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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2010 > July > 07 > Entry
Guest column: Cracks showing in Ohio’s passenger snail-rail plans
This commentary was written by Brent Larkin, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer’s editorial director from 1991 until his retirement in 2009.
Gov. Ted Strickland thinks his passenger rail plan for Ohio is chugging along quite nicely. “I believe we are now on track,” the governor replied, when asked about the controversial and pricey plan June 25 at the (Cleveland) City Club.
Of course, optimism is an election year requirement — especially when the outcome of that election is very much in doubt.
An abundance of anecdotal evidence tells me a sizable majority of voters who know of the governor’s rail plan think it’s a lousy idea. We know it’s an expensive one: a $400 million federal handout, a $17 million annual subsidy from the state budget and — I believe — cost overruns that eventually will total hundreds of millions.
All for a train network that will average 39 mph on the 250-mile trip from Cleveland through Columbus to Cincinnati.
The problems of cost and snail-rail speed will haunt the state for years to come. In the present, there are also troubling indications that, despite the governor’s rosy outlook, things aren’t quite “on track.”
On April 19, the Strickland administration was in such a hurry to get the rail project under way that it used a legal loophole to get permission from a badly divided State Controlling Board to award a $23 million no-bid contract for planning and design work to the transportation engineering and construction firm of Parsons Brinckerhoff.
ODOT spokesman Scott Varner correctly insists other firms competed for the contract, but those evaluations fell short of an actual bid process.
Ten days later, the California state auditor released a blistering audit of California’s high-speed-rail project, which said the poorly managed project had been plagued by unauthorized purchases, millions of dollars in misspent funds and contractors charging $268,000 for work outside the scope of the agreement with the rail authority.
The project manager of high-speed-rail planning for California is Parsons Brinckerhoff, which has a nearly $200 million contract with the state. Telephone and e-mail attempts to contact Parsons Brinckerhoff for comment on the California audit were unsuccessful.
The audit prompted one state senator to tell the San Jose Mercury News he fears the California rail plan may become “the ‘Big Dig’ west.” In 2008, Parsons Brinckerhoff and its partner, Bechtel Corp., agreed to pay $400 million to settle a lawsuit for their joint role as manager of the most expensive — and arguably worst-managed — highway project in U.S. history: the “Big Dig” central artery and tunnels in downtown Boston.
With interest, The Boston Globe pegged the project’s total cost at $22 billion — a tad more than the original $2.8 billion estimate. Globe editorials have been bitterly critical of Parsons Brinckerhoff’s role in the “Big Dig.” Just two weeks ago, the newspaper reminded readers that the company was allowed to “charge up billions of dollars in overruns for its own mistakes.”
ODOT’s Varner said Parsons Brinckerhoff’s work in California and Boston has been “very different” and “far more difficult and complex” than what it will do in Ohio.
In the other projects, Parsons Brinckerhoff is or was the project manager. In Ohio, the state will run the rail project, with Parsons Brinckerhoff performing an environmental impact study and doing railroad engineering and design work.
• Speaking of railroads, most of the railroad companies are extremely unhappy with the ground rules the Federal Railroad Administration is attempting to implement that would govern President Barack Obama’s $8.5 billion rail initiative.
Most of the new train service will use tracks owned by freight haulers. Crain’s Chicago Business recently reported the railroads like little about this whole arrangement and are hardly thrilled about sharing tracks with trains that chug along at 19th-century speeds.
• Meanwhile, contrary to repeated claims from ODOT officials that existing tracks can be eventually upgraded to accommodate speeds of up to 110 mph, evidence mounts that medium-speed rail will require spending billions on entirely new tracks.
In late May, CSX Transportation and federal rail officials reached an agreement that new track would be needed to carry passengers at speeds of 110 mph on a line linking Buffalo to Schenectady, N.Y. CSX also owns most of the track and right of way that would be used for passenger rail service in Ohio.
If and when Ohio’s passenger rail service begins, a trip from Cleveland to Cincinnati will take nearly seven hours.
A 1935 schedule of passenger service on the New York Central shows a daily train departing Cincinnati at 12:25 p.m. and arriving in downtown Cleveland at 5:45 p.m.
Do the math. Then explain to me how this is progress.
Permalink | Comments (32) | Post your comment | Categories: Guest Columns, Ohio government, Ohio politics, Transportation
Comments
By Nobody
July 7, 2010 6:46 PM | Link to this
Karon????? Where are you? C’mon, we wanna see your comment on this……
By Scott in Bellbrook
July 7, 2010 8:06 PM | Link to this
Just a bunch of Tea Party naysayers stirring up some election year trouble. You know darn well that if Bush proposed the same thing they would all blindly back it to the hilt. Obama promised “green” jobs for Ohio and this is exactly what this is, “green” jobs. 400 million dollars coming to the state with just a 17 million dollar state investment sounds like a good deal to me.
By That's the Difference
July 7, 2010 8:37 PM | Link to this
That’s the difference between a liberal kool-aid drinker with no thought process who voted for Barry and the vast majority of Americans. The $17 million isn’t an investment. It’s the projected annual subsidy by a group that historically underestimates costs by a significant margin. Investments are made with the anticipation of a future pay off, subsidies just keep taking away from other projects or needs that could have positive lasting effects. The only thing “green” about this is the money Obama, Strickland & Company is wasting.
By Max
July 7, 2010 9:48 PM | Link to this
Trains? Really? For $20 in the Oregon District I can get the same thing with a more personal touch.
By karon
July 7, 2010 9:51 PM | Link to this
The passenger train will work in Ohio! The more transportation this state offers the more jobs and new business it will attract! Ohio can NO longer depend of just a car and highway for 21st century!
By karon
July 7, 2010 9:59 PM | Link to this
There are SOME leaders in Ohio who do not think passenger rail is needed. Republican Bill Harris of Ohio dislikes rail because he owns car dealerships in his district. Also Ohio highway lobby are opposed. Call these leaders and tell them Ohio needs passenger trains to help create jobs and help with less oil dependence!
By Max
July 7, 2010 10:53 PM | Link to this
Karon…babe, give me a dinner date and I’ll show you why your train thing is a bad idea. I don’t drive a car from a ‘dealership’ but that’s playing to the proletariat, right? I’m absolutely in favor of less petroleum lube dependence. Who isn’t under the age of 50? It’s just that women are so much more in tune to the battery device thing. Ooops….sorry Tea Party people…..change your depends and and call it a night after O’Reilly. But, Karon, if you weigh in under 60 kilo’s of downloads in Florida, and have a head of hair that matches the bush, then your train is ready at the station. Give me a call. You, me, and Esrati…this is stuff all that social networking nonsense aspires to….
By Kevin S.
July 7, 2010 11:03 PM | Link to this
I find it hilarious that this guy starts with the premise that most people who know of the rail plan disapprove of it, and then never bothers to mention any “anecdotal evidence” of people’s opinions. Instead, he talks about supposed features of the rail line and things that happened in California and Massachusetts.
By Max
July 7, 2010 11:04 PM | Link to this
Larkin needs to spend more time at the X-box…..he actually is so lazy he wants US to explain to him how this is progress. That’s what sleezy bloggers do, they make it OUR problem. Larkin, you’re the problem more than the trains….hook up with your fan base and you’ll be as lonely as you currently are. Yeah, the internet has a wealth of information on all….
By Max
July 7, 2010 11:13 PM | Link to this
KLevin, yeah…what is it about this crazy arguement Larkin is having with himself? We can all think crazy things and have fantasies but, darn, to print it all out for people to see? That’s like a 400lb man wearing a speedo.
By Mike R
July 7, 2010 11:38 PM | Link to this
Kevin & Max, This guy is from Cleveland. The Plain Dealer has written many stories regarding all the negative issues regarding the 3-C’s. In fact, both the Plain Dealer and Dispatch have written extensively about this boondoggle, but the DDN quietly sits on articles that shed light on many of the practicle and monetary issues surrounding the 3-C’s. Larkin made the mistake and assumed the DDN has given its’ customers both sides of the issue. Shame on him—he should know better about the DDN!
By Max
July 7, 2010 11:45 PM | Link to this
Mike, of course….LOL….But, when people write such things they generally are aware of the rage and audience being served…..LOL….DDN, as we’ve already established, is rapidly becoming a tabloid lesser than the National Enquirer. It is tough watching a local newspaper tank!
By Max
July 7, 2010 11:54 PM | Link to this
Mike…lol…we have DDN editorial board right where we want them. What can they do after endorsing Strickland 4 years ago and his record being what it is? HEHEHEHEH…..The terrific trio must be spending a lot of time reading what they’ve written in the past, what DDN has favorably reported for Strickland, and, in keeping with numbers crunching and polls, coming to terms with reality or maintaining the dillusion they were wrong 4 years ago, they are wrong now, and, they will be wrong aftyer Nov. 2. But, Mike, a lot of money is to made from being wrong. It’s the American way…..
By karon
July 8, 2010 12:22 AM | Link to this
These passenger trains will create JOBS and that is no joke!
By Max
July 8, 2010 12:46 AM | Link to this
Ok, Karon…’ya wanna have dinner…that’s no joke either, but, figure the odds of passenger trains and you having dinner with me…..’probably the same as playing keno…..LOL
By Max
July 8, 2010 12:56 AM | Link to this
Karon, I’d gladly rent a RTA bus to pick you, hubby, and/or life partner up if that makes you more comfortable. Or, you can lay back in Corinthian leather bucket seats and enjoy a little Miles Davis if German auto products don’t offend your feminine propinsity for comfort…..I can provide a Jap hot rod, made in the USA, if you prefer. I’m flexible; I’m and INDEPENDENT!
By Max
July 8, 2010 1:06 AM | Link to this
It’s no secret transportation stocks aren’t faring well. I bought 200 shares of BP because I seperate my personal disgust from my financial acuity. Values don’t pay bills. But, if Ohio rail bonds were offered for sale, I’d pass. ‘Too much dependent on what the fed government does. I do think Karon has the ‘ideal’ in mind but we know where that goes. But, she’s passionate and hot. I like that.
By r
July 8, 2010 1:22 AM | Link to this
I want the canal system brought back…hey what was old is new again…
By Grandma Sue
July 8, 2010 7:36 AM | Link to this
I think it would be far better to get competing bids for all major forms of transportation: Rail service, canal boats, and horse-and-buggy systems - just to keep the playing field level. Whichever bidder wins would need to install additional telegraph lines to handle the reservations. For an extra silver dollar, riders can have their choice of either sitting by the coal stove or a window seat. Entertainment can consist of watching old Gunsmoke videos.
By Champsummers
July 8, 2010 9:25 AM | Link to this
The real question is, If you can drive from Cincinnati to Cleveland in less than five hours; why would you take a train that takes seven hours? And when you get to the station how do you get around Cleveland? Would you rent a…….. car?
By JS
July 8, 2010 9:50 AM | Link to this
It seems clear that the problem is in execution, not fundamental concepts. Can passenger trains work? At high speed when cars lose their attractiveness as an option due to higher and higher fuel costs )no matter how much we drill, that is inevitable). As it’s being done…But what do you expect when your politicians aren’t working for you? They’re working for the large donors, folks, and that is against your interests more often than not. Kevin and Mike seem to fear the intangible, yet, to themn, palpable threat of socialism and you should be fearing naked control of the corporate elite. Corporate fascism is on its way, folks.
By Night Train
July 8, 2010 10:03 AM | Link to this
“Anecdotal evidence” (?) Such as what? What poll? What survey? Larkin is just re-spewing the same lame political drivel and assumptions that rail critics have previously spewed. He makes no attempt to account for over a decade of evidence that passenger rail service works…and works very well… in at least 15 other states that started out their passenger rail systems in the same way that Ohio is doing. And not just in dense urban states…but in Midwest states like Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri and… yes… that state up North. Why do Larkin, the highway contractors, the oil companies and their political allies wantr to keep us chained to our cars and the gasoline pump? Ohioans deserve transportation choice.
By davidss2
July 8, 2010 12:01 PM | Link to this
Wow, a few truths start filtering through the editorial page and the liberal spenders start thinking it’s only $17 billion per year to run the railroad. Read the facts again. Do some searching on the internet. If you think Ohio won’t have to spend huge amounts of money to subsidize this failure, I’ve got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you. Or I have a governor for you for 4 more years with no hope for Ohio.
By Mike R
July 8, 2010 12:33 PM | Link to this
JS, Fascism is already here. GM, Chrysler, AIG, Fannie, Freddie, NPR, PBS, and Amtrak just to name a few examples. You should read the book “Friendly Fascism” written by Bertram Gross. Gross was a key policy maker to FDR and was the primary architect to the “New Deal.” He was also a policy advisor to President Carter. Gross named the book “Friendly” to distinguish his vision of Fascism from that of the Goose-Stepping Fascist Soliders of the 1920’s and 30’s European models. There are many people who worked with Gross in the Carter Admin who are now key policy makers for Obama. Look at all the appointments and Czars by Obama—It has become “Rule by Edict” rather than “Rule by Law.” Before his death, Gross admitted he was wrong about consolidating power into the central government, but it is too late. The Genie is out of the bottle—Gross’s disciples drank his earlier Kool-Aid and the damage is only getting worse.
By Mike R
July 8, 2010 1:26 PM | Link to this
Night Train, there currently is an option to cars for intercity travel—the BUS. Your example of Illinois and Wisconsin is just factually wrong. Amtrak currently runs many trains in and out of Chicago (with stops at minor stations) to larger cities such as New York, San Fran., and New Orleans. Some of those trains currently stop here in Ohio now. As you should know, Amtrak is heavily subsidized and for many of the smaller towns in Illinois or Wisconsin it’s cheaper and takes less time to take Greyhound from Chicago. The Metra is a completely different story—It is NOT intercity travel, but daily commuter travel to either Union Station, Ogilvie Station (those are by far the two largest—250K riders each rush hour!), LaSalle Street, and Van Buren Street. Those lines have been in place for many decades—not the recent 15 years you imply. Almost all of those daily riders (hundreds of thousands) drive to a Metra station and pay at least $2/day to park…Damn oil companies still got us chained to our cars and pumps, don’t they?? In Wisconsin the rail is either Amtrak (which we have now in Ohio) or taking a daily commuter (Metra) down to Chicago…Again, those lines have been around for decades. Maybe Ohio would be better served by recreating the Interurbans and light rail on existing tracks and right-ways. More than likely people would rather commute within the metro area to work and school than intercity travel, for now.
By JS
July 8, 2010 1:28 PM | Link to this
Mike, don’t make the mistake of making this a one-party attack. Compare the number of czars now to the number six years ago. What do you think signing statements do? And those are still beside my point. You’re still after puppets for being puppets. Who pulls their strings? That’s the people you should be after. Politicians aren’t independent actors. They’re paid spokespeople.
By Mike R
July 8, 2010 2:06 PM | Link to this
Recess apointments have been around for a long-time and presidents of both parties use them. In fact, George Washington made recess appointments—it’s allowed under Article II of The Constitution. Czars, on the otherhand, are relatively new. Would you like to guess who the first president to appoint a Czar to a postion was? FDR. The U.S. went from never having one in the first 150 years to 11 Czars appointed by FDR. That’s when the Genie popped out of the bottle. Since then every President has put in place a Czar with the exception of JFK. Bush abused the system and Obama is running further away with this nasty tactic. Bush had a total of 31 Czars in his 8 year term. Obama has named 35 Czars in only 18 months! FDR, Bush, and Obama are the only Presidents to have the total number of Czars in double-digits. It reads like you might be one to believe in a conspiracy theory, JS. I don’t buy into that right now. I’m guessing you put stock in the Trilateral Commission and former CFR as the one pulling the strings…Hence the link to Bush and Obama and no party distinction. If so, you believe Zbigniew Brzezinski is the man behind the curtain??
By JS
July 8, 2010 7:40 PM | Link to this
Conspiracy theory? Not my flavor, Mike. How things are working is how they are working. Is there a directing board of some sort? Too large a world for it, and too many people needed to keep a secret. Wouldn’t work. I’m talking, Mike, about how things work. You see politicians as being independent thinkers and actors. I see them as answering to whoever is paying them. Voters can’t afford the prices, so that’s left to the wealthy and heads of industry. It’s done through campaign donations, lobbying, post-term jobs… Our businesses recruit via lobbying. It’s not quite quid pro quo, but it’s slimy enough. You might see business as a benevolent force. They’re to be as mistrusted as a used-car salesman.
By Michael
July 8, 2010 11:41 PM | Link to this
I’m a Daytonian who has been living in Japan for 7 years. The trains here are great! However, this is because Tokyo is a BIG city. Trains outside of the big cities (most of Japan) lose LOTS of money every year because the people out there prefer to drive cars. Ohio is not the kind of place where trains are needed, I’m sorry to say.
By Stephen
July 12, 2010 8:02 AM | Link to this
These same protests and concerns have been talked about for over a year now and they have already been answered. Next topic please!
By We need rail
July 13, 2010 12:05 AM | Link to this
@That’s the Difference, “thought process who voted for Barry and the vast majority of Americans.” The vast majority of Americans voted for Obama. I think you have it backwards.
By Mike R
July 13, 2010 1:45 PM | Link to this
Any logical person can’t define 52% as “vast” majority. Majority, yes. Vast? NO!