We had the privilege of speaking with Michelle Tortolani, Amtrak’s Vice President of Project Delivery, Fleet & Facilities. Michelle oversees a massive portfolio responsible for modernizing the trains and facilities that keep America moving. She discussed Amtrak's new Acela high speed trains, new Airo trains, and the long-distance fleet trains.

Long before 3C+D entered the lexicon, the New York Central Railroad operated trains that tied these cities together. The most significant was the Ohio State Limited, introduced on April 27, 1924. It ran between New York City and Cincinnati, but within Ohio it effectively served as a corridor train. Cleveland, Columbus, Springfield, Dayton, and Cincinnati were linked on a daily basis. The routing differed somewhat from today’s proposal, but the core cities were the same.

As we honor Black History Month, Wells’ story reminds us that transportation is not just about infrastructure. It’s about access, equity, and the right for every person to travel safely, freely, and with dignity. At All Aboard Ohio, that belief remains at the heart of our mission today.

A realistic, updated timeline on when passengers will finally see the aging long-distance fleet replaced with modern equipment. This will impact trains in Cincinnati, Toledo, and Cleveland

Today, Amtrak’s 55th anniversary isn’t all that’s being celebrated. The U.S. is experiencing a veritable resurgence of passenger rail which some have described as a renaissance. Demand is at an all-time high, and routes from the west coast to the east coast are reporting unprecedented volumes of passengers. Rather than fighting to preserve a dying train network, Amtrak is breaking its own records every year.

The funding that kickstarted Ohio’s passenger rail renaissance has an expiration date. A new analysis from the Eno Center reveals why returning to the budget models of the past could derail the 3C&D corridor just as it gains momentum—and that we must demand multi-year appropriations to keep the project on track.