Good news, IMHO! Train would link Ohio cities

[theHandpuppet]

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060714/NEWS01/607140397

Train would link Ohio cities
Planners project $3.2 billion high-speed line
BY JON CRAIG | ENQUIRER COLUMBUS BUREAU

COLUMBUS - State officials are promoting - and already planning for - a $3.2 billion high-speed passenger rail line linking Cincinnati to Dayton, Columbus and Cleveland.

"The day the first high-speed passenger trains ... roll into town is not the time to unlock the old depot or break ground for a new train station," said the Ohio Rail Development Commission.

The rail commission, an independent branch of the state Department of Transportation, is hosting a Columbus-area conference today about the proposal for public officials and planners from five states....

It will examine such issues as where to put rail stations, what kind of retail development cities could expect, how rail passenger systems work in New England and elsewhere, and how to do it in the Midwest....

MORE

[Lerkfish]

1. Sorry, but this is a shell game sham that has circulated city to city

for the past 20 years. I have personally witnessed it five times.

I've moved around a lot, and this "high speed rail" thing pops up everywhere eventually....here's EXACTLY what will happen:

1. concept of high speed train is brought up
2. legislators commission extremely expensive "study", somewhere in the 20-50 million dollar range (for the study)
3. The study is scheduled to take about 3-5 years to complete.
4. Three to five years later, you never hear of it again.
5. Company hired to do the study moves on to next city.

lather, rinse, repeat.

[Kolesar]

2. It's a grassroots campaign and it's not a "high speed train"

It will largely use existing tracks. Read up, and... All Aboard!!!

[Lerkfish]

4. check back in 5 years. If its still a "go", I"ll eat my hat.

high speed rail requires much better track than existing track. that's what always conveniently stymied all the other attempts elsewhere.
The cost of laying NEW track was prohibitive to the project.
I don't need to "read up", I've lived through this five times already.

[geiger]

5. all the more reason to be involved

you can call the ney sayers on their bullshit. You go, guy

[Lerkfish]

6. oh, I can say bullshit already, note the included links

here's a search on google of "high speed rail" and "scam", with 5,230,000 hits!!!!!!

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=high+speed+rail+scam&btnG=Google+Search

I"m not going to post them all, but here are a few:

http://www.calrailnews.com/sacramentobee.html

http://www.fldfs.com/pressoffice/newsletter/2004/030804/March0804text.htm

In fact, the price tag is still growing. A report issued by the Florida High Speed Rail Authority in January 2002 estimated that the cost to build the first 80-mile rail segment between Tampa and Orlando would be between $1.2 billion and $1.8 billion. In January of this year, the Authority reported that the costs have more than doubled to an estimated $2.6 billion.

As Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, I have a constitutional responsibility to evaluate the financial soundness and accountability of state projects, including a high-speed rail. I have evaluated the data and potential impact on the state's treasury, including the escalating costs, questionable ridership projections, uncertainty of federal funding and lack of private sector participation. I believe diverting billions of taxpayer dollars to implement a high-speed rail is simply unconscionable.

With no guarantee of federal funding and a lack of funding from the private sector, Florida taxpayers are facing a $150 million price tag annually for the next 30 years just to build the first rail segment. The Florida Transportation Commission also announced last month that the proposed rail would not alleviate traffic congestion in and around the I-4 corridor.

Moreover, implementing a project of this magnitude will come at a great cost to the current and ongoing transportation needs of our state. Projects like the Palmetto Expressway in Miami, I-75 in Lee County, US 19 in Pinellas County, SR 520 in Orlando, I-95 in Brevard County, Butler Boulevard in Jacksonville, and US 331 in Walton County. These are concrete transportation projects with known benefits. High-speed rail is an unknown.

and if you search "high speed rail" and "boondoggle" you get 85,700 hits!!!

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=1&q=high+speed+rail+boondoggle&spell=1

a lot of interesting reading.

not all the links are 100% on topic, but there's enough there to let you know that UNLESS the feds come up with amounts in the tens of Billions, it will suck all the available resources in the state to set up high speed rail, which could be more wisely spent elsewhere.
The derailment of this shell game is ALWAYS the cost. But WHILE they're discussing it, influential people start landgrabbing, and "studies" are commissioned, and a lot of speculation money gets thrown about, for nothing.

[Kolesar]

7. If you would bother to read my link,you would see it's not high-speed rail

Here is is again, w/o code: www.allaboardohio.com

add:
To a considerable extent, the passenger rail operation would use existing, privately held railroad rights-of-way and in some cases, passenger and freight trains would comingle on the same tracks.

[Lerkfish]

9. If I'm wrong, it wouldn't be the first time.

:)

[AngryOldDem]

10. Believe such a link has been discussed that would connect Cincy-Dayton

Line would basically parallel that of I-75, because it's been projected that traffic volume will always outpace any kind of improvement that could be made to the highway. Sounds viable, but as far as I'm aware it's never gotten past the talking stage. If this would occur Dayton would most likely become an exurb of Cincy.

This comes up every so often; maybe someone else who lives in SW Ohio can add more detail.

I like the idea, by the way, of a rail line connecting all major cities.

[NEOBuckeye]

12. It's a great idea, and probably necessary. If not now, someday soon.

I remember back in the mid 1990s (1995?), and the Indians and Reds were both having great seasons. There was talk then of a special rail line being set up to connect Cleveland and Cincinnati together, albeit temporarily, for a possible cross-state World Series. Obviously, it never came to pass, but perhaps it would have paved the way for a more permanent setup.

Then again, Voinovich was Governor, and the GOP dominated the Statehouse, so I doubt if it would have happened anyway. Plus, Ohioans' mighty push out of the cities into the 'burbs was well underway, and driving a gas-guzzling SUV while trying to lay claim to being "king of the highway" was all the rage.

Thankfully, that's all starting to look pretty stupid now, and many of our major cities' downtowns and core districts are in the opening stages of revival. Suburban cul-de-sacs will be out, and walkable neighborhoods (wow, what a concept) are going to be back in style as commuting by personal vehicle becomes increasingly less affordable. The day is steadily approaching when light and high speed railways will be in demand.

[AngryOldDem]

13. It just makes sense, IMO

Reason right there to deep-six it, I guess.

Anyone who travels the I-75 corridor between Dayton and Cincy on a regular basis should be able to see why such a light rail project is needed. "Improvements" to that stretch of highway have been going on continually since I was a kid (over 40 years). Sure, part of this is milking state highway funds, but a big part of it is just increased car-truck volume. I wonder how many drivers would be willing to commute by train? Probably more than most of us are aware.

[mongo]

8. Monorail!

Lyle Lanley: Well, sir, there's nothing on earth
Like a genuine,
Bona fide,
Electrified,
Six-car
Monorail!
What'd I say?
Ned Flanders: Monorail!
Lyle Lanley: What's it called?
Patty+Selma: Monorail!
Lyle Lanley: That's right! Monorail!

Miss Hoover: I hear those things are awfully loud...
Lyle Lanley: It glides as softly as a cloud.
Apu: Is there a chance the track could bend?
Lyle Lanley: Not on your life, my Hindu friend.
Barney: What about us brain-dead slobs?
Lyle Lanley: You'll be given cushy jobs.
Abe: Were you sent here by the devil?
Lyle Lanley: No, good sir, I'm on the level.
Wiggum: The ring came off my pudding can.
Lyle Lanley: Take my pen knife, my good man.
I swear it's Springfield's only choice...
Throw up your hands and raise your voice!
All: Monorail!
Lyle Lanley: What's it called?
All: Monorail!
Lyle Lanley: Once again...
All: Monorail!
Marge: But Main Street's still all cracked and broken...
Bart: Sorry, Mom, the mob has spoken!
All: Monorail!
Monorail!
Monorail!

Monorail!
Homer: Mono... D'oh!

[OhioBlue]

11. omg

:rofl:
that was exactly the show and episode i was thinking of!!! lol!!!

[geiger]

3. We should develop a "report card"

and track our legislators' involvement, stands and pro-active action, and hold them accountable.

I think ever since the canal system failed in Ohio, we are hyper-paranoid about failure for such ambitious undertakings, but just think what it would even do for one area of our economy: tourism. Sixty percent of our country's population lives within a day's ride of Ohio; once they got here, they could zip around to even more places and spend even more money, and it would be a lure.

It would certainly be a more productive use of effort and resources than trying to legalize gambling (again).