Comments on: CU Podcast #23: Coffee with Stu Nicholson

By: Core_Models

Core_Models — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 18:05:04 +0000

They also point out that they asked for the 3-400 million dollar regular speed rail (top speed 79), either way, just build something.

By: Walker

Walker — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 17:53:54 +0000

High-speed rail for Ohio estimated at $1.53 billion Saturday, July 18, 2009 3:06 AM BY JAMES NASH THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Ohio's three largest cities can be connected by passenger trains that go 110 mph for $1.53 billion, according to the state's new application for federal stimulus money earmarked for high-speed rail. Speedy trains connecting Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati could be running as soon as 2016, the state's preliminary request for funding says. READ MORE

By: ehill27

ehill27 — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 02:49:43 +0000

Smaller Ohio towns angling to be a stop on new rail line
Monday, July 13, 2009
BY KAREN FARKAS
THE PLAIN DEALER

Communities of all sizes across the state are touting their best assets in hopes of being chosen as one of the stops for the proposed passenger rail line from Cleveland to Cincinnati.

By: tt342998

tt342998 — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:28:16 +0000

I’ve wondered about the Cbus to Pitt as well. It seems to perform well according to the Ohio Hub report, but one thing that may work against it the corridor is that it is state-owned.

The following is speculation, but one of the activities that Mr Nicholson noted are the Preliminary Environmental studies for four of the corridors (3-C, Cbus to Toledo, Cle-Pitt, and Cle-Toledo). Once those studies are complete, the corridor(s) can be recognized as a project and rights-of-way can begin to be preserved for passenger service. The fact that the Cbus-Pitt corridor is already owned by the state may already preserve that right-of-way without completion of the study. Thus, the urgency to perform a study on the Cbus-Pitt corridor may not be as intense as the other corridors that are not controlled by the state. Again, that is just speculation.

In my opinion this corridor opens up a lot of opportunity, especially if the Keyston corridor is completed between Pittsburgh to Harrisburg. It would seem to me that the attraction from the Columbus market to the Pittsburgh market would be just as strong as the Cbus-Cincy and Cbus-Cle markets.

By: CbusIslander

CbusIslander — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:49:27 +0000

One follow up question: What about the state owned corridor between Columbus and Pittsburgh? What does he think of that corridor’s potential?

Great interview and very informative.

By: Walker

Walker — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:13:06 +0000

Yeah, it’s hard not to sit down with Stu for coffee and leave feeling inspired and hopefully for a future filled with rail transit options. I think Stu has probably heard every criticism in the book and has great answers for everything. ;)

Personally, I’m looking forward to a future where I can easily ride to Cleveland, Dayton, or Cincinnati and spend some of my Columbus dollars in those places. ;)

By: uncleboo

uncleboo — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:08:16 +0000

Nice interview, Walker! Hard not to share Mr. Nicholson’s enthusiasm and positive feelings about making the 3C corridor a reality. I think of particular interest was his feeling that rail transit should be presented to the public as a compliment to air and road transportation, not as a substitute. I don’t remember hearing many other arguments for rail travel crafted in this manner. Well done.

As an aside, appreciated the Janis Joplin tune “Me and Bobby McGee” in the background – isn’t the first line something about waiting for a train in Baton Rouge?