Could Passenger Rail Be Coming to Coshocton

ZANESVILLE, OH – The Federal Railroad Administration has approved an application for East Central Ohio to be part of the Corridor Identification and Development Program.

The Corridor ID Program is a planning and development project that will help to guide intercity passenger rail development throughout the country. The city of Fort Wayne, Indiana, submitted the application and is willing to provide $500,000 to expand passenger rail service on the Midwest Connect corridor that links Chicago to Pittsburgh. The new proposed corridor would follow the existing railway east through Coshocton, Newcomerstown, Dennison.

Kevin Buettner, the Transportation Director Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association, said they are thrilled to be a part of this project.

“Seeing as this project is running through the heart of our region, we had to get involved and are so excited we did,” Buettner said. “One of the cool parts about this project is the rail line east of Columbus all the way to the state line, is already owned by the state.”

Buettner said this makes things easier because they don’t have to acquire new land, they just need to make the existing land safe for passengers. He also said Senator Sherrod Brown made an announcement last week that a feasibility study needs to be conducted before work begins.

“The study would outline how the Corridor would be funded,” Buettner said. “Due to the length of the line, it could be a part of Amtrak’s National Program but there are ways that the state could subsidize a part. Each state may give a portion, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and then Indiana. But that will all come out after the study’s done.”

There is currently no time-line for when construction on the proposed corridor will begin. Buettner says that the feasibility study could take between 1 to 2 years to complete.