Rally for Passenger Rail Service

[cjberndt]

The Northeast Indiana Passenger Rail Association (NIPRA) will host a rally to raise awareness among elected state officials about the need to return passenger rail service to Fort Wayne. Members of the State House and Senate, and other key officials have been invited. Guest speakers will include Rick Harnish, Executive Director of the Midwest High Speed Rail Association, and Derrick James, a senior officer in Amtrak's Office of Government Affairs.

This is one of several important steps that will be taken to emphasize the need for passenger rail service in Fort Wayne. Interested persons should attend this meeting and discuss the initiative with your elected officials.

Event date/location:

Friday, April 3
4:30 p.m.
Baker Street railroad station, 221 W. Baker St., Ft. Wayne

For additional information about NIPRA or this event, contact any of the following:

Dr. Tom Hayhurst, 260-433-0057 or tom.hayhurst@verizon.net
Fred Lanahan, 260-456-2590
Geoff Paddock, 260-432-5700
Dr. Harry Reith, 260-486-6515
Dr. Phil Wright, 260-432-6690 or pwright@pnp.com

NIPRA
P.O. Box 10463
Fort Wayne, IN
46852

nipra2rail.wordpress.com

[D.L.]

We need as many of you to turn out as possible, or let your State Rep. know that the 2nd largest city in Indiana needs to be serviced by passenger rail! TIA

[Steve Bryan]

It is very important that all interested parties attend this event. Public support will be critical if this effort is to succeed.

This is not just a push for high speed rail. I have been told by someone close to this that they are going to be realistic. High speed rail is years away and Obama's stimulus package is pushing for "shovel-ready" projects. That being the case, they feel standard passenger train service (i.e. 79 mph trains) could be implemented quickly with minimal (compared to high speed rail) expense and timing. Two and a half hour service from the Fort to the Windy would be an acceptable start while longer-term projects are worked out. They feel with the current mood in Washington, now is the best possible time to attempt to bring this to fruition.

[D.L.]

An oot trip kept me from attending, but I heard that a standing room crowd (full house) filled the station. I hope the "powers-to-be" are paying attention!
P.S.-I'm too poor to pay attention (that one was for you-Mikey!)

[D.L.]

A meeting will be held on the 9th w/a rep from INDOT attending.

[D.L.]

Meeting @ 4 this afternoon @ the train station. Local news tonight should have results.

[Notch 8]

While I have a love trains, it stops with the hi speed rail project ! Chicago Fort Wayne Toledo... Blah Blah....NS doesn't want it. The CF&E makes the most sense since it is an underused property. but it goes through nothing. which is good and bad. $41,000,000 to do a study. 1000's of jobs. If there was a demand for such trips the airport would be my choice. I love the FWA airport.... You know this reminds me of the Ball Park built in Ft Wayne for a baseball team 1 step above High School Ball.
My eyes are open and if anyone on the list has some advantages of this High Speed Rail corridor and can justify the enormous price tag on a project that will benifit so few, bring it on ! Remember its your Money........

Now to our regulary scheduled programming....

[Greg46m]

I kinda have to agree with you Mike on your points. I find it hard to believe that there is enough ridership opportunity to make it worthwhile. How many of us on this board travel to Chicago or Toledo on a frequent enough basis? And what are the chances that the train would get you there in time for your destination (meeting, ball game, etc) and be able to bring you back without either waiting half the day or cutting your trip short to get back to the train station?

I dont know, maybe I'm way off..Maybe a lot of people here are traveling to Chicago on a weekly basis or more for business. Maybe a lot more people than I think take trips to the windy city to visit museums.

I think that's why you don't see more bus travel than you do. I'm sure there is at least 1 grayhound a day between Ft Wayne and Chicago, but when was the last time anyone rode that? It's not convenient for people so they don't use it.

[chowetrains]

Personally, I refuse to fly anywhere, so the more passenger train options I have available the better. I definitely would support and use whatever passenger service is restored out Ft. Wayne, no questions asked.

[Notch 8]

What Im saying is don't make a decision on feelings, Im saying look at it as a business decision ! it would be cheaper to subsidize a shuttle (aircraft) verses the rail idea...and last I checked jets beats train everytime without the physical plant....Toledo where did that come from and Detroit its fizzled ! Chicago I can get there from Waterloo and I enjoy the trip and I can handle the hours they leave and arrive...I relize mass transit does not have to be profitable but its should not be a white elephant either.....
I would be more leaneant of the idea of Chicago to New York high speed corridor, beside Detroit and Chicago are already linked via Amtrak with a fairly good time between the 2 cities and what is the ridership ? No questions asked is a bad way of doing business. But I will listen to anyone who can sway me differently and I would listen to anyone who can try to sway me, cause if this is going to fly someone is going to have to sell this idea and so far it reminds me of the same sham as the Ball Park that FWA got... I said FLY again !

PS INER move a High Wide Load on thursday, should I upload a Pic ?


Mike mp 126 on the former Wabash 4th District which is getting ready for a make over, bunches of ties were dropp down the whole line, Im thinking about every 5th tie by the looks of things... maybe the High Speed is coming this way !

[rrnut282]

If more people flew out of FWA, I'd still have a job there.