Group pitches train stop

Commissioners hear  proposal for rail station  at regional airport.

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By Josh Sweigart, Staff Writer 10:51 PM Thursday, July 2, 2009

NEW MIAMI — The Hamilton Vision Commission is trying to fast-track a plan to include a train station at the Butler County Regional Airport in a statewide passenger rail system now being laid out on paper.

They pitched the idea to Butler County Commissioners Thursday evening, July 2, in New Miami.

“We think it is strategically located in the heart of the county,” said vision commission member Rob Wile, describing an “inter-modal” hub where people could switch to bus, car, plane or bicycle after departing the train.

The airport straddles Hamilton and Fairfield. He said it is immediately surrounded by vacant land that would be prime for economic development, while also within a 7-mile radius of more than a quarter million people.

Wile said it has the support of Hamilton and Fairfield government and business leaders, and the state has not ruled it out. And it is far more likely than getting a stop in Hamilton itself, he said, because the rail lines the state plans to use simply don’t go there.

Without this stop, the cross-state passenger train being planned would cruise uninterrupted from Sharonville to Middletown.

Commissioners supported the idea, but stressed they don’t want a new stop competing with the one planned in Middletown.

“I think we should first make sure that happens,” said Commission President Donald Dixon.

Vision Commission members agreed. But realistically, they are competing, said state Rep. Courtney Combs, R-Hamilton, ranking minority member on the House transportation committee.

“The chance of two stops (in Butler County) is probably very slim,” Combs said.

He said the airport would be a better location, but Middletown is better situated on the existing line. The airport stop would slow down the train by up to 10 minutes.

“Time is crucial,” Combs said, as the Ohio Rail Development Commission — which will make the final decision by September — tries to plan a route from Cleveland to Cincinnati that takes no more than 6 to 8 hours.

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Trains don't NEED to stop at every city or every station along the way every single time they run.

Have we forgotten so much of American history? "Express" trains and "local" trains were ALWAYS part of railroading, and they can be again.

Rich
10:01 PM, 7/3/2009

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I wish I had thought of the name "i know everything."

donna
9:58 PM, 7/3/2009

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The history of passenger rail has been that it goes up like a roman candle, then comes down like a scud missile. Why? Because adjacent municipalities cannot stop themselves from begging for a train stop. So, if every town gets a stop it no longer resembles anything like a fast passenger train. Stopping at every city would make the trip to Cleveland unacceptably long and therefore the whole idea fails because nobody will be buying tickets.

Ridnaway
3:26 PM, 7/3/2009

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Um, a really simple solution is right there, staring us in the face. There will be multiple trains running north and south each day, right? Who says EVERY train must stop at every station? Why can't there be specific trains that stop at one Butler Co. station, or the other? Airlines have non-stop flights, as well as other flights on the same basic route that stop at intermediate airports. Get creative, people -- we CAN have 2 Butler Co. stations! They're not mutually exclusive.

Rich
12:35 PM, 7/3/2009

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light rail ! I think it is a bad idea. But first lets do a study to see where it will get us.

i know everything
11:09 AM, 7/3/2009

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