As Ohio gears up for the nation’s semiquincentennial, the America 250-Ohio commission has officially launched the Ohio Transportation Trail, an expansive driving route that celebrates the state's deep legacy of motion. For advocates of passenger rail and members of All Aboard Ohio, this trail is more than a nostalgic trip down memory lane, rather a reminder that Ohio was built on a foundation of robust, interconnected transit.

And it is the ultimate blueprint for our state's future.  

Highlights from the Ohio Transportation Trail

Launched in April 2026 during a massive celebration at the Dennison Railroad Depot Museum, (which featured the arrival of the 2026 Buckeye Train excursion) the trail features over 80 curated sites spanning aviation, maritime shipping, and most importantly for us, railroads.  

Whether you are planning a weekend road trip or just exploring your own backyard, the trail offers incredible glimpses into our rail heritage:

• Dennison Railroad Depot Museum: Known as "Dreamsville, USA" during WWII, this fully restored depot once anchored 40 acres of rail shops and serviced over 40 daily passenger and freight trains.  

  
  

• The Age of Steam Roundhouse: Located in Sugarcreek, this breathtaking 18-stall roundhouse houses the largest private collection of steam locomotives in the U.S., offering a visceral look at the massive machines that fueled Ohio's heavy industries.  

  
  

• Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal: This architectural marvel is not only a museum but a testament to Cincinnati's historical prominence as a national railway hub.  

  
  

• Fostoria Iron Triangle Railpark: For those who love the rumble of modern freight, this unique park sits right in the middle of three intersecting double-track mainlines where visitors can safely watch more than 100 daily active trains.  

  
  

• Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad: This active heritage line beautifully demonstrates the historical transition from the Ohio & Erie Canal to modern rail transit, carrying passengers through the moving landscape of a national park.  

  
  

• Also check out: Marion Union Station, Bradford Ohio Railroad Museum, Elmore Train Depot & Museum, Orville Union Depot Museum, Hocking Valley Railway and the Noble County Caboose

Heritage as a Blueprint, Not Just Nostalgia

It is easy to look at historic steam engines and preserved depots as relics of a bygone era. However, for those of us fighting for transportation choices today, these sites represent empirical proof of concept.

At the turn of the 20th century, Ohio was the undisputed interurban center of America, boasting nearly 2,800 miles of electrified track that effortlessly connected rural communities with major urban centers. Our state's relatively flat terrain, combined with its densely populated cities and distributed agricultural communities, made it the perfect geographic canvas for frequent, reliable rail transit.  

When we advocate today for the 3C+D (Cleveland-Columbus-Dayton-Cincinnati) or Midwest Connect passenger corridors, we are not proposing a radical, untested experiment. We are fighting to restore the fundamental infrastructure that forged Ohio into the industrial and logistical heart of the American Midwest.  

When the 2026 Buckeye Train departed Columbus for the trail's launch event, it physically rolled right past the proposed site of the future Columbus Amtrak station near the Convention Center. The trains that built Ohio's past are literally and figuratively charting the physical course for its future.  

As you explore the Ohio Transportation Trail this summer, take pride in the legacy of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the massive interurban electric networks, and the incredible engineering on display at our historic depots. But let those sights fuel your advocacy. Let’s use our heritage as a blueprint to demand the federal funding, state-level matching grants, and political willpower needed to ensure the next 250 years of Ohio’s history are defined by the efficiency, connectivity, and freedom of a fully restored passenger rail network.

Cover photo courtesy of Timothy Kennedy