FWIW, this week's Crain's had an editorial saying this was a good idea.

 

We view as positive a meeting last month between U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and members of Congress from northern Ohio to discuss the idea of developing a high-speed rail line along Lake Erie. It is more sensible to explore the prospect for this route than the ditched 3C because of the potential of the east-west line becoming part of a high-speed, coast-to-coast transportation system.

 

http://crainscleveland.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110307/SUB1/303079989/1074/

 

 

Fear

FWIW, this week's Crain's had an editorial saying this was a good idea.

 

We view as positive a meeting last month between U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and members of Congress from northern Ohio to discuss the idea of developing a high-speed rail line along Lake Erie. It is more sensible to explore the prospect for this route than the ditched 3C because of the potential of the east-west line becoming part of a high-speed, coast-to-coast transportation system.

 

http://crainscleveland.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110307/SUB1/303079989/1074/

 

 

This from a news journal that doesn't seem to understand that a fully developed 3C passenger rail corridor would have fed several hundred thousand passengers annually into these east-west routes they suddenly now favor.

FWIW, this week's Crain's had an editorial saying this was a good idea.

 

We view as positive a meeting last month between U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and members of Congress from northern Ohio to discuss the idea of developing a high-speed rail line along Lake Erie. It is more sensible to explore the prospect for this route than the ditched 3C because of the potential of the east-west line becoming part of a high-speed, coast-to-coast transportation system.

 

http://crainscleveland.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110307/SUB1/303079989/1074/

 

 

This from a news journal that doesn't seem to understand that a fully developed 3C passenger rail corridor would have fed several hundred thousand passengers annually into these east-west routes they suddenly now favor.

 

Mind boggling. But far too many don't believe Ohio has what it takes to support a rail line on its own. When it's linked to Chicago and the East Coast, however, then apparently this umbilical cord can sustain our trains.

Facts, logic, and reason also only get you so far.

 

"The thermostat is set at 68" is a fact.

 

"It's roasting in here," "it's freezing in here," and "it feels good in here" are all judgment calls, not facts.

 

"Turn the thermostat down," "turn the thermostat up," and "leave it alone" are all policy decisions flowing from judgment calls about the facts, not the facts themselves.

Okay....enough with the arguments over semantics.  Either post something that is relevant to the thread or take the "word play" to a private message.  Thank you.

Seems relevant to me, and interesting.

^Logically speaking, it reasons to stand that the fact is this argument is neither relevant nor interesting.

I have not kept up with this, and I tried reading the last few pages to get this answer, but I could not find it.

 

Question:  Is there any plan / possiblitiy of slow speed rail connecting the 3Cs, or CYP?

There is a plan for 3C, but it has been shelved by everyone's favorite governor. The plan is still there, and could be picked up or modified at a later date.

The original 3C was for high or at least higher speed rail, right? 

Is there any plan on using existing infrastructure to start a passenger train route between the cities now?

The original 3C was for high or at least higher speed rail, right? 

Is there any plan on using existing infrastructure to start a passenger train route between the cities now?

 

The 3C plan was for conventional speed (79 MPH) passenger service with the intent of using that as the basis for future higher speed service.

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.

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. 

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.

 

The cost to upgrade existing ROW to higher-speed rail is significantly greater than the cost to implement conventional speeds. I think it was apparent in the campaign and afterward that Kasich is ideologically opposed to intercity passenger rail, and I'm convinced that if a plan had been presented for higher-speed trains, he would have based his attack on the cost.

 

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?

Yes.

 

It could be as simple as painting a clear picture of how we get beyond "conventional" after we build it as such. 

I think the only solution is to make partnerships between municipalities and perhaps add private entities into the mix.

 

The only other way I see is to greatly lower the actual costs of building the infrastructure, which seems unlikely. (This could also be complementary with the first solution.)

T

The original 3C was for high or at least higher speed rail, right? 

Is there any plan on using existing infrastructure to start a passenger train route between the cities now?

 

The 3C plan was for conventional speed (79 MPH) passenger service with the intent of using that as the basis for future higher speed service.

 

Thanks noozer

It's also posted at youtube.......

 

 

March 10, 2011

The End of the Old Oil Order

By  Nicole Schlosser

 

It seems that the era of cheap oil has ended. As events over the past few weeks have made clear, we all need to either resign ourselves to paying significantly higher prices to fuel our cars, or switch, at least occasionally, to alternative transportation, including biking, walking, taking the bus or rail.

 

There’s finally more acceptance of this as a reality. It’s even leaching into entertainment, with younger actors in an AMC serial drama portraying an older era, being proponents of high-speed rail and walking the walk by taking public transportation to work, despite being able to afford other options. Two lead actors from the hit television show "Mad Men" throw their support behind high-speed rail in a humorous new online video posted Wednesday on Funnyordie.com.

 

The actors and U.S. PIRG, a national advocacy organization, developed the video in conjunction with the popular online video site as a way to reach new audiences and build excitement for high-speed rail projects around the country.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.metro-magazine.com/Blog/Transit-Dispatches/Story/2011/03/What-s-old-is-new-again.aspx?ref=TransitDispatches-20110311

FWIW, this week's Crain's had an editorial saying this was a good idea.

 

We view as positive a meeting last month between U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and members of Congress from northern Ohio to discuss the idea of developing a high-speed rail line along Lake Erie. It is more sensible to explore the prospect for this route than the ditched 3C because of the potential of the east-west line becoming part of a high-speed, coast-to-coast transportation system.

 

http://crainscleveland.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110307/SUB1/303079989/1074/

 

 

This from a news journal that doesn't seem to understand that a fully developed 3C passenger rail corridor would have fed several hundred thousand passengers annually into these east-west routes they suddenly now favor.

 

Mind boggling. But far too many don't believe Ohio has what it takes to support a rail line on its own. When it's linked to Chicago and the East Coast, however, then apparently this umbilical cord can sustain our trains.

 

"We take the support wherever we find it" should be our motto. If we do get something going in northern Ohio, that will show the rest of the stat that pasenger trains will work there, too.

I really doubt that people in Cincinnati or Columbus would consider taking a train NE to Cleveland if their destination was Chicago.  That's not remotely competitive with driving there.  Airlines can get away with this sort of thing only because they go 500 mph. 

 

But I agree that establishing marketable service along the northern route would help sell the 3C concept.

I really doubt that people in Cincinnati or Columbus would consider taking a train NE to Cleveland if their destination was Chicago.  That's not remotely competitive with driving there.  Airlines can get away with this sort of thing only because they go 500 mph. 

 

But I agree that establishing marketable service along the northern route would help sell the 3C concept.

 

You're right that few would go from Columbus to Cleveland to catch a train for Chicago. It's just not in their line of travel. Going the opposite way---Columbus-Cleveland-Buffalo-New York for example---is an entirely different proposition. 3C would feed a lot of passengers connecting to/from trains to the east.

Milwaukee Biz Blog

Walker’s great train robbery sticks us with a $60 million bill

Posted on March 15, 2011 11:14 AM

By Steve Hiniker

 

Last December (seems like years ago today) thousands of protesters decried then Governor-elect Walker’s decision to reject $810 million in federal dollars to construct a high-speed rail system in Wisconsin that would link Madison to Milwaukee and Chicago.

 

Protests were held not just in Madison and Milwaukee but in smaller towns like Waterloo that would gain economically from the rail investment. Among the suspect reasons that Mr. Walker gave for rejecting the aid was that the state couldn’t afford the annual operating costs of the federal gift.

 

The amount that the state “couldn’t afford” came to about $600,000 a year after federal matching subsidies. So the state ended up losing nearly a billion dollars of federal aid, thousands of engineering and construction jobs, a newly located train manufacturer in Milwaukee and countless dollars and jobs that would have occurred as a result of transit oriented development.

 

Read more at: http://www.biztimes.com/blogs/milwaukee-biz-blog/2011/3/15/walkers-great-train-robbery-sticks-us-with-a-60-million-bill

 

A Columbusite might drive to Toledo or Fort Wayne to take a train into Chicago - though Chicago is car-friendly enough that I doubt many would do that in the way folks do that along the east coast (park in New Haven or Jersey and take the train to NYC).

Chicago is car-friendly?

The most relevant portion of that article?

 

Now, Governor Walker is making the first payment due because of that rejection. His proposed 2011-2013 budget allocates $60 million for making the improvements to the train tracks that would have been paid for with the federal gift of $810 million for high-speed rail.

 

....That $60 million could have paid for the operating costs of the system for the next 100 years.

 

I sure hope Wisconsin residents remember that at election/recall time. What a thoroughly incompetent hypocritical moron.

A Columbusite might drive to Toledo or Fort Wayne to take a train into Chicago - though Chicago is car-friendly enough that I doubt many would do that in the way folks do that along the east coast (park in New Haven or Jersey and take the train to NYC).

 

Some might. I suspect that the vast majority would fly Southwest to Midway and catch the CTA Orange line downtown or would ride Megabus, even if it's 7-8 hours. You can also drive to South Bend and catch the South Shore into Chitown.

 

There's really no substitute for direct Columbus-Chicago service. That's why the Columbus Chamber of Commerce wanted train service to Chicago instead of 3C. Chicago is the center of activity for the entire Midwest. Unfortunately, it'll be a long time before that happens, given the bias against trains by Gov Kasich.

 

Oh, and Chicago is definitely NOT car-friendly! Parking in downtown can run up to $40/day. You're better off leaving the car at home.

Last I checked "Chicago" is more than the Loop. If you are visiting family in Evanston or Napierville or wherever, you've got to have a car. Sure if you are going into the Loop, Chicago sucks for cars, but you don't have to get far outside of the Loop before it becomes a car-dominant city.

Last I checked "Chicago" is more than the Loop. If you are visiting family in Evanston or Napierville or wherever, you've got to have a car. Sure if you are going into the Loop, Chicago sucks for cars, but you don't have to get far outside of the Loop before it becomes a car-dominant city.

 

Sure, if you're visiting family in Napierville, a car will do.  However, if you're going to Chicago for business or pleasure, you're most likely going to Chicago proper (not necessarily the Loop), and you most certainly would do well not to take your car.

A Columbusite might drive to Toledo or Fort Wayne to take a train into Chicago - though Chicago is car-friendly enough that I doubt many would do that in the way folks do that along the east coast (park in New Haven or Jersey and take the train to NYC).

 

It probably will be a quite a while before there will be trains from Fort Wayne to anywhere, if Governor Mitch Daniels has his way. He has steadfastly refused efforts by NIPRA and Indiana HSR to get Indiana on board for allocation of some of the federal funds declined by other states, or to endorse or support any efforts toward HSR in Indiana. Until significant changes take place, Chicago-bound Columbusites would be well advised to board Amtrak at Toledo, rather than driving to South Bend. Toledo is a much shorter drive, and the only advantages offered by South Shore are cheaper fares and more frequent trains that run on time. The older South Shore single-level cars are uncomfortable for that 2:20 ride; the seats are too firm, the seatbacks make you sit straight up and they don't recline, and the ride is rough and noisy compared with Amtrak.

Last I checked "Chicago" is more than the Loop. If you are visiting family in Evanston or Napierville or wherever, you've got to have a car. Sure if you are going into the Loop, Chicago sucks for cars, but you don't have to get far outside of the Loop before it becomes a car-dominant city.

 

Thanks for your wisdom. Of course Chicago is more than just the Loop, but even there you have a lot of Metra service that makes it easy get around. A car is not a necessity in a lot of places.

Weren't the applications for new projects due this week?  Anyone know of any midwest projects applied?

Last Updated: April 06. 2011 8:22PM

Michigan among states vying for $2.4B for high-speed rail

David Shepardson / Detroit News Washington

 

Washington— Michigan and 23 other states have submitted applications totaling nearly $10 billion for high-speed rail funding after Florida returned money it was allocated.

 

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder's office said the state sought more than $200 million for four projects, including $196.5 million for a program to complete a "corridor enhancement program over the next three years between Kalamazoo and Dearborn" and would allow trains to travel up to 110 mph in that stretch.

 

Tim Hoeffner, MDOT administrator of high-speed rail and innovative projects advancement, said the improvement could be completed by the end of 2013 and shave 50 minutes off the Detroit-Chicago train trip — reducing it to about four hours.

 

...The state is one of four states jointly seeking $366.7 million to buy trains for use in Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin and Missouri to buy 31 locomotives and 100 coaches.

 

The award would replace train equipment on all three Michigan Amtrak lines — the Blue Water, Pere Marquette and Wolverine. If successful, Michigan would get 13 locomotives and 37 coaches.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://detnews.com/article/20110406/POLITICS03/104060409/Michigan-among-states-vying-for-$2.4B-for-high-speed-rail#ixzz1IqARjU2P

More details on the Illinois application......

 

 

Four applications:

 

1. Multi-state application in conjunction with Wisconsin, Michigan and Missouri for next generation equipment pool.

    $806,845,000

2. Preliminary Engineering & Project NEPA for Metro St Louis Area Station

    $800,000

3. Chicago-St Louis Corridor Supplement SDP. Sidings, second mainline extension, track reconstruction (Joliet-Wilmington-Dwight), PTC installation and highway grade crossing improvements

    $186,380,000

4. Chicago-St Louis Corridor Supplement FDC. Sidings and  mainline extension Joliet-Dwight, PTC installation Joliet-Dwight, highway grade crossing improvements, ROD study and program management and construction administration

    $186,370,000

Total requested:

    $1,180,395,000

 

The last two applications were almost 3000 pages.

These posts should be on the "what other states are doing" thread, if they aren't already. Good stuff here.

It’s official: Ohio and Wisconsin high-speed-rail funding coming to Washington

Published on Fri, Apr 8, 2011

by Melanie Coon, WSDOT Media Relations Manager

 

OLYMPIA – Federal and state officials signed documents Thursday that guarantee Washington state will get $145 million in high-speed-rail funding originally intended for Ohio and Wisconsin.  Washington was initially awarded this portion of federal funding in late 2010 when the U.S. Department of Transportation redirected money returned by governors in Ohio and Wisconsin.

 

Thursday’s signatures by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) allow project teams to move forward and start work on improving and expanding Amtrak Cascades service in Washington.

 

The $145 million adds to $590 million already obligated by the FRA, bringing Washington state’s total to approximately $735 million in American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) high-speed-rail funding. On April 4, WSDOT submitted an application for a $120 million portion of funds returned by Florida.

 

Read more at: http://www.lakestevensjournal.com/county-state/article.exm/2011-04-08_it_s_official__ohio_and_wisconsin_high_speed_rail_funding_coming_to_washington

If John Kasich really understood how to make Ohio "cool" for young people, he wouldn't have canceled the 3C project (or the Cincy streetcar funding):

 

Ohio Gov. Kasich wants state to be ‘cool,’ fails to get what that means

http://www.grist.org/transportation/2011-04-14-ohio-gov.-john-kasich-says-he-wants-state-to-be-cool-fails

Editorial

How Not to Plan for the Future

Published: April 20, 2011

New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/21/opinion/21thu1.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

 

The agreement between Congress and the White House to virtually eliminate money for high-speed rail is harebrained. France, China, Brazil, even Russia, understand that high-speed rail is central to future development. Not Washington

.

The budget package eliminated about $1 billion that President Obama had wanted to add to the current budget, and it rescinded $400 million of $2.4 billion that was already designated for high-speed rail this year.

 

That money was supposed to go to Florida, but it’s now up for grabs after Gov. Rick Scott mindlessly rejected a plan to build the first high-speed rail corridor between Orlando and Tampa. Despite the vast support of business, Governor Scott claimed it would be too costly for the state government. It turns out that a lot of other governors — including 11 of Mr. Scott’s Republican colleagues — would love that money.

 

Read more at the above link:

Midwest bullet train network to cost $83.6 billion, study says

But the potential benefits from a 220-mph system are far greater than those from a cheaper one, report adds

By Jon Hilkevitch, Tribune reporter

8:34 p.m. CDT, April 27, 2011

 

 

A Midwest network of bullet trains that could travel at 220 mph and higher would cost $83.6 billion, but the benefits would be far greater than those from a less expensive system of trains topping out at 150 mph, according to a study to be released on Thursday.

 

The study, commissioned by the Midwest High Speed Rail Association and Siemens Corp., argues that going slower than 220 mph makes little sense, both in terms of construction costs and the ability to deliver passengers to their destinations quickly.

 

Building a passenger rail network topping out at 150 mph, which is still faster than the 110-mph maximum speed in the current high-speed rail plans for Illinois and nearby states, would cost $74.7 billion, according to the study, prepared by the Economic Development Research Group Inc. and AECOM, which designs transportation systems.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.wgntv.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-bullet-train-costs-0428-20110427,0,2230452.story

I can't bring myself to read plans like this anymore- they just depress me.  Actually, seeing that headline reminded me of what you recently said in another thread, KJP...

 

My point is, if you don't have the money or a promise of money, don't waste time creating the plan. I know that plans are needed to shake money loose, but I get tired of plans being released when there's no "juice" (aka: pledge or big-money sponsor) behind them.

I guess I'm hoping a plan like this shakes some more money loose, and that is the intention of the study's sponsor. So since a private company (Siemens) paid for the study, I'm not too upset that the study was conducted.

President Obama’s Transportation Bill Prioritizes Livability, High-Speed Rail by Tanya Snyder on May 4, 2011

 

A draft of the president’s full transportation bill [PDF], obtained by the semi-underground Transportation Weekly, has started floating around Beltway policy circles. This draft is more informative than the partial bill that started making the rounds last week, but it’s still undated and it’s not necessarily the final proposal.

 

The draft bill closely follows the outline presented by the White House in February, apparently unaffected by the raging budget battles that have consumed Congress since then. Although high-speed rail was completely de-funded in the last budget battle, the president’s bill still provides $53 billion over six years to the program, with $37.6 billion of it for network development and the rest for system preservation and renewal. The proposal also sticks to the language of a “transportation trust fund” rather than a “highway trust fund.”

 

An accompanying section-by-section analysis [PDF] explains the new Livability Program (one of the five areas the entire transportation program would be folded into). It would consist of three program components, according to the analysis:

 

Read more at: http://dc.streetsblog.org/2011/05/04/president-obamas-transportation-bill-prioritizes-livability-high-speed-rail/

U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Announces $2 Billion for High-Speed Intercity Rail Projects to Grow Jobs, Boost U.S. Manufacturing and Transform Travel in America

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

  U.S.Department of Transportation

Office of Public Affairs

Washington, D.C.

www.dot.gov/affairs/briefing.htm

News

 

 

Unprecedented Investment in the Northeast Corridor, Expanded Service in the Midwest and New, State-of-the-Art Rail Equipment Top List of Rail Dollar Recipients

 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced $2 billion in high-speed rail awards providing an unprecedented investment to speed up trains in the Northeast Corridor, expand service in the Midwest and provide new, state-of-the-art locomotives and rail cars as part of the Administration’s plan to transform travel in America.

 

Twenty-four states, the District of Columbia and Amtrak submitted nearly 100 applications, competing to be part of an historic investment that will create tens of thousands of jobs, improve mobility and stimulate American manufacturing.

 

"Earlier this year, President Obama and I made a commitment to improve and expand America's transportation system, including the development of a modern, national high-speed rail network," said Vice President Biden. "And today, we’re announcing investments that will continue our progress toward making this vision a reality. These projects will put thousands of Americans to work, save hundreds of thousands of hours for American travelers every year, and boost U.S. manufacturing by investing hundreds of millions of dollars in next-generation, American-made locomotives and railcars."

 

“President Obama and Vice President Biden’s vision for a national rail system will help ensure America is equipped to win the future with the fastest, safest and most efficient transportation network in the world,” said Secretary LaHood. “The investments we’re making today will help states across the country create jobs, spur economic development and boost manufacturing in their communities.”

 

Broadcast quality video and audio of Secretary LaHood discussing today's high-speed rail announcement is available for download via the following links:

 

Video: https://dotmediacenter.onehub.com/d/j1vz/

 

Audio: https://dotmediacenter.onehub.com/d/977o/

 

The Department’s Federal Railroad Administration selected 15 states and Amtrak to receive $2.02 billion for 22 high-speed intercity passenger rail projects as part of a nationwide network that will connect 80 percent of Americans to high-speed rail in 25 years. The dedicated rail dollars will:

 

Make an unprecedented investment in the Northeast Corridor (NEC), with $795 million to upgrade some of the most heavily-used sections of the corridor. The investments will increase speeds from 135 to 160 miles per hour on critical segments, improve on-time performance and add more seats for passengers.

Provide $404.1 million to expand high-speed rail service in the Midwest. Newly constructed segments of 110-mph track between Detroit and Chicago will save passengers 30 minutes in travel time and create nearly 1,000 new jobs in the construction phase. Upgrades to the Chicago to St. Louis corridor will shave time off the trip, enhance safety and improve ridership.

 

Boost U.S. manufacturing through a $336.2 million investment in state-of-the-art locomotives and rail cars for California and the Midwest. “Next Generation” rail equipment will deliver safe, reliable and high-tech American-built vehicles for passenger travel.

Continue laying the groundwork for the nation’s first 220-mph high-speed rail system in California through a $300 million investment, extending the current 110 mile segment an additional 20 miles to advance completion of the Central Valley project, the backbone of the Los Angeles to San Francisco corridor.

Nearly 100 percent of the $2.02 billion announced today will go directly to construction of rail projects, bringing expanded and improved high-speed intercity passenger rail service to cities in all parts of the country. Thirty-two states across the U.S. and the District of Columbia are currently laying the foundation for high-speed rail corridors to link Americans with faster and more energy-efficient travel options.

 

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) and annual appropriations have, to date, provided $10.1 billion to put America on track towards providing rail access to new communities and improving the reliability, speed and frequency of existing lines. Of that, approximately $5.8 billion dollars has already been obligated for rail projects.

 

A strict “Buy America” requirement for high-speed rail projects ensures that U.S. manufacturers and workers will receive the maximum economic benefits from this federal investment. In 2009, Secretary LaHood secured a commitment from 30 foreign and domestic rail manufacturers to employ American workers and locate or expand their base of operations in the U.S. if they are selected for high-speed-rail contracts.

 

Rail project highlights include:

 

NORTHEAST CORRIDOR (NEC)

 

Amtrak – NEC Power, Signal, Track, Catenary Improvements – $450 million to boost capacity, reliability, and speed in one of the most heavily-traveled sections of the Northeast Corridor, creating a 24-mile segment of track capable of supporting train speeds up to 160-mph.

 

Maryland – NEC Bridge Replacement – $22 million for engineering and environmental work to replace the century-old Susquehanna River Bridge, which currently causes frequent delays for commuters due to the high volume of critical maintenance.

 

New York – NEC Harold Interlocking Amtrak Bypass Routes – $295 million to alleviate major delays for trains coming in and out of Manhattan with new routes that allow Amtrak trains to bypass the busiest passenger rail junction in the nation.

 

Rhode Island – NEC Kingston Track, Platform Improvements – $25 million for design and construction of an additional 1.5 miles of third track in Kingston, RI, so high-speed trains operating at speeds up to 150-mph can pass trains on a high-volume section of the Northeast Corridor.

 

 

Rhode Island – NEC Providence Station Improvements – $3 million for preliminary engineering and environmental work to renovate the Providence Station. These upgrades will enhance the passenger experience, keep the station in good working order and improve transit and pedestrian connectivity.

 

NORTHEASTERN REGION

 

Connecticut – New Haven to Springfield Track Construction – $30 million to complete double-track segments on the corridor, bringing added intercity rail service to a route that plays an important role in the region, connecting communities in Connecticut and Massachusetts to the NEC, as well as Vermont.

 

Massachusetts/Maine – Downeaster Track Improvements – $20.8 million to construct a 10.4-mile section of double track between Wilmington and Andover, MA. Track upgrades will increase schedule performance and dependability for passengers traveling on the Northern New England Downeaster corridor.

 

New York – Empire Corridor Capacity Improvements – $58 million to construct upgrades to tracks, stations and signals, improving rail operations along the Empire Corridor. This includes replacement of the Schenectady Station and construction of a fourth station track at the Albany - Rensselaer Station, one of the corridor’s most significant bottlenecks.

 

New York – Rochester Station and Track Improvements – $1.4 million for a preliminary engineering and environmental analysis for a new Rochester Intermodal Station on the Empire Corridor, connecting passengers with additional transit and pedestrian options.

 

 

 

Pennsylvania – Keystone Corridor Interlocking Improvements – $40 million to rebuild an interlocking near Harrisburg on the Keystone Corridor, saving travelers time and improving passenger train schedule reliability.

 

REGIONAL EQUIPMENT POOLS

 

Next Generation Passenger Rail Equipment Purchase – This state-of-the-art rail equipment will provide safe and reliable American-built vehicles for passenger travel, while boosting the U.S. manufacturing industry.

 

Midwest Corridors – $268.2 million to purchase 48 high-performance passenger rail cars and 7 quick-acceleration locomotives for 8 corridors in the Midwestern States: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, and Missouri.

California Corridors – $68 million to acquire 15 high-performance passenger rail cars and 4 quick-acceleration locomotives for the Pacific Surfliner, San Joaquin, and Capitol Corridors in California.

 

MIDWESTERN REGION

 

Illinois – Chicago - St. Louis Corridor – $186.3 million to construct upgrades on the Chicago - St. Louis Corridor between Dwight and Joliet, IL with trains operating at 110 mph for more than 220 miles of track. This investment will reduce trip times, enhance safety and add more seats on the corridor, increasing the number of people who can conveniently travel by train.

 

Michigan – Kalamazoo-Dearborn Service Development – $196.5 million to rehabilitate track and signal systems, bringing trains up to speeds of 110 mph on a 235-mile section of the Chicago to Detroit corridor, reducing trip times by 30 minutes.

 

Michigan – Ann Arbor Station Project – $2.8 million for an engineering and environmental analysis to construct a new high-speed rail station in Ann Arbor, MI, that will better serve passengers and allow more than one train to serve the station simultaneously.

 

Minnesota – Northern Lights Express – $5 million to complete engineering and environmental work for establishing the Northern Lights Express – a high-speed intercity passenger service – connecting Minneapolis to Duluth, with 110-mph high-speed rail service.

 

 

Missouri – Merchant’s Bridge Replacement – $13.5 million to advance the design of a new bridge over the Mississippi River on the Chicago to St. Louis Corridor, replacing a bridge built in the 1890s.

 

SOUTHERN REGION

 

North Carolina – Charlotte to Richmond Service Enhancement – $4 million for environmental analysis on the Richmond to Raleigh section of the Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor (SEHSR). This advances the goal of extending high-speed rail service on the NEC into the southeast, with 110-mph capable service.

 

Texas – Dallas/Fort Worth to Houston Core Express Service – $15 million for engineering and environmental work to develop a high-speed rail corridor linking two of the largest metro areas in the U.S., Dallas/Fort Worth to Houston.

 

CALIFORNIA AND NORTHWEST REGION

 

California – Central Valley Construction Project Extension – $300 million for a 20-mile extension along the Central Valley Corridor. This will continue to advance one of the highest priority projects in the nation that will ultimately provide 220 mph high-speed rail service from Los Angeles to San Francisco. The work funded in this round will extend the track and civil work from Fresno to the “Wye” junction, which will provide a connection to San Jose to the West and Merced to the North.

 

Oregon – Eugene Station Stub Tracks – $1.5 million for analysis of overnight parking tracks for passenger trains on the southern end of the Pacific Northwest Corridor, adding new capacity for increased passenger and freight rail service.

 

Washington – Port of Vancouver Grade Separation – $15 million to eliminate a congested intersection and bottleneck between freight and passenger tracks. By elevating one set of tracks over the other, travel along the Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor will experience reduced delays and passenger trains will not have to wait for crossing freight traffic.

 

####

..

Another $2 Billion In High Speed Rail Awards Announced: $0 And 0 New Jobs For Ohio

By Dave on May 9, 2011 5:40 PM

 

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced $2 billion in high-speed rail awards today providing an unprecedented investment to speed up trains in the Northeast Corridor, expand service in the Midwest and provide new, state-of-the-art locomotives and rail cars as part of the Administration's plan to transform travel in America.

 

Twenty-four states, the District of Columbia and Amtrak submitted nearly 100 applications, competing to be part of an historic investment that will create tens of thousands of jobs, improve mobility and stimulate American manufacturing, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.progressohio.org/blog/2011/05/another-2-billion-in-high-speed-rail-awards-announced-0-and-0-new-jobs-for-ohio.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook

Lol.  Wisconsin got nothing as well.  Hmmm....  I wonder why?

Wisconsin will probably benefit from the Midwest equipment pool.

May 9, 2011

The Rejected Windfall

NY Times Editorial

 

 

After Gov. Rick Scott of Florida thoughtlessly rejected $2.4 billion in federal aid for a high-speed rail line, he claimed last month that he was doing a huge favor for the national Treasury, which he expected would give away the money in tax cuts. That was nonsense, of course; Mr. Scott was really doing a favor for train passengers in the Northeast, Midwest and California, which were given $2 billion of his money on Monday for better service.

 

Florida voters might want to think about that decision as they sit in traffic jams, burning up $4-a-gallon gasoline. In fact, some of them clearly have thought about it because Mr. Scott now has some of the worst approval ratings of a Florida official in the last decade.

 

He has joined other newly elected Republican governors so rigidly opposed to the Obama administration that they are willing to harm their states to score points. The result is a crazy quilt of state relationships with Washington, stitched more with ideology than reason.

 

Full editorial at: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/10/opinion/10tue1.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha211

Outstanding!

But wait!..... there's more....

 

Inquirer Editorial: All aboard

 

Philadelphians and other Northeast Corridor rail commuters may want to thank the tea-party movement for a speedier trip to New York.

Amtrak announced this week that it will receive a $450 million share of $2 billion in federal transportation money, and will use it to make improvements to tracks and signals in New Jersey.

 

That work will allow Acela trains to run at top speeds of up to 160 m.p.h. and cut about 10 minutes off of the current 65-minute ride between the two cities.

 

Read full editorial at: http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/121689739.html

But wait! Still more.....

 

Published: 5/15/2011

 

Michigan: All aboard

 

Michigan has made its share of transportation blunders in recent years. Last week, something went very right. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood came to Detroit and gave the state a $196.5 million check to improve rail service between Detroit and Chicago. “High-speed rail is coming to America,” Mr. LaHood said, “and nothing can stand in the way of it.”

 

Sadly, that isn’t quite true. Dithering politicians and people with ideological blinders on have worked to block this good idea. Michigan’s money became available because Florida’s Republican governor rejected $2.4 billion in high-speed rail funds.

 

Ohio Gov. John Kasich also has been shortsighted. He turned down $400 million in rail aid that advocates say would have created 16,000 jobs and generated investment of $3 billion in the state.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.toledoblade.com/Editorials/2011/05/15/Michigan-All-aboard.html