Amtrak considers expanding regional routes

Hiawatha, Empire Builder lines could see additional trips

By Lydia Mulvany of the Journal Sentinel

Aug. 18, 2013

 

Trains from Milwaukee to Chicago and St. Paul, Minn., may be faster and more frequent in the near future, as Amtrak and transportation departments in Wisconsin and neighboring states study the possibility of expanding service on regional routes.

 

Encouraged by ridership that has doubled over the past decade and standing-room-only conditions on some trains, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation has plans to add three express trains to the Hiawatha route, boosting the number of trips a day from seven to 10.

 

The express trains would skip local stops, serving only Union Station in Chicago, Mitchell International Airport and downtown Milwaukee, and reach a maximum speed of 90 miles per hour, compared with 79 mph now, decreasing travel times by 11 minutes.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/amtrak-considers-expanding-regional-routes-b9977124z1-220133441.html

Amtrak considers expanding regional routes

Hiawatha, Empire Builder lines could see additional trips

By Lydia Mulvany of the Journal Sentinel

Aug. 18, 2013

 

Trains from Milwaukee to Chicago and St. Paul, Minn., may be faster and more frequent in the near future, as Amtrak and transportation departments in Wisconsin and neighboring states study the possibility of expanding service on regional routes.

 

Encouraged by ridership that has doubled over the past decade and standing-room-only conditions on some trains, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation has plans to add three express trains to the Hiawatha route, boosting the number of trips a day from seven to 10.

 

The express trains would skip local stops, serving only Union Station in Chicago, Mitchell International Airport and downtown Milwaukee, and reach a maximum speed of 90 miles per hour, compared with 79 mph now, decreasing travel times by 11 minutes.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/amtrak-considers-expanding-regional-routes-b9977124z1-220133441.html

 

Wow this is a stunner. Not only is WI DOT planning 3 additional Hiawatha Express daily round trips but also add a 2nd daily round trip Empire Builder route that would terminate in St. Cloud, MN from Chicago making all of the stops.  Which means Chicago-Milwaukee would be served by a total of 12 daily round trips.

If you're interested in the future of passenger rail linking Chicago, Lafayette, Indianapolis and Cincinnati, follow today's meeting (now underway) at https://twitter.com/HSRail

 

If you see this thread after the meeting concludes, you can still use that Twitter feed to review what was said.

 

All Aboard Ohio is represented at this meeting by Treasurer Ken Clifford. All Aboard Ohio is providing the twitter updates which will appear on website via our live Twitter feed at http://allaboardohio.org/ or via our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/All-Aboard-Ohio-The-Official-Page/131908532861

Amtrak considers expanding regional routes

Hiawatha, Empire Builder lines could see additional trips

By Lydia Mulvany of the Journal Sentinel

Aug. 18, 2013

 

Trains from Milwaukee to Chicago and St. Paul, Minn., may be faster and more frequent in the near future, as Amtrak and transportation departments in Wisconsin and neighboring states study the possibility of expanding service on regional routes.

 

Encouraged by ridership that has doubled over the past decade and standing-room-only conditions on some trains, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation has plans to add three express trains to the Hiawatha route, boosting the number of trips a day from seven to 10.

 

The express trains would skip local stops, serving only Union Station in Chicago, Mitchell International Airport and downtown Milwaukee, and reach a maximum speed of 90 miles per hour, compared with 79 mph now, decreasing travel times by 11 minutes.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/amtrak-considers-expanding-regional-routes-b9977124z1-220133441.html

 

Wow this is a stunner. Not only is WI DOT planning 3 additional Hiawatha Express daily round trips but also add a 2nd daily round trip Empire Builder route that would terminate in St. Cloud, MN from Chicago making all of the stops.  Which means Chicago-Milwaukee would be served by a total of 12 daily round trips.

 

Quite a turnabout. What's next? Service to Madison <sarcasm> ?

Rail Matters ‏@RailMatters 1h

#Amtrak official confident Indiana partnership can help preserve Indy-Chicago train service.  http://indy.st/1f34VFa  #travel #passrail

Ohio: The pariah of passenger rail

August 28, 2013

 

From Sept. 22-25, 2013, the rail committee of the American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials will hold its national meeting in Columbus, OH. All Aboard Ohio is grateful the Standing Committee On Rail Transportation will meet here and share state-by-state progress reports. But one thing is a certain outcome of this meeting – none of its attendees will take the train to get here.

 

The reason? Columbus is the nation’s largest metro area without any regularly scheduled passenger rail service, be it Amtrak or light rail. But Ohio’s status as a passenger rail pariah goes even deeper and is getting worse while the rest of the nation is moving ahead with more and faster trains.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://allaboardohio.org/2013/08/28/ohio-the-pariah-of-passenger-rail/

Ohio: The pariah of passenger rail

August 28, 2013

 

From Sept. 22-25, 2013, the rail committee of the American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials will hold its national meeting in Columbus, OH. All Aboard Ohio is grateful the Standing Committee On Rail Transportation will meet here and share state-by-state progress reports. But one thing is a certain outcome of this meeting – none of its attendees will take the train to get here.

 

The reason? Columbus is the nation’s largest metro area without any regularly scheduled passenger rail service, be it Amtrak or light rail. But Ohio’s status as a passenger rail pariah goes even deeper and is getting worse while the rest of the nation is moving ahead with more and faster trains.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://allaboardohio.org/2013/08/28/ohio-the-pariah-of-passenger-rail/

 

Was the lack of rail access a part of their decision making process to bring the meeting there?  To call attention to the problem we call Ohio?

Was the lack of rail access a part of their decision making process to bring the meeting there?  To call attention to the problem we call Ohio?

 

I doubt they would be so bold, but I do not know why they chose Ohio.

For those wanting to follow the progress of efforts to save Amtrak's Hoosier State train service (important for getting daytime trains to Cincinnati)......

 

www.facebook.com/savethehoosierstate

Lots of 3C Corridor-related documents, including those that Gov. Kasich/ODOT Director Wray ordered removed from the Ohio Rail Development Commission website upon taking office in January 2011, are posted here:

 

http://allaboardohio.org/transportation-planning-library/3c-corridor-planning-documents/

BTW I had the thought a few weeks ago that if we had somebody else in governor's seat at present, part or even most of the Turnpike bonds could have been spent upgrading the 3c's line and activating branches to smaller cities.  The $440 million allocated for the zero-ROI Portsmouth bypass could have been spent much more wisely on a statewide project. 

BTW I had the thought a few weeks ago that if we had somebody else in governor's seat at present, part or even most of the Turnpike bonds could have been spent upgrading the 3c's line and activating branches to smaller cities.  The $440 million allocated for the zero-ROI Portsmouth bypass could have been spent much more wisely on a statewide project. 

 

I agree that the $440 million for the Portsmouth bypass could have been better spent on 3C, but it would never make it past the State Controlling Board. Remember this..... http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2010/04/ohio_democrats_go_ahead_with_v.html

 

Even if Strickland had won re-election, it is highly unlikely a 5-2 supermajority vote by the controlling board could have been mustered even with a Democratic-controlled Ohio House of Representatives and a GOP-controlled Ohio Senate. Of course, the numbers were less in passenger rail's favor after the 2010 election (irrespective of the governor's race) as the Ohio House fell to the GOP. The State Controlling Board is comprised of two majority party legislators and one minority party legislator each from the House and Senate, plus a governor's representative. FYI, a supermajority vote is required by state law only for passenger rail capital construction, while a simple 4-3 majority is required for highway projects.

 

The legislative districts in Ohio have been so gerrymandered in favor of the Republicans that we will have to get Republicans to support passenger rail again (not impossible, as they've unanimously supported it in the Ohio Senate and governor's office before. Until then I would forget about trying to get the state government to approve anything passenger rail related.

"@RailMatters: "The Hoosier State is an anomaly...It's hard to describe it" - #Amtrak official on Chicago-Indianapolis train. http://t.co/6yy459Y5r8"

I don't hear enough talk about Cincinnati in the Hoosier State discussion.

Understandably, the effort is focused on preserving the train at this point. When we save the train, then I think the focus will shift to a discussion on how to improve it.

Note this paragraph in an article in today's Dispatch......

 

Travel on the stretch of I-71 that runs through Ohio ranks 22nd in the country, with nearly 5.5 billion vehicle-miles traveled in 2011, according to federal transportation data. With 4.9 billion vehicle-miles traveled in 2011, I-75 through Ohio ranks 30th. In the Midwest, only I-94 through Michigan saw more traffic in 2011.

 

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2013/09/02/highway-funding-stalls-out.html

September 02. 2013 9:00AM

Amtrak service could be expanded in Wisconsin

 

In the end, Wisconsin may get higher-speed passenger rail after all.

 

Gov. Scott Walker rejected $810 million in federal funding for high-speed rail service between Milwaukee and Madison in 2010.

 

However, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation is involved in a pair of studies examining the feasibility of expanding existing Amtrak service in the state. The plans are in response to record Amtrak ridership in the state.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://biztimes.com/article/20130902/MAGAZINE03/308299999

 

EDIT:

More.... http://m.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/blog/2013/08/hiawatha-rail-upgrade-may-require-new.html?r=full

Understandably, the effort is focused on preserving the train at this point. When we save the train, then I think the focus will shift to a discussion on how to improve it.

 

Seems like adding a major destination could be a selling point for keeping the line and boosting ridership.

Seems like adding a major destination could be a selling point for keeping the line and boosting ridership.

 

It would. But the added operating costs from the longer route almost always exceed the revenue from added ridership. So it would likely dramatically increase operating subsidies above what Indiana is being asked to pay now ($3 million per year). INDOT is reluctant to take on that amount, let alone additional operating support. The online communities are trying to get INDOT to bite off a little bit at a time.

 

We have submitted the Cincinnati extension for consideration. More recently, we have proposed some other ideas that will hopefully improve the performance of the existing service. We'll see if they survive scrutiny.

We have submitted the Cincinnati extension for consideration. More recently, we have proposed some other ideas that will hopefully improve the performance of the existing service. We'll see if they survive scrutiny.

 

KJP where can I find documentation on this proposed extensions of Hoosier State to Cincy?

Here is All Aboard Ohio's phased improvement plan:

http://freepdfhosting.com/537ed3ee9f.pdf

 

Oh, and we also did this presentation on rail access to Chicago from each of the 3Cs:

http://freepdfhosting.com/2c790539ac.pdf

 

Here is the scope of what INDOT has asked the consultants to study:

http://freepdfhosting.com/dc34a53c05.pdf

 

BTW, Amtrak says if INDOT doesn't sign a contract with them in two weeks to keep the Hoosier State running, Amtrak has to discontinue the train. Amtrak's fiscal year is the same as the federal government's -- from Oct 1. to Sept. 30. Tick tock tick tock....

 

BTW, Amtrak says if INDOT doesn't sign a contract with them in two weeks to keep the Hoosier State running, Amtrak has to discontinue the train. Amtrak's fiscal year is the same as the federal government's -- from Oct 1. to Sept. 30. Tick tock tick tock....

 

Thank you for the links...

 

If the Hoosier is cancelled do you think Michigan will request the equipment for a 2nd Pere Marquette?  They are the same consist.

 

What is the protocol?

 

 

 

If the Hoosier is cancelled do you think Michigan will request the equipment for a 2nd Pere Marquette?  They are the same consist.

 

What is the protocol?

 

The Hoosier uses only two Horizon coach cars and no cafe, so it doesn't free up much. However, I see the Pere Marquette is running with Superliners again. So if anything, Amtrak may ask MDOT if it can replace the Superliners with Horizon cars so it can use the Superliner coaches on sold-out long-distance trains.

 

If MDOT wants a second daily round trip on the Pere Marquette, it would have to ask Amtrak to develop a service plan with a schedule, equipment and crew needs, host railroad needs, operating and capital costs, ridership and revenue estimates and subsidy needs. MDOT would then request the state assembly to include enough funding in its budget to fund the operating and capital costs necessary to add the second daily round trip.

Indiana mayors "confident" an INDOT solution can be had to preserve, improve @Amtrak #HoosierState service by October

 

http://www.jconline.com/article/20130911/NEWS02/309110046?source=nletter-top5

^ I don't know...at this late date the InDOT is just now presenting ideas for improved service.  It is all too disingenuous.  Indot Chief Woodruff is appeasing the current vocal local proponents but will soon be shrugging his shoulders and repeating well crafted statements that point the finger at "lack of local $$ support" , "lack of Federal support" "poor ridership"  but never taking any ownership of the lack of a long-term State or INDOT track investment program and a lack of long-term partnership agreements with host rr's.

I'm in favor of the MWRRI plan and HrSR in general, but this might be a lost cause.  Better to get rid of this whipping boy example of failure so the examples of success can be highlighted....Future DET-CHI and CHI-St.L. lines and current Hiawatha line CHI-Milw. 

 

BTW,, The article states that Indiana has 18 days for a decision.  Not true.  Amtrak will continue the Hoosier unitl Sept 30th.  But they want to know if the state will fund 2 weeks before that.  So Indy has to notify by Monday Sept 16th...4 days from now.  But at least INDOT has held some public forums and presented a plan (to the affected cities not to the public) and is now preparing their hand wringing speeches.

INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Driving Indiana’s Economic Growth

News Release

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 24, 2013

 

INDOT Begins Hoosier State Negotiations with Amtrak

 

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) announced it has begun contract negotiations with Amtrak over continuation of the Hoosier State passenger rail service, which operates four days per week between Indianapolis and Chicago.

 

In 2008, Congress voted to end federal support for Amtrak routes of less than 750 miles. Seven of the 19 states impacted have signed operating agreements as of Sept. 13. Amtrak has said that it would not terminate service with states holding good-faith contract negotiations by Oct. 1.

 

Governor Pence authorized INDOT to begin negotiations with local partners last week. INDOT has been having ongoing discussions with the communities that have stops along the Hoosier State passenger rail service. Mayors and other public officials expressed an interest in keeping the Hoosier State service operating and are making local funds available as part of the financing package.

 

“Governor Pence supports the joint local and state effort to continue this passenger rail service, but with the negotiations, there are still a number of hurdles to be cleared,” said INDOT Commissioner Karl Browning. “There’s common interest among state and local officials to ensure that the service is accountable for the tax dollars being invested.”

 

Communities that contribute funding would also be involved in overseeing performance of the service on a recurring basis. Specific contributions among all parties will not be known until negotiations with Amtrak conclude.

 

The estimate that Amtrak provided in May to keep the Hoosier State passenger rail service in operation is $2.963 million annually. Divided among each one-way passenger, this is approximately $80 in government support for each $24 ticket. Amtrak’s long-distance Cardinal service, which operates the remaining three days per week between Cincinnati and Chicago via Indianapolis, is not affected by this decision.

 

At the request of its partners in the legislature, INDOT has also funded a cost-benefit analysis of the existing service and four options Amtrak provided for improved frequency and departure times. INDOT will present the results before a joint study committee of the legislature on Thursday and make the draft study report available on its website at www.in.gov/indot/3200.htm.

 

--30--

 

MEDIA CONTACT: Will Wingfield, 317-233-4675 or [email protected]

Fixed the link. BTW, All Aboard Ohio wants to see this service preserved, then we will advocate for this service to be speeded up and extended to Cincinnati....

 

 

Improving Amtrak service would lower state subsidy, INDOT study finds

Sep. 26, 2013 

Written by Vic Ryckaert

 

A state study released Thursday offers ways Indiana can improve Amtrak’s Indianapolis-to-Chicago service while reducing the tax money needed to keep it running after federal funding ends next week.

 

The Indiana Department of Transportation study found that one option adding a second daily round-trip train could reduce Amtrak’s taxpayer subsidy from $2.9 million to $2.8 million.

 

In the past, the U.S. government footed the bill for the subsidy, but that ends Tuesday. Amtrak has committed to keeping the service going until mid-October.

 

.....INDOT spokesman Will Wingfield and Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari say the sides have been working on a deal that would save Amtrak’s daily service. Magliari described the negotiations as “positive and productive.”

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.indystar.com/article/20130926/LOCAL18/309260081/Improving-Amtrak-service-would-lower-state-subsidy-INDOT-study-finds?nclick_check=1

^ That link is broken.

 

Good news, though. Man, it would be awesome if Cincinnati could get multiple daily trains to Chicago.

In my best Walter Cronkite voice... "That's the news from the west of us in Indiana. And now let's go to that State Up North for the latest news from there"......

 

Additional graphics and info at:

http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/207/52/Amtrak-Michigan-2013-Improvement-Phase-2-ATK-13-107.pdf

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 26, 2013

 

TRACK IMPROVEMENT PROJECT MOVES WEST

FOR ACCELERATED MICHIGAN AMTRAK SERVICES

Modified schedules affect some weekday Wolverine trains

 

CHICAGO and LANSING -- The second of three Michigan track improvement phases for the 2013 construction season begins between Jackson and Battle Creek on Sept. 30. While the project will cause some delays and modified schedules, the result will be upgraded tracks and more reliable service for Amtrak Wolverine Service and Blue Water trains as part of the Accelerated Rail Program being carried out by Amtrak for the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT).

 

This phase of the project will largely take place west of Jackson to Battle Creek, Mondays through Thursdays, with the tracks open for all trains on regular schedules on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Trains 350 & 353 will terminate and originate in Battle Creek, rather than Pontiac, through Oct. 10. Alternate transportation for these trains will be provided in both directions as chartered buses between Pontiac and Battle Creek.

 

When all 2013 phases of the project are complete in November, more than 30 miles of new track and 130,000 new crossties will be installed by crews working ten-hour days.

 

“This track improvement work is an upgrade to the route owned by the state of Michigan,” said Tim Hoeffner, Director of MDOT’s Office of Rail.

“This work provides great benefits from more reliable track conditions and eliminates the need for similar track disruptions next year between Dearborn and Kalamazoo,” said Al Johnson, MDOT Rail Operations Manager.

 

MDOT is leading a three-state effort to improve the 300-mile corridor from Pontiac and Detroit across Michigan, through northwest Indiana and to Chicago. The result of these and future infrastructure improvements will allow Amtrak trains in mid-Michigan to operate at speeds up to 110 miles per hour, as they do now for 80 miles in southwestern Michigan and part of Indiana.

 

Michigan has the longest stretch of higher-speeds in the Midwest, with the Wolverine and Blue Water trains carrying Amtrak passengers at the highest speeds available outside the Northeast U.S.

 

A goal of the project is to reduce the end-to-end travel time between Detroit/Pontiac and Chicago by approximately two hours from the current 6 hours and 30 minutes. For more information, visit GreatLakesRail.org.

 

The attached Passenger Service Notice will be distributed on trains and at stations to explain the Monday-Thursday schedule changes and provide more information about possible delays. The track improvement work is supervised by an MDOT/Amtrak team and began earlier this month between Dearborn and Jackson.

 

Amtrak passengers can opt in when they make their round-trip or one-way reservations to be automatically notified when their trains are behind schedule due to construction work or for any other reason.

 

# # #

It will be interesting to find out if any of the geometry of the line will be changed with this latest round of work between Jackson and Battle Creek.  When Norfolk Southern took over this line after the breakup of Conrail, they lessened some of the super-elevation in the curves.  There has also been talk of taking some of the curvature out of some of the tighter spots since there is room where there used to be two tracks.  Every little bit helps when trying to trim transit times.

FYI.......

 

 

TOLEDO PASSENGER RAIL FORUM

Monday, Oct 7 11:00 am

Toledo Club

235 14th St.

Toledo, OH 43604

(419) 243-2200

 

Registration is $28 at http://passengerrailforum.eventbrite.com/ (If you cannot register online,  contact Diane Reamer-Evans, 419-241-9155 ext. 117, [email protected])

 

The Passenger Rail Forum brings together community and business leaders and rail advocates to consider issues and opportunities. This year's featured speaker:

John Robert Smith

Co-Chairman, Transportation for America

“Revitalizing Communities: The Power of Station Renovation”

 

Moderator: Tina Skeldon Wozniak, Commissioner, Lucas County

 

Opening Remarks: Tim Porter, Chair, NOPRA; Rick Harnish, Exec. Dir, Midwest High Speed Rail Association

 

Panel of Responders: Bill Thomas, CEO, Downtown Toledo Development Corporation; Jerry Wicks, PhD, Ohio Higher Education Rail Network (OHERN); and Paul Toth, President & CEO, Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority

 

Buffet luncheon included with registration

Free parking at the Toledo Club enter at 14th St. guard booth

Served by several bus routes: check www.tarta.com

 

See below for speaker bio.

 

> For assistance with registration, contact Diane Reamer-Evans, 419-241-9155 ext. 117, [email protected] . (Online registration is preferred [see link above], but you can also mail a form and check to NOPRA, PO Box 839, Toledo OH 43697 for the form, visit tmacog.org or e-mail Diane.)

 

John Robert Smith is co-chairman of T4America, a national coalition that focuses on strategies to create a safer, cleaner, and smarter transportation system. He is also senior policy advisor for Smart Growth America. He served four terms as mayor of Meridian, MS, and is the immediate past president and CEO of Reconnecting America, a national transit research and advocacy think-tank. He has served Amtrak as both chairman and as board member. He is a national leader in advising communities, developing research and innovative public policy, and building partnership to promote transit and economic development programs.

 

Mayor Smith was an early practitioner of transit-oriented development, having successfully renovated Meridian’s historic train station, a project that helped leverage millions in private-public investment that revitalized the downtown. That experience made him a passionate advocate for the power of station renovation projects to link transportation and community revitalization.

Wow. A few months ago, I never thought Indiana would come through. This press release announces a remarkable turn of events....

 

http://www.nuvo.net/indianapolis/indiana-achieves-amtrak-deal/Content?oid=2695776#.Ul2sa9KsigJ

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 15, 2013

 

Governor Pence Announces Agreement with Amtrak

Governor Commends Cities with Hoosier State Stops for Participation

 

INDIANAPOLIS - Governor Mike Pence announces that the state has reached an agreement in principle with Amtrak and local communities to keep the Hoosier State passenger rail service operating between Indianapolis and Chicago.

 

Once agreements are signed and executed by all parties, monthly payments will renew the existing service for one year with an option for an additional four months. Indianapolis, Crawfordsville, Rensselaer, Lafayette, West Lafayette, Tippecanoe County and Beech Grove are partnering with the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) to fund the service.

 

"I am pleased that the State of Indiana, in partnership with local communities, was able to reach an agreement with Amtrak to keep the Hoosier State line operating over the next year," said Governor Mike Pence. "This agreement will make Hoosier jobs more secure and preserve an important transportation link for Indiana. I am grateful for the leadership of the Indiana Department of Transportation and the generous support of many of the communities with stops along the Hoosier State line."

 

"At the Governor's direction, the agreement allows state and local partners to monitor ridership and explore service improvements to ensure long-term viability," said INDOT Commissioner Karl Browning. "The communities that are contributing funding will have a vested interest in improving performance and ensuring accountability for the tax dollars being invested."

 

Congress voted in 2008 to end federal support for Amtrak routes of less than 750 miles, which includes the Hoosier State service four days per week between Indianapolis and Chicago. Amtrak's long-distance Cardinal service will continue to be federally supported the remaining three days per week between Cincinnati and Chicago via Indianapolis.

 

More information about the Amtrak Hoosier State service, including a cost-benefit analysis of schedule and frequency options, is available at www.in.gov/indot/3200.htm.

I put this in here rather than in the Amtrak thread because of comments by Mayor Mallory at the end of the article........

 

Ridership, Revenue Continue to Grow for Resurgent Amtrak

BY RANDY A. SIMES ― OCTOBER 23, 2013

The growth of intercity passenger rail and bus continues. According to newly released data, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) recorded a record breaking year in terms of both ridership and revenue.

 

....Not all hope for Ohio, however, is lost. On National Train Day this past May, Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory (D) commended the work being done by Amtrak and called for enhanced service and operations out of Cincinnati’s Union Terminal.

 

“Passenger rail has to be part of a balanced multi-modal transportation system that I believe the federal government needs to play a huge role in in addition to states and local governments,” Mallory stated at Cincinnati’s National Train Day event on May 11. “Indiana has made a lot of progress as it relates to Amtrak…wouldn’t it be great to be able to jump on a train in Cincinnati, run to Indianapolis and then on to Chicago? I want Cincinnati to be a part of that line.”

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.urbancincy.com/2013/10/ridership-revenue-continue-to-grow-for-resurgent-amtrak/

Very positive implications for further improving passenger rail service between Kansas City and St. Louis.

 

MoDOT details possible second UP mainline project

Written by  Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) held a public open house to detail a possible project that would add a second main track between Lee's Summit and Strasburg. The route is experiencing capacity issues and currently serves four Amtrak trains and close to 30 freight trains a day.

 

MoDOT says the proposed construction of a second track would improve on-time performance and reliability for the existing Missouri River Runner route, increase speed in suitable sections of the corridor to improve travel times, provide a service to promote more balanced use of travel options in the corridor and improve freight movement within the corridor.

 

Read more at:

http://www.rtands.com/index.php/track-structure/ballast-ties-rail/modot-details-possible-second-up-mainline-project.html?channel=283

Wow. A few months ago, I never thought Indiana would come through. This press release announces a remarkable turn of events....

 

http://www.nuvo.net/indianapolis/indiana-achieves-amtrak-deal/Content?oid=2695776#.Ul2sa9KsigJ

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 15, 2013

 

Governor Pence Announces Agreement with Amtrak

Governor Commends Cities with Hoosier State Stops for Participation

 

INDIANAPOLIS - Governor Mike Pence announces that the state has reached an agreement in principle with Amtrak and local communities to keep the Hoosier State passenger rail service operating between Indianapolis and Chicago.

 

Once agreements are signed and executed by all parties, monthly payments will renew the existing service for one year with an option for an additional four months. Indianapolis, Crawfordsville, Rensselaer, Lafayette, West Lafayette, Tippecanoe County and Beech Grove are partnering with the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) to fund the service.

 

 

Yesterday's elections in Cincinnati puts in doubt a possible extension of this service from Indianapolis to Cincinnati. The structure in which INDOT is jointly funding this service with the local governments would have made it easier for Cincinnati (plus Hamilton and Oxford) to "sign on" with their own financial contributions necessary to extend the train service to Cincinnati via stops in Oxford and Hamilton. Now that opportunity has suddenly become more complicated.

Wow. A few months ago, I never thought Indiana would come through. This press release announces a remarkable turn of events....

 

http://www.nuvo.net/indianapolis/indiana-achieves-amtrak-deal/Content?oid=2695776#.Ul2sa9KsigJ

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 15, 2013

 

Governor Pence Announces Agreement with Amtrak

Governor Commends Cities with Hoosier State Stops for Participation

 

INDIANAPOLIS - Governor Mike Pence announces that the state has reached an agreement in principle with Amtrak and local communities to keep the Hoosier State passenger rail service operating between Indianapolis and Chicago.

 

Once agreements are signed and executed by all parties, monthly payments will renew the existing service for one year with an option for an additional four months. Indianapolis, Crawfordsville, Rensselaer, Lafayette, West Lafayette, Tippecanoe County and Beech Grove are partnering with the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) to fund the service.

 

 

Yesterday's elections in Cincinnati puts in doubt a possible extension of this service from Indianapolis to Cincinnati. The structure in which INDOT is jointly funding this service with the local governments would have made it easier for Cincinnati (plus Hamilton and Oxford) to "sign on" with their own financial contributions necessary to extend the train service to Cincinnati via stops in Oxford and Hamilton. Now that opportunity has suddenly become more complicated.

 

Before we forget about going to Cincinnati we should see what Cranley actually has to say. If he's also against this, then focus on the Indy-Chicago segment and work for the same sort of 110 mph proposed for Chicago-Columbus. Plan for Cincinnati post-Cranley. Maybe a public transportation referendum for Cincinnati for added streetcar and intercity service to Indy and Chicago paid for by dedicating the income from the City-owned CNO&TP RR to public transportation.

A leading rail advocate in Indiana asked me what Cranley has had to say about Amtrak and high-speed rail and I honestly did not remember. Frankly, I don't think Cranley wants anything except to win higher office. So if he recognizes there is a personal and career benefit to supporting an extension of the Hoosier State service to Cincinnati as the first step to developing a Cincinnati-Indianapolis-Chicago high-performance rail corridor, he will just might support it.

Would that Ohio's DOT could be this progressive…..

 

Massachusetts DOT connects modes of transportation with public health

Progressive Railroading

By Julie Sneider, Assistant Editor

 

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is taking a "healthy" approach to planning transportation options for state residents.

 

Earlier this fall, MassDOT Secretary and Chief Executive Officer Richard Davey directed all department divisions to apply a new policy when planning state transportation projects: They must increase bicycling, walking or the use of public transit. Davey’s directive was the latest step toward achieving statewide objectives in MassDOT’s sustainability initiative known as "GreenDOT," which calls for tripling the share of travel in Massachusetts via bicycling, public transit and walking by 2030.

 

It also calls for MassDOT to develop a guide for community planners to use when creating shared-use paths on or along former railroad corridors.

 

 

READ MORE AT: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/passenger_rail/article/Massachusetts-DOT-connects-modes-of-transportation-with-public-health--38354?source=pr_digital11/13/2013&usedate=11/13/2013&[email protected]&cid=15166

See graphics of each station at the link below. Don't forget to join All Aboard Ohio!

 

http://allaboardohio.org/2013/11/13/ohios-4-busiest-stations/

 

Ohio’s 4 busiest stations: outgrowing their past, expanding for their future

kjprendergast on November 13, 2013 — Leave a Comment

 

On the Chicago-East Coast Amtrak passenger rail route through Toledo, Sandusky, Elyria and Cleveland, ridership is booming. Today, more than 630,000 passengers use these trains each year, enough to fill every seat on more than a dozen Boeing-737 jets every day.

 

Despite Ohio’s middle-of-the-night service, ridership has expanded rapidly at Ohio’s four busiest Amtrak stations in the past five years. Annual ridership at Toledo grew 36%, Cleveland 38%, Sandusky 64% and Elyria 87%, according to official Amtrak reports to the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). Each of these stations have 28 passenger trains arriving and departing per week.

 

More trains are needed to fill the void left by intercity bus services which now bypass smaller towns with new express buses; and by commercial airlines which have consolidated to survive. In the past five years, the USDOT notes that airlines have raised fares nationwide and cut 40% of all flights on routes shorter than 500 miles. That has left many Midwest airports with far less air traffic (Columbus down 9%, Detroit -9%, Fort Wayne -22%, Erie -28%, South Bend -29%, Cleveland -31%, Pittsburgh -59%, Cincinnati -70%, Toledo -71%).

 

Amtrak’s 79 mph trains mix with many slower freight trains – about 70 trains per day east of Toledo to Cleveland and beyond. West of Toledo through South Bend to Chicago, this number rises to 90 freight trains per day. That’s enough to fill more than 20,000 trucks per day – more than the number traveling on the Ohio and Indiana turnpikes.

 

How do we accommodate this growing passenger and freight rail traffic? All Aboard Ohio believes this should be answered by a programmatic assessment conducted by the state departments of transportation and/or the metropolitan planning organizations along the route, plus the Federal Railroad Administration, the railroads and other stakeholders. And this assessment for accommodating rail traffic growth must not end at Cleveland. It needs to look eastward to address the eastern origins and destinations of rail traffic, too.

 

In the meantime, some achievable steps can be taken to address inadequate stations that hinder rail traffic flow and to provide safer, more comfortable facilities for passengers. These stations must also accommodate connecting transportation – cars, taxis, local public transportation, intercity buses, bikes and safe pedestrian routes – to become community focal points for new jobs and business investment.

 

Indeed, All Aboard Ohio estimates that redesigning stations so a train can process station passengers from more than one track at Cleveland, Elyria and Sandusky will eliminate an average of 5 minutes from each train’s schedule per station (see the article “Any 4 a.m. at Sandusky, Ohio” http://freepdfhosting.com/8af81c2165.pdf ). While the Toledo station can host two trains at a time, it cannot process passengers from more than one train simultaneously. All stations are need of improvements to achieve a state of good repair and full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

 

To achieve ADA compliance, a state of good repair and reduce rail travel times, varying levels of investment are proposed at the following stations (owners listed):

 

+ Toledo MLK Plaza (Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority) – $5.4 million

+ Sandusky New York Central Depot (City of Sandusky) – $2.7 million

+ Elyria Lorain County Transportation Center (Lorain County) – $5 million to $6 million

+ Cleveland Lakefront Multi-modal Transportation Center (City of Cleveland) – $55.6 million

 

Of the estimated total of $69.7 million for all four station projects, up to $38 million in funding from Amtrak, Lorain County (via a federal grant) and the City of Cleveland has been pledged. Another $32 million appears to be needed. Funding should be sought from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to fill this gap so these four stations can become community focal points for multi-modal transportation and economic development. The FRA requires only a 20 percent non-federal match. A Toledo-Cleveland Corridor project could offer as much as a 55 percent non-federal match.

 

This could be funded via a single grant if all four station projects are aggregated into a single corridor improvement project sponsored by a single entity, or via an alliance of multiple entities such as the affected Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), namely the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments, Erie County Planning Commission and the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency.

 

A similar alliance, called the Western High Speed Rail Alliance, was created by MPOs and transit agencies approving identical memorandums of understanding. This alliance is recognized by the Federal Highway Administration (http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/megaregions/reports/megaregions_report_2011/megaregions04.cfm#sec4b3) as a multi-jurisdictional initiative and was awarded planning funds by the Federal Railroad Administration. Other regions and corridors throughout the nation are following this model.

 

Contact All Aboard Ohio for more information at 216-288-4883 or [email protected].

When I think of Multi-modal Transportation Center I think of including RTA buses, like Stephanie Tubbs Jones bus center, the blue line station, Megabus, Greyhound, the possible ferry to Canada, the possible skylift and of course Amtrak.  There is limited land in that area, but if it is going to be overhauled anyway, the city should really look long term and making it a true Multi-model Transportation Center.  A couple of years ago there was the design competition for a lakefront station that had some pretty interesting ideas.  All the lakefront redevelopment visions and plans being proposed don't seem to have a focus on a transportation center.  This is a great opportunity for the city and county to create an anchor on the lakefront and bring many more people to the lakefront now and especially for any future development.

If you haven't done so already, click on this the article's link: http://allaboardohio.org/2013/11/13/ohios-4-busiest-stations/ then scroll down to the bottom of it where you will see some graphics of each of the four stations and/or proposed projects.

http://www.railwayage.com/index.php/passenger/intercity/narp-new-amtrak-midwest-routes-advance.html?channel=41

 

New Amtrak Midwest routes advance

 

The National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) says progress is being made on establishing two new Amtrak routes from the railroad's Chicago hub, one serving the Quad Cities and a second reaching toward Dubuque, Iowa.

 

Illinois' Department of Transportation and CN are negotiating an infrastructure improvement plan and budget for starting passenger rail service linking Chicago and Rockford, Ill., northwest of Chicago, by the end of 2015, according to NARP's December 2013 membership newsletter, NARP News. An addition to Dubuque, Iowa, just across the Mississippi River, would follow shortly thereafter.

 

NARP also noted Illinois is "nearing the end of preliminary design" on a second route, the better-known effort to link Chicago and the Quad Cities. Construction on this project is expected to begin early next year by constructing a connection at Wyanet, Ill., linking BNSF's Chicago-Galesburg line used by other Amtrak trains with Iowa Interstate Railroad's line to the Quad Cities.

Revenue Amtrak service for this effort is targeted to begin in December 2015. The project last October officially secured a  $230 million federal grant.

 

A multimodal is planned for Moline. The Quad Cities Passenger Rail Coalition (QC Rail), a grassroots advocacy group, hopes to use the Moline station as a starting point for eventual passenger extensions across Iowa, including stops at Iowa City, Des Moines, the state capital, and Omaha, Neb. Omaha currently is served by Amtrak's California Zephyr.

BTW I had the thought a few weeks ago that if we had somebody else in governor's seat at present, part or even most of the Turnpike bonds could have been spent upgrading the 3c's line and activating branches to smaller cities.  The $440 million allocated for the zero-ROI Portsmouth bypass could have been spent much more wisely on a statewide project.

 

And that is exactly why you dream of public works projects which are not becoming reality. The people in the drivers seat are not about to alienate the mass public by lobbying to spend money on transit projects the majority do not support. It takes more than some lobbying by a relatively few urban advocates to make things happen in this or any other state.

 

At least I recognize KJP knows this is not an easily won battle. Even with all of his enthusiasm and number of postings on this forum, he recognizes it is an uphill battle. For that I give him credit. I may not agree with him, but I give him credit for fighting the battle.

And that is exactly why you dream of public works projects which are not becoming reality. The people in the drivers seat are not about to alienate the mass public by lobbying to spend money on transit projects the majority do not support. It takes more than some lobbying by a relatively few urban advocates to make things happen in this or any other state.

 

 

Could you please cite sources that "the majority" do not support transit? Even if true, does that mean the minority has to live our lives the way the majority says? There's a word for that: tyranny.

 

I can cite data AND sources:

 

Support for 3C Corridor is strong!

A 2009 Quinnipiac University statewide poll shows 64% of Ohioans want passenger rail -- of Ohioans 18-35 years old, 73% support the 3C "Quick Start" Plan.

http://www.gongwer-oh.com/128/0128a.pdf

 

AMTRAK POPULAR IN GOP STRONGHOLDS:

Overall, 65 percent supported Amtrak funding while only 21 percent wanted to end the federal subsidy. Narrowed to just the GOP respondents, 52 percent wanted to keep funding level or increase it and 31 percent wanted it cut off.

http://www.politico.com/morningtransportation/0413/morningtransportation10376.html

 

 

 

September 12, 2012, 03:55 pm

66 percent support more public transportation

By Keith Laing

The NRDC survey found 59 percent of Americans believe the current U.S. public transportation system is “outdated, unreliable and inefficient." The poll found 55 percent of its respondents said they would prefer to drive their cars less, but 74 percent believed they did not have any other option for mobility. The poll found 58 percent said they would like to use public transportation more, but said it was not convenient to their work schedules or home locations. The survey also found that a majority of Americans think that states spend about 16 percent of their transportation budget on public transit, compared to an average the NRDC said was closer to 6.5 percent.

http://thehill.com/blogs/transportation-report/public-transit/249013-enviro-poll-66-percent-support-more-public-transportation-

There you go again KJP...supporting your beliefs with all those nasty facts instead of knee jerk hunches.  What are we going to do with you?

There you go again KJP...supporting your beliefs with all those nasty facts instead of knee jerk hunches.  What are we going to do with you?

 

I know, we in the "minority" sure are a bunch of malcontents. We should just shut up and live our lives the way the so-called majority tells us even if we don't like it.

If the entire state was allowed to vote on the Portsmouth bypass it would go down in flames. Only people in Scioto and Lawrence counties would vote for it. Maybe some Marshall students from Circleville as well. And I bet a lot of people in P-town would vote against it because it will slow commerce in the city.

There you go again KJP...supporting your beliefs with all those nasty facts instead of knee jerk hunches.  What are we going to do with you?

 

I know, we in the "minority" sure are a bunch of malcontents. We should just shut up and live our lives the way the so-called majority tells us even if we don't like it.

 

Yes, the "winners" on the "winning team".

There you go again KJP...supporting your beliefs with all those nasty facts instead of knee jerk hunches.  What are we going to do with you?

 

I know, we in the "minority" sure are a bunch of malcontents. We should just shut up and live our lives the way the so-called majority tells us even if we don't like it.

 

Yes, the "winners" on the "winning team".

 

The "winners" should probably try and figure out where the money is coming from. All I see proposed is "taxes" and where I live "taxes" has a very dirty name.

The ongoing cost of this project is so small and the sources of funding sought so flexible that no new taxes are needed. Where I live, blowing things out of proportion from baseless fear has a very dirty name.