The Triangle high-speed rail proposal, to connect Lexington, Louisville and Cincinnati together, via an alignment near Interstates 64, 71 and 75, died in the mid 1990s.

 

Light rail? You mean, high speed rail?

 

Light rail options interest business group

By John Eckberg, Cincinnati Enquirer, February 5, 2009

 

Light rail in Northern Kentucky may not be on local leaders' agendas, but it is a topic for one Central Kentucky business group, and a connection from Lexington by train to the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in Hebron is not a far-fetched notion.

 

Woodford Webb, who is the youngest-ever Commerce Lexington board chair, told a Lexington newspaper that he wants to explore all transit options that include light rail.

 

"(It's) maybe not something that is going to happen next year, but a light rail system that may connect us to the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport or to Toyota or to Louisville or Eastern Kentucky is something that we need to at least explore," Webb told the Business Lexington newspaper.

 

Webb, who leads the Lexington chamber of commerce, is president of The Webb Companies, a commercial real estate company based in Lexington.

Interesting. Why would Lexington want to connect to CVG? Do a lot of businesses from there use CVG already? The number of cities CVG offers flights to would make that worthwhile? And it would be ironic if people go to CVG to catch the train for a cheap flight out of Lexington.

 

Not all these questions are meant to be answered, just thinking out loud.

There's a similar effort gaining steam with Chattanooga, TN and Atlanta, GA.  Chatt and Lex would both benefit off of the increased connection with a larger city/metropolitan area and larger international airport, but they would also hurt their own airports with business travelers.  The smaller cities may also see something to gain in terms of residents looking for a good deal and those long-distance commutes so many people seem to love.

For Lexington, it would mean a high-speed connection to the proposed 3C corridor. By itself, the Triangle project had little going in its favor since the interstate highways connected the major cities -- and so did the airlines. But when you added in the 3C project, and other proposed high-speed connections elsewhere, the project's scope became much larger.

 

It's not just about connecting to CVG, but to the outside world.

Now, this would be cool!

Hang on.... there seems to be some mode confusion here in the original story...

 

Light rail (which is literally light-weight and meant for local commuter service)is not high-speed rail (which is heavier in terms of crash standards, runs at much higher speeds and usually runs over intercity routes.

I know, and I believe that Webb is wanting high-speed here. It makes no sense to use light-rail for a 80+ mile commute between two cities.

This would be great!  The Triangle in KY connecting with the 3C in Ohio in Cincinnati.  I would use it absolutely.

The rolling hills present an interesting challenge, not unlike the ICE stretch between Frankfurt and Cologne.  Is there a former rail station still standing in Lexington? 

Interesting discussion. There is no reason why some 3-C trains couldn't cross the Ohio River and stop at CVG before going to Louisville. It makes a lot of sense. In fact, I'd take this a step further and have the triangle proposal be a part of a regional transportation plan that includes the intercity stuff AND regional/commuter rail. There should be a regional line between Northern Kentucky-CVG-Cincinnati-Hamilton/Middletown and Dayton.

I live in KY and would absolutely love this to happen. I do worry though about our state with two GOP senators that we won't get any stimulus monies. I know the state universities have shovel ready construction projects that probably won't get any money.

just b/c KY's republican senators are against the stimulus money doesn't mean the state will be left out of the national funds. that would really suck for KY

just b/c KY's republican senators are against the stimulus money doesn't mean the state will be left out of the national funds. that would really suck for KY

 

We can only hope it worked that way.  :D

Interesting. Why would Lexington want to connect to CVG? Do a lot of businesses from there use CVG already? The number of cities CVG offers flights to would make that worthwhile? And it would be ironic if people go to CVG to catch the train for a cheap flight out of Lexington.

 

Not all these questions are meant to be answered, just thinking out loud.

 

I think it's about more than just the airport.  For instance, I'd accept a job in Lexington or Georgetown (Toyota) if there was a train that I could take there.  But driving in from Cincinnati?  No way in hell.  I'd also go to Louisville far more often than I do now if I could just hop on a train.  I really hope this builds some steam.  NKY's Vision 2015 needs to get behind this proposal and start pushing for commuter rail in the area as well.

I'd also go to Louisville far more often than I do now if I could just hop on a train.

 

Yeah, I'd visit Lexington and Louisville both considerably more.  The job point is also valid as it expands someone's given job pool if they have chosen their location first as many young people are doing nowadays.