Wouldn't that be nice? I figure I'd start a thread for this so that some ideas could get tossed around. I've contacted O'Shaughnessy's aide, Lelia Cady, 1000 Friends of Central Ohio, and Paul over at ColumbusRetroMetro.com about getting one started up. If you can come up with a name suggestion and maybe even a spiffy acronym, what specific area it should cover, where to hold meetings, how to get people involved and informed about transit, should transit be the main forcus or should it be a facet like it is with EcoCity Cleveland, etc, that would help. Regardless of your location, I'd like the input.

If you haven't already, consider attending one of the Central Ohio Rail Breakfasts, led by 1KCO, or the Red Door meetings of All Aboard Ohio at the Red Door tavern in Grandview. Contact All Aboard Ohio's office at (614) 228-6005 for details.

Hi Columbusite..

 

Respectfully speaking, why would you start a new organization when there are several already in place? Building a new group is a LOT of hard work and will take over your life, if you let it. Planning meetings, fundraising and other things will eat up so much of your time you probably won't be able to advocate much for your ideas.

 

Not trying to throw cold water on your idea, but you might be better off to join All Aboard Ohio or 1000 Friends of Central Ohio. They need the help and would welcome you with open arms. I admire your dedication. I hope you will put it to use where it will do the most good.

What happened to the Capital City Transit Coalition?  Or I'm I thinking too far in the past?

 

 

It died for lack of leadership.  In fact its demise serves as living (or would that be dead) proof of what BuckeyeB said earlier: that getting an advocacy organization off the ground takes a lot of grunt work, time and someone willing to give up a good portion of their life to somehow make it work.  The last director of the CCTC was incapable of any of that.

 

But the good news is that 1KCO took up the slack and bow runs the local "Rail Breakfasts" as well as advocating locally for better public transportation, land use, etc....

If you haven't already, consider attending one of the Central Ohio Rail Breakfasts, led by 1KCO, or the Red Door meetings of All Aboard Ohio at the Red Door tavern in Grandview. Contact All Aboard Ohio's office at (614) 228-6005 for details.

 

I will.

 

And I do realize all the work such a group would be, which is why I wouldn't want to carry all of the burden. Just one question, are these grassroots organizations?

Both are very much grass-roots organizations.  I am a long-time member of All Aboard Ohio myself and also a Board Member of 1KCO.  Your enthusiasm and involvement would be more than welcome.

 

You can also join either organization on-line as well.

What. I thought up these catchy acronyms for nothing?

 

TRAC = Trains Reuniting All of Columbus

CURE = Columbus Uniting for Rail Enlightenment

SATAN = Social Acceptance for Train Aligned Neighborhoods

CHOO CHOO =  Columbus Has One Option: Commuters Healing Our Ohio

ITSH = It's Trains, Shit Head...

 

 

AIIIEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!! That's enough to make me want to run off to Florida and start my own group: FART: Florida Association of Rail Travelers!!! (thanks, Noozer)

 

:-P

Mmm. FART. That has a nice ring to it...

My favorite real organization acronym/name was from West Virginia in the 1980s -- TRAIN (Tell Reagan Amtrak Is Needed).

My favorite real organization acronym/name was from West Virginia in the 1980s -- TRAIN (Tell Reagan Amtrak Is Needed).

 

And after Reagan ignored their pleas, they reformed as "FRR", no?

Nah, they just turned to Congress to overturn Reagan's kill-Amtrak proposals. During that whole battle in the early- to mid-1980s, Congress got more letters, calls and telegrams from constituents on Amtrak than on any other issue -- except Social Security, which Reagan was also trying to trim.

Ah, the power of multi-party rule. I could get used to it again.