August 14, 20222 yr Hopeful news about DeWine. I wonder if he might first start with some low-hanging fruit, like extending some trains from Detroit, Buffalo and Pittsburgh to Cleveland? Then 3C might have some trains to connect to. Regarding Elyria -- FINALLY! RTA is a hot mess. CVSR wants $400,000 from Cuyahoga County to support the federally compliant environmental planning. If they can get that, then Bedrock says they'll contribute. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 14, 20222 yr On 8/13/2022 at 11:41 AM, Boomerang_Brian said: I participated in the AAO / Northeast chapter meeting this morning. Ken Sislak covered some of the passenger efforts around the country. One note was the importance of proper government coordination of grants - the need to get many government entities on the same page before applying for federal grants. His presentation will be posted on the AAO web page soon. AAO requests that supporters go to the webpage and sign the "call to action" requesting Ohio pursue the available Fed legislation. It should show up as a pop-up once the page loads: https://www.allaboardohio.org/ I found some of the sidebar comments more interesting: - They talked about advocating with Ohio legislature and pointed out that they do have a few vocal R supporters in each Chamber. - Lorain county commissioners have reached an agreement with Norfolk-Southern to move Elyria's passenger station back to historic station downtown. NS is still only allowing for one platform, even though the station would allow for more. So both directions will still have to use the same track for boarding. But this is a nice upgrade for downtown Elyria, especially if we get more trains in the future. - Sandusky is working on renovating and moving back into the historic station. (Same location as current station, the just aren't using the old building today) Apparently RTA put out a second bid for rail cars, pushing all the adaptions to the railcars (as opposed to modifying stations and infrastructure). They did not receive any viable bids. Lots of internal inertia resisting the station upgrades that would better accommodate a unified fleet. No update on Waterfront line bridge either. Bedrock is supportive of extending CVSRR is interesting to downtown. Really this one is just a matter of money. If anyone knows of formal fundraising efforts, please share them. Argh last post on a page. Quoting the text because I think AAO meeting notes deserve to be at the top of a page instead of the bottom. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
September 9, 20222 yr Email from AAO: Good afternoon fellow All Aboard Ohio Advocates: Please join us for one of our chapter meetings coming up! Find your local chapter below or join us via zoom for the Northwest (Cleveland area) or Southwest (Cincinnati area) chapter meetings. TOLEDO OHIO CHAPTER: IN PERSON! Friday, September 9 at 3:00 p.m. at the Toledo Amtrak Station, 3rd Floor (415 Emerald Avenue, Toledo, OH). ALL OHIO: ZOOM CALL! Saturday, September 10 at 10:00 am via zoom. We will discuss the latest passenger rail developments and other important public transit news. See below for the Zoom link and log-in information. CENTRAL OHIO CHAPTER: IN PERSON! Saturday, September 17 at 10:00 a.m. at the Grandview Heights Public Library, Conference Room B (1685 W. First Ave, Columbus, OH). No RSVP is necessary. We will hear updates from the AAO board, passenger rail, and public transit updates, and discuss potential future advocacy opportunities and any Amtrak-specific experiences or service-related issues. SOUTHWEST OHIO CHAPTER: IN PERSON & ZOOM! Saturday, September 24 at 9:30 a.m. at the Cincinnati Railroad Club (1301 Western Avenue, 3rd Floor, Cincinnati, OH). Space is limited to the first 20 RSVPs; the meeting will be live via zoom for all others who wish to join. To see future meeting dates and other events, please visit allaboardohio.org/meetings-events. All Aboard Ohio is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: AAO All Ohio Zoom Meeting Time: Sep 10, 2022, 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86232574948?pwd=Wk1QcjhYUUtkMUJLK1lwRzBMSElGUT09 Meeting ID: 862 3257 4948 Passcode: 658104 One tap mobile +13126266799,,86232574948#,,,,*658104# US (Chicago) +16465588656,,86232574948#,,,,*658104# US (New York) Dial by your location +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 646 931 3860 US +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 309 205 3325 US +1 719 359 4580 US +1 720 707 2699 US (Denver) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 386 347 5053 US +1 564 217 2000 US +1 669 444 9171 US Meeting ID: 862 3257 4948 Passcode: 658104 Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kcJD7ESvmB Beth Russell Public Affairs Director Phone: 614.562.1086 3136 Kingsdale Center #112, Columbus, OH 43221 Web: allaboardohio.org Email: [email protected] When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
January 30, 20232 yr Email from AAO: Northeast chapter meeting on Feb 11 AAO Northeast Ohio Chapter Meeting Time & Location 10 more dates Feb 11, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM Zoom Meeting About the event: All Aboard Ohio is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: AAO Cleveland Chapter Meeting Time: Dec 10, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82985004223?pwd=RWVOcWpCSWxvV012TWJjVFdUL1 Other chapter meetings: https://www.allaboardohio.org/meetings-events?utm_campaign=009ddb38-2fab-477c-aa54-f133eb2d754c&utm_source=so&utm_medium=mail&cid=44100ea5-0205-48f8-ab35-da8a0b53b8b9 Southwest Chapter Meeting Thursday, February 9at 7:00 pm Zoom Call Northwest Chapter Meeting Friday, February 10at 3:00 pm 415 Emerald Ave, Toledo Northeast/All Ohio Meeting Saturday, February 11 at 10:00 am Zoom call Central Ohio Chapter Meeting Saturday, February 18 at 10:00 am 1685 W 1st Avenue, Columbus When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
February 8, 20232 yr For some reason I didn’t get the email for February meetings. Glad I caught the post above.
February 9, 20232 yr On 1/30/2023 at 5:28 PM, Boomerang_Brian said: Email from AAO: Northeast chapter meeting on Feb 11 AAO Northeast Ohio Chapter Meeting Time & Location 10 more dates Feb 11, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM Zoom Meeting About the event: All Aboard Ohio is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: AAO Cleveland Chapter Meeting Time: Dec 10, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82985004223?pwd=RWVOcWpCSWxvV012TWJjVFdUL1 Other chapter meetings: https://www.allaboardohio.org/meetings-events?utm_campaign=009ddb38-2fab-477c-aa54-f133eb2d754c&utm_source=so&utm_medium=mail&cid=44100ea5-0205-48f8-ab35-da8a0b53b8b9 Southwest Chapter Meeting Thursday, February 9at 7:00 pm Zoom Call Northwest Chapter Meeting Friday, February 10at 3:00 pm 415 Emerald Ave, Toledo Northeast/All Ohio Meeting Saturday, February 11 at 10:00 am Zoom call Central Ohio Chapter Meeting Saturday, February 18 at 10:00 am 1685 W 1st Avenue, Columbus A reminder that the northeast Ohio AAO meeting is Saturday morning on Zoom. Other chapters around the state are having meetings this week and next. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
February 12, 20232 yr AAO Northeast Ohio Chapter meeting notes Feb 11, 2023: Highlights: - AAO is confident that CVSR expansion to downtown Cleveland is likely to happen. - ORDC, just this week, became much more supportive of regional planning org efforts to expand Amtrak service in Ohio, based on clarifications provided by the FRA as to the role these planning orgs can take. - ORDC is now supporting requests for planning grants for: 3C+D; and 4 routes to/from Cleveland: Detroit, Chicago, Buffalo, and Pittsburgh - Very much tentative, but extremely exciting: Amtrak is trying to coordinate a 3C+D demonstration run this Fall from Cleveland to Cincinnati and back! I'm sure the AAO team would like me to emphasize that this is still a long shot and a bunch of things would have to go right for it to happen. - Attempts to upgrade Cardinal (Chi-Cincy-DC-NYC) to daily service (from 3x/week) Details: Meeting primarily led by Ken Sislak, detailed update on many current happenings. - Amtrak is running test trains to prepare for Gulf Coast service from New Orleans to Mobile Alabama. - NW East Palestine derailment was caused by a failed axle. Crew received some type of warning prior to the crash and did not act on the warning. Investigation is ongoing. Track has been repaired and NS and Capital Limited are using the track again, Capital Limited arrived on time in Cleveland this morning. - This week saw much Passenger Rail activity. Ken Sislak, Grace Gallucci (NOACA), Matt Dietrich (ORDC) and others attended some type of planning meeting with Amtrak, FRA, state DOTs and rail commissions, and regional planning orgs. Primary focus of meeting was long distance rail, but other conversations also happened. Keep in mind that last year's infrastructure bill enables Amtrak to explore reestablishing previously cancelled long distance service and establishing other new long distance service. Lots of great conversations at this meeting and many efforts advancing - see this webpage for more info: https://fralongdistancerailstudy.org/ - DeWine has instructed ORDC to pursue the Passenger Rail planning study grants, complementing previous activity from regional planning organizations. "Official" requests as follows: - ORDC and MORPC (central ohio): 3C+D Corridor - ORDC & MDOT/TMACOG (Michigan DOT / Toledo): Cleveland - Toledo - Detroit - ORDC & NOACA: Cleveland-Chicago, Cleveland-Buffalo, Cleveland-Pitt - Previously, ORDC had resisted the requests from the regional planning orgs, but this week (at the above mentioned meeting) ORDC leadership was told by FRA that it is acceptable for planning orgs to make these requests, specifically citing Cleveland services as a good opportunity. As a result, ORDC leadership became much more supportive of these efforts. BIG change from previous efforts. - Next there was an overview of previous long distance rail services through Ohio (any of which could potentially be restored with infrastructure bill funding), including Pan American (Cincy-Louisville-Nashville, New Orleans); a couple routes from Cincy through West Virginia to the East Coast; National Limited (KC-STL-Columbus-Pitt-Philly-NYC/DC); Broadway Limited (a few different Chi-NYC routes over the years, but most recently Chi-Tol-Cle-Pitt-Philly-NYC); - CVSR extension to downtown Cleveland - Ken S is chairing the committee leading this efforts and is very pleased with the progress. Everyone who needs to support it is onboard except CSX (lol); but still, Ken is very optimistic that this is going to happen. (CSX isn't actively opposing, they just aren't responsive in getting things moving.) Supporters: County Exec Chris Ronayne, CVSR leadership, CVNP director. Current intention is to use the B&O terminal! Apparently the legislation that established the CVNP explicitly calls for it provide opportunities to low income communities, and park leadership believes the extension is a great way to support those legal expectations. Also, there are concerns with the current location of where CVSR stores and maintains equipment (the hillside above is at risk of collapse) - the extension would open alternative locations for these maintenance facilities. So they have some additional urgency to make progress. Overall really encouraging news! - Discussion of Amtrak equipment that needs heavy rebuilds: they had been having staffing issues (retirements) at the Beech Grove maintenance facility near Indianapolis, but they have been aggressively recruiting the needed skillsets and believe they finally have the right staff in place to do the rebuilds and maintenance on equipment. - Discussion of a headwind for Ohio passenger rail: since the freight RRs own much of the infrastructure, including platforms, they have legal liabilities with regards to passenger rail. This is a major contributor to their general resistance to projects. A potential legal solution is to establish a statewide passenger rail authority that would be able to indemnify the freight RRs with regards passenger rail. This model has been successfully deployed in Virginia and Rhode Island. Ohio cities are not legally able to provide this indemnification - it has to come from the state. - Ken S emphasized that it is really important to get the rail studies correct. He believes that a bad study from Amtrak was a major factor in undermining 3C+D last time around. The initial requests from ORDC and the planning orgs as outlined above are what lead to the studies being executed. The studies are what make the case for the level of capital investment - what infrastructure is necessary and what frequency is appropriate. - Ed D'Amato gave a brief overview of the Lakeshore Rail Alliance, the org that is advocating for increasing the frequency of Lakeshore Limited service (Chi-Tol-CLE-Buffalo-Roch-Syr-Albany-NYC). Website: https://www.lakeshoretrain.org/ I thought this was an interesting illustration: shows when Amtrak scheduled service is during the day vs. at night: When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
February 12, 20232 yr Great report "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 12, 20232 yr ^^ Rebuilding the B&O Station could cost as much as the trackage rights to get there from Independence. It that station really CVSRR's preferred course of action or one possible option? I don't mean to sound negative; a rehabbed B&O Station could be a great addition to the riverfront project. Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
February 12, 20232 yr 1 hour ago, Dougal said: ^^ Rebuilding the B&O Station could cost as much as the trackage rights to get there from Independence. It that station really CVSRR's preferred course of action or one possible option? I don't mean to sound negative; a rehabbed B&O Station could be a great addition to the riverfront project. I was really surprised by that for the same reason. I love it though - not just because of saving that old beautiful building, but also because having tracks all the way along the current canal road might help inspire Bedrock to embrace Ken's proposal for passenger rail returning to Tower City, where god intended it. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
March 9, 20232 yr AAO Members Statewide Zoom Meeting this Saturday morning! Time: Mar 11, 2023 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Every month on the Second Sat, until Dec 9, 2023, 10 occurrence(s) Mar 11, 2023 10:00 AM Apr 8, 2023 10:00 AM May 13, 2023 10:00 AM Jun 10, 2023 10:00 AM Jul 8, 2023 10:00 AM Aug 12, 2023 10:00 AM Sep 9, 2023 10:00 AM Oct 14, 2023 10:00 AM Nov 11, 2023 10:00 AM Dec 9, 2023 10:00 AM Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system. Monthly: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/tZAtd-2opzgiH9I9K-lUtOnlSdRvNaZjlR77/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGsrjsuGt2WuByBRpwIAoigLPTxmHZHgvp0xTSoDxVHTQ36BeZwJJx-KtLc Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84004093856 Meeting ID: 840 0409 3856 One tap mobile +16465588656,,84004093856# US (New York) +16469313860,,84004093856# US Dial by your location +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 646 931 3860 US +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 305 224 1968 US +1 309 205 3325 US +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 720 707 2699 US (Denver) +1 253 205 0468 US +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 360 209 5623 US +1 386 347 5053 US +1 507 473 4847 US +1 564 217 2000 US +1 669 444 9171 US +1 689 278 1000 US +1 719 359 4580 US Meeting ID: 840 0409 3856 Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kexTvPUQtB When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
March 11, 20232 yr AAO March 11, 2023 statewide meeting summary: Ken Sislak was again the primary presenter. Quick overview of Brightline Orlando extension - test trains running at 125mph, hit 130 in testing. (I've posted about this in the "other states" thread.0) Grand Central Madison / East Side Access - the new Long Island Rail terminal under Grand Central is now open Amtrak update - meal cars on some of long distance lines have reopened to coach class (for some time they had been only accessible from the Sleeper cars.) Southern rail - applying for a split of the Amtrak Crescent service at Meridian, MS along the I-20 corridor across Mississippi, Louisiana, to Dallas / Fort Worth Texas. Perhaps interesting to Ohio rail enthusiasts as we are also trying to get several long distance routes reestablished. (Map below) Ohio has formally entered the Amtrak Corridor ID program. The following Ohio planning groups have submitted for these routes: ORDC (Ohio Rail Dev Commission) has submitted 3C+D, and CLE-Toledo-Detroit NOACA has submitted CLE-Chicago, CLE-Pitt, CLE-Buffalo. At their board meeting yesterday, they have now formally added support for 3C&D and CLE-Toledo-Detroit, based on ORDC commitment to support the other NOACA route requests (more info: https://www.noaca.org/home/showpublisheddocument/29504 ) MORPC - Columbus-Chicago via Ft Wayne, and Ohio 3C&D Louisville planning has applied for Louisville-Indy and Indy planning has submitted Chi-Indy. Together these would effectively create Chicago-Indy-Louisville; (I don't understand why they don't both submit the same complete route.) Frustration was expressed that the Cincinnati regional planning org doesn't seem to be putting in any requests for the passenger rail Corridor ID program. The long distance rail coalition has submitted Buff-CLE-Cincy-Louisville-New Orleans long distance for study 3C&D update: Reps Merrin and Stewart have made strong negative comments against passenger rail. We're very fortunate that Merrin lost his speaker bid. Even with that, getting the OH legislature on board will be difficult. CALL TO ACTION: Contact reps with support requests of passenger rail. It would be very helpful to eliminate the existing legal requirement for implementing 3C&D first, as this is an impediment to implementing improvements on existing routes. All Aboard Ohio is working on more explicit guidance for this. Brief discussion of the new RTA board nominations - both are younger and transit users. AAO believes they will be better able to provide oversight and bring new perspectives. CVSR update: current shut down is due to tilt sensors detecting shifts in erosion prone areas. Local engineers are doing in person inspections to determine if it would be safe to get a train out of the Fitzwater yard (between Independence and Brecksville) and to Akron - if they are able to do that, they'll run scenic trains between Peninsula and Akron this summer. National Park is working on shoring up the erosion prone areas, but no timeline or cost estimates were discussed. Here's the Dallas / northern Louisiana / Mississippi split of the Crescent service that an advocacy group in Texas is trying to get funded via the long-distance passenger rail mechanisms in the 2022 Infrastructure Bill: When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
March 11, 20232 yr 25 minutes ago, ucnum1 said: So what are the chances 3C line gets done? Predicting the future is asking to be wrong. I'd say the chances are not great, considering how bad the state legislature is. But at least the governor is supportive and all the planning committees are aligned. Cranley being out of office is helpful. Merrin losing the OH House speakership is helpful. All the mayors and local governments on the route are fully supportive. The near term best bet might be if the long distance Buffalo to 3C&D to Louisville to New Orleans long distance line gets traction, because that would be not only fully funded by the feds, but the operating subsidy would also be paid by the feds. With those capital improvements, there would be synergies to supporting the standalone 3C&D. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
March 14, 20232 yr AAO, Amtrak, and MORPC presenting in Columbus tomorrow. I’m not seeing any livestream info, hopefully a recording will be published When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
March 14, 20232 yr Should just need to register for free to watch the livestream. The recordings are also typically available on YouTube after.
March 14, 20232 yr 1 hour ago, amped91 said: Should just need to register for free to watch the livestream. The recordings are also typically available on YouTube after. Thanks! That’s what I figured, but when I clicked on the link I didn’t see an obvious way to do it. I probably just missed it because I was in a hurry. The forum starts at noon for anyone interested. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
March 15, 20232 yr I've not had a chance to watch yet, but the recording of today's event is available here, Edited March 15, 20232 yr by NW24HX
May 12, 20232 yr AAO member meeting this Saturday on Zoom - please join us! AAO Members Statewide Zoom Meeting Time: May 13, 2023 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84004093856 Meeting ID: 840 0409 3856 One tap mobile +16465588656,,84004093856# US (New York) +16469313860,,84004093856# US When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
May 23, 20232 yr May 13, 2013 AAO meeting notes. Hosted by Ken Sislak. Update on RTA rail car funding (as discussed extensively in RTA thread) FRA Corridor ID Program update - Ken S thinks Detroit-Toledo is an extremely important passenger rail route because it connect Detroit to the national long distance network. There is some interest from New York state to extend one Empire (NYC-Albany-Syracuse-Rochester-Buffalo) / day to CLE; similarly, Pennsylvania state would line to extend the Pennsylvanian (NYC-Philly-Harrisburg-Pitt) to CLE. In Kentucky, Gov Bashear and Sen McConnell signed a letter of support for Louisville-Indy-Chicago. FRA is studying a long distance service that is a combo of the old Floridian and Dixie Flyer routes - new proposed service would be Chicago - Indy - Louisville - Nashville - Atlanta - Jacksonville - Miami. (Relevant to Ohio - if proposed 3C&D is extended to Louisville, this would allow Ohio passengers to connect to Florida in Louisville.) Chicago-St. Louis - as I've been posting about, the new 110mph service debuted recently and it is awesome. (From my perspective, this is now probably the second best Amtrak route in the country after the Northeast Corridor.) This is the culmination of 30 years of work. (Big projects just take way too long in this country.) Anyway, next phase is a reroute between Joliet and Chicago to further reduce freight interference and improve schedule reliability. One thing that's particularly interesting to keep in mind - the STL-Chi route also serves freight rail, and many of the upgrades benefit the freight operator in addition to the passenger service. In California, some company is proposing a new "Dreamstar Lines" overnight service between LA and SF in classic renovated Pullman dome cars. Train would be 6-10 sleepers plus bar car and cafe car. Evening departure with arrival just after breakfast. (Follows Coast Starlight route) Ken S emphasized how important it is to submit input to FRA on the long distance lines. From an Ohio perspective, if the proposed Buffalo-Ohio 3C&D-Louisville-New Orleans long distance route is complete it would become much easier to get the standalone Ohio 3C&D moving. Ken also encouraged letter writing to politicians along any long-distance corridor you'd like to see. All Aboard Ohio will be celebrating its 50th anniversary at its annual meeting in Crestline on July 15th. Speakers include Grace Gallucci (NOACA - northeast Ohio planning org), John Gardocki (MORPC - mid Ohio planning), and a keynote from Bob O'Malley, former VP of Brightline. I encourage you to join AAO and attend this meeting: https://www.allaboardohio.org/2023-annual-meeting Ken S flashed an illustration of a former proposal for the Cleveland lakefront transit center - you can see the Rosales pedestrian bridge in the background. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
May 23, 20232 yr Separately on the All Aboard Ohio front, I have joined the board and will be actively working to grow the chapter here in Northeast Ohio. Please let me know if you're interested in participating in our advocacy for passenger rail. I think we've got some good options for group trips in this area - the RTA maintenance facility, the Northern Ohio trolley museum down in Seville, the rail collection behind the Steelyard. From my perspective, our top priorities should be advocating for Ohio's share of the current pool of federal money for intercity trains, and pushing RTA to more aggressively embrace ToD on all those awful parking lots at Rapid stations. @KJP @gildone @neony @LibertyBlvd @LifeLongClevelander @Cleburger @Ethan and anyone else who may be interested. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
June 8, 20232 yr AAO statewide Zoom meeting this Saturday at 10am. I think this is the link: Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84004093856 Meeting ID: 840 0409 3856 Also, updated speaker list for the 50th anniversary celebration/ annual meeting in Crestline on July 15. If you want to go, but don’t want to drive, we can organize a carpool from northeast OH. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
June 11, 20232 yr AAO meeting was quite interesting today. Ken Sislak gave us an update on extending CVSR to downtown and an update on the Amtrak expansion, plus some brief comments on Brightline West and the upcoming AAO 50th Anniversary celebration in Crestline on July 15. (Come join us!) I posted the CVSR stuff in the Cleveland Union Terminal thread. Here's a link to that post: After CVSR expansion, Ken S talked about the Amtrak expansion. He went over the process for route evaluation and planning: Several of the maps he shared were quite a bit clearer than other versions I've seen, so I'll post them here. First, the current Amtrak route map, showing long distance service w names, start supported services, and the northeast corridor: Next he shared the expansion map. He talked about services that have been formally requested through the planning process. We zoomed in on Corridor ID projects that impact Ohio. The highlighting is for routes that Ohio planning orgs (NOACA, MORPC, etc) have formally requested, along with some requests in neighboring states. Summary of Amtrak's most recent expansion announcement. It sounds like Amtrak is pushing pretty hard for daily Cardinal service, which would be nice for Cincy and Oxford. My understanding is that Amtrak thinks improving the corridor between Chicago and Indianapolis is very important - Amtrak has a significant service facility in Indy. Kentucky is also pushing for Chicago-Indy-Louisville service. Ken S then gave a brief Brightline West update. The Brightline West high speed rail from Vegas to southern CA will be true HSR - 186+ mph service! Brightline West intends to break ground this year and they are hoping to open in time for the 2028 LA Olympics. That's an aggressive timeline, but exciting to consider. Phase 1 is Las Vegas to Victor Valley and on to Rancho Cucamonga. The latter is served by commuter rail directly from LA Union Station. Vegas to Cucamonga will take 2 hours 10 minutes, roughly half the driving time. Future phases are intended to continue all the way to LA Union Terminal, as well as Victor Valley to Palmdale to connect with CAHSR. (As an aside, he also talked a bit about how pretty much all the senior staff have left the Texas HSR project, pointing to the difficulties of executing projects like this in the US.) He wrapped up with a brief invite for the AAO 50th celebration on July 15 in Crestline. Please join us there! When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
July 8, 20231 yr AAO's annual meeting and 50th anniversary celebration is next Saturday, July 15, in Crestline, OH (near Mansfield). I'm excited for the speakers, including former Brightline VP Bob O'Malley. I will be going, as will @KJP, @gildone, at @neony and hopefully other forum regulars. It would be great if more of you are able to join us! If you can't make it to Crestline, there will be a remote option available via Zoom. Please buy your tickets (in person or remote) at this link: https://www.allaboardohio.org/2023-annual-meeting When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
July 17, 20231 yr Time-critical notice: Dear AAO Members, Congress, specifically the Appropriations Committee, will be considering on Tuesday a bill that includes a 64% cut to the funding of Amtrak. If passed, this bill and the funding cuts would significantly undermine our efforts and those of Amtrak and our allies to bring reliable passenger rail back to Ohio. Passenger rail, especially the proposed 3 C&D corridor, would connect Ohio's businesses and communities, provide more opportunities for all Ohioans to travel and find work, create jobs, and foster economic growth. Your mission first thing this morning: Look up your representative on the helpful guide on our website: allaboardohio.org (link below) Call them and let them know that these cuts are not good for Ohio. Be polite, and concise but firm, and share your passion for passenger rail. The House Appropriation Committee is scheduled to "markup" (advance) this drastic budget cut on Tuesday, July 18th.... so, your immediate action TODAY is critically important. **** Links: The Bill: https://www.railpassengers.org/happening-now/news/releases/statement-on-houses-proposed-cuts-to-amtrak-in-fy24-budget/ List of Reps: https://www.allaboardohio.org/legislators?utm_campaign=944e1361-ce04-4cbd-91dd-0920124e6e03&utm_source=so&utm_medium=mail&cid=44100ea5-0205-48f8-ab35-da8a0b53b8b9 When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
July 23, 20231 yr Ohio passenger rail enthusiasts, I have good news - Columbus Foundation Awards Grant to All Aboard Ohio To Study Economic Impact of Passenger Rail Columbus, Ohio (July 18, 2023) -- All Aboard Ohio (AAO) has been awarded an almost $17,000 grant by the Columbus Foundation for the purpose of conducting a detailed economic impact study of the proposed revival of passenger rail service in the Cleveland-Columbus-Dayton-Cincinnati rail corridor. The Columbus-based policy analysis company, Scioto Analysis, has been hired to do the study with the aim of showing what the reintroduction of multiple daily trains in the 3C&D Corridor can generate in terms of business development, jobs and other community economic benefits for both the major cities and other station-stop communities like Crestline, Delaware, Springfield and Hamilton. “We are grateful to the Columbus Foundation for this grant and excited about what positive economic benefits this study can determine,” says All Aboard Ohio Board Chair Erin Rosiello. “When you introduce good, frequent and reliable service, passenger rail on state-supported corridors is already demonstrating significant economic growth in and around station stops in states like Illinois, Michigan, Virginia, North Carolina, Vermont, Maine and California,” says AAO Executive Director Stu Nicholson. “It is also giving people a good option to driving a car or the hassles of flying to do business or connect with jobs, education, health care and more. And given growing climate change concerns, we certainly need more and greener option.” The study is expected to take slightly more than two months once it gets underway. https://www.allaboardohio.org/_files/ugd/903aba_f98f859c94bf4310a43affd92decd3c5.pdf When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
August 8, 20231 yr The AAO statewide Zoom call is this Saturday. (I probably will not be able to attend): https://www.allaboardohio.org/event-details/aao-statewide-meeting-2023-08-12-10-00 Topic: AAO Members Statewide Zoom Meeting Time: Aug 12, 2023 10:00 AM Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84004093856 Meeting ID: 840 0409 3856 One tap mobile +16465588656,,84004093856# US (New York) +16469313860,,84004093856# US When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
August 8, 20231 yr And perhaps a bit more exciting, we'll be hosting the first in person Northeast Ohio chapter meeting since before COVID on Aug 23 at 6:00 PM at HiHO Brewery, 1707 Front St, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221 Please RSVP here: https://www.allaboardohio.org/event-details/aao-northeast-chapter-meeting Fellow new board member Matthew Albright and I will be hosting. Hope to see you there @KJP @gildone @neony @Luke_S and anyone else who cares to join us. If you don't feel like driving all the way there, you're welcome to meet me in Oakwood Village at 271 and Broadway to carpool. Future events will move around to different parts of Northeast Ohio. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
August 8, 20231 yr Sorry. Can't make it. My boy has soccer practices or games almost every single day. On weekdays they're in the evenings. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 8, 20231 yr 15 hours ago, Boomerang_Brian said: And perhaps a bit more exciting, we'll be hosting the first in person Northeast Ohio chapter meeting since before COVID on Aug 23 at 6:00 PM at HiHO Brewery, 1707 Front St, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221 Please RSVP here: https://www.allaboardohio.org/event-details/aao-northeast-chapter-meeting Fellow new board member Matthew Albright and I will be hosting. Hope to see you there @KJP @gildone @neony @Luke_S and anyone else who cares to join us. If you don't feel like driving all the way there, you're welcome to meet me in Oakwood Village at 271 and Broadway to carpool. Future events will move around to different parts of Northeast Ohio. Hoping to be moved by that time and settled enough to attend. Will advise when we are closer to the date of the meeting. Also not sure as to whether I will be able to participate in Saturday's Zoom call. Edited August 8, 20231 yr by neony
August 19, 20231 yr On 8/7/2023 at 8:49 PM, Boomerang_Brian said: And perhaps a bit more exciting, we'll be hosting the first in person Northeast Ohio chapter meeting since before COVID on Aug 23 at 6:00 PM at HiHO Brewery, 1707 Front St, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221 Please RSVP here: https://www.allaboardohio.org/event-details/aao-northeast-chapter-meeting I will be hosting. Hope to see you there @KJP @gildone @neony @Luke_S and anyone else who cares to join us. If you don't feel like driving all the way there, you're welcome to meet me in Oakwood Village at 271 and Broadway to carpool. Future events will move around to different parts of Northeast Ohio. Hi all - the Northeast Ohio chapter meeting of AAO is this Wednesday at 6pm in Cuyahoga Falls. I hope you will be able to join us. If you do plan to come, please RSVP at the link above. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
August 25, 20231 yr On 8/7/2023 at 8:49 PM, Boomerang_Brian said: And perhaps a bit more exciting, we'll be hosting the first in person Northeast Ohio chapter meeting since before COVID on Aug 23 at 6:00 PM at HiHO Brewery, 1707 Front St, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221 Please RSVP here: https://www.allaboardohio.org/event-details/aao-northeast-chapter-meeting I will be hosting. Hope to see you there @KJP @gildone @neony @Luke_S and anyone else who cares to join us. If you don't feel like driving all the way there, you're welcome to meet me in Oakwood Village at 271 and Broadway to carpool. Future events will move around to different parts of Northeast Ohio. Last night we hosted the first in-person meeting of the Northeast Ohio AAO chapter in several years. We met at the HiHO Brewery in Cuyahoga Falls. We had a great turnout of about 13 people, including @gildone and @neony. Many northeast Ohio communities were represented, including Youngstown, North Canton, Willoughby, Berea, Fairlawn, and Hudson among others. We had a good conversation; topics included the Corridor ID program, the Long Distance Passenger Rail study, and the CVSR. I explained which routes have been submitted for the Corridor ID program and which state and regional planning organizations are involved. We discussed the importance of contacting each local state and federal representatives to request passenger rail funding. @gildone raised awareness about the proposed National Infrastructure Bank ( https://www.nibcoalition.com/ ). It seemed like people enjoyed the discussion - the whole group was there for about an hour and half of the group talked for a full two hours, so I think they were happy with the content. We also distributed a bunch of copies of the print newsletter. One person is taking Amtrak from Cleveland this week so he's going to leave a stack of newsletters at the station. All supporters are welcome and we look forward to seeing you at a future event! When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
September 10, 20231 yr Passenger rail advocates: the next meeting of the northeast Ohio chapter of AAO will be on Saturday, September 23 at 1pm at the Northern Ohio Railway Museum in Seville (southwest Medina County, near Chippewa Lake). The facility has a wonderful collection of vintage trolleys, streetcars, and interurbans, as well as classic freight rail cars. Our meeting will be on the last Saturday of the museum's season and they offer vintage trolley rides hourly from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Trolley rides cost $5.) Advocates from other parts of the state are welcome to join us. The museum is about 45 from Cleveland and about 90 minutes from Columbus. Please register at: https://www.allaboardohio.org/event-details/aao-northeast-chapter-meeting-2 The meeting will be on Saturday, September 23 at 1 p.m., giving you the opportunity for a trolley ride at noon or 2 p.m. You will also have an opportunity to visit the museum's collection of vintage rail equipment. The museum is active on Facebook - check it out for more information on your visit (link: https://www.facebook.com/northernohiorailwaymuseum ). The museum is at 5515 Buffham Road, Seville, Ohio. Thanks so much to Walt Stoner and the museum team for hosting us! In our meeting, we will discuss the current status of passenger rail in Ohio as well as the new federal funding opportunities. We will review the Corridor ID program for expanded shorter-distance intercity rail, including the proposed 3C&D that would connect Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Cincinnati, as well as smaller communities along the route. We will discuss the Long Distance Service Study, a Federal Railroad Administration evaluation of reestablishing discontinued long-distance passenger rail service AND potential new service, such as connecting Chicago to Atlanta and Florida, for routes over 750 miles. As an advocacy organization for passenger rail, we recognize that many of our members are not able to travel to locations that require a personal vehicle (such as, ironically, the Northern Ohio Railway Museum). We are committed to hosting some of our future chapter meetings at locations accessible via public transit, particularly in Cleveland. Thank you for your patience as we work to reestablish in-person meetings and activities for our Northeast Ohio chapter. We look forward to seeing you soon! When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
September 20, 20231 yr On 9/10/2023 at 1:53 PM, Boomerang_Brian said: Passenger rail advocates: the next meeting of the northeast Ohio chapter of AAO will be on Saturday, September 23 at 1pm at the Northern Ohio Railway Museum in Seville (southwest Medina County, near Chippewa Lake). The facility has a wonderful collection of vintage trolleys, streetcars, and interurbans, as well as classic freight rail cars. Our meeting will be on the last Saturday of the museum's season and they offer vintage trolley rides hourly from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Trolley rides cost $5.) Advocates from other parts of the state are welcome to join us. The museum is about 45 from Cleveland and about 90 minutes from Columbus. Please register at: https://www.allaboardohio.org/event-details/aao-northeast-chapter-meeting-2 The meeting will be on Saturday, September 23 at 1 p.m., giving you the opportunity for a trolley ride at noon or 2 p.m. You will also have an opportunity to visit the museum's collection of vintage rail equipment. The museum is active on Facebook - check it out for more information on your visit (link: https://www.facebook.com/northernohiorailwaymuseum ). The museum is at 5515 Buffham Road, Seville, Ohio. Thanks so much to Walt Stoner and the museum team for hosting us! In our meeting, we will discuss the current status of passenger rail in Ohio as well as the new federal funding opportunities. We will review the Corridor ID program for expanded shorter-distance intercity rail, including the proposed 3C&D that would connect Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Cincinnati, as well as smaller communities along the route. We will discuss the Long Distance Service Study, a Federal Railroad Administration evaluation of reestablishing discontinued long-distance passenger rail service AND potential new service, such as connecting Chicago to Atlanta and Florida, for routes over 750 miles. As an advocacy organization for passenger rail, we recognize that many of our members are not able to travel to locations that require a personal vehicle (such as, ironically, the Northern Ohio Railway Museum). We are committed to hosting some of our future chapter meetings at locations accessible via public transit, particularly in Cleveland. Thank you for your patience as we work to reestablish in-person meetings and activities for our Northeast Ohio chapter. We look forward to seeing you soon! Quick reminder that our AAO northeast chapter meeting is this Saturday at the railway museum in Medina county. You can ride the trolleys for $5. There is no cost to attend our meeting and you don’t need to be a member (although I will be encouraging you to join). It’s about a 45 minute drive from Cleveland and only 90 minutes or so from Columbus. Please register at: https://www.allaboardohio.org/event-details/aao-northeast-chapter-meeting-2 When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
October 2, 20231 yr Hey northeast Ohio folks - Any chance you’d be available to come to the Berea fairgrounds for an hour or two on Saturday (Oct 7) to help me staff the All Aboard Ohio booth at the model train show? We’ll just be talking to people to build support for passenger rail. Another member was going to be there that day, but he had a family thing come up. Show runs 10-4, any block within that would be helpful. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
October 24, 20231 yr AAO Northeast Chapter Happy Hour Wednesday, Nov 01, 5:30 PM Forest City Brewery, 2135 Columbus Rd, Cleveland, OH 44113, USA Join the Northeast Ohio Chapter of AAO for a Happy Hour to meet fellow passenger rail advocates. We will give a brief update on the latest news impacting passenger rail in Ohio and throughout the country. We will also preview our December 1 tour of the RTA rail maintenance facility. Ride the Red Line and meet us in Duck Island, just around the corner from the West 25th / Ohio City RTA station. The entrance to Forest City Brewery is on the Freeman Ave. side of the building. Please register at: https://www.allaboardohio.org/event-details/aao-northeast-chapter-happy-hour @KJP @gildone @neony @Whipjacka When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
October 24, 20231 yr Cross-posting - AAO: RTA Rail Maintenance Facility Tour on Friday, December 1: When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
November 1, 20231 yr On 10/23/2023 at 9:26 PM, Boomerang_Brian said: AAO Northeast Chapter Happy Hour Wednesday, Nov 01, 5:30 PM Forest City Brewery, 2135 Columbus Rd, Cleveland, OH 44113, USA Join the Northeast Ohio Chapter of AAO for a Happy Hour to meet fellow passenger rail advocates. We will give a brief update on the latest news impacting passenger rail in Ohio and throughout the country. We will also preview our December 1 tour of the RTA rail maintenance facility. Ride the Red Line and meet us in Duck Island, just around the corner from the West 25th / Ohio City RTA station. The entrance to Forest City Brewery is on the Freeman Ave. side of the building. Please register at: https://www.allaboardohio.org/event-details/aao-northeast-chapter-happy-hour @KJP @gildone @neony @Whipjacka Quick reminder that the AAO northeast chapter Happy Hour is Wednesday at Forest City Brewery. Hope you can join us. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
November 30, 20231 yr I went to my first Southwest chapter meeting last night. There were 14 people in-person and about a half dozen on Zoom. One of the people in-person is a resident of Ft. Thomas who is designing the future Amtrak stop in Oxford. He did mention that they are having some land rights issues, as the original plan called for land swaps between 3 public entities. He also mentioned that the bids BCRTA received for their transit center, where the station will be, came up higher than expected so there might be a budget shortfall. It's too early to tell but they should receive updated information soon. There is also interest from an Amtrak rep to come down and visit Union Terminal, by train, to help update amenities at the station, as well as customize the listing on Amtrak's website. The next one is scheduled for Wednesday, December 20th.
December 2, 20231 yr Cool... "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 18, 20241 yr AAO Northeast chapter meeting: Sat., Jan. 27 at 1pm at Cleveland Public Library Hello Rail Advocates, We hope you are able to attend our next All Aboard Ohio Northeast chapter meeting on Saturday, January 27 at 1pm at the main downtown branch of the Cleveland Public Library (325 Superior Ave, Cleveland, OH). We have a conference room reserved on the 2nd floor in the Louis Stokes Wing (the taller/newer building). With all of the recent news around passenger rail, it is sure to be an interesting discussion! The meeting will last about an hour. Please register and find event info here: https://www.allaboardohio.org/event-details/northeast-chapter-meeting-1 Our discussion will include: - Corridor ID Program announcements that impact Ohio, including the 3C+D and Cleveland-Toledo-Detroit proposals - The recently approved feasibility study to extend the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway to downtown Cleveland I look forward to seeing you there! When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
January 26, 20241 yr AAO’s Whistle Stop made the local news! I also had a nice chat with Susan Glaser from the PD / cle dot com, so hopefully we’ll get some coverage there too. https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/we-follow-through/just-how-close-is-cleveland-to-getting-more-amtrak-options Our local chapter meeting is this Saturday. Details a few posts up. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
February 8, 20241 yr On 2/5/2024 at 6:12 PM, Dev said: It's great to see the local momentum continue He predicted 3C+D by 2030 and cited the positive outcome of the rail study promoted on the whistle stop tour mentioned above. https://www.sciotoanalysis.com/news/2023/12/21/passenger-rail-investment-will-generate-millions-of-dollars-and-hundreds-of-new-jobs-for-ohio
February 8, 20241 yr 2 hours ago, Foraker said: He predicted 3C+D by 2030 and cited the positive outcome of the rail study promoted on the whistle stop tour mentioned above. https://www.sciotoanalysis.com/news/2023/12/21/passenger-rail-investment-will-generate-millions-of-dollars-and-hundreds-of-new-jobs-for-ohio It’s important to note that we will continue to need support at both the State and Federal level. Fortunately the current federal program design does make it relatively easy for states to participate. We think getting the Corridor ID phase 2 planning funding into next year’s state transportation budget is likely. It will be really important for our elected officials to hear from us that passenger rail is a priority. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
February 8, 20241 yr 17 minutes ago, Boomerang_Brian said: It’s important to note that we will continue to need support at both the State and Federal level. Fortunately the current federal program design does make it relatively easy for states to participate. We think getting the Corridor ID phase 2 planning funding into next year’s state transportation budget is likely. It will be really important for our elected officials to hear from us that passenger rail is a priority. And if Trump is elected much of this will probably go away. So please everyone get out and vote!
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