Columbus, Ohio; Past and Future Chicago St. Louis New York National Limited

[Jeff Smith]

<Pardon the Dust> didn't even have to change the title that much!

There is a National Limited topic already, if not more.

radio.WOSU.org

...
That led Megan Steeva to ask WOSU's Curious Cbus project, “Why is Columbus the largest metropolitan area in the country without Amtrak service? And when did we lose rail service in the first place?"
...
Then, in the October of 1976, a large section of the arcade at Union Station was demolished, to make way for the Greater Columbus Convention Center. The station continued to serve rail passengers for a time, but that was the beginning of the end.

Finally, due to federal budget cuts and a lack of profitability, Amtrak discontinued The National Limited in 1979. Columbus hasn’t had passenger rail since.
...
Though that plan failed, officials are considering two new plans to bring high-speed travel to town. One is an Amtrak high-speed passenger train line between Chicago and Columbus, with stops in Indiana and Ohio.

The other, more futuristic idea is the Hyperloop, a new form of transport where pods carrying freight or passengers travel on magnetic tracks inside of vacuum-sealed tubes. The Hyperloop could potentially reach speeds exceeding 500 mph.
...

[gokeefe]

At least they have studies underway ... Other than that probably no hope in that area for some time to come. A daily Cardinal is probably the only chance for new service in Ohio.

[Gilbert B Norman]

Why is Columbus the largest metropolitan area in the country without Amtrak service? And when did we lose rail service in the first place?"

Last time I checked, Las Vegas SMSA, 2.4M, Columbus 2.1. Further, it's questionable if Phoenix, 4.7, has Amtrak service

[gokeefe]

Mr. Norman,

Metro yes, CSA no (Columbus is 26th, Las Vegas 29th).

Regardless, agreed that Phoenix is "not exactly" served by Amtrak.

For reasons that I don't fully grasp Ohio and Indiana simply cannot terminate or originate a passenger train.

I understand the politics, the history, the geography, the fiscal constraints and even some of the operational considerations.

Beyond that it's a blackhole. Money goes in, trains don't come out.

Here's a list of every route to/from OH & IN that Amtrak has ever cancelled (year):

Calumet (1991)
George Washington (1974)
Hoosier State (1995, 1999, 2019)
Lake Cities (1995)
James Whitcomb Riley (1971)
Shenandoah (1981)

Tossing some through trains in for good measure and Ohio and Indiana are the only two states which have lost service in every decade since Amtrak's inception.

The Hoosier State now also the dubious distinction of being the first state supported Amtrak route to be discontinued three times (!).

Something really big needs to happen in Ohio and Indiana to change this dynamic. I don't know if it's changing stations in Cleveland or charging tolls on the highways but until the circumstances shift the fundamental supporting factors (traffic congestion, population growth and reurbanization) all appear to be lacking.