Cleveland Real Estate News

The economics of a Nat’l Rail System, meaning the jobs, housing and vitality one can provide, are a no brainer for me. I found this article on my sidebar train widget written by Arthur Frommer. Here is one tantalizing quote:

“….When you add the innumerable state and city projects of road construction, you find that we as a nation spend as much as $200 billion a year for roads and highways. By contrast, we spend slightly more than $1 billion on Amtrak – barely enough to keep it running….”

He says the United States can support an efficient rail system.  I say the US can’t afford to NOT support it.  He also brings up something that those of us supporting The Ohio Hub keep writing about:

“….Recently, the National Association of Railroad Passengers, which has fought for 40 years to extend and expand the Amtrak system, published a map ….showing the railroad routes that it would add to the present inadequate network of passenger tracks….”

Yes, unions and trade associations for highways and freight hauling and others are now ‘on board’ with the idea. It truly is a no brainer.  He wrote this article before the passage of SB294.  We still have more Bills to support…..but in general, I would suggest you contact your Congress reps and Senators and urge them to support any effort that would bring about a Nat’l Rail System that includes the Ohio Hub and a renewed effort to make train travel and train freight hauling a more important goal of the U.S.  Cleveland can’t afford to not have it; neither can our State or our Country. 

This article was also written before President Bush’s recent State of The Union address and his budget info on Amtrak support.  It’s no longer one million it’s now $800,000….a forty percent reduction! We are going in the wrong direction.  You can read a press release from the Nat’l Assn of Railroad Passengers here.   Peace Out – 3C