The Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission (MIPRC) has secured a $1.84 million federal CRISI grant to launch Invest Midwest, a comprehensive passenger rail planning initiative. However, Ohio remains excluded from this regional network development after state legislators removed a $25,000 membership appropriation from the 2026-2027 budget, leaving the state without a seat at the table as neighboring states map out the future of Midwest transit.

All Aboard Ohio today announced the launch of the Inaugural Ohio Rail Summit. This statewide convening will bring together public officials, transportation professionals, advocates, and regional partners to discuss the future of passenger rail in Ohio and the Midwest.

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.

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.