View source for Ohio Hub

{{Short description|Proposed US railway project}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
The '''Ohio Hub''' was a [[high-speed rail|high-speed]] [[Rail transport|railway]] project proposed in the 2000s by the [[Ohio Department of Transportation]] aimed at revitalizing passenger rail service in [[Ohio]] and surrounding states.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Ohio Hub: The Project |url=http://www.dot.state.oh.us/ohiorail/Ohio%20Hub/Website/ordc/theproject.html |access-date=April 24, 2007 |publisher=Ohio Department of Transportation}}</ref><ref name=exsummary/> The plan was awarded funding under the [[American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009]], but Governor [[John Kasich]] refused to use the funds for the project and the funds were reclaimed by the federal government.  Passage of the 2021 [[Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act]] raised the possibility of new funding for a similar project.

== Background ==
Passenger service between [[Cincinnati]], [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]], and [[Cleveland]] ended on May 1, 1971, when the ''[[Ohio State Limited]]'' was discontinued upon the assumption of [[Penn Central Transportation Company|Penn Central Transportation]]'s passenger service by [[Amtrak]].<ref>{{Lynch-Penn Central|page=32}}</ref>

== Initial plans ==
Upon completion, the transit system would have been composed of {{convert|860|mi|abbr=on}} of track serving 32 stations. It would connect four states along with southern [[Ontario]], consisting of 11 major metropolitan areas and 22 million people.<ref name="factsheet">{{Cite web |title=Ohio Hub Fact Sheet 2004 |url=http://www.dot.state.oh.us/ohiorail/Ohio%20Hub/Website/ordc/OhioHubFactSheet2004.pdf |access-date=March 29, 2007 |publisher=Ohio Department of Transportation }}</ref> The system's goal was to "expand the capacity of the transportation system by improving the railroads for both freight and passenger trains."<ref name="overview">{{Cite web |title=Ohio Hub Overview 2006 |url=http://www.dot.state.oh.us/ohiorail/Ohio%20Hub/Website/ordc/OhioHubOverview2006.pdf |access-date=March 29, 2007 |publisher=Ohio Department of Transportation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060831161337/http://www.dot.state.oh.us/ohiorail/Ohio%20Hub/Website/ordc/OhioHubOverview2006.pdf |archive-date=August 31, 2006}}</ref>

As of the mid-2000s, the initial startup cost was projected to be in the $500&nbsp;million range. This did not include the cost of trains or the preparations needed for high-speed service. Two high-speed train systems were being explored. The first, a {{convert|79|mph|adj=mid}} system, was expected to cost $2.7&nbsp;billion, or $3.5&nbsp;million per mile. The second option, a {{convert|110|mph|adj=mid}} [[higher-speed rail|higher-speed]] system was estimated to cost $3.32&nbsp;billion, or $4.5 million per mile.<ref name="exsummary">{{Cite web |title=Ohio Hub Executive Summary |url=http://www.dot.state.oh.us/ohiorail/Ohio%20Hub/Website/ordc/OhioHubExecutiveSummary.pdf |access-date=March 29, 2007 |publisher=Ohio Department of Transportation}}</ref>

The project's hub was proposed to be based at [[Cleveland Hopkins International Airport]] (the state's largest and busiest airport) with a second Cleveland location near downtown Cleveland, and to provide service to adjacent cities in both the state of Ohio and the Ohio Region.  Three proposals were made for service – a single line system from Cleveland to Cincinnati, and two networked systems with multiple corridors providing service from Cleveland to various cities around the Ohio Region. Each corridor would branch out from Cleveland, and serve from four to nine stations, as well as connections to other regional rail services.  Additional lines were proposed to connect the  planned corridors with each other throughout the state, as well as to add more stations between major cities.<ref name="overview" />

The full Ohio & Lake Erie Regional Rail proposal would provide service to four states plus Canada through four corridors originating in [[Cleveland, Ohio|Cleveland]]. An additional network was proposed with three additional lines (seven lines total), however was still under development. The proposal featured the following four corridors:
*'''Northwest corridor to Detroit'''
**Serves [[Toledo, Ohio|Toledo]] and [[Detroit]]
**7 stations total
**Connects with future [[Midwest Regional Rail Initiative|Midwest Regional Rail]] to [[Chicago]], and [[Via Rail|Via Rail Canada]] to [[Montreal]] and [[Quebec City]]
*'''Northeast corridor to Toronto'''
**Not to be confused with Amtrak's Northeast Corridor between [[Boston]] and [[Washington DC]].
**Serves [[Erie, Pennsylvania|Erie]], [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]], [[Niagara Falls, New York|Niagara Falls]], and [[Toronto]]
**11 stations total
**Connects with [[Empire Corridor]] to [[Albany, New York|Albany]] and [[New York City]], and [[Via Rail|Via Rail Canada]] to [[Montreal]] and [[Quebec City]]
*'''Southwest corridor to Cincinnati'''
**Originally proposed as the 3-C Corridor
**Serves [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]], [[Dayton, Ohio|Dayton]], and [[Cincinnati, Ohio|Cincinnati]]
**9 stations total
**Connects with future [[Midwest Regional Rail Initiative|Midwest Regional Rail]] to [[Indianapolis]] and [[Chicago]]
*'''Southeast corridor to Pittsburgh'''
**Serves [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania|Pittsburgh]]
**4 stations total
**Connects with [[Keystone Corridor]] to [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania|Harrisburg]] and [[Philadelphia]]

== Awarding and rejection of funding ==
{{3C+D}}
On January 28, 2010, the White House announced that Ohio would receive $400&nbsp;million of its request through the [[American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009]]. This allowed for passenger rail service to return specifically on the 3C corridor.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 27, 2010 |title=Fact Sheet: High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program: Cleveland - Columbus - Dayton - Cincinnati |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/fact-sheet-high-speed-intercity-passenger-rail-program-cleveland-columbus |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170121104559/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/fact-sheet-high-speed-intercity-passenger-rail-program-cleveland-columbus |archive-date=January 21, 2017 |access-date=January 28, 2010 |work=[[whitehouse.gov]] |via=[[NARA|National Archives]]}}</ref>  The 3C Corridor could provide service from Cleveland to [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]], [[Dayton, Ohio|Dayton]], and [[Cincinnati, Ohio|Cincinnati]], a distance of {{convert|255|mi|km}}. The service was predicted to carry around 478,000 people a year, using a subsidy of $17&nbsp;million from the state government.<ref name="bw">{{Cite web |date=September 24, 2010 |title=Ohio releases faster passenger train schedule |url=http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9IEGUNG0.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101225021043/http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9IEGUNG0.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 25, 2010 |access-date=September 26, 2010 |publisher=BusinessWeek}}</ref>

The proposed corridor, however, attracted opposition from Republican members of the state board in charge of the project, as the proposed six-hour travel time and {{cvt|39|mph|adj=mid}} average speed led the project to be dubbed "snail rail". Then-governor and rail proponent [[Ted Strickland]] said in April 2010 that the average speed could be increased to {{cvt|46|mph}}, but Republicans were still not sold on it.<ref name="Trains">{{Cite web |date=April 5, 2010 |title=Ohio may turn down federal money, scrap rail project |url=http://www.trains.com/trn/default.aspx?c=a&id=6613&r=rss |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190505225122/http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2010/04/ohio-may-turn-down-federal-money-scrap-rail-project |archive-date=May 5, 2019 |access-date=April 5, 2010 |publisher=Trains Magazine}}</ref>

On September 24, 2010, the [[Federal Railroad Administration]] authorized the state to spend $15&nbsp;million of the stimulus money for the purposes of determining specifications and completing studies regarding the corridor.  Also on the 24th, the state released a new schedule for the service, which would see three daily round trips being operated, taking slightly over five hours each way, an hour and a half faster than previous estimates.<ref name="bw" />

Following the 2010 [[Ohio gubernatorial election, 2010|gubernatorial elections]] in  Ohio, the newly elected governor [[John Kasich]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]) began the process of shutting down the project and returning the money to the federal government. This money would be redistributed to other applicants. In a press conference, Kasich said that "[t]hat train is dead. I said it during the campaign. It is dead. Passenger rail is not in Ohio’s future."<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 5, 2010 |title=Ohio Governor-elect: "That train is dead" |url=http://trn.trains.com/en/Railroad%20News/News%20Wire/2010/11/Ohio%20Governor%20elect%20That%20train%20is%20dead.aspx |access-date=November 7, 2010 |publisher=Trains Magazine}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Fact Sheet: Kasich says no passenger rail for Ohio |url=http://www.wdtn.com/dpp/news/local/dayton/kasich-says-no-passenger-rail-for-ohio |access-date=November 4, 2010 |archive-date=November 6, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101106054441/http://www.wdtn.com/dpp/news/local/dayton/kasich-says-no-passenger-rail-for-ohio |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On December 9, 2010, US Transportation Secretary [[Ray LaHood]] announced that the federal government had revoked the funding for the 3C corridor, which would be redirected to high-speed rail projects in other states.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 9, 2010 |title=U.S. yanks high-speed rail funds for Wisconsin and Ohio |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6B860B20101209 |access-date=December 10, 2010 |publisher=Reuters}}</ref> The $400&nbsp;million was reclaimed by the White House, following repeated promises by Governor John Kasich to cancel the project. He attempted to get permission to use the funds on other transportation related projects, but this was rejected by the White House.<ref name="Trains" /> The money reclaimed was divided among several other states, including California, New York and Florida.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ohio rail money will go to California, Florida, New York |url=http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=163405 |access-date=September 12, 2010}}</ref>

As of 2015, funding for the Ohio Hub project remained on hold, though it has never been officially canceled.

== Revival as 3C+D ==
Plans were restarted around 2020 as Amtrak sought to expand and create new [[Regional rail|medium-distance rail services]], though not as high-speed rail.<ref name="Pitman2021">{{Cite news |last=Pitman, Michael D. |date=February 2, 2021 |title=Proposed Amtrak route expansion could spur business, help environment in southwest Ohio |agency=Dayton Daily News |url=https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/proposed-amtrak-route-expansion-could-spur-business-help-environment-in-southwest-ohio/QIHF53IAYBFLNINBHYB4CBD33Y/ |access-date=February 13, 2021}}</ref> In May 2021 further plans were presented to Columbus officials regarding the proposed service, which is expected to commence service by 2035.<ref>{{cite news |date=May 19, 2021 |title=Amtrak seeks to connect Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati with trek through Dayton |agency=WHIO |url=https://www.whio.com/news/amtrak-seeks-connect-cleveland-columbus-cincinnati-with-trek-through-dayton/DRG5P5NHUZGQDAKO4JBRLC4K4Y/ |access-date=May 19, 2021}}</ref>

By 2020, Amtrak was proposing to substantially increase rail service through the state.<ref name="Pitman2021" />  The 2021 [[Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act]] raised the possibility of new funding for new and increased service in Ohio.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wu |first=Titus |title=Ohio exploring passenger rail expansion with Amtrak |url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/business/transportation/2022/05/16/ohio-takes-step-toward-possible-amtrak-passenger-rail-expansion-all-aboard-dewine-costs-transport/9793603002/ |access-date=July 12, 2022 |website=The Columbus Dispatch |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Schwartzberg |first=Eric |title=Amtrak's proposed expansion in Ohio to get another look |url=https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/ohio-examining-feasibility-of-passenger-rail-expansion-with-amtrak/PGBKBHKOJJC3TLDHRMJW4CFX4M/ |access-date=July 12, 2022 |website=dayton-daily-news |language=English}}</ref>

In December 2023, three Ohio routes were accepted into the [[Federal Railroad Administration|Federal Railroad Administration's]] [[Corridor Identification and Development Program]], a mechanism for developing new train routes under the [[Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act]]. Each of these corridors are granted $500,000 toward engineering and feasibility studies and are prioritized for future federal funding:<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lassen |first1=David |title=North Carolina, Ohio corridors lead list of those receiving FRA grants for possible new Amtrak routes |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/north-carolina-ohio-corridors-lead-list-of-those-receiving-fra-grants-for-possible-new-amtrak-routes/ |access-date=December 6, 2023 |work=Trains |date=December 5, 2023}}</ref>

* Cleveland–Columbus–Dayton–Cincinnati
* Cleveland–Toledo–Detroit
* Chicago–Fort Wayne–Columbus–Pittsburgh

Lakefront Station in Cleveland would be unable to accommodate this increase in service, which is why a group by the name of All Aboard Ohio is pushing for the restoration of rail service at [[Cleveland Union Terminal]].<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Glaser |first1=Susan |last2=clevel |last3=.com |date=April 15, 2021 |title=Rail advocacy group wants Cleveland Amtrak station back at Tower City |url=https://www.cleveland.com/travel/2021/04/rail-advocacy-group-wants-cleveland-amtrak-station-back-at-tower-city.html |access-date=March 22, 2022 |website=cleveland |language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120112003133/http://www.dot.state.oh.us/ohiorail/Ohio%20Hub/Website/ordc/index.html The Ohio Hub], archived from [http://www.dot.state.oh.us/ohiorail/Ohio%20Hub/Website/ordc/index.html the original] – Ohio Department of Transportation via the [[Internet Archive]]
* [http://allaboardohio.org/transportation-planning-library/3c-corridor-planning-documents/ All Aboard Ohio - The Ohio Hub] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105123137/http://allaboardohio.org/transportation-planning-library/3c-corridor-planning-documents/ |date=January 5, 2018 }} – All Aboard Ohio
* [https://railroads.dot.gov/environment/environmental-reviews/ohio-3c-quick-start-passenger-rail-service Ohio 3C Quick Start Passenger Rail Service] — [[Federal Railroad Administration]]

{{High-speed rail in the United States}}
{{High-speed rail}}

[[Category:High-speed railway lines in the United States]]
[[Category:High-speed rail in Canada]]
[[Category:Passenger rail transportation in Ohio]]
[[Category:Passenger rail transportation in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Passenger rail transportation in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Passenger rail transportation in Illinois]]
[[Category:Passenger rail transport in Ontario]]
[[Category:Proposed railway lines in the United States]]
[[Category:Proposed rail infrastructure in the United States]]
[[Category:Proposed rail infrastructure in Canada]]
[[Category:Proposed Amtrak routes]]