Columbus has been without passenger rail service since 1977 when the final train departed from the now-demolished Union Station. But that could change in the near future if a new plan from Amtrak moves forward to bring new rail service to Ohio.
According to an update from advocacy group All Aboard Ohio, representatives from Amtrak are touting the addition of five new routes that would serve Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton, Cleveland and Toledo with additional points in between and connections beyond.
The main line servicing Columbus would be a version of the old “3C Corridor” plan connecting Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati with three daily round trips. That plan was formalized under Ohio Governor Ted Strickland in 2010 with federal funding allocated, but was cancelled by newly elected Governor John Kasich in 2011 before construction could move forward.
“The new federal passenger rail program depends on support from Congress and the new Biden Administration,” states All Aboard Ohio Public Affairs Director Ken Prendergast. “President Joe Biden, a longtime passenger rail supporter, has vowed a ‘second great railroad revolution.’ And last year the U.S. House of Representatives passed the proposed new rail funding program but it died in the U.S. Senate. Now, with a split Senate under new leadership, the bill has a good chance to become reality.”
Related: How are the proposed Amtrak routes different from proposed Hyperloop routes?
Of course, for the funding to arrive in Ohio, cooperation from the office of Governor Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is required, and All Aboard Ohio is advocating that residents of the state reach out to the appropriate officials to encourage them to take action.
For more information, visit http://allaboardohio.org.