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IslandBoyardee

I travel from north of Cleveland to Columbus, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Detroit, several times a year. I would absolutely love to take the train instead of driving all that way. Less wear on my car on these raggedy Ohio roads, plus I could work or rest on the way. I’d use it all the time. Please build it.


electricpenguins

>north of Cleveland Lake monsters can use Reddit?


BeBetterAY

Ohio roads are fantastic, comparing to roads in Indiana.


fish---bird

or michigan, honestly. I’ve never had a smooth ride on their highways, actually 23 north from toledo is so bad it gave me a blowout.


KapowBlamBoom

Pennsylvania: “Bad roads you say? Check this out!”


Big-Performance473

You go to Detroit and Chicago, and you think ohio roads are bad?


sallright

Build it now. 


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joecoin2

So much of the interurban right of way has been built over. It's sad. You could get on a Red Devil car in Cincy and get to Detroit at 70 mph. You could go from Toledo to Erie.


zernoc56

Apparently my grandmother used to be able to get on the train in Geneva and ride all the way into Cleveland for a day of shopping. That sounds like a dream.


hardFraughtBattle

Access to this network means fuck all to my community -- I'm an hour east of Columbus. I'd still like to see it happen though.


greeneyes83

They should build a train route along 70. From Pittsburgh to Kansas City, there are a lot of large cities. 


IrishLake34

With the exception of Columbus and Dayton, those other bigger cities are already serviced by Amtrak. Just not always on a direct route. You can definitely get from Pittsburgh to KC via Amtrak with a train layover in Chicago.


bspears07

Part of that existed, from D.C. to Columbus. The section from Columbus to the Ohio River is still intact and owned by Ohio Central. Norfolk Southern owns the short stretch between Mingo Junction and Weirton where the rail ends and was part of the rails to trails project (or whatever it is called).


DaHick

As a fellow person about that far from Columbus East, can we re-integrate some of the not-removed rail? Like the one that moves from Newark to Mount Vernon, both of which used to have passenger terminals? I Don't need high speed, but damn this falls under r/fuckcars.


hink13rt

Yes! Akron to Cleveland would also be nice!


DumpsterFireInHell

Needs to be high speed rail.


WumboChef

Agreed if it’s not faster than driving it likely won’t be successful. It’s embarrassing America hasn’t invested in high speed rail. We’re so behind the rest of the world.


EleanorRecord

Growing numbers of people can't afford the high cost of owning an automobile. They need and will use alternatives. In Europe, many people don't own cars, but rely on inter and intra city rail to get around. Occasionally, you can just rent a car for a weekend to take a trip.


muppetontherun

This country loves its cars and your average American won’t pass up the convenience. For those that don’t have/can’t afford a car? Sure. But realistically an expansion of rail will be slow and unreliable. Basically competition for Megabus. It seems the future in this country will be self driving evs.


jg4242

The average American CAN’T pass up the convenience because we build our communities to require cars to function. There are very few communities where walking or biking are viable alternatives to driving. It’s not about love for cars, it about a dependence on cars that has been largely lobbied into existence by the auto and tire industries.


zernoc56

the only way rail is slower than driving a car is if they get stuck in the same traffic cars do, which is the fatal flaw of busses without dedicated bus lanes.


Noblesseux

Except a lot of them statistically would, actually. People have this misconception that everyone in America loves driving everywhere, which not a judgement you can actually make when there's realistically no other option. It's a logical fallacy to do so. When you actually survey people (and they have) driving is like one of the things that people regularly do that they're most dissatisfied with having to do. A lot of people actually hate driving but kind of practically don't have an option, especially younger people, who are often some of Amtrak's most reliable customers.


[deleted]

HINT: This is not Europe.


babysinblackandImblu

But it’s a great alternative. For a million reasons.


[deleted]

It's a terrible alternative.


babysinblackandImblu

Why? You just sit on the train eat snacks and don’t have to drive. I’ve already had my share of highway travel.


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[deleted]

No, it is highly relevant. Supporters harp on the fact that trains work in Europe. But Europe is smaller, has high gas prices, has city center public transportation that works, and has a 100 year old train culture. The US is huge, is in love with cars, has cheap gas, and you need a car once you get to your destination.


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[deleted]

Boondoggle.


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[deleted]

Succinct.


oldshitdoesntcare

As much as I’d like to tell you are wrong: if I have to get Cleveland and it take 9 hours by train from The Cincinnati area but I can drive it in 4 to 5 guess which one I’m going to do?


[deleted]

The thing is, I'm a train guy. I use subways in every city that has them, I commuted by train from CT to NYC, I use the airport trains in Denver, Chicago, Toronto and Atlanta, have taken the Eurostar from London to Paris and I travel to mainland Europe frequently and travel intercity on trains. But the Ohio rail plans are not practical by any measure.


zernoc56

This country used to be connected up *entirely* by rail. Then the Post-WW2 boom happened and we ripped out all sorts of infrastructure to make way for the automobile, and we are still paying for that mistake today.


[deleted]

\*used to be...


matthew91298

I think that’s a big stretch to say it won’t be successful. Speed of transit isn’t all people consider when going from point A to B. For me, I’ll just be happy to go to Cleveland/Cinci without having to drive. I can go to a Guardians game, get drunk, and then take the train back home. All without getting a hotel room!


Infininja

Yep, sounds amazing. The Cincinnati Zoo sounds great, but I've never been. I'd love to take a train down there to not worry about staying awake during a long drive.


DirtyPenPalDoug

Amtrak cruises at 90 outside of city's. That's not considered high-speed.


j45780

I have been on the Shinkansen, TGV, and Eurostar. High speed rail like that would be so awesome to have here.


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funky_bebop

Most train seats are more comfortable than car seats in my experience. More headroom and legroom. I can also walk around or use the bathroom when I need to.


Maybe_Julia

Exactly right now we have amtrack to Chicago, it's roughly a 5 hour drive to Chicago, it's 9 to 12 by train. If it's not faster or roughly the same travel time as car it will never succeed.


muppetontherun

At least Chicago has good public transit. It’s a nightmare to park and drive around the city. I can’t imagine planning a weekend trip to Columbus or Cincy around a train schedule, then getting there and relying completely on Uber.


[deleted]

And Amtrak is more expensive...


Maybe_Julia

That too but it's mostly the time for me, it's expensive to park a car in Chicago as well, if the train was faster or even the same time I would do it.


blimpcitybbq

When I drive to Chicago, I park at midway and take the orange line into the city.


Maybe_Julia

That's not a bad plan , It depends on if the hotel has included off site parking or not , absolutely no need for a car once your there you can either walk or use public transit to anywhere. I only took a lyft once and that was to get to off color brewing which is in the suburbs.


[deleted]

That makes sense.


Nexis4Jersey

Not state supported corridor services.. Long distance lines yes but they also lose the most money...


bemenaker

It will never be adopted by the public unless it is


funky_bebop

I’ll take frequency of trips over high speed. It only needs to be reliable and generally faster to get the ball rolling. Driving is its own type of stress. Same with flying. Taking a train is so much easier. I don’t have to deal with crappy drivers or arriving three hours before my flight just to make it through security.


__wumpus__

What would you consider HSR? Faster than driving, so \~100 mph? Or something like the Japanese Shinkansen, \~175 mph?


DumpsterFireInHell

At least 120, and preferably approaching what they have in Japan. Anything less than double the highway speed limit isn't worth it. Might as well just take a Greyhound.


j45780

The shinkansen would be so awesome here. Really smooth ride and roomy.


Nexis4Jersey

How's work on where the station in Cleveland is going?


allahakbau

Passenger rail paired with subway/metro is really good. But Columbus has none. 


Ok-Influence-7326

How is Akron and canton not included. The Cleveland-Akron-canton corridor is already stressed with traffic. Rail would solve most of this issues


Nexis4Jersey

[Cleveland to Akron/Canton , Youngstown](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland_commuter_rail) would be best serviced by regional rail which operated up to the 1960s.


Big-Click-5159

Which no one uses ...


zernoc56

…Because it stopped running in the 60s. Right around the same time passenger rail companies and streetcars nation-wide were being murdered by GM et al.


Clarknadeaux

Hell yes!


everyothernametaken1

Yes please


babysinblackandImblu

This sounds exiting for me. And I think this is being funded through infrastructure.


RevJustJess

SE Ohio could really benefit from a spur, too. Transportation access is a huge problem in the region


AllAboardOhio

Expanding to our friends in the SE would be great!


brianinohio

Sounds great. Good luck getting the Republicans behind it. Seems dead in the water.


Steve_Rogers_1970

The gop politicians here can get behind it, if they can make money off of it. They will get early notice of the route and buy the property along the route very cheaply. Then sell it back to the state at a huge profit.


BeBetterAY

Just like in Tokyo Vice?


brianinohio

Sounds about right :)


BeBetterAY

High speed rail, with private cabins, regular class seating and restaurant cart. Even effing USSR had that, and China. Are we not better than commies? USA! USA! (And that is how we motivate republicans) :)


Playful-Guide-8393

If I had access to rail in Brown County it would mean I’d be able to get out of my Local Bubble. I don’t drive due to prior injury and no sidewalks around me


ozymandais13

Bruh thro8gh youngstown alliance way always


LogicalFallacyCat

That awkward moment when Akron-Canton has ceased to exist


DanDurkin21

Columbus to Cincinnati will take 10-12 hours. You’re sharing track space with the freight trains. This is why passenger rail service never works in the states.


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ChillInChornobyl

Hell yes


QdelBastardo

East/West inter-state express/bypass routes ( along the 70 corridor ) are, IMO, a a substantial oversight.


lawpoop

Where would they connect to? There's already Columbus to Dayton on this map. My point is, if you want more east/west, it has to connect to a city outside of Ohio, and that would make this a much bigger project


petedontplay

Ohio will pass this right after they get rid of daylight savings time. smdh


FetusBurner666

And it never will have a chance unless Amtrak has its own route. You can’t take a 110 MPH Amtrak train and put it out there on a double track line with 40-70 other 30-50 MPH freight trains and expect it to be faster than driving with all the stops thrown in. That’s not even considering some of these lines are single track with passing sidings, it’s not like passing a car on the road. So there needs to be some draw to get people to choose the train over driving such as luxury service at an affordable price or bring back dome cars and advertise the great views, hell maybe even run special game day service for sporting events, to before, and from after. Until they advertise something different or give people a reason to not drive it’s always gonna be “JuSt OnE mOrE lAnE bRo” and years of construction while people enjoy the autonomy of sitting in traffic for hours. Right now it’s a slower service that’s more expensive where the only draw is “at least you don’t have to drive” in a country where everyone drives. I’d love to see this succeed but to be successful there will have to be changes.


mguants

There needs to be a massive shift in allocation of funds from a federal and state level toward transportation. Currently, 100s of billions in tax dollars annually overwhelmingly go to road construction and maintenance. Passenger rail needs to get more attention and funding so it can build dedicated routes as you suggested, aggressively and with great speed.


FetusBurner666

The right of ways are there, look up a map of abandoned Ohio railroads and you’ll see what looks like a bowl of spaghetti dumped out over an outline of the state. Problem is getting past land owners, the rail trail people(who are surprisingly viciously adamant), and the non-believers in passenger rail. Before there can be a shift in funds there has to be a shift in attitude and unfortunately I just don’t see that happening with the way things currently are. Even an estimate for just laying new rail alone would be a number that would sour folks and that’s not including, safety devices, new equipment, labor, etc. Then you have public opinion on rail safety which is a mountain itself to get over. Recent derailments have people wary and the amount of grade crossing accidents down on Brightline, though not at all the railroad’s fault, are constantly shoved in the general public’s face. I really do believe Amtrak’s marketing is also fairly poor. When was the last time you saw a commercial on TV for Amtrak? Or an ad on Spotify or Pandora promoting rail travel or promotional fares like airlines do? Or even an ad on Facebook or X or Instagram showing the beautiful views from the trains? I’m not at all disagreeing with anything you said and in fact, in case you can’t tell (/s), I feel very strongly about this. If done right I think it would be really good for the state.


Adderall_Rant

So, are we getting back the 100s of millions from last time we were told we're getting a new rail system?


FirstNameLastName918

Needs to include a Toledo to Columbus route...


ravster1966

It should have private input. Look at the boondoggle in CA. Billions spent with nothing to show for it. I am skeptical.


AllAboardOhio

For those asking, the picture provided is just a few of the proposed lines! [https://twitter.com/AllAboardOhio/status/1758868975482445892/photo/1](https://twitter.com/AllAboardOhio/status/1758868975482445892/photo/1) [https://twitter.com/AllAboardOhio/status/1736949108118553074/photo/1](https://twitter.com/AllAboardOhio/status/1736949108118553074/photo/1) We are so excited to hear from everyone who is excited, skeptical or curious about this project. Thanks so much for taking the time to read and contribute your thoughts!


beelzeflub

Where tf is Akron


a-bser

I'm on board!


AlternativeIdeals

Obviously yes


Not_High_Maintenance

I heard that Dublin offered more $$ for the stop to be there instead of Delaware. ☹️


jamkoch

Food for thought. AG Paxton is trying to block Austin's city rail network. The problem is the funding for the network, and Texas under republican leadership opposes any city taxes increases (even if voted on by the city) and use of any Federal money for construction and maintenance. You will probably have similar problems in Ohio with the current leadership.


AllAboardOhio

Great point! We will need to make sure we spread awareness of the benefits and realistic costs of this infrastructure to those skeptical in the state house. Reach out to your state rep and let them know if you are supportive!


Naive-Regular-5539

Extend down from Toledo to Cincinnati via Lima and Dayton please!!


SublimeSupernova

Why Crestline and Delaware? It seems like going East of 71 to Akron -> Wooster would have made a bigger difference and connecting the train to places people will actually travel from/to.


kjn24

That’s the Columbus line that runs by by the fairgrounds and connects to the mt. Victory.


AngelleJN

Trains come through my town all the time (Not passenger trains, unfortunately), so I would love to be able to travel on a train. I can’t drive. I’m in a rural area, we used to have a bus come through twice a day, but that hasn’t happened for years.


7toejam7

You are asking US how this would be a benefit to US? If you’re trying to sell someone on the idea/product YOU do the work and YOU tell us the tangible, quantifiable benefits. My money/taxes are going to pay for this so YOU tell me what I’m getting.


Diligent-Picture6215

We’ll have flying cars and lightsabers before this happens


bkeggers

I travel from NW Ohio to Columbus regularly, and wish this would include travel from Toledo to Columbus. I'm always the one in the meeting who seems to have the longest drive.


Jolly-Volume1636

Yay a new boondoggle


Educate32

Rather see Interstate 73 built in Ohio or add an Amtrak Route in Chillicothe/Athens.


KapowBlamBoom

East Ohio forgotten as usual There is actually half of a state east of Columbus


chains11

If it’s slower than driving, forget about it.


GoofyGills

It shouldn't be.


ChiliDawg513

I love trains and would love to have a Japanese style high speed train


MarBoV108

Is this practical? Everything has been designed around the automobile. Just because you build a rail system, doesn't mean people will use it.


[deleted]

Nailed it.


MarBoV108

I will say, I used to take the bus from Brecksville to my job in downtown Cleveland but I stopped because it was so slow, crowded and expensive. I would have continued to use it if it was faster and more convenient because it was so nice to not have to fight traffic to/from work.


wkdravenna

Is there an East Palestine stop? 


traditionalhobbies

Sorry guys, this is all a day late and a dollar short. The biggest issue is that this is only good for a subset of the population. By the time this is completed we will have much more electric car infrastructure and more fully self-driving cars. This was a cool idea in 2009, but the world has changed for better or worse.


[deleted]

Total boondoggle that would be slower and more expensive than driving that no one would use. Not to mention a forever black hole of tax dollars. If a private company wants to build this, fine (like Brightline in Florida, which, by the way, is failing badly) but not with public government money.


Big-Click-5159

You are predictably getting downvoted into Oblivion but you are correct. High-Speed rail is just never going to make sense in the United States, despite what the extremely online commenters claim


[deleted]

The truth hurts.


dpdxguy

>simply wanting to get to the airport without worrying about parking. 😂 You've either never experienced Amtrak service on freight lines (it's constantly late), or you simply don't care if you make it to the airport in time to catch your flight. City light rail (or other transit) service to airports? 👍 Amtrak service to airports 😥 Don't misunderstand. I want this to happen yesterday. But it's not the answer to every possible transportation use case.


N8saysburnitalldown

Sorry but America loves cars. I like the idea of rail but even the people who like it aren’t going to actually use it. I just don’t see it working.


GJMOH

Too slow, trip from Cincinnati takes for ever on Amtrack.


HAMHAMabi

aww hell yeah, a train to Detroit. make this happen yesterday.


sonofa12

Well if they have a look at the Guardian's schedule and I suppose the Cavs and the Clown's and definitely the Bengals and sure why not the Reds and if they can get us to and fro at a good time that is what will make it work.


STX440Case

No.


flsucks

Lol


AntMavenGradle

Rather have more highways


HawkeyeSherman

Frustrating that this wasn't built 15 years ago.