Hilliard City Council announces $50,000 in funding towards step 2 service development planning of the Midwest Connect passenger rail route. They join a total $350,000 in local contributions towards the federal government's 10% match target (estimated need around $600,000 to receive the match). Hilliard is near Columbus, Ohio.

Cincinnati Amtrak riders can look forward to future daily train service as Amtrak has submitted step 1 of planning to the Federal Railroad Administration. Many steps still lie ahead before daily service, up from 3x/week, will start.

A new report from the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development details how Amtrak's Chicago hub is leading to continued growth of rail travel in the Midwest. It also details how under continued success seats are selling out and new rail coaches and routes are likely needed.

The City of Cincinnati requests official proposals for development in the space that was supposed to be a Cincinnati subway.

The Ohio Rail Development Commission shared that it sent Phase 1 Corridor ID draft reports to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for comment prior to final submission according to a September 18th meeting. This is for the initial phase of two projects, the Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, Cleveland and Cleveland, Toledo, Detroit passenger rail corridors