Tag: rail

Kasich–Do Not De-Rail Rail, or Joke is On Ohio!

Dear Governor Elect,

I am writing to urge you to re-consider your opposition to passenger rail in Ohio. (3C Corridor project) The following personal feelings are why we must not bypass this great opportunity. I am sure many others will touch on so many issues I have left out, as one letter cannot explain it all, but it is with the strongest plea I ask you to not jump to conclusions about 3C that will ultimately kill a great opportunity for Ohio.

Ohio has for too long had its transportation infrastructure built around the needs of the automobile, rather than the pedestrian. And, part of this has been abandoning a once intricate network of rail lines across the state. Because of the decade after decade steering of transportation funds towards all that is car, we as citizens of this state have been denied the freedom of choice and alternative. To have a freedom of choice, I would think, would be a philosophy you and your party can respect and appreciate….and better yet, help to foster by making the transportation choice a reality.

While I understand that it may be difficult to expect those to fathom any other mode of transportation other than the auto-dependent sprawl model by which they were raised, I want you to understand the importance of a viable transportation alternative from people who DO understand the many benefits and conveniences.

By not supporting this project, we embarrassingly will lag behind other states that will move forward reaping the economic benefits such as job creation and linking our major cities as well as linking markets in our cities with others in the country.

By not supporting it you are driving away the young professional population that will chase and achieve their dreams in other states and cities where rail is an option. Those professionals in my age group 25 to 45 would overwhelmingly support the system.

In your own campaign, you stated that you did not want to see young people leave Ohio and achieve dreams and creating a home someplace else. How then by not supporting this project, do you not see that the results will be exactly what you said you did not want to see?

By not supporting this project, we are faced with an increased cumbersome burden to deal with over crowded highways and a never ending maintenance and construction spending nightmare. The last thing Ohio needs is to make itself more of a slave to road building and/or maintenance. This scene is just making us more co-dependent on oil in a time we need to be reducing it! Few benefit from that. In addition, the added air pollution and other environmental degradation that will have its own set of consequences by being yet another component to fostering an unhealthy populace that will be less productive in our economy. Who can even begin to put a price on that sort of aspect that is never even considered?

On a personal note touching on environmental and personal health—by designing all our transportation infrastructure around the car, you are forcing me to have no choice but to be subjected to the vile emission fumes spewing out of vehicles that are either illegally modified in the exhaust mechanisms, systems that are malfunctioning, or even systems that use a Diesel fuel mix–which to me–is unbearable as it gets sucked right into my vehicle chocking me! And, since your party quite often shuns social responsibility and accountability by wanting less watch dogging on corporate America, I doubt the industries responsible for being party to this this will do the right thing to satisfy those who have not the resources to fight them in court.

By not supporting passenger rail you are denying thousands who do not wish to drive or place themselves on highways and roads—or those who cannot drive—the choice they deserve. By not supporting passenger rail transportation alternatives in Ohio you are essentially forcing many who simply do not wish to drive, to take on all the expenses associated with car ownership and driving. By not supporting the passenger rail you are denying Ohio tourist dollars by those who may be visiting our state wanting to travel it via rail, relax, take their time and take in our state’s interesting natural beauty, art, history and culture. By not supporting passenger rail you are forcing many, who cannot afford it, to be a slave to the gas pump.

These funds Ohio was awarded for development of passenger rail cannot be spent for anything else and it would also be embarrassing if another state seized this money gladly at out of expense economically as well as the expense of our integrity and character.By not supporting this project, you may even impair any future federal funding for transportation grants in Ohio.

Do you really want Ohio to be the backwoods laughing stock that closed the door on a major opportunity? Degraded images do nothing at all to attract people to want to remain living here—or to attract new progressive long term investments in Ohio.

All the bad image scene will attract however are those who see Ohio as desperate to take anything…and will simply abuse our state economically, socially, and environmentally—and when they have reaped from us all they can, will move on. Is this the kind of fly by night investment in our state that you really want to see? That which is run by those living someplace else while raping Ohio?

In this wonderful land of choice, you are giving us little to no choice by not supporting passenger rail. And, I, like the thousands of others I know who would open heatedly and overwhelmingly support this service, will likely leave Ohio to seek places where their leadership has far more of a progressive vision as to the countless benefits that can result from this project.

It is for all the above and so much more I urge you to take a far closer look at what you’re doing…Look at the undeniable facts about this project so someday you do not look back and say to yourself.. “What was I thinking?….” while other places reap the benefits that will bypass Ohio and leave us in the dust.

One person such as yourself should not have the power to impose your will on a whole state. So, I urge you to not turn this into an “Us versus Them” political ego power and control game. Please do what is right for many instead of satisfying those who simply want to “be right” In a state of 11 plus million, we need a choice. And the only choice should not be to get in your car a drive, period. That in itself is a joke on Ohio.

Regards,
Robert Carillio
Ohio Voter

Posted by Angry Man In The Basement at 2:37 PM No comments:

GET ON BOARD WITH RAIL TRAVEL, OHIO!

Next stop…. YOUR street! There was a time, not too long ago,not even 60 years, rail transportation in Ohio was no stranger to the lifestyles of its residents. It was widely depended upon to get from point A to point B, and Ohio had an intricate rail network reaching all corners of our state.

As the use of the automobile gained more and more popularity with the lure and seduction of independence from confinement and not having to plan around the schedules of the trains, so followed the expansion of a highway network that would eventually see to the decline of rail transportation. Add to this, the spending in marketing of the automobile and air travel as the chief modes of transportation, coupled with government subsidy for such, the final nails were driven into the coffin of rail travel in Ohio.

Out of the above, was spawned the more relaxed and open scene of the suburban living model landscape—which replaced the former higher density urban-scapes. To date, these types of areas have evolved into becoming almost entirely auto dependent to get to and from any destination. If you pause and think about it, the old urban designs were actually much more walk-able as they were built around the transportation needs of two legs rather than four wheels! Such a design also is more conducive to modern efforts in conservation to use less energy and to produce less pollution.

Back on topic with rail…….

Ohio, and America in general have reached a point that the availability of rail transportation service, both in large urban areas and rural areas has hit an all time low. It is virtually non-existent in some places like Ohio. I cannot believe in a state that is home to nearly eleven and a half million people and six major metropolitan areas, that rail travel and transportation options are so slim! I think this is a sad scenario that in the land of so-called “choice”, America, Ohio in particular, has the false sense freedom of transportation choice— because you are free as long as you drive! All this at a time when the public needs to be offered a viable real alternative to the automobile.

In Ohio, I have a concern that too many people in our state, having been fed a steady diet of mainly auto-only transportation options for the last 50 years or so, have totally forgotten just how convenient, environmentally friendly, desired by many—-and just how far behind the rest of thew world we are in terms of offering a viable transportation rail alternative! Whats more, some people cannot even fathom how to utilize such a transportation option the way their grand or great grandparents did a mere lifetime ago, as alluded to at the beginning of this article.

If Ohio is going to economically strengthen itself, it must join hands with all of its major metropolitan regions so that they may create an economic synergy between one another—and part of building this strength is re-linking ourselves with rail. I would hate to see our state become a laughing stock as the rest of the nation moves forward with rebuilding our rail networks as President Obama has promoted.

If we want to attract new talent and businesses we must acknowledge the idea that many individuals who are a part of this new economy will come from many places around the globe—Places that have transportation options like rail! The people who ride rail are used to getting on the train, reading a book, preparing for a workday on a lap top, watching the scenery, taking a nap, having a coffee, all while going to work, or traveling for business or pleasure (none of which you can do in a car!. Also note that rail riders all are potential money spenders in our economy. Moreover, those who want and will use rail are used to saving money on fuel, maintenance, insurance, and auto payments–all of which is sort of an economic slavery of which we are imprisoned when we have only one option–and that is, being forced to live our entire lives in a car.

For others who have never so much as witnessed a train, let alone a passenger train pass through Ohio, perhaps it is time they become familiar with the many positives rail travel can offer—and I can make a safe bet that if rail had the luxury of the promotional spending and/or subsidy that accommodates the promotion of cars and planes, we’d see more people discovering and riding rail.

On the job creation front,I am not at all concerned about anti-rail interests harping about jobs being lost in the auto or insurance sectors. A few riding the rail, compared to the droves of cars on the road would hardly put a dent in such businesses for years to come—and besides, hasn’t the insurance and all surrounding the auto industry gotten enough of your cash? It is time for a change. Let’s usher in the new rail era which can create a whole new plethora of jobs surrounding that industry.

I am tired of virtually being forced to own a car and feel it is time Ohio start to drop the bad auto-only habit. To be attractive in the years to come, our transportation network needs to offer the kind of choices and diversity that appeal to a diverse population. The thinking that produces this auto-only choice environment, is merely a product of the suburban model that has helped to foster it for 50 or more years–and cannot open it’s eyes to no other way. On the other hand, I am optimistic the trend can reverse, however, seeing that we have been exposed to rail transportation in the past–and the cycle back towards those roots is inevitable, be it a slow process.

Finally, it is very refreshing to go to a city or region in the world where there is a real sense of freedom in having a transportation option, where you’re not stuck in traffic—where you don’t have to worry about fines, accidents or other potential auto-related expenses, and where you don’t feel rushed. Right now, I feel bullied into owning a car. That’s not freedom to me.

As our state government is granted millions from the federal government for the purpose of expanding our part of America’s rail network, please support rail transportation options in Ohio. We cannot afford to become a transportation joke! Don’t blow the whistle our chances for rail to make a much needed comeback in Ohio–everybody climb all aboard and rediscover what has been a major part of our transportation heritage!

Posted by Angry Man In The Basement at 12:33 AM