Next stop -- Cleveland?

 

http://www.fra.dot.gov/Pages/press-releases/234.shtml

 

News Digest: Pennsylvania Receives $750,000 Grant to Study Keystone Corridor Expansion

 

U.S.Department of Transportation

Office of Public Affairs

Washington, D.C.

www.dot.gov/affairs/briefing.htm

News Digest

 

 

FRA 01/12

Friday, January 28, 2011

 

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has provided a $750,000 High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) Program grant to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to study the expansion of Amtrak’s Keystone Corridor from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh. Passenger trains on the Keystone Corridor currently operate at 110 mph between New York, Philadelphia and Harrisburg, and have seen ridership grow from 891,764 passengers in 2006 to 1,296,838 last year. The study will evaluate the feasibility of electrifying track between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, construction of dedicated tracks for passenger trains and major signal and switch improvements. The study will also evaluate installation of concrete ties, procurement of new passenger cars and alternative route alignments. The FRA grant is from FRA’s fiscal year 2009 Intercity Passenger Rail appropriation with a 50 percent state match requirement from Pennsylvania’s Department of Transportation. Media contact: Rob Kulat (202) 493-6024.

 

####

LaHood lauds plan for national high-speed rails

Rejection of federal funds doesn't kill idea of Pittsburgh-to-Cleveland route

Thursday, February 10, 2011

By Daniel Malloy, Post-Gazette Washington Bureau

 

WASHINGTON -- Ohio Gov. John Kasich's rejection of federal high-speed rail projects isn't necessarily a death knell for a Pittsburgh-to-Cleveland rail corridor but it could mean a temporary "railway to nowhere" that stops before it gets to Ohio.

 

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood was adamant Wednesday in a meeting with regional reporters that decisions by Mr. Kasich and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker to turn down high-speed rail funding will not impact surrounding states' chances to get hold of the $53 billion over six years the Obama administration is proposing as part of the president's budget, to be released next week.

 

Mr. LaHood compared the administration's goal of connecting 80 percent of the country via high-speed rail over the next 25 years to the interstate highway system. It will be done in increments, and the administration doesn't know where the money is coming from yet, but Mr. LaHood vowed it will get done.

 

Read more at: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11041/1124412-455.stm

Remember that the Pennsylvania Turnpike dead-ended at the Ohio state line for 15 years until Ohio finally decided that building highways was a good idea? Sad to see that history could end up repeating itself thanks to Ohio's decades-long record of timidity!

Congressman Ryan says the fight for high speed rail for the region is still on

 

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Congressman Tim Ryan says the fight for high speed rail in the region is still on.

 

Ryan tells 21 News several congressmen and women from the region met with the U.S. Secretary of Transportation.

 

"We are still trying to get some money to do the study from Pittsburgh to Youngstown to Cleveland to Toledo to Chicago, which would really energize this area of the world.  It would facilitate research between Case Western Reserve and Carnegie Mellon. This whole region could really develop. Where you could get on a train and go see the Steelers or go see the Cavs, the Indians, or whatever, it would be great economic development.," Ryan said.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.wfmj.com/Global/story.asp?S=14022540

Group urges Gov. John Kasich to get high-speed rail on track in Ohio

By SCOTT SUTTELL

2:39 pm, March 18, 2011

 

A group of elected officials and business and community leaders is urging Gov. John Kasich to get high-speed rail on track in Ohio.

 

The 12-member group, which includes U.S. Reps. Tim Ryan and Betty Sutton — both Democrats — and Cleveland real estate developer Ari Maron, wrote a March 17 letter to the governor asking him to support “an emerging public-private partnership which seeks to pursue the planning and development of rail freight and high-speed rail connecting the Cleveland-Akron-Youngstown-Pittsburgh region.”

 

 

Gov. Kasich campaigned against and later killed the so-called 3C corridor, a commuter rail line that would have linked Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati. The governor took heat for rejecting $400 million in federal money for that project, but he never wavered from his argument that the line would have been a waste of money because it would have resulted in a slow-speed, north-south transportation link with no practical value.

Read more at: http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20110318/FREE/110319848

BTW, a copy of the full letter showing all of the signatories is available at:

 

http://freepdfhosting.com/e31f1af331.pdf

 

I'm sure more signatories could have been pulled together if Rep. Ryan's staff had more than just two days.

Is the Vindy slow, or is this something new?

 

Officials push for rail service

Published: Wed, March 23, 2011 @ 12:00 a.m.

By Kristen Russo

 

[email protected]

 

YOUNGSTOWN

 

U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, has joined 11 other lawmakers and business leaders in requesting Gov. John Kasich’s support of the TechBelt Initiative.

 

The initiative is a public-private partnership focused on the development of freight and high-speed rail to connect Cleveland, Akron, Youngstown and Pittsburgh, according to a press release.

 

More: http://www.vindy.com/news/2011/mar/23/officials-push-for-rail-service/

They're five days slow.

Local Train Service to Pittsburgh Proposed

Published: 6/15 4:47 pm  Updated: 6/15 7:54 pm

 

The Western Reserve Port Authority is looking at the possibility of working out a deal with a specialty train that would run from the Youngstown-Warren area to Station Square in Pittsburgh.

 

Board member Don Hanni III said he has been working with All Aboard Ohio in hopes of offering the passenger train service.

 

"Frankly it gives the area an opportunity to once again see what rail is all about and it gives the Port Authority an opportunity to move into another area of transportation, one that is really needed in this area, and with gas prices going up, maybe that will stir more interest," Hanni said.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.wkbn.com/content/news/local/story/Local-Train-Service-to-Pittsburgh-Proposed/F0sH6hgB60KI2RgdU6vcFg.cspx

Railroads and our region

August 30, 2011

By J.J. Pirko - Community Columnist ([email protected]) , Tribune Chronicle | TribToday.com

 

"Full Speed Ahead: Creating Green Jobs Through Freight Rail Expansion," was a joint report from the BlueGreen Alliance and the Economic Policy Institute, released in 2010. The Association of American Railroads added their support to this report that found for every $1 billion of capital investment in freight rail, approximately 7,800 green jobs are created across the U.S. economy. Other benefits include reducing carbon emissions and cutting our nation's dependence on foreign oil.

 

Our region is positioned to benefit from this renewed investment in railroad freight and passenger transit, as a hub to supply fuel, equipment and maintenance services for the railroads. We have both CSX and Norfolk Southern Class-1 railroads connecting our cities, with CSX's Eastern Gateway and Norfolk Southern's Heartland projects improving their track networks to accommodate double-stack shipping containers to reduce fuel costs and traffic congestion.

 

Shipping a ton of freight almost 500 miles on a gallon of fuel, railroads are the most cost-effective inland transportation system on the market. In the 1990s I was able to save $300 to $400 per 48 x 102 trailer load using intermodal shipping containers to supply my customers in New York, shipping from Tupelo, Miss., through the Memphis, Tenn., intermodal rail terminal. Diesel fuel retailed for about 75 cents per gallon back then, so intermodal cost savings have multiplied with diesel fuel rising to more than $4 per gallon.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.tribtoday.com/page/content.detail/id/561047/Railroads-and-our-region.html#.Tl7CY94KAvk.email

It's amazing what a Google search of websites' cache memory can produce. I remember this amendment. I also remember that this federal appropriation was never tapped to conduct planning of the Ravenna Connection, as Congress had intended by enactment of federal law....

 

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:4qHbTUftijoJ:thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/%3F%26dbname%3Dcp104%26sid%3Dcp104ose4T%26refer%3D%26r_n%3Dhr785.104%26item%3D%26%26%26sel%3DTOC_110500%26+Ravenna+connection,+rail&cd=7&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

 

House Report 104-785 - MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND RELATED AGENCIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1997, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

 

FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION

 

OFFICE OF THE ADMINISTRATOR

 

Amendment No. 47. Appropriates $16,739,000 for the Office of the Administrator as proposed by the Senate instead of $16,469,000 as proposed by the House.

 

Ravenna, Ohio connection.--The conferees directed the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to study, in conjunction with Amtrak, the State of Ohio, and affected freight railroads, the feasibility of constructing a railway connection in Ravenna, Ohio that would restore Amtrak service to the cities of Youngstown and Ravenna and provide service to New Castle, Pennsylvania. Of the total funds appropriated, not less than $200,000 shall be available to conduct this study, which should address, among other items, closure and safety enhancements to a highway-rail grade crossing located at the site. it is the intention of the conferees that should the $200,000 for the study not be fully spent, excess funds be available for environmental assessment of the Ravenna connection, provided that state and/or local funds have been pledged.

BTW, I also remember that nearly $9.5 million in federal stimulus funds were awarded to CSX for two interlocking track projects in Portage County. Original descriptions of this project refer to them being only at Kent: http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Communications/Federal%20Stimulus%20Projects/D4-87649-POR-RRInterlockings.pdf

 

But I see the Ravenna interlocking also is to be restored (either at its former location at the east end of the abandoned Ravenna Connection or possibly somewhere else). I wonder where??

 

These descriptions are apparently for project management but also for some grading work?

 

Ravenna

http://tinyurl.com/3e2564t

 

Kent

http://tinyurl.com/5v7owxs

 

Anyone have additional info?

 

EDIT: I see the location for the "Ravenna" interlocking is actually in Charlestown Township, at milepost 104, south of the Ravenna Arsenal. If you mentally extend Greenleaf Road south of State Route 5, that's where this existing interlocking is located. There is one crossover located there, and it is in the correct alignment to be of use to trains coming off a restored Ravenna Connection and needing to crossover to/from either main track. But the Ravenna Connection was 6-7 miles west of this location -- a long way to travel "wrong-main" if connection traffic is frequent.

 

The description for this project in the ORDC grant agreement is:

 

BG 104.00 - Ravenna Interlocking - This portion will entail completion of an existing interlocking and related signal modifications in Ravenna, Ohio.

http://www.efl.fhwa.dot.gov/files/projects/gateway-clearance/Grant-Agreements/TIGER-Grand-Agreement.pdf

Cross-posted from the Booming growth of freight railroads thread:

 

Here's a presentation on the history of the Ravenna Connection and present/future need for restoring this track connection (aka "The Missing Mile")....

 

RAVENNA CONNECTION PRESENTATION (30 pages):

http://freepdfhosting.com/bc2061f930.pdf

 

 

 

Interesting read Ken.

 

For reference, you can still see where the connection was on Google Maps or you can see the connections on Historic Aerials.

 

Also I believe R.R. Wellington, which owns part of the property that would be needed to restore the eastbound connection, is the property developer that built out the Emerald Lake condos.

Interesting read Ken.

 

For reference, you can still see where the connection was on Google Maps or you can see the connections on Historic Aerials.

 

Also I believe R.R. Wellington, which owns part of the property that would be needed to restore the eastbound connection, is the property developer that built out the Emerald Lake condos.

 

Yep. He's a train buff, so I doubt we'd have to pry the vacant property from his hands. :)

Recent coverage from presser at Pittsburgh's train station where improved links east to Philly and west to Cleveland were requested. The red-haired man speaking to the group is Rich Fitzgerald.  He is the County Executive-elect of Allegheny County.  Since the county is the local level of government with the most to do with transportation (public transit, for example, is a county function), having him there was a big deal.  The blond woman speaking to the group is Natalia Rudiak.  She is a Councilwoman on the Pittsburgh City Council.  The man speaking to a TV reporter is J. Charles Riecks, member of the NARP Council of Representatives (WV)......

 

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.10150474289010734&type=1

 

http://www.wpxi.com/news/29833008/detail.html#.TsvZw_oV3r8.facebook

 

There also was radio news coverage at kqv but two news stories about Amtrak play at the same time!

A subsidized 70-mile flight -- really? It's a fault of federal transportation policy, not anyone in Youngstown. The lack of public and private capital investment in rail infrastructure is the reason why aviation has to fill the void for fast trips, even for trips as short as 70 miles.

 

Daily flights from Youngstown to Cleveland taxi toward 2012 reality

Published: Thu, December 22, 2011 @ 12:09 a.m.

By Ed Runyan

[email protected]

 

VIENNA

Negotiations are finally moving in the direction of restoring daily air service to the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport, the airport’s director reported Wednesday.

 

The Western Reserve Port Authority, which runs the airport, authorized Dan Dickten, director of aviation, to continue negotiations with Gulfstream International of Fort Lauderdale.

 

The airline could start up flights between the local airport and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport as early as the first three months of 2012, Dickten said.

 

...The Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport would provide Gulfstream with a revenue guarantee to start up the service. Two-thirds of the guarantee would come from a $575,000 U.S. Department of Transportation Small Community Air Service Development Program grant the airport received in October 2007.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.vindy.com/news/2011/dec/22/daily-flights-to-cleveland-taxi-toward--/

Who is flying between Youngstown and Cleveland? I travel between the two cities regularaly, and it's just a hair over an hour from my house driving. No way driving to the airport, going through security, etc etc. nets out as a positive from a time perspective. Unless it's merely used as a connector to allow people fly to other destinations through Cleveland, I can't see why people would even choose that option.

I suppose if you're already flying out of Cleveland it might make some sense to some people to just fly to Cleveland to catch your connection. I imagine the security lines will be shorter in Youngstown, the parking will be cheaper, and it's a shorter drive. Inefficient sure, and it won't get you there any faster, but if you can relax on the flight instead of watching the road it might seem worthwile to someone.

If the imperative is to get people to the Cleveland Hopkins airport, there could be vans or minibuses leaving from the downtowns in the Mahoning Valley or from hotels.

 

Here is another reason why port authorities are a poor form of government.  They are spending public money to help somebody go on vacation or on a business trip.  If fracking is so booming, why don't the oil companies pay to transport their people to the valley?

This money could be used for a Eastern Commuter rail line between Cleveland and Youngstown.

 

These flights wont full or frequent enough to be profitable.

 

Problem is, there is no way to get a train to travel directly between Cleveland and Youngstown -- not even a freight train. The biggest shortcoming is the "missing mile" at Ravenna that will take at least $5 million to construct to link two 79 mph rail corridors. Then there's the lack of a suitable station facility or two in the Youngstown-Warren area, and each station facility can cost $1 million to $2 million depending on the site. I suspect more stations than that would be desired. And I assume the Amtrak station in Cleveland would be used. Then, where do you store the train during its daytime layover at Cleveland? Or during its nighttime layover at Youngstown? A layover track at both locations might need to be constructed at a total cost of $1 million or more.

 

Until those funds are available, I would use the grant received by the port authority as an operating grant guarantee for motorcoach services direct from Hopkins Airport to Youngstown-Vienna Airport, and possibly serve other locations in the valley, such as the hotel/restaurant area at I-80 and SR46, and the transit center in downtown Youngstown. I would imagine that the grant would allow the Western Reserve Port Authority to sponsor the provision of more buses than flights. If you have to wait around longer for fewer connecting flights at Cleveland to Youngstown, then the provision of buses may save travelers more money. I realize having daily flights to Youngstown is a claim to fame, but not necessarily more convenient.

Phil Kidd of Defend Youngstown fame has posted a discussion topic on Cleveland - Youngstown - Pittsburgh passenger rail service his popular Facebook page (he has more than 2,400 friends) at https://www.facebook.com/phil.kidd.9

 

Phil just reported that he has now received more "likes" on this subject than any other he has shared since he opened his Facebook account. Get on board and help spread the word to make this a part of the Northeast Ohio Sustainable Communities Consortium agenda! https://www.facebook.com/VibrantNEO

Unfortunately another Ohio metro was among those at the other end of the scale -- the metro between Cleveland and Pittsburgh! Imagine if we had fast rail transit linking these three metros + the Akron area which would make all of them stronger and less expensive to work, live and play in.

__________

 

Employment Gains Spur Housing Growth in Pittsburgh, Cleveland

Author: Krista Franks Brock September 22, 2014 0

 

As the housing market continues to mend, analysts find the young-adult sector of the market is lagging. Some feel the lack of young first-time buyers is the main component holding the housing market back. However, this may not be the case everywhere.

 

A burgeoning young, knowledge-based workforce is contributing to housing and overall economic growth in Pittsburgh and Cleveland, according to the latest Home Value Forecast from Pro Teck Valuation Services.

 

Pittsburgh and Cleveland rank third and eighth on a list of metros with the highest percentage of employed individuals aged 25 to 24 with graduate or professional degrees, according to a recent report from Cleveland State University's Center for Population Dynamics.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://dsnews.com/news/09-22-2014/employment-gains-fueling-housing-growth-pittsburgh-cleveland

Youngstown B&O station hosted RiverFest yesterday. And the Amtrak station facilities are still there, unused 11 years later. Hmmm...

 

20160604_110605 by Ken Prendergast, on Flickr

 

20160604_154234-1 by Ken Prendergast, on Flickr

 

20160604_154332 by Ken Prendergast, on Flickr

 

20160604_110703 by Ken Prendergast, on Flickr

 

20160604_110724 by Ken Prendergast, on Flickr

 

All Aboard Ohio making its presence known in Youngstown again. Why? Hopefully we'll soon be able to share why...

20160604_115408 by Ken Prendergast, on Flickr

 

The east end of the station is where the Amtrak station was. You'd enter the station on the left side and take an elevator up to the second level where the waiting room and former ticket counter was. The station briefly had an Amtrak ticket agent in the early 1990s after the B&O station was renovated. From 1990-91, the Amtrak ticket office/waiting area was temporarily at WRTA's Federal Street station and then passengers were bused over to the B&O station platform moments before the train arrived. It was not without mishaps...

20160604_123742 by Ken Prendergast, on Flickr

 

Some of the Amtrak signage at the B&O station is still there as if nothing has changed since the last run of Amtrak's Three Rivers in April 2005...

20160604_123822 by Ken Prendergast, on Flickr

 

Amtrak passengers walked out of the waiting room onto the trackside platform through these doors. If you zoom in, you can see there is a plant growing inside the doorway. Not sure if that's by accident. But I'm told this space is heated and cooled and was used as an office for the Rust Belt Brewing Co. Other than that, I have no idea what condition this space or the Amtrak elevator is in...

20160604_124152 by Ken Prendergast, on Flickr

 

Looking west toward downtown Youngstown from the ramp leading from the waiting room to the platform...

20160604_123917 by Ken Prendergast, on Flickr

 

Looking east on the CSX mainline toward Ravenna (where there's a missing 4,000-foot track connection that keeps Amtrak trains out of Youngstown and New Castle, PA). The platform is intact but ADA-noncompliant, despite CSX leaving ballast on the asphalt surface. All of the light poles for illuminating the platform are still up and only some of the light fixtures appear to be smashed out. The concrete pad was for a wooden passenger shelter that got destroyed by a CSX maintenance of way crew when Amtrak still served Youngstown. Another similar shelter still stands across the tracks from the remaining Amtrak platform. The other platform was removed because CSX and Amtrak considered it too dangerous to have passengers cross the tracks at grade on this sharp curve...

20160604_123936 by Ken Prendergast, on Flickr

 

Looking west toward downtown...

20160604_123944 by Ken Prendergast, on Flickr

 

It's amazing how long some things endure. And I'm not just talking about the station platform or the station signs. Youngstown-based Home Savings & Loan Bank somehow survived the horrific economic devastation wrought by the collapse of the Mahoning Valley's steel industry 35-40 years ago...

20160604_124032 by Ken Prendergast, on Flickr

 

If/when Amtrak returns, there's going to need to be some gardening done here...

20160604_124053 by Ken Prendergast, on Flickr

 

But the amount of improvements needed for Amtrak's return isn't as much as what I'd expected. BTW, the reason why All Aboard Ohio is making its presence known in Youngstown again is because I think we have a shot at Amtrak's return. More soon...

20160604_124111 by Ken Prendergast, on Flickr

^Beautiful station... damn shame.

I didn't feel shameful while touring it this weekend. Quite the contrary. I was pleasantly surprised.

^The station is beautiful and apparently well maintained.  The shame is that it isn't being used as a train station anymore.

^The station is beautiful and apparently well maintained.  The shame is that it isn't being used as a train station anymore.

 

Not now, anyway. ;)

Thanks for the photos!  I would like to have attended, but was working on a different project on the north side.

 

Did you receive a lot of interest?

I might be a dreamer, but Marcy Kaptur (D-09) is a senior member of the house appropriations committee. Tim Ryan (D-13) is also on the house appropriations committee but also a member of the transportation sub-committee. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) was instrumental in the renovation of the Elyria New York Central Station (still not used by Amtrak). If the stars align and funding can be appropriated for the renovation of Youngstown Station, the missing Ravenna link and Cleveland builds the lakefront station It would make a compelling argument for extending Amtrak service from Pittsburgh thru to Toledo and on to Chicago and Detroit. We could probably even get daytime service! The best part is that we would could bypass the state gov in Columbus.

Thanks for the photos!  I would like to have attended, but was working on a different project on the north side.

 

Did you receive a lot of interest?

 

Yes, once the turnout grew to the maximum about 2pm. But our big banner "All Aboard Ohio" doesn’t mean much if anything to people. If the banner had said "Working to get Amtrak's planned expansion routed through Youngstown instead of Alliance" we probably would have gotten more visitors/inquiries. But we can't be so blatantly obvious -- yet.

Pittsburgh and Cleveland should be linked by better passenger rail

June 26, 2016 12:00 AM

 

Groups working for good transportation choices in Ohio and Pennsylvania agree with the Post-Gazette (“For Cleveland Kinship,” June 21 editorial) that Cleveland and Pittsburgh have much in common beyond our love of winning sports. It’s a shared fate about jobs and development of our industrial and “eds and meds” economies — and those will depend on links created by better public transportation.

 

Passenger trains are the way to make that happen. In our 135-mile corridor live 6.7 million people, more than in 37 states and comparable to densities of Europe’s busiest corridors that enjoy fast, frequent passenger trains. That kind of passenger rail can serve not just the two big cities at either end but also many cities and towns in between, such as New Castle and Youngstown.

 

MORE:

http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/letters/2016/06/26/Pittsburgh-and-Cleveland-should-be-linked-by-better-passenger-rail/stories/201606260157

 

Genius line....

Cleveland and Pittsburgh can beat the coasts at more than hockey and basketball if we work together — except on fall Sundays, of course!

Genius line....

Cleveland and Pittsburgh can beat the coasts at more than hockey and basketball if we work together — except on fall Sundays, of course!

 

Thanks!

Rail proponents want New Castle passenger station

By Debbie Wachter New Castle News 6 hrs ago

 

Representatives of an Ohio-based public interest group are rallying local support for a passenger train station in Lawrence County.

 

That could be a possibility if the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, sponsor of Amtrak rail lines through Pennsylvania, approves an Amtrak route going west from Pittsburgh through the Lawrence County and Youngstown areas, representatives of All Aboard Ohio told the Lawrence County commissioners.

 

Executive director Kenneth Prendergast of Cleveland, and John Fahnert of Hermitage, Mercer County, both of All Aboard Ohio, attended a commissioners' meeting on Tuesday to tout the advantages an Amtrak passenger train route would have, through the New Castle and Youngstown areas into Ohio and on to Chicago.

 

MORE:

http://www.ncnewsonline.com/news/rail-proponents-want-new-castle-passenger-station/article_fe2eedca-8b4c-11e6-b81a-13cfca66d048.html

The article referenced expanding the Keystone corridor into Ohio, but I think she meant Pennsylvanian as the former only constitutes Harrisburg-to-Philly (with most trains continuing to NYC)... I'd love more trains between Cleveland and PA; heck, Cleveland-Pittsburgh regional/commuter Amtrak route would be huge... Imagine how packed trains would be for the (at least) 2 Browns vs. Steelers games every year, alone.  All the college kids Ken references, plus the business and family commuters would make this an extremely popular line... Of course, the freight bottleneck near Cleveland would have to be resolved 1st.

 

I've been on 2, 1-way rail trips from Philly to Cleveland in the last 3 years... Both were great (scenic, punctual) from Philly-to-Pittsburgh (the Pennsylvanian)... but the late night, 120-mile leg from Pittsburgh to CLE (Capitol Limited) were marred by freight priority both times: each train was between 2 to 4 hours late... Not good.

The Pittsburgh-Philadelphia route is the Keystone Corridor. The Keystone East has been the priority because Amtrak owns the rail corridor and thus can control its own destiny. The commonwealth has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into its infrastructure, with much more coming to rebuild it from 110 mph to 125 mph. Most of that involves upgrading the electrical power supply systems and getting rid of the last at-grade road crossings. But perhaps the biggest time savings will come from rebuilding all of the station with high-level platforms to speed up the train boarding process.

 

Keystone West has only one train a day each way, the Pennsylvanian (as you noted) but my friends in Pittsburgh are actively working on trying to get at least a second daily round trip and hopefully a third train. There is also a lot of interest in the Altoona/Johnstown area in getting a commuter train into Pittsburgh using self-propelled cars of US Railcar. Yep, these are the same folks in the Columbus, OH suburb of Gahanna who tried to get the contract to supply 3C trains. Former ODOT Director Jolene Molitoris is the company's president. So if they can't sell trains to Ohio, they'll sell them to Pennsylvania. Our advocacy partners in Pittsburgh want to make sure that no expansion of a Keystone train west of Pittsburgh happens until they can get more trains east of Pittsburgh. The Pennsylvanian originates in Pittsburgh and leaves on time just about every day. If that train is extended west of Pittsburgh, the chances of getting an on-time departure eastward diminish as the originating station is moved farther west. So they want more than one train east of Pittsburgh before one of them is extended west of Pittsburgh, that way Pittsburghers are guaranteed of having a reliable, go-to train for travel between Pittsburgh and the East Coast.

The Pittsburgh-Philadelphia route is the Keystone Corridor. The Keystone East has been the priority because Amtrak owns the rail corridor and thus can control its own destiny. The commonwealth has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into its infrastructure, with much more coming to rebuild it from 110 mph to 125 mph. Most of that involves upgrading the electrical power supply systems and getting rid of the last at-grade road crossings. But perhaps the biggest time savings will come from rebuilding all of the station with high-level platforms to speed up the train boarding process.

 

Keystone West has only one train a day each way, the Pennsylvanian (as you noted) but my friends in Pittsburgh are actively working on trying to get at least a second daily round trip and hopefully a third train. There is also a lot of interest in the Altoona/Johnstown area in getting a commuter train into Pittsburgh using self-propelled cars of US Railcar. Yep, these are the same folks in the Columbus, OH suburb of Gahanna who tried to get the contract to supply 3C trains. Former ODOT Director Jolene Molitoris is the company's president. So if they can't sell trains to Ohio, they'll sell them to Pennsylvania. Our advocacy partners in Pittsburgh want to make sure that no expansion of a Keystone train west of Pittsburgh happens until they can get more trains east of Pittsburgh. The Pennsylvanian originates in Pittsburgh and leaves on time just about every day. If that train is extended west of Pittsburgh, the chances of getting an on-time departure eastward diminish as the originating station is moved farther west. So they want more than one train east of Pittsburgh before one of them is extended west of Pittsburgh, that way Pittsburghers are guaranteed of having a reliable, go-to train for travel between Pittsburgh and the East Coast.

 

I sure hope your Pittsburgh friends are successful. Even though Amtrak only has one round-trip per day of the Pennsylvanian, it amazed me how on-time it was (even 2 minutes early the 2nd time!) given the windy, mountainous route (tunnels, the famed Horseshoe curve, etc)  and the fact it was heavily shared with numerous freight trains -- several portions of the route had 3 and, I think, 4 tracks.  It would be lovely if Amtrak and freight runs could run in such harmony on the Cleveland leg of the trip.

BTW, Pennsylvanian Gov. Tom Wolf is a proponent of the Keystone West expansion, as are others....

 

Leaders lobbying for improved rail service to Pittsburgh

http://www.dailyamerican.com/ourtownjohnstown/news/johnstown/leaders-lobbying-for-improved-rail-service-to-pittsburgh/article_010775a0-0c5a-59f3-9777-43a17464437d.html

The Surface Transportation Board (federal regulatory body) has on its agenda #AB-290 (Sub-No. 394X) and #AB_1257_0_X, proposals by Norfolk Southern and Cleveland Commercial RR (which leases the line from NS) to abandon ownership and any future use of 5.5 miles of rail corridor between Aurora and Mantua Township. The portion east of Mantua Township to near Warren was abandoned by Conrail in November 1981 and the tracks removed in the summer of 1982. After the line was opened in 1856, this was the busy, double-tracked Mahoning Division First District of the Erie Railroad (Erie-Lackawanna after 1960, Conrail after 1976, Norfolk Southern after 1999) between Cleveland, Youngstown and Pittsburgh and the route of Ohio's last commuter train (ended 1977).

 

It is interesting that NS and CCR want to keep the portion west of Treat Road in Aurora into Solon and Cleveland. This location is just east of Geauga Lake, a 650-acre site of the former amusement parks which are proposed to be redeveloped including possible offices, hotels, residential, retail, parks and parking (see: https://www.geaugamapleleaf.com/news/bainbridge-discusses-conceptual-master-plan-for-geauga-lake/). NS/CCR have no freight customers east of the Stouffer's plant at Harper Road in Solon. The portion east of Harper has not seen a train since 1993 (the year I moved away from living for 15 years less than one mile from the Geauga Lake train depot!).

 

While the Federal Railroad Administration is due to issue a report this month that cites that Pittsburgh-Cleveland-Chicago is the Midwest's most promising passenger rail corridor network, and the Greater Cleveland region is considering new transit funding options and possible expansion, it would at best be poor timing for the Surface Transportation Board to allow the abandonment of this rail corridor.

 

EDIT: here are the STB docket items....

 

11/13/2017      AB_290_394_X      244696        Norfolk Southern Railway Company      Notice Of Exemption      NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY - ABANDONMENT OF SERVICE EXEMPTION - IN AURORA, PORTAGE COUNTY, OHIO

 

11/13/2017      AB_1257_0_X      244697        Cleveland Commercial Railroad Company Llc      Notice Of Exemption      CLEVELAND COMMERICAL RAILROAD COMPANY, LLC - DISCOUNTINUANCE OF LEASE AND OPERATION AUTHORITY - IN AURORA, PORTAGE COUNTY, OHIO

 

Here is the filing, which is common for the two dockets above:

https://www.stb.gov/Filings/all.nsf/WEBUNID/E834D3DBE8964906852581D80049FE23/$file/244697.pdf

 

All Aboard Ohio may file a response with the STB to these proposed actions. Others are encouraged to oppose the applications as well.

Pennsylvania's legislature also OK'd planning for improving rail service west of Pittsburgh to Cleveland, Toledo & Chicago but has yet to take any action. All Aboard Ohio urges PennDOT and the legislature to start the plan.

 

Brian O'Neill: The plain shame of our lame train service

Why Amtrak deserves a boost between Pittsburgh and points east: the passengers are there

http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/brian-oneill/2018/08/05/The-plain-shame-of-our-lame-train-service/stories/201808050068

Cleveland.com posted an article about that N&S right-of-way they are trying to sell in Aurora, KJP referenced above. There is barely a paragraph about AAO and their work to restore rail service between Cleveland Pittsburgh.

 

https://www.cleveland.com/expo/news/erry-2018/09/3ef669889b9496/aurora-norfolk-southern-and-fi.html

 

Aurora, Norfolk Southern and FirstEnergy clash over use of abandoned rail land

By James Ewinger, The Plain Dealer | Posted September 04, 2018 at 06:05 AM

 

AURORA,  Ohio – The city is battling Norfolk Southern Railway and FirstEnergy  over a railroad right-of-way that slices diagonally through the city. The  land has been idle for years, and Aurora wants to take it by eminent domain. The railroad, however, wants to sell it to FirstEnergy, which wants to erect giant transmission towers there. The  city wants to make the land part of a rail-to-trail system that would run through Mantua and link with a trail network stretching to southeast  Ohio..

...

Also joining the clash, meanwhile, is All Aboard Ohio, a non-profit group that advocates for intercity passenger rail service.

Brendan  Delay, an attorney for the group, said Friday that the unused  line could be restored, even though some of it has been paved over or  cut away. Estimates on the cost of restoration range from $3 million to  $15 million, but Delay said it can be revived for much less, and can  become a vital link to downtown Cleveland and Pittsburgh, as it once  was. The idea would be at odds with those of the city, the utility and the railroad. Delay said his group could go to federal court to appeal the decision by the federal  Surface Transportation Board to allow the abandonment. “But a decision has not been made yet,” he said.

^ Train service isn't necessarily incompatible with power lines is it?

 

^ Train service isn't necessarily incompatible with power lines is it?

 

True, but it doesn't sound like there is any intention to maintain a ROW for a potential rail line. First Energy cites the wide path as a benefit for the future towers. I doubt they'd want to complicate that with an Amtrak (or whomever) line right next to them.

^ Train service isn't necessarily incompatible with power lines is it?

 

True, but it doesn't sound like there is any intention to maintain a ROW for a potential rail line ...

 

You're right, of course; but a forward-looking state regulator might take a diff. view.  The trouble is I'm not sure Ohio has one of those.

You're right, of course; but a forward-looking state regulator might take a diff. view.  The trouble is I'm not sure Ohio has one of those.

Couldn't agree more.

^ Train service isn't necessarily incompatible with power lines is it?

 

True, but it doesn't sound like there is any intention to maintain a ROW for a potential rail line. First Energy cites the wide path as a benefit for the future towers. I doubt they'd want to complicate that with an Amtrak (or whomever) line right next to them.

 

Unless the trains were electrified.

Unless the trains were electrified.

 

AAO is hopefully more involved in the discussion than the single paragraph leads on. What is the realistic chance First Energy would consider that? Slim and/or none?:)

No, we're really not. I didn't even know our attorney was still alive.

 

Perhaps when Ohio gets a new governor, Ohio will have a multimodal policy with funding. Until then, we don't offer anything more than most third-world countries do.