You can read about it in The Toledo Blade  (written by reporters Patch and Provance).  You can read up on the latest developments in all sorts of rail efforts on the Ohio Rail Development Commission’s website.  The site includes, in pdf form, the final report from May 2010.  You can access different categories without having to download the whole report.

Regardless of how long it takes to get us going, I like the idea of getting a rail car and rail track company in operation here in Ohio.  Good jobs, yes?  Peace Out – 3C

Update: Per the US Labor Secretary, we are in fact getting the 400 million dollar grant to get started on the Cleveland to Columbus to Cincy passenger rail system.  ODOT says it will become the best rail service in America. The goal is to have these trains up and running by the end of 2012.

First up, thousands of jobs created to lay rails, upgrade and service trains, among other things. 

The fare to get from Cleveland to Cincinnati could be $26 — not bad, agreed?  We are actually going to have passenger rail!  I’m giddy!

We know about the 3C Corridor website ODOT recently established. It’s our marketing tool, when you get right down to it.  Ohio can show the Feds that residents want it.  Sharon left her comment there and it’s a great point about how spokes from the 3C Corridor will reach to Chicago AND places like Toronto, because the need for the services are there. Add your comments!

Peace Out – 3C

I’m thinking we could entice rail making companies to our shores…remember the idea of taking closed up factories and turning them into rail car producers, etc?  In another AP article, reporters Lowy and Leingang write that foreign companies who already make rail cars are vying to provide them, and go on to say

Mica said he expects most of the high-speed rail money to be spent in the U.S. on locomotive engines, steel tracks, concrete and support systems. But passenger cars will probably be purchased from foreign companies, although they may be produced by U.S. subsidiaries, he said. European and Japanese companies may also play a large role in designing and overseeing rail projects.

The Federal Rail Administration plans to release the first round of grants by mid-September. State and local officials will decide which companies win the contracts.

So, oversight by foreign companies but cars made by U.S. subsidiaries.  That means local (US) jobs yes? Are our Ohio and Cleveland leaders in the ‘courting’ loop for their plants to be operating here?   Many of my local friends share the sentiment that Ohio’s brand is still heavily identified with manufacturing, so let’s capitalize on it.   Peace Out – 3C

Some quotes from Obama:

“ What we’re talking about is a vision for high-speed rail in America.  Imagine boarding a train in the center of a city.  No racing to an airport and across a terminal, no delays, no sitting on the tarmac, no lost luggage, no taking off your shoes.  (Laughter.)  Imagine whisking through towns at speeds over 100 miles an hour, walking only a few steps to public transportation, and ending up just blocks from your destination.  Imagine what a great project that would be to rebuild America”

This is another favorite of mine:

“There’s no reason why we can’t do this.  This is America.  There’s no reason why the future of travel should lie somewhere else beyond our borders.  Building a new system of high-speed rail in America will be faster, cheaper and easier than building more freeways or adding to an already overburdened aviation system –- and everybody stands to benefit.

And that’s why today, with the help of Secretary LaHood and Vice President Biden, America’s number one rail fan, I’ve been told — (laughter) — I’m announcing my administration’s efforts to transform travel in America with an historic investment in high-speed rail. ”

The first step is of course to increase rail traffic on existing rail lines or even new ones at ‘normal’ speeds. But then we can move forward to high speed!

Remember the numbers from the Ohio Hub study?  We could expect more than 15,000 jobs just from the direct work needed on rail issues and many many more jobs due to economic development/construction that springs up because of the rails. This is a great day….sunny, warm, with exciting economic possibilities for Ohio along the rails!  Yeay!  Peace out  3C

Secondly, there is now $8 billion Federal dollars available for passenger rail and that means there is not going to be a better time to encourage our representatives to do their own voting (vote yes!) and lobbying for Ohio to get a portion of that money. (Yes this also means a call or email from you would be most helpful)

Succinctly put from All Aboard Ohio: If the 3-C Corridor start up costs $100 million, Ohio would see 2,400 new jobs result with an increase in annual incomes of $50 million, according to U.S. Department of Commerce data. This is not about nostalgia or even about running trains. It’s about creating jobs, providing mobility at one-third the cost of driving, travel productivity and comfort, as well as
protecting the environment and our exposure to future oil price spikes. So contact your State Senator and your State Rep  and ask them to support ODOT’s request for an authorization to pursue 100-percent, rail-only. federal funding for start-up of modern passenger rail service in the 3-C Corridor, which will set the table for expanded service statewide.

And did you hear about the new Ohio website  set up by Governor Strickland? It’s transparency at it’s potential best, and they describe it as our way of following the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Governor states:

 We must act strategically and boldly to take full advantage of this unique opportunity to make lasting investments in our state. And we must do so in a way that is accountable and transparent and meets the critical economic development priorities of our communities across the state.

From his lips to……

The best part?  You, or your company, or anyone can submit a proposal to the Governor’s office on this website with suggestions of how the money should be spent.

Peace Out – 3C

If Ohio were to build a high speed rail system would you use it?

Yes  63.3% No  19.8% Not sure  16.9%

The above are results of a WKYC on line poll being conducted - and you can vote too. Would you support passenger rail improvements in Ohio?

The poll information was at the end of a very positive report by Eric Mansfield on the WKYC 7pm news.  For many of us, The Ohio Hub and passenger rail are not new ideas but what IS new, is the support being generated, and at a fast pace, over the last 12 months.

From my studies, it seems like Senator Sherrod Brown is a huge supporter of high speed rail. Certainly Governor Strickland is, as is evidenced by his comments in his latest budget proposals and state of Ohio report. The Mayor of Akron hopes everyone in Ohio will see the value of an improved rail system, something already done on a wide scale in Europe (I remember riding the Shinkensen high speed train in Japan in the 80s and being mesmerized at how efficient it was). 

This is no longer a pie in the sky idea. And I think Ken Prendergast, the new All Aboard Ohio executive director, made a most critical point:

the purpose is not so much to build a train system as it is to build a low mileage lifestyle that makes us less dependent on oil.

The WKYC report was good at pointing out that the first step is to improve passenger rail in general (meaning about 79 mph) and Governor Strickland is committed to the 3C Corridor passenger rail system (Cleveland-Columbus-Cincinnati) getting up and running under his watch. Then with Federal monies etc., we can work on upgrading to high speed rail and the entire Ohio Hub Plan

So many of us feel strongly about how this can improve Ohio’s economic situation, with immediate jobs being created (in steel, for example, construction too) and then with new job development, new housing and commercial development, springing up along all the new rail lines.

 for the entire wkyc on line article related to their news story, go here.  

See http://www.allaboardohio.org/cms/index.php for more information…

All Aboard Ohio supports state transportation task force recommendations

All Aboard Ohio, the only statewide citizens association whose mission is to
advocate for improved passenger rail and transit services, welcomes and
supports the recommendations of the Ohio 21st Century Transportation
Priorities Task Force. The task force recommended to Gov. Ted Strickland and
the Ohio General Assembly that they should develop a more multi-modal
transportation system that puts much greater emphasis on railroads and
public transportation than it has in the past. 

All Aboard Ohio was a member of the task force through its Northeast Ohio
Director Kenneth Sislak. The task force brought together many diverse
interests, including those representing public transportation, freight
railroads, economic development, environmental issues, labor, biking,
aviation, waterways and, of course, highways. 

“The recommendations issued today (Jan. 6) are the kinds of policies and
projects which we believe would create jobs in Ohio in a responsible,
sustainable way that respects the challenges of the 21st century,” said All
Aboard Ohioâ?Ts Interim Executive Director Ken Prendergast. “We are facing
very difficult economic, energy and environmental questions. Our fragile
economy and environment cannot afford to ignore these questions or respond
to them inadequately. Bold answers are needed and All Aboard Ohio believes
this report offers them.”

The full task force report can be downloaded here:
http://www.dot.state.oh.us/groups/tft/Pages/default.aspx

One of the most important sections of the report, All Aboard Ohio believes,
is in Recommendation M (see Page 54), which would “Establish a dedicated and
adequate source of funding for public transit, including buses, light rail,
streetcars, trolleys, intercity and intra-city passenger rail.”

The text in Recommendation M also refers to the previous section, for
Recommendation L, where it called for the state of Ohio to: 

> Through a voter referendum that amends the state constitution â?” levy a
new special motor fuel tax using the revenue from that special tax to secure
bonds, and making both the proceeds of the bonds and the increased revenue
available to all transportation modes. 

> Target a specific percentage of the proceeds of the bonds and the
increased revenue to support public transit, including both intercity and
intra-city passenger rail, including the planned Ohio Hub system (see
www.ohiohub.com).

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Please let your state senators and representatives in Columbus know how you
feel about this report and what they should do with its recommendations. 

Call their offices or write a short letter in your own words that has this
basic message: “I support dedicated state funding for passenger trains and
public transit at dollar amounts recommended in the transportation task
forceâ?Ts report. That includes dedicating new gas taxes to the development
and operation of passenger trains and public transit.”

Thank you for any positive communications you can make with your state
legislators to support trains and transit!

One Last Reminder: Our 3C Corridor Stakeholders Meeting is tomorrow morning, 7:30 to 9:30 am at the Corner Alley on East Fourth.  Plenty of time for you to come and here a group of informative speakers and enjoy a full breakfast as well.  Details here.   Peace Out – 3C