Fort Wayne to fund high speed rail study

[railohio]

Council backs high-speed rail study with cash
Dan Stockman | The Journal Gazette

Once again, the City Council has voted to support a study needed to bring high-speed passenger rail to the city, but this time council members backed it up with cash.

The council voted unanimously Tuesday to give $200,000 toward an environmental study of a high-speed rail line between Columbus, Ohio, and Chicago, with stops at several cities in between, including Fort Wayne.

Full story: http://www.journalgazette.net/article/2 ... /140219815

[CSX_CO]

<sound of toilet flushing while $200,000 is thrown in it>

Practice Safe CSX

[Y@]

Haven't we heard this same thing before and nothing ever came of it?

[Saturnalia]

[MSchwiebert]

Fort Wayne's still got a butthurt that Amtrak left town 20 years ago I see.....

[justalurker66]

Haven't we heard this same thing before and nothing ever came of it?

This is for the next step ... assuming they can get other parties to kick in the rest of the $2 million needed for the environmental impact study. It is a step forward ... not a rerun.

[jwilliam33]

Isn't this over the old PRR? The railroad is still in place right? If so, why the environmental study? Certainly rail movements can resume without environmental approval

[justalurker66]

Isn't this over the old PRR? The railroad is still in place right? If so, why the environmental study? Certainly rail movements can resume without environmental approval

It is more than a resumption ... a section of the line is gone and would need replaced and any new construction (sidings, improvements) would need to take into account the environment.

"Environmental Impact Studies" are also more than just answering the question of what the impact will be. Such studies are often used to compare options and choose the one that provides the best results with the least impact - with the costs kept in mind. Such studies have changed some plans to avoid sensitive areas such as wetlands and historical sites.

An existing rail corridor is easier to use ... the blight is already there. But even the effects of increased rail traffic needs to be taken into account and mitigated. A couple of slow freights a day or perhaps a few trains per week increasing to several high speed trains per day is an impact. Crossings will need to be upgraded and some closed. And while the argument could be made that this is just a resumption of glory day service from the 1950s and 60s any new service has to meet modern 21st century standards.

[JStryker722]

To make it worth using the existing rail corridor,the track would need to be brought up to 79-110mph,sidings lengthened or built new,and a whole new signal system as the old PRR signals are mostly out of service since Amtrak left Ft. Wayne in 1990.Not to mention maintainence facility to store the train sets in Ft. Wayne.

[railohio]

Not to mention maintainence facility to store the train sets in Ft. Wayne.

Columbus, Ohio.

[JStryker722]

Not to mention maintainence facility to store the train sets in Ft. Wayne.

Columbus, Ohio.

Dough! Lol

[Ibflattop]

YES Columbus Ohio to Ft.Wayne to Chicago. There are no Raillines directly from Columbus to Ft.Wayne. They would have to raise the Roadbed cause look at all of the other High Speed Rail lines. There are no road assesses across the High Speed lines. Hummmmm I think it just a ploy to burn monies in the pockets of the rich in charge. Why cant they put the money to some good use. Give it to the homeless that's living under that overpass...... Just my thoughts. Kevin

[justalurker66]

YES Columbus Ohio to Ft.Wayne to Chicago. There are no Raillines directly from Columbus to Ft.Wayne. They would have to raise the Roadbed cause look at all of the other High Speed Rail lines. There are no road assesses across the High Speed lines. Hummmmm I think it just a ploy to burn monies in the pockets of the rich in charge. Why cant they put the money to some good use. Give it to the homeless that's living under that overpass...... Just my thoughts. Kevin

They are looking at "higher speed" not full "high speed rail". Higher speed rail is what Amtrak has in Illinois (St Louis to Chicago) and Michigan (Kalamazoo to Chicago) on portions of the line. Higher speed rail is faster than the 79 MPH passenger speeds normally found on good track - but it is not the superfast "High Speed Rail" at the top of the speed spectrum.

Higher speed rail can be done with crossings at grade (see the Amtrak Michigan Line for a nearby example).

[Bulby]

Higher speed rail is what Amtrak has in Illinois (St Louis to Chicago) on portions of the line.

Oh joy, 110 mph for less than 30 miles; like it has never been done before by an american railroad (at least if you listen to the politicians). Somehow, despite our "higher speed rail"; the Amtrak run takes at least as much time, with fewer stops, than it did over the same route in the '30s and '40s; and in those days, freight didn't wait until the passenger trains were done to venture out on the main.

[bumthum]

Fort Wayne is all about throwing money in the toilet. I'm not sure about the integrity of our mayor (or the rest of government) but there is a lot of fraud, waste, and abuse going on in the city government. This is just one more example. The involved cities and states would have to pony up the money as Amtrak is in bad straights financially and they have already stated that they won't reroute an existing train due to low projected ridership. That said, I would ride it because part of my hold up to riding Amtrak for enjoyment is that it isn't readily accessible. I certainly wouldn't ride Amtrak if I needed to be somewhere on time but a trip to Chicago or Columbus for a weekend would certainly be something I would consider. The cards are against this though, plain and simple.

[j_c1987]

The Southshore I think is worth its money. The three times I have took the Southshore, I always got to my destination on time. I heard that Amtrak has never been on time since it started. I would take the high speed rail over an airplane any day if it was just close to being on time. Me and my wife thought of taking a train to Boston or DC from Elkhart. It was cheaper than flying, but it took 18 hrs. Would separate line help with delays? How privatizing the High speed rail to create some competition like the 30s and 40s.

[Ypsi]

I heard that Amtrak has never been on time since it started.

And please tell me you didn't believe where you heard this from. Amtrak trains freaquently run on time, on some lines more then others of course, but to say Amtrak has never been on time is a crazy statement.

[j_c1987]

I heard that Amtrak has never been on time since it started.

And please tell me you didn't believe where you heard this from. Amtrak trains freaquently run on time, on some lines more then others of course, but to say Amtrak has never been on time is a crazy statement.

Well....I....ah.....well ...I...I...ah.... Well in a way yes. I have based the statement given to me from experiences personally and of others(including family). Sorry for assuming.

[MagnumForce]

I think what he is getting at is that Amtrak is wholly unreliable if you want to get somewhere on time.

[bdconrail29]

I think what he is getting at is that Amtrak is wholly unreliable if you want to get somewhere on time.

I would ride Amtrak if I didn't want to see out of the windows, preferred a depot way on the outskirts of town, and weren't in a hurry. Sure.