Rail plan gaining speed
Officials tout Valley stops for proposed high-speed trainBy RON SELAK JR. / Tribune Chronicle
Fact Box
Economic impact
The Ohio Hub Impact Study is based on an 860-mile ''Cleveland Hub'' with four lines radiating from Cleveland to Cincinnati, Detroit and Pittsburgh.
n 6,100 construction jobs
n 16,700 permanent jobs
n $1 billion increase in regional income
n $3 billion in station-area development
n $80 billion impact on state tourism
n 320,000 new overnight trips
n 5 percent in Cleveland Hopkins Airport traffic
n 9.4 million gallons of fuel saved yearly
YOUNGSTOWN - Imagine hopping a train from Warren to see LeBron James play at the ''Q'' or a Clevelander traveling by rail to Youngstown for an afternoon at the Butler Institute of American Art.
Now imagine it happening at speeds approaching 100 mph.
U.S. Rep. Timothy J. Ryan is and he's working to make sure high-speed passenger rail service from Cleveland to Pittsburgh, with stops in the Warren/Youngstown area, becomes a reality. The project is part of the Ohio Hub, which has been in the works since 2000.
''This is a great opportunity for us to plug in to what is happening in this region and really become a player,'' Ryan, D-Niles, said.
On Wednesday, Ryan, the mayors of Warren and Youngstown and members of the Ohio Rail Development Commission toured railroad lines and areas where lines could be placed.
Warren Mayor Michael J. O'Brien said he's excited about the possibility of having a stop that conceivably would be two blocks away from the city's downtown Courthouse Square, which puts people close to the Warren Amphitheatre.
Jay Williams, Youngstown mayor, said the possibility offers a great chance to introduce people to life in Youngstown.
Ryan said bringing this type of alternative transportation here would infuse the area economically by being able to transport people quickly and cheaply. Long term, he also sees it as an opportunity to develop Warren and Youngstown as centers for research and development given its central location between Cleveland and Pittsburgh.
In the short term, the project would boost job creation by having to build the infrastructure.
''We're going forward with pursuing this and I'm very excited about it,'' Ryan said
Five or six stops would be included in the rail service between Pittsburgh and Cleveland, including the Warren/Youngstown area. The trains would travel between 70 and 110 mph and be able to carry about 300 passengers in the estimated four passenger cars, said Don Damron, passenger rail planning manager with the rail development commission.
Two locomotives would push the four passenger cars, Damron said.
It could take up to nine years to complete the $650 million project. Ryan said Ohio would be competing with other states for a share of the federal money needed to do the project.
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weareourworstenemy
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08-18-08 2:39 PM
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Imagine the revenue that could be gained by Pittsburgh Steeler/Cleveland Browns games alone. I could see people paying $150 a ticket for the Party Train..****muters are our only hope in the forseeable futer and with Gas prices being what they are and our cost of living we have a trememdous opportunity. We need only get out of our own way...
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egreen90
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08-15-08 11:37 PM
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As a resident of the DC/Baltimore area, I realize that a public transportation system has the potential to expand growth, yet it is my opinion that any growth will be minimal due to the rapid decrease in population that is occuring in the valley. Discussions were under way to expand the Green line of the DC metro (for those that are familiar with the DC subway) back in 2005 and the cost was 100 million dollars per mile. I know that this project will not cost the estimated 1 billion the green line expansion will cost in DC, but a minimum of 9 years is way too long to improve the Valley. The opportunity costs that would be given up with this project include enticing businesses to relocate to the Mahoning Valley. This should be the first goal before serioius talks begin and potential lawsuits by environmental groups happend due to this project.
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TomSmith
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08-15-08 8:15 AM
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Hey Trib.. Why not create a special section so we can track the progress of this issue? I would like for your paper to cover every aspect of this on a regular basis's, while providing information on how the community can get involved to make this happen.
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virutalia
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08-14-08 3:11 PM
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A rail system connecting the Mahoning Valley to CLE and PIT will result in increased property values for WAR and YNG. Where else can you buy a century home for $10K? (Granted, it's a fixer-upper). At the same time, you would rid the 'hood of the hoods! P-man is right on. Commuting by train is the best! You hop on a train in the morning, catch up on email, work in the big city, snooze on your way back home, then go to the 'Shoe.
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MCPlanner09
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08-14-08 1:51 PM
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This is one of the best economic development opportunities that has come to this area in a long time. Transportation development or Transit Oriented Development (TOD), which is development around a transportation hub or stop, has successfully turned around declining areas. Should Ohio succeed in getting this funding, the Youngstown-Warren area could turn around. But it takes more than just the politicians to win this funding. Local residents should write or contact members our Senators as well as members of the Finance and Transportation Committees about the importance of this project to the area. We can't let this opportunity slip away. For more information on TOD, check out this website ***********reconnectingamerica****/public/tod
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Mark33
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08-14-08 1:49 PM
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The Mayors are fooling themselves if the believe they will get more than a few visitors from Cleveland/Pittsburgh. Other than family reasons, very few from Cle/Pitt will want to visit here. On the other hand, it's a decent idea for locals that wish to visit Cle/Pitt and points in between.
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Norton
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08-14-08 1:45 PM
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Pork or not, who cares? This could be great for our area. For years this area has been ignored, it's about time something positive came out of Washington for our area, hopefully this becomes reality.
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Meeker
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08-14-08 11:51 AM
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Mass transit would be great for Warren and surrounding communities. With Greyhound leaving Warren some time ago, mass transit is very limited. A light rail service would cut down on the air pollution cars create, and maybe even get you to your destination quicker!
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tudiante
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08-14-08 10:52 AM
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*******209.51.133.155/cms/index.php/content/hubplan ^they should have linked this article directly to this
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tudiante
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08-14-08 10:51 AM
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I believe that this would spur more people to explore cities like Cleveland/Pittsburgh for reasons outside of sporting events, and remove some of the stigma that is often attached to our cities. It would generate more business for these communities, too. A LOT of students, many of whom are not allowed to have cars on campus, would use the rail as well (I wish I could now). Connections to city airports would garner a lot of use for business travelers/weekend getaways, and eliminate the hassle of parking a car short/long-term. Similar systems in the New England area have been very successful, particularly this year with rising gas prices. Let’s not forget that gas problems are only going to worsen years down the road, when this project would be nearing completion. $8 for a gallon of gas would spur a lot of people to use this. I would love to be able to catch a train and explore Cleveland for a day, or grab a couple trains and spend a weekend in Chicago / Montreal, etc.
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pahootaman
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08-14-08 9:28 AM
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Light rail is fantastic. I was just in DC the other week and their metro system is fantastic. Something like that in the valley would really be benifical to everyone.
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TheCortlandguy
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08-14-08 9:26 AM
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Well even I have to say that this is a refreshing idea. We have been sitting around discussing this for months at the local coffee stop. I am an avid non-Ryan supporter because he really does what he is told but this is finally a good offering for us. Look folks; the Europeans have been using this for a very long time and it works. With our vast expanses here there should be no reason we can't jump a high speed rail between these two cities. Ryan won't get my next vote but I am glad to see him actually repping the valley for once.
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TomSmith
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08-14-08 8:28 AM
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Grump, You are wrong. My family would love to be able to hop a train and go into Pitt's or Cleveland. I think this is an excellent idea and it could bring real growth to our area. It would make living in this area much easier knowing that I could jump on a train and go to work every day, verses having to drive 1 1/2 hrs into Cleve or Pitt's dealing with all the traffic.
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OldManGrump2
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08-14-08 7:43 AM
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Ryan is dealing in PORK. The trains will be empty and $650 million of taxpayer money will be mis-spent. Wouldn't it better better to invest that money in the Mahoning Valley to improve infrastructure so new businesses would locate here? I think so. Ryan's highspeed railroad will go the way of the Kirwan canal from Lake Erie - never gonna happen.
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