Yes. Right-click on the image, select "properties" and copy and paste the code (http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb90/Peepersk/3C%20Corridor/Bumper-Sample_v1.gif) wherever you like.

 

OK, here's why conservative officials should support trains. Because their constituents do when trains are available to them. The writer is a Cleveland native...

 

Conservatives should like rail

By William S. Lind

 

Nov. 10, 2010

 

In several states, including Wisconsin, newly elected conservative governors are threatening to kill passenger train projects, returning federal money for those trains to Washington (where it will promptly go to some other state, not deficit reduction). Why?

 

Part of the reason is a pseudo-fact spit out by libertarian transit critics, namely "trains and other public transportation are subsidized while highways are not." The latest Federal Highway Administration numbers (for 2008) show that only 51% of highway costs are covered by user fees, including the gas tax, vehicle taxes and tolls.

 

At the same time, many passenger rail systems cover 50% or more of their operating expenses out of the fare box. The most recent Federal Transit Administration data (also for 2008) show that nationally, commuter rail (the closest parallel to Wisconsin's planned new trains) covered 50.3% of its operating costs from fares. In contrast, bus systems, which libertarian transit critics promote over trains, covered only 26.3% of their operating costs. Between highways and trains, it's a wash.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/107079873.html

Its interesting to see LaHood promote a facebook group page for NY state rail as showing of state support...

 

Ohioans should go to http://www.facebook.com/pages/All-Aboard-Ohio-The-Official-Page/131908532861?ref=ts&v=wall  to "like" All Aboard Ohio as fast as possible... maybe that will get the Secretary's attention.

 

IMO I think pressure from the mayors of the states and the local economies that would be benefiting from foreign investment in the line and car development and from ridership should be on the front lines right now fighting for their economic futures!

Trying to learn how to post here on UO. I wrote something that didn't show up. Sorry to be off topic.

 

Ok, I should have copied and pasted what I said. It was a detailed sort of essay about my thoughts on the 3C and Ohio.

 

Anyway, I have been checking in on UrbanOhio for about a year now, and have decided to join. I am from Columbiana, Ohio just south of Youngstown by the Pennsylvania border. I graduated highschool in 2009, and I went to Cleveland State University and was/am majoring in Urban Studies. They have a great program there. But as much as CSU was changing, the city of Cleveland didn't quite live up to my expectations. I cancelled my classes for my fall semester my sophmore year. Cleveland was lacking in vibrancy, and was a city that didn't seem to care where its fate lied, and adding on a negative population with a corrupt government didn't help me wanting to stay either. Don't worry, I will talk about the 3C. I am not trying to get off topic, it is just the 3C/Ohio is very important to me.

 

The 3C was an important project to me. As a young Ohioan in college who hopes to get into transportation planning down the road, this was a deal changer for Ohio in my opinion. I didn't vote so I shouldn't bi***. But I wanted Strickland to win in the worst way instead of this radical dictator Kasich. I am a registered voter in the state of Florida where I will be moving to in two weeks. I am moving to Florida because they are not afraid to get things done, plus I have family down there and my eyes on some schools that I want to go to. I know their economy is in the pits, and Orlando is about as fake of a city as you can get. Downtown Jacksonville and Tampa are more lame then Downtown Columbus, but their ever-expanding rail and high hopes for inner city development and transportation has recieved my attention.

 

I can't stand the ignorance and lack of insight most Ohioans have on new things. Rail, investment in the cities themselves instead of the suburbs, getting away from this manufacturing mentality (which I believe is extremely important to Ohio, but I live around Youngstown which unfortunately is all this area has.) I am tired of watching Cleveland decline while Pittsburgh does great things. I live right in the middle of both. The residence of Pittsburgh are trying, while it seems like the majority of Clevelanders have given up.

 

Strickland was bringing forth new ideas and ineciatives to Ohio in which nobody was standing up and doing before. He made it possible for young Ohioans in college to actually believe Ohio's future had bright spots. I fear for Ohio's future now with Kasich. I wanted to return to Ohio in 10-15 years being able to work in cities that had rail, sustanibility, impressive infrastructure, progressive city neighborhoods, and people who were excited about the places they lived in. I unfortunately don't see that happening in Ohio for a very, very long time.

 

I would have liked to of been able to ride a train from Cincinnati (a city that I really love) to Cleveland home to so many great cultural ammenities. But I can do that in Florida where they are taking their rail money and DOING SOMETHING WITH IT! I look at all the Ohioans that have moved to work somewhere else, taken the education they have recieved at our universities and taken it south or out west. So many in my family have done so, including my brother who moved to Hawaii last month. I wanted Strickland to stay in office and bring in the new jobs, ideas, positive attitudes, etc. He said it best.... "Ohio will be an island to itself." We will be now because so many more are putting their rail money to good use. Ohio which is already the most populated corridor in which our cities are not linked by rail.

 

Downtown Cleveland and Columbus are nice, but are dead after 5. I lived in CSU's Fenn Tower. My friends and I would go downtown in the evening to East Fourth, Barroom, Tower City, etc. Me being the urban studies major would pay attention to the lack of pedestrian traffic, wide streets and barely any density. I want to be in a city that offers those types of things.

 

With the current leadership in Ohio, I have given up faith on the 3C happening. I am starting to worry about the streetcars in Cincinnati. I fear many more jobs will be lost under Kasich's budget cuts, and Ohio will continue to fall behind so many other states. Ohio is home, but I plan on making somewhere else home. A place that WANTS to get things done. It pains me to talk about Ohio like this. I stick up for Ohio any chance I get, but it really is getting harder to. Ohio built a lot of this country, and it is wrong the path that so many have let it take. Home to 11.5 million great people, this state deserves better leadership.

 

I will always be a Buckeye....

Maybe next time you'll vote with your hands rather than your feet.

You're upset enough to leave, but indifferent enough to not vote...WTF?

You're upset enough to leave, but indifferent enough to not vote...WTF?

 

I am a registered voter in Florida, I couldn't vote in Ohio. Registering to vote in Florida is part of the residence establishment process.  Like I said, I didn't vote so I shouldn't complain.  I am not trying to make this off as a complaint.  I am just tired of seeing leaders like Kasich go into office, when voters get rid of Strickland because they think he has failed.  That has been the story in Ohio for a long time.  I want to see politicians that come forth that bring in new ideas, and not stick to the old way of doing things.  That way of doing things has not done much good for Ohio since the 70s.  It was easy for Kasich to make his ads that said Strickland lost 400,000 jobs.  That is all I heard from Kasich.  Yet Strickland was doing a lot more than a lot of Ohioans ever even gave him credit for.  It was easy for them to see that 400,000 and get upset.  It is just like the 3C.  It is easy for Ohioans to hate it because we don't have that here.  It is easy for them to see that it will start out slower, and think it won't be successful.  Ohioans aren't very well educated on trains. 

Ohioan's voted no on issue 9. Which meant we wanted rail.

Article published November 11, 2010

Railroad job

Toledo Blade Editorial

 

UNTIL the suffix is removed from Gov.-elect John Kasich's title, Ted Strickland remains Ohio's chief executive. The public pressure Mr. Kasich is exerting on Mr. Strickland to halt spending on studies of a modern passenger rail system in the state is neither helpful nor justified.

 

Killing the 3C system that would link Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati, and points in between, was one of Mr. Kasich's most explicit campaign promises. When he takes office Jan. 10, the governor-elect can be expected to follow through.

 

Full editorial at:  http://toledoblade.com/article/20101111/OPINION02/11100402

Currently sitting in the parking lot that is I71 in the middle of nowhere south of Mansfield (don't worry I'm not driving).  Yeah, we don't need alternative ways to travel between our cities. :roll: