Midwest Rail Plan final Report

[Burns651]

How much does the Ohio government spend on highways a year without thinking? 100 million a year?

That's child's play, son! Try five billion instead. Image is from Feb. '21. Rail funding is apparently all contained in the little bucket on the end.

 

[Dakota 400]

That's child's play, son! Try five billion instead. Image is from Feb. '21. Rail funding is apparently all contained in the little bucket on the end.View attachment 28489

Guess which interest group has the most effective lobbyists in Columbus.

 

[Burns651]

Guess which interest group has the most effective lobbyists in Columbus.

"But highway funding is a job creating investment! Few people ride trains!" Naturally, when the option isn't even given.

 

[Dakota 400]

"But highway funding is a job creating investment! Few people ride trains!" Naturally, when the option isn't even given.

Amtrak's proposal for Ohio is a job creating investment. One of a few reasons why the incumbent Governor is showing interest in their proposal. Besides, a campaign season looms for the gentleman.

 

[MARC Rider]

Guess which interest group has the most effective lobbyists in Columbus.

It's not just "interest groups," unless you count the 90+% of the state's population who use the highways, even if some of them would rather not have to.

 

[Dakota 400]

It's not just "interest groups," unless you count the 90+% of the state's population who use the highways, even if some of them would rather not have to.

True, but the members of our General Assembly seem to have difficulty hearing the voice of the people.

 

[neroden]

True, but the members of our General Assembly seem to have difficulty hearing the voice of the people.

Well, the party which holds the majority in the Ohio General Assembly (the Republicans) has gone out of their way to pass *FIVE* unconstitutional gerrymanders (struck down by the state supreme court) in order to keep themselves in power, so I think they know perfectly well that the people don't like them, and are quite deliberately trying to do the opposite of what the people want.

 

[Dakota 400]

I think they know perfectly well that the people don't like them, and are quite deliberately trying to do the opposite of what the people want.

And, I don't think they care. That's a concern of mine with regard to the 3C+D plan. If the people want it and the Governor supports it, their reaction will be what?

 

[jis]

In an attempt to get this thread out of the Ohio morass, let us try to see the overall picture of the Midwest:

Going clockwise from the North in the FRA Midwest Regional Rail Plan Network map as seen in Post #2:

1. Chicago Milwaukee St. Paul: Looks like Hiawatha additional frequencies and a second St. Paul frequency are on the cards and will happen in the near future. Not clear when Madison will happen though

2. Michigan: Looks like incremental improvement to Detroit is going to take place. Two things that would be interesting are the restoration of service to Detroit Central and service through there to Toronto. The latter has some very significant challenges to overcome.

3. Indiana (Frot Wayne) - Ohio (Toledo,Cleveland) - Pennsylvania Pittsburgh: No clear discernible progress, and we have discussed Ohio ad nauseum as one of the barriers to progress. Indiana is no slouch as far as being a barrier goes, though Indiana does fund NICTD and good things are happening there. Surprisingly this does not include the NY leg to Buffalo, which would probably become much more relevant put together with the circumferential Detroit - Toledo)

4. Indy - Louisville - Nashville: Not clear who is the champion for this that is in a position to do anything about it, given Indiana's apparent lack of interest so far.

5. Champaign - Carbondale: an added frequency to maybe all the way to Memphis would be nice, but no major movement so far.

6. Lincoln Corridor - steady but slow progress
6a. River Runner - Kansas holds the cards which is probably not a good omen.

8. Quad Cities - Des Moines - Omaha: Looks like Quad Cities is about to happen. Beyond that, who knows?

Some additional ones that I would like to see happen are mostly filling in circumferential:

1. Dearborn/Detroit - Toledo, perhaps diversion of one of the Chicago east trains via Dearborn.

2. Indy - St. Louis

3. The whole subgraph in Ohio

4. The St. Louis - Kansas City - Des Moines - St. Paul.

And I am sure there a re a few more that I am missing.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

In an attempt to get this thread out of the Ohio morass, let us try to see the overall picture of the Midwest:

Going clockwise from the North in the FRA Midwest Regional Rail Plan Network map as seen in Post #2:

1. Chicago Milwaukee St. Paul: Looks like Hiawatha additional frequencies and a second St. Paul frequency are on the cards and will happen in the near future. Not clear when Madison will happen though

2. Michigan: Looks like incremental improvement to Detroit is going to take place. Two things that would be interesting are the restoration of service to Detroit Central and service through there to Toronto. The latter has some very significant challenges to overcome.

3. Indiana (Frot Wayne) - Ohio (Toledo,Cleveland) - Pennsylvania Pittsburgh: No clear discernible progress, and we have discussed Ohio ad nauseum as one of the barriers to progress. Indiana is no slouch as far as being a barrier goes, though Indiana does fund NICTD and good things are happening there. Surprisingly this does not include the NY leg to Buffalo, which would probably become much more relevant put together with the circumferential Detroit - Toledo)

4. Indy - Louisville - Nashville: Not clear who is the champion for this that is in a position to do anything about it, given Indiana's apparent lack of interest so far.

5. Champaign - Carbondale: an added frequency to maybe all the way to Memphis would be nice, but no major movement so far.

6. Lincoln Corridor - steady but slow progress
6a. River Runner - Kansas holds the cards which is probably not a good omen.

8. Quad Cities - Des Moines - Omaha: Looks like Quad Cities is about to happen. Beyond that, who knows?

Some additional ones that I would like to see happen are mostly filling in circumferential:

1. Dearborn/Detroit - Toledo, perhaps diversion of one of the Chicago east trains via Dearborn.

2. Indy - St. Louis

3. The whole subgraph in Ohio

4. The St. Louis - Kansas City - Des Moines - St. Paul.

And I am sure there a re a few more that I am missing.

Thanks, a nice comprehensive list. The one that seems to be happening, albeit slowly, very slowly, is Chicago-Rockford service. We'll see if that ever comes to pass.